All in the planning
”For the past few years, I have finally begun to realise that much of the true joy of Christmas comes in the preparation and anticipation. Working out the menus, trying new recipes, plotting excellent presents and foraging for decorations (and Ellie is right, you can’t go wrong with natural greenery). Then there’s a carol service or two and various parties to build the festive feeling. It all culminates in Christmas Eve – for our family, a day of carols on the radio, veg peeling and chopping, baking and then a walk along the river.
So this whole issue is all about that delicious planning phase. We have walks in and around some of our merriest market towns, new recipes to try and a celebration of the homely county of Oxfordshire, where you can discover a few surprises from history and the natural world. Plus, author Patrick Galbraith joins us to explore the world of the grey partridge – a bird of Christmas, if not pear trees. And then there’s the impish John Wright and his guide to finding elves in the countryside.
But most of all – as Rekha Mistry agrees in her gardening column – Christmas is a time to slow down, reflect, recharge and find peace. Especially in these challenging times. A walk in the countryside among nature is the best present you can give yourself. Happy Christmas!
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THIS MONTH’S CONTRIBUTORS
Claire Thomson
“With the radio on and a cup of tea on the go, time is well spent wrapping parcels of biscuits and bottling home-infused spirits.”
Patrick Galbraith
“A grey partridge in a pear tree would be an oddity. Partridges tend to be found under hedges, in meadows and scratching around field margins.”
Ellie Harrison
“While crafts can vary greatly, handiwork using evergreens never fails. Real nature brought indoors, in fact, improves every surface.”