So here we are, at the end of 2025, facing the Christmas week and New Year’s celebrations. I have to be honest with you all, I slightly dread Christmas – possibly because, like so many women, I have taken the burden of organising most of the festivities on my shoulders. Each year I promise myself that I will not be a martyr to the season and then it comes around again and I find myself writing present lists and planning menus and decorating the tree just as I have done for more than 30 years. I have only really escaped it twice, once by being on honeymoon in India, and once because I thought I was in labour with my son, so we cancelled family celebrations and ate tinned frankfurters and watched Christmas TV. In the end, as it happened, my son decided to postpone his arrival until 13 January but we enjoyed the break. It is ridiculous, really, because the whole thing is entirely self-inflicted. I am sure no one would mind terribly if I did not do it.
There are positives though. Both my children are home to share the season with us, which always makes me happy. My youngest sister is bringing her family over from Paris so we will be all together for a fun occasion given that the last time we were all together like this was for my mother’s funeral. And, despite my whingeing, I actually love the cooking side of it all and have delicious things planned – cinnamon buns and croissants, lasagne, ham cooked in Coca Cola, Christmas lunch, salads, chocolate yule log, trifle (not all on one day I promise!). We are spending New Year with old friends and we will be helping one of my favourite people celebrate her 21st birthday. Weather permitting we might take some walks on our lovely Norfolk beaches. We will eat too much and play board games. I am very much looking forward to all those things and hope to return to work rested and refreshed. What will you all be doing that you enjoy over this festive period? Let me know.
One other positive, for me anyway, is that today, 20th December, is the shortest day of the year and from tomorrow the days will start getting longer. I am always reminded at this time of year of Moominland Midwinter, a book which slightly terrified me as a child, in which Moomintroll wakes early from his hibernation and is desperate for the sun to come back. On the longest night, the little animals have a huge bonfire and dance around it to bring the sun back. I guess my modern equivalent is gathering around the TV to watch the Strictly final, which is what I will be doing tonight.
Of course, the thing that keeps me grounded at slightly hectic times like this, apart from being able to escape to the shop which is my favourite place to be, is my knitting. When I have worked through the lists and done as much as I can, I will take an hour at the very least at the end of the day to spend some time with my wool and needles. Sometimes, all that can be achieved in that time is a couple of rows, especially if I am working on a Stephen West shawl, but it is worth it. It provides a break between my busy days and going to bed. Even in the midst of all the people who will be coming and going over the next week or so, I should find time to just sit and knit. Luckily, my middle sister has been converted to knitting so I hope that she will sit with me. And I have trained my family not to be fazed when I produce a project bag in a pub. With any luck, some progress will be made with ongoing WIPs, and of course there will be my new project which I will be casting on at our Christmas Cast On on Saturday afternoon in the shop. I have finally settled on the Lento Sweater by Jonna Helin, mostly because it is not too difficult!
This will be my last blog before the New Year. The shop will be (unusually) open on Monday 22, but we will close at 2pm on Christmas Eve and not re-open until 2 January. The website will remain open as it were, but we will not process any orders until January. I have recently blogged about everything that we have done in the shop over the last year (it has been very busy and amazing), but there are a couple of things that bear repeating. One is my ongoing gratitude to Mandy for the help and inspiration she brings to the business, whether it is advising people on yarn choices, teaching people to knit or crochet, or, as she is currently doing, designing patterns. She is always calm and cheerful and the business would not be the same without her. The other is about you, my lovely customers. Thank you for coming in, whether to purchase yarn, to learn a craft or just to sit and chat over a cup of tea, or for emailing me, if you live further away, to tell me about your projects. It is always a pleasure to see you and hear from you. I wish you all a happy Christmas and a peaceful New Year.