Wishing you a very Happy New Year, thank you for these insights. We’ve just taken down our Christmas Tree and decorations, but left up the fairy lights. It always feels too soon so we’ll be keeping them up during January especially as the evenings are still so dark. It helps ease into the new year a bit more.
I keep all of my decorations up until twelfth night and my windowsill candle arches on until Candlemas on the 2nd February. Even then I'm reluctant to turn them off.
I planted a plum tree last spring and will be wassailling around it this year. Though I'll probably use liquid fertiliser rather than wine as the libation. 😊
Candles are needed right into February, I totally agree! Enjoy the wassail; liquid fertiliser is probably wiser than wine. Save the wine to drink yourself ;)
Quiet January is a lovely start to the New Year. It is typically very cold here in the land of exploding frost (Northern Alberta) and the past few years I've taken to limiting my engagement with the world in First Month. Lots of reading, knitting and thinking. Slowly putting the Christmas away. Resting my soul from all that frenetic energy in December 🧡
I love the thought of slowly putting Christmas away. I think the term Christmas decorations is wrong, mine are Christmas memories and should be returned to their boxes with love and care.
Our tree always stays up till the 6th Jan which is our son's birthday, we add cards and balloons. That said he's 19 this year so I wasn't sure that was appropriate he seems unwilling to commit either way lol. I will keep my festive garland up for the foreseeable as it's more a winter garland than Christmas and my favourite snowmen too. I like the idea of keeping this as a quiet month rather than a 'what can we start/achieve 🤔
Lovely to keep the festivities going and to roll them into birthday celebrations! As for garlands, I'm the same... call them Winter decorations rather than Christmas and they can stay up as long as you want. Love that you have favourite snowmen too!
Like alot of people here our lights will be staying up through the whole of winter and I will be starting the 'traditional' new year gently. I prefer to begin a new year when nature shows me it's time. 🌱😊
very much in the same space and enjoying the cosiness of January and extending all of the joy from December and the festive period into it... Hope you had a lovely, restful to 2025!
I don't do new year's resolutions, but I do new year's wishes instead. Wishes seem a lot gentler and more hopeful than harsher resolutions, now is a time for gentle planning not setting strict goals.
Also the Cree name for the moon is surprising-frost exploding? I always thought of frost as being one of the quietest types of weather, unless it's a description of frost growing suddenly overnight like a silent burst of ice across the land...
I love the idea of Wassail. I read last years piece and it the way you describe it is wonderful. It makes me want to go out and sing to my apple trees but I might need a few ciders first😆
Totally agree 🫶 it's great to be reminded that we're still in mid-winter and resolutions/new routines/exercise/diets etc just aren't it - here for the cosy, comfy vibes!
We're leaving everything up until the 6th as well.
I experienced something this year that I'd read about but never experienced myself: getting a horrible head cold that started the first day of vacation (Christmas Eve) and still continuing.
It's like my body said, "You're going to rest if you want to or not." I slept for most of those days and wandered around in my pajamas and no makeup when I was awake.
Happy 2025! Your newsletters are always a delight.
Oh no, the Christmas cold is the worst! Definitely natures way of telling us to stop and rest, but no fun at all. Hope you feel better soon and a happy 2025 to you!
Blessings for January Victoria. I confess I happily put our Christmas decorations away today BUT we have our fairy lights up, our wreath on the door and candles everywhere to bring glimmers and sparkle to the winter darkness. I adore the cosiness of January and feel in a real dream like state at the moment where hopes and wishes for the year ahead are circulating my being but with no push or rush to take any great actions. I love the names of the January moon… especially stay home moon! Here for that! Xx
In Sweden, we celebrate not 12 but 20 days of Christmas/Yule – from 24 December to 13 January. So our tree is not going anywhere this weekend! Fairy lights stay up even longer. I confess January is not my favourite month, the days are still very short and it can be bitterly cold. But I like it a lot better since I started thinking of it as ‘the quiet month’. No resolutions or ‘fresh starts’ here either, just hoping for more snow and making an extra batch of mince pies if we run out (not a Swedish thing, but I’m married to a Brit).
Excited to report that we have done or are working on all 3! Twelfth Night party with a “Wassail bowl” in the works for this weekend, and we’ve had a great view of the waxing moon out our window the last couple nights.
Wishing you a very Happy New Year, thank you for these insights. We’ve just taken down our Christmas Tree and decorations, but left up the fairy lights. It always feels too soon so we’ll be keeping them up during January especially as the evenings are still so dark. It helps ease into the new year a bit more.
Leaving up the fairy lights is perfect. I'll be doing the same. They're much needed in January!
I keep all of my decorations up until twelfth night and my windowsill candle arches on until Candlemas on the 2nd February. Even then I'm reluctant to turn them off.
I planted a plum tree last spring and will be wassailling around it this year. Though I'll probably use liquid fertiliser rather than wine as the libation. 😊
Candles are needed right into February, I totally agree! Enjoy the wassail; liquid fertiliser is probably wiser than wine. Save the wine to drink yourself ;)
Quiet January is a lovely start to the New Year. It is typically very cold here in the land of exploding frost (Northern Alberta) and the past few years I've taken to limiting my engagement with the world in First Month. Lots of reading, knitting and thinking. Slowly putting the Christmas away. Resting my soul from all that frenetic energy in December 🧡
Resting your soul is a lovely way to describe it! Sending a wave to you in the land of exploding frost, from the land of the Stay Home moon
I love the thought of slowly putting Christmas away. I think the term Christmas decorations is wrong, mine are Christmas memories and should be returned to their boxes with love and care.
Our tree always stays up till the 6th Jan which is our son's birthday, we add cards and balloons. That said he's 19 this year so I wasn't sure that was appropriate he seems unwilling to commit either way lol. I will keep my festive garland up for the foreseeable as it's more a winter garland than Christmas and my favourite snowmen too. I like the idea of keeping this as a quiet month rather than a 'what can we start/achieve 🤔
Lovely to keep the festivities going and to roll them into birthday celebrations! As for garlands, I'm the same... call them Winter decorations rather than Christmas and they can stay up as long as you want. Love that you have favourite snowmen too!
Like alot of people here our lights will be staying up through the whole of winter and I will be starting the 'traditional' new year gently. I prefer to begin a new year when nature shows me it's time. 🌱😊
Totally agree. The Spring Equinox is my New Year start! Feels much more suited to new beginnings 🌱
very much in the same space and enjoying the cosiness of January and extending all of the joy from December and the festive period into it... Hope you had a lovely, restful to 2025!
extending the December joy is a lovely way to put it!
Wishing you a peaceful and cosy start to 2025!
I don't do new year's resolutions, but I do new year's wishes instead. Wishes seem a lot gentler and more hopeful than harsher resolutions, now is a time for gentle planning not setting strict goals.
Also the Cree name for the moon is surprising-frost exploding? I always thought of frost as being one of the quietest types of weather, unless it's a description of frost growing suddenly overnight like a silent burst of ice across the land...
I love the idea of Wassail. I read last years piece and it the way you describe it is wonderful. It makes me want to go out and sing to my apple trees but I might need a few ciders first😆
Very happy to hear this. I hope you managed to do some apple tree singing, even if only very quietly 🤣
Last January I intentionally did very little ….. lived the slow life.
I’m now on repeat because it was quite a revelation, I felt so energised for the rest of the year!
Still enjoying breakfast by candle/fairy lights ✨
Looking forward to your newsletters in 2025 Vicky ….. thanks 🙏🏼
It’s lovely isn’t it! Hibernation all the way ✨
Totally agree 🫶 it's great to be reminded that we're still in mid-winter and resolutions/new routines/exercise/diets etc just aren't it - here for the cosy, comfy vibes!
Cosy and comfy all the way! ✨
We're leaving everything up until the 6th as well.
I experienced something this year that I'd read about but never experienced myself: getting a horrible head cold that started the first day of vacation (Christmas Eve) and still continuing.
It's like my body said, "You're going to rest if you want to or not." I slept for most of those days and wandered around in my pajamas and no makeup when I was awake.
Happy 2025! Your newsletters are always a delight.
Oh no, the Christmas cold is the worst! Definitely natures way of telling us to stop and rest, but no fun at all. Hope you feel better soon and a happy 2025 to you!
Blessings for January Victoria. I confess I happily put our Christmas decorations away today BUT we have our fairy lights up, our wreath on the door and candles everywhere to bring glimmers and sparkle to the winter darkness. I adore the cosiness of January and feel in a real dream like state at the moment where hopes and wishes for the year ahead are circulating my being but with no push or rush to take any great actions. I love the names of the January moon… especially stay home moon! Here for that! Xx
Stay Home moon all the way! And candles and fairy lights are the best decoration to keep up this month x
Wishing you a beautiful New year. My decorations are staying up until 6th, the pretty fairy lights considerably longer
Perfect! Happy New Year to you ✨
Oh I totally agree. January is not a time for the harshness of diets and deprivations.
Nope! Cosiness and delicious food all the way!
In Sweden, we celebrate not 12 but 20 days of Christmas/Yule – from 24 December to 13 January. So our tree is not going anywhere this weekend! Fairy lights stay up even longer. I confess January is not my favourite month, the days are still very short and it can be bitterly cold. But I like it a lot better since I started thinking of it as ‘the quiet month’. No resolutions or ‘fresh starts’ here either, just hoping for more snow and making an extra batch of mince pies if we run out (not a Swedish thing, but I’m married to a Brit).
20 days of Christmas is fantastic. Can I adopt that?!
I think everyone who wants it should have at least 20 days of Christmas!
Excited to report that we have done or are working on all 3! Twelfth Night party with a “Wassail bowl” in the works for this weekend, and we’ve had a great view of the waxing moon out our window the last couple nights.
This all sounds fantastic! Have a wonderful Twelfth Night party