Getting in the Mood for Christmas: Of Christmas Songs and Island Voices...

With only a few days until Christmas is upon us, I wanted to share with you a good technique to get excited about Christmas. Every year, if my mood is sinking slightly, I find that one of the best ways to pep up my Christmas spirit is listening to a good dose of festive music.

Living on the Isle of Wight makes Christmas quite special.  Not to sound like Yoda, but the community vibe is strong with the Island...and there's always so many exciting events held around December time.

One of these events is Carols at Quarr, which is the annual carol service held inside Quarr Abbey's serene chapel. (For anyone who doesn't live on the Isle of Wight, Quarr Abbey, originally founded in 1132, is a working monastery which is home to a small group of Benedictine monks.) Tranquil gardens surround the architecturally stunning Abbey, which remains opens to members of the public most of the year.

On Sunday, led by Linda Filby-Borrett, the Voices of the Isle of Wight held their annual Christmas concert at Quarr Abbey. The fundraising event reportedly went extremely well and the group raised a whopping £860 in collections! Even better, all proceeds went towards maintaining the beautiful and historical Abbey.

After hearing such wonderful feedback from friends about the concert, I was extremely anxious to hear Voices of the Isle of Wight perform their Christmas showcase. Thankfully, as part of a fundraising initiative, Linda Filby-Borrett had produced a CD containing 23 different Christmas tunes—and featuring both the Voices of the Isle of Wight and the monks of Quarr Abbey.

I received my copy of An Island Christmas this morning and have been listening to the CD on a loop ever since. The music is hauntingly beautiful and sends shivers down my spine every time I listen to the talented choir. In particular, O, Holy Night and In the Bleak Midwinter were favourites, eliciting goosebumps and almost moving me to tears. Special mention should be given to Emily Scotcher, whose stunning voice shone out chillingly during her solo piece In the Bleak Midwinter.

I've always had a soft spot for Gaudete and the Voices of the Isle of Wight definitely did the song justice, raising a smile and stirring fresh feelings of excitement towards Christmas. The sensitive orchestral accompaniment throughout each song perfectly balanced the truly magnificent singing from the choir. I was also impressed with Nancy Borrett, the violinist for Away in a Manger, who delivered an exceptionally beautiful instrumental.

Truly, this sort of music is perfect for those in need of a little Christmas spirit. If anyone reading this blog wants a boost, it's worth purchasing a digital download of some uplifting Christmas hymns—or even attending a local carol concert. 

Christmas is for everyone...and so is happiness. May your Christmas be a joyeous one.

F x

N.B. An Island Christmas CD can be purchased for £12 (including postage) from their website. All proceeds go towards maintaining the Grade I listed church at Quarr Abbey.

A Festive Meal - with ALL the Trimmings!

On Monday the 14th of December, as part of our yearly tradition, my friends and I enjoyed a Christmas feast at a local pub! For years, we've been gathering every December to exchange presents and share in a little holiday spirit with each other (before inevitably stuffing our faces with delicious goodies).

Organising the event this year was a little rocky in places, with some last minute cancellations from friends causing a few issues, but I'm pleased to say that the meal was still great fun anyway!

We went to Table Table (Medina Quay) in Newport for our Christmas meal and we weren't let down! The staff at Table Table were extremely kind and understanding about the last minute changes to table numbers and bent over backwards to make us feel at home.

Em and I—it's not Chrismas without a festive photo of us together!

The portion sizes were incredible and the food was excellent value for the price. I wasn't able to try the set Christmas meal, due to having celiac disease, but the staff worked really hard to offer me a meal which was just as appetising—and looked just as festive!

My celiac-friendly chips, peas and cauliflower cheese!

Table, Table outdid themselves with portion sizes, presenting thick cheesecake slices, which looked like door stop wedges, and large plates filled to the brim with tantalisingly tasty treats. Amazingly, we were able to get three whole courses, with generously-sized portions, for just £15.99! For anyone with smaller appetites, two-course meals were also available for just £12.99. I would definitely consider going there again next year as the staff made the whole process so easy and were so friendly!

Domi with her delicious cheesecake!

For anyone looking to jazz up their Christmas meal, I'd also recommend the use of photobooth props. We were kept entertained for ages with fake beards and elf ears, as you can see from the photos below!

Of course, you need to be a certain level of 'silly' to use the photo props kit...but thankfully, my friends are only happy to pull funny faces in front of the camera in the name of fun!

When all else fails, turn your beard into a beak...

