Trees, pies, music, travel and the rising sun.

Challenge: Weekly Prompts Weekend Challenge
Topic: A Festive Memory

Well next week will be my last week ‘in work’ until the 4th of January 2022. What does ‘in work’ really mean these days when I roll out of bed and walk to the study? But still it will feel like the true start of the festive season for me, time to do the things I want to do.

But it does all start before next Friday. Today we might go and get a real tree for the house, to bring in some greenery, to give the winter spirits somewhere to seek refuge over the season, and thus bestow their kindness upon us. Therefore at some point today or tomorrow ‘decoration’ will take place, both fun and a chore in equal measures, the house, the real tree, and the fake silvery blue tree will all be adorned with their sparkly representations of garlands, ribbons and snow. The first Christmas CD will be played, and we will eat a mince pie, and drink ginger wine.

Then the following weekend, before we even reach the Solstice, we will be having our yule meal with friends, this year we have chosen to do so again virtually, we will all be cooking, eating and washing up from our own homes, but we will still enjoy the company of friends that are dear to our hearts.

Therefore at some point between now and then I will need to create the Yule pie, accompanied by a glass of something alcoholic, and the now traditional yule pie making music of Swan and Dyer.

Last year the recipe (in its basic form), was shared with friends so that we would all be eating similar fare. In the summer we found out that one set of friends had sneakily made two and froze one, to enjoy in the summer! Wish I had thought of that.

And then into the first week of time off work, and our booster jabs!

Then we will reach the Solstice, we will hopefully go out onto the nearby common and greet the morning sun, lanterns in hand, with non alcoholic mulled beverage in a flask. With luck this year will be as stunning a sunrise as the one below from a few years ago.

We will return home and open Yule presents from each other. And then our Yuletide focus will move to Christmas, and hopefully visiting family this year. With a long drive up to North Wales and Lancashire; the order of which is yet to be decided.

A journey that will be filled with Christmas music, and will be both joyous and sad. Visiting Karen’s Mum and brother will be filled with a more traditional family Christmas time, whilst visiting my father will very much be about memories as we deal with his continuing Dementia, which can be both challenging and beautiful in equal measures.

And so we will forge our own festive memories, as for others these memories slip away from them or become ever present. If you feel like donating to a charity this year please consider giving to the Alzheimer’s society, they really do sterling work, not only supporting those suffering, but also those caring, those whose lives are tangentially affected, and of course the good work they do to bring understanding to this field of study.

Wishing you all a very merry and fun filled festive season however you choose to mark it.

Ken

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