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Really enjoyed the Carols and Lessons at Romsey URC tonight though am so glad I was nowhere near the candles! Lovely though they were, I must admit I’m not much of a fan of candles. The practical side of me keeps thinking “fire hazard”.
(On the other hand, I DO love four candles… Two Ronnies anyone?).
The church looked lovely, I enjoyed the Christmas story as ever and there were some thoughtful poems too. Had a good old sing too. Good for the lungs and the soul!
Over the next week or so, I’ll probably watch A Christmas Carol. (My favourite version is the Muppet one with Michael Caine. I love Marley and Marley with the two old hecklers).
Then I must try and watch Hogfather but I must admit I don’t think you can beat Dickens for a corker of a Christmas story. Indeed how many writers can say they add to the Christmas traditions? (I’m thinking Christina Rossetti for In the Bleak Midwinter and Clement Clark Moore for The Night Before Christmas but it is Dickens I think of first when it comes to festive tales).
Two favourite carols. Image by Pixabay
Christmas candles. Image by Pixabay.
Mince pies. Image by Pixabay.
The Nativity. Image by Pixabay.
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One of my favourite things about Christmas Day is in the evening when we are all relaxing and I’m inevitably curled up on the sofa with a book and something nice to drink.
It’s that feeling of not having to do anything now that I think is so nice (and I feel less guilty about reading when I’ve “nothing to do”. I know I shouldn’t feel guilty about reading but I find it easier to relax with a good book, knowing I haven’t got a long list of chores to work through the moment I’ve finished a chapter).
So, yes, I’m hoping for books under the Christmas tree (and that Lady doesn’t get to them first!).
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Rudolph the red nosed reindeer
Knew the others would just sneer
At his odd nasal arrangement
Their teasing was just torment
What he wouldn’t give for a beer!
Allison Symes – 17th December 2017
Okay, the Poet Laureate’s joke is safe but I am partial to the odd limerick. Some of mine are very odd!
Am editing what I hope will be book 2. Hope enjoying re-reading what I wrote some months ago now is a good sign. Here is a link to a recent story of mine on Cafelit. For some reason, there seems to be a Christmas theme!
Don’t forget to visit the Cafelit Advent Calendar for details of who is appearing on what day and what our style of story writing is. I’m glad to say there’s a nice mixed range here.
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My latest post on Goodreads is about the stories I love at Christmas and why having a writer in your life makes YOUR Christmas present shopping ever so easy!
My favourite stories at Christmas are the Nativity and Charles Dickens’s marvellous A Christmas Carol.
My favourite poem/carol is In the Bleak Midwinter (Christina Rossetti). I adore the imagery in this. As for Scrooge’s story, I love redemption stories and this is the classic one.
I like to watch the Muppet Christmas Carol (with Michael Caine as Scrooge) every year. One thing I love about it comes right at the end when Gonzo recommends reading the original book by Dickens. How many films promote reading the original book?!
My favourite time on Christmas Day itself comes in the evening when there really is nothing for me to have to do and I can curl up on the sofa and pick which book I was given as a present to start reading first. Naturally, there is a nice drink beside me too!
I’m hoping for a couple of historical books (non-fiction) this year. One lovely thing about having a writer in your life is you won’t run out of present ideas. We either want to read something or to have things that will help us write our own tales. So just ask and we will give you a list!
It does take something special though to add to Christmas traditions and Dickens and Rossetti both achieve that.
Allison Symes: Collected Works 