â¨As Christmas Eve approaches, letâs pause a moment, sense the hovering magic, and rest in the beauty of the world. This episode is, essentially, me sending you a Christmas wish. I hope you love it, and I wish you whatever kind of Christmas you want and need this year.
Episode 7 includes:
* â¨The most famous Christmas poem ever written
* â¨A glimpse of the ocean from a wild corner of Cornwall
* â¨Talk of snowflakes and dreams of snow
* â¨Ice fires and memories of years gone by
* â¨Christmas Eve traditions from listeners all over the world
With inspiration from Clement Clarke Moore, Jule Styne, Sammy Cahn, Moya Cannon, Professor Brian Cox, Suzie Dent, Nancy Campbell, Richard Skrein, Dot May Dunn, Sketchbook of Washington Irving and St Nicholas himself.
Donât forget, if you feel like seeking solace in words this winter, donât miss my Winter Writing Sanctuary which begins on Saturday December 28 and runs until January 5. If you havenât signed up yet, you can register for FREE here.
Sending Christmas blessings your way,Beth Xx
08PS You can also listen on Apple or Spotify. And in case you missed it, you might enjoy my wintery essay âFor the Love of Tiny Things: A short note about small joys, and a little festive puzzle for you.â
Winter Writing Sanctuary sign up
- Register here for free (runs Dec 28-Jan 5 online)
Inspiration sale!
- Up to 50% off ALL my classes in my annual gratitude sale, on now here. Ending very soon!
Links
* A Visit from St Nicholas by Clement Clarke Moore
* Let it Snow by Jule Styne and Sammy Cahn made famous again in the nineties by Boyz II Men featuring Brian McKnight
* What can snowflakes tell us about our universe? with Prof Brian Cox on the BBC
* Free Calm Christmas Planner (by me!)
Referenced books + recommendations
* Snow Day by Moya Cannon in Keats Lives by Moya Cannon (Carcanet Press)
* Roots of Happiness by Suzie Dent (Puffin) p.12
* Fifty Words for Snow by Nancy Campbell (Elliot & Thompson) p.207
* Fifty Things to do in Snow by Richard Skrein (Pavilion) p.126
* Christmas Around the Village Green by Dot May Dunn (Orion) p.1
* Old Christmas, from the Sketchbook of Washington Irving p.72
* Calm Christmas and a Happy New Year by Beth Kempton (Piatkus)
Images: Holly Bobbins / Unsplash
This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit calmchristmas.substack.com
Popular Podcasts
CrimeLess: Hillbilly Heist
Itâs 1996 in rural North Carolina, and an oddball crew makes history when they pull off Americaâs third largest cash heist. But itâs all downhill from there. Join host Johnny Knoxville as he unspools a wild and woolly tale about a group of regular âol folks who risked it all for a chance at a better life. CrimeLess: Hillbilly Heist answers the question: what would you do with 17.3 million dollars? The answer includes diamond rings, mansions, velvet Elvis paintings, plus a run for the border, murder-for-hire-plots, and FBI busts.
Crime Junkie
Does hearing about a true crime case always leave you scouring the internet for the truth behind the story? Dive into your next mystery with Crime Junkie. Every Monday, join your host Ashley Flowers as she unravels all the details of infamous and underreported true crime cases with her best friend Brit Prawat. From cold cases to missing persons and heroes in our community who seek justice, Crime Junkie is your destination for theories and stories you wonât hear anywhere else. Whether you're a seasoned true crime enthusiast or new to the genre, you'll find yourself on the edge of your seat awaiting a new episode every Monday. If you can never get enough true crime... Congratulations, youâve found your people. Follow to join a community of Crime Junkies! Crime Junkie is presented by audiochuck Media Company.
Stuff You Should Know
If you've ever wanted to know about champagne, satanism, the Stonewall Uprising, chaos theory, LSD, El Nino, true crime and Rosa Parks, then look no further. Josh and Chuck have you covered.