Just wanted to say thank you for Home. I always do a bit of a look back during the lull, and when I thought of what made me happiest, what I really loved most, during this past year, your newsletter immediately came to mind. It's one of the happiest-making things I know. Many thanks for all the color, wit, intelligence, and joy! And best wishes for the happiest of 2025s to you.
My lull has been spent switching between two books I received for Christmas… your “Beauty Edit” which I requested from the husband, and your “In Your Prime” which was a surprise treat from a wonderfully good friend. Both feature the word “older” on the cover and are helping me adapt to my new chapter of growing up (current highlight? Starting HRT after another wonderfully good friend gave me a stern talking to at dinner two weeks ago, along the lines of “OK so everything you just said? You need drugs.” She wasn’t wrong!