We used the 'Elf Yourself' Photo Props Kit, which was £4 and included elf hats, beards, ears, spectacles, holding sticks, a picture frame and even one bald elf head! It's worth shopping around to see what else is on the market though, as you never know what gems you might find for a bargain!

Whatever you're doing to celebrate Christmas this year, I hope it's magical and fun—with just a hint of 'silly'.

F x

Brighstone Christmas Tree Festival

 Every December, for the past nineteen years, Brighstone has held its special Christmas Tree Festival and welcomed guests in from near and far to view the spectular assortment of Christmas trees. Over the course of the past nineteen years, over £90,000 has been raised for various charities because of this superb event—and nothing gets me in the mood for Christmas more than the festivities held around the little village of Brighstone!

With carol concerts, musical ensembles, nativities, bands, festive food and much more, Brighstone Christmas Tree Festival is never short of festive fun. This year, there were over 190 decorated Christmas trees placed around the seven different venues (located in Brighstone and the neighbouring village of Mottistone).

Last Friday, Domi and I wandered across to Brighstone for another one of our random adventures. We were just in time to catch the IW Village Society performing some crackin' Christmas tunes at the Wilberforce Hall. It did not take us long to spot the festive food and drinks stall—nor did it take long for Domi to snag a small slice of stollen for an afternoon snack!




Whilst we were eating, the IW Village Society sang a host of the traditional favourites and encouraged audience participation.

There's something rather warming about singing along to carols with other cheerful members of the public, and it reminds me of how lucky I am to live on the Isle of Wight. Our quaint little diamond-shaped island is so friendly and homely, and I couldn't have asked for a better place to live.



After we had finished belting out carols, Domi and I got a chance to look at some of the beautifully decorated trees. People had gone to such trouble to decorate their trees, so it really was a joy to visit the different venues and look at each painstakingly adorned tree.

Please excuse the picture quality—my mobile phone doesn't take great photos!

There were lots of different trees to view; however, I've just posted up a couple of favourites so that you can get a flavour of the experience. I don't know if you have ever visited similar festivals but I think it's a lovely way of bringing the community together— and I'd definitely recommend the event for anyone visiting the Isle of Wight next year!

Domi next to her favourite Christmas tree in the Wilberforce Hall

I particularly loved the 'Minions' tree, which had been decorated by Brighstone and Shorwell Brownies!

 

 

 

Finally, Domi and I took a walk around the village of Brighstone, admiring all of the pretty Christmas lights outside the houses and shops. Everywhere looked so beautiful and we couldn't help but smile at the magical setting.

I plan to post a few more blog posts in the run-up to Christmas—but, in the mean time, please accept my warmest wishes for the Christmas period. May your Christmas be blessed with lots of happiness and laughter!

F x

December, Hope, and an Overdue Blog Update!

In all the hustle and bustle of work and writing for NaNoWriMo (National Novel Writing Month), I'm afraid I've somewhat neglected this blog over the past month. I'm really sorry for not blogging in a while but I will do my best to post more frequently over the next few weeks.

The good news is that NaNoWriMo is finished for the year! The bad news is that I've got an extensive editing job on my hands before I decide what to do with my newest work of fiction. I'm not going to lie, a part of me wants to tidy this one up and publish it because I think a lot people would identify with the content—even if, at times, the story makes for slightly uncomfortable reading!

Anyway, I have a lot of exciting blogs planned for the pre-Christmas run-up and I hope you'll enjoy them! There's gluten-free recipes, a list of the best festive films, ideas for Christmassy events, tales of festive frolics...and much more on the way to you so stay tuned!

Also, for anyone who wasn't following me last year, feel free to check out some of my old festive blogs: Top Ten Festive Quotes, Christmas Spirit: The Non-Boozy Kind, A Little Christmas Hope and Love and Christmas Magic.

In the mean time, though, I shall leave you with a festive quote and a little message of hope. Wherever you are, no matter how bleak things seem sometimes, there will always be a flicker of a flame which will help guide you out of that dark tunnel. That flame belongs inside of you and is your own inner strength. You're stronger than you think and you can achieve your dreams. Part of that strength is about remembering that you can ask for help, too—whether from friends, family, or by drawing on your own faith. Often the most successful people become that way from simply believing that they can do it. You can do it, too.

Happy December to all of my wonderful readers!

"Christmas is not a time nor a season, but a state of mind. To cherish peace and goodwill, to be plenteous in mercy, is to have the real spirit of Christmas."

—Calvin Coolidge
F x

Christmas Magic

Christmas Day is almost upon us. As I write this post to you, the presents have already been stacked under the tree and the last of the pre-Christmas preparations finished. There's something a little bit magical in the air around Christmas Eve and I can't quite shake the feeling that something good is coming my way. Earlier misgivings are fading and giving way to a renewed feeling of hope and love.

 

I choose to believe in the magic of wishes. With the fire place aglow and a plate full of steaming hot mince pies awaiting me, I'm going to take a few minutes to make a wish on whatever Christmassy star is shining outside. The true magic of Christmas is in the spirit of believing; if you believe in miracles then anything can happen.

Last Christmas, I got one of the biggest miracles I'd ever asked for by being positive and believing. Perhaps you'll be lucky enough to get your wish this year if you do the same. It might not always come in the way you expect but things have a way of working out.

That being said, sometimes you've also got to know when to stop chasing a dream. If you're persistently being blocked then maybe there's a reason for that. If your dream involves someone else then remember that you cannot be the only person to put in all of the effort. Sometimes a little help has to come from the other person—and if they can't do that, or aren't even willing to try, then move on and find yourself a new dream. You are worth more. You might not believe it... but you are. If one dream isn't working out for you then build yourself a better one.

Believe in the magic, make a wish, dare to dream...and have a wonderful Christmas.

Christmas Spirit: The Non-Boozy Kind

It's been a long time since I've sat down to write a blog post so you'll have to excuse the rustiness and verbal diarrhoea which may shortly ensue.

Christmas is just four days away. With all the festive frolics, steaming mulled wine and crooning carollers, it's easy to see why Christmas is considered the most magical time of the year. This year, though, everything has changed. Instead of throwing myself into Christmas preparations with a glorious joyeux de vivre, I find myself longing for the coming New Year and the beginning of 2015.

Maybe it's the endless consumerism, the barrage of stressed shoppers scrambling around for the best Christmas deals, the growing anxiousness to get the "perfect present", or maybe it's because this time of year is a constant reminder of things lost...but I’m finding Christmas less and less enjoyable this year.

In all the bustle of Christmas, it's often easy to forget that Christmas can be the loneliest times of the year for some people. Watching other people excitedly getting ready for a Christmas packed with family and friends must bring a sharp pang to the heart of anyone who has recently experienced a loss of some kind.

People can be snapped away in an instant. So, if I could impart one message about Christmas—if I've learnt anything from this year at all—it's not to take the people around you for granted. They can be gone in a heartbeat, leaving you filled with so many regrets. Christmas is a stressful time but don't lose sight of the fact that you probably have a lot of people out there who really care about you. If you love someone, hold onto that love and don't let it slip away.

As someone spending Christmas single this year, it is hard to believe that this time last year I was giggling in the arms of someone who I thought was the most special guy in the world: The guy I thought I would be spending every day with for the rest of my life. Twelve months later and that dream is hopelessly lost—and no amount of work on my part can fix it, nor any prayer change it. I've lost my dream…but it's made me more determined than ever that everyone else gets their happy ending. Make your wishes come true. Keep hold of the magic of love this Christmas and enjoy every moment you spend together—because it can all end with just a few heated comments. Don't let rash words or the strain to create "a perfect Christmas" bring with it an avalanche of regrets. If you love someone, keep them. Love isn't about never having cross words or always agreeing with each other—but it is about being prepared to compromise and loving each other enough to try again. Love is not about walking away forever because you're scared something may not fit further down the line; it's about trying to make things work regardless.

I know of so many couples who are struggling because of the strain which Christmas brings and it simply isn't worth it. Christmas only lasts a few days—so, please, if I could ask one thing of anyone reading this, it's this: Don’t do anything you might regret further down the line. Do not split with a partner unless you've truly stopped caring for each other. Who cares if he forgot to buy the cranberry sauce? No one likes it all that much anyway. What does it matter if she's invited that aunt who you've never liked to stay for a few days over the Christmas period? It's only two or three days and then you have the place to yourself again.

Keep the people that you love around you for Christmas and enjoy every moment. Pull crackers, groan at the silly jokes, get merry on tipples of wine, stuff yourself full of roast dinners and Christmas pudding, live in the moment… and have a wonderful Christmas.

“The spirit of Christmas is the spirit of love and of generosity and of goodness. It illuminates the picture window of the soul, and we look out upon the world's busy life and become more interested in people than in things.” —Thomas S. Monson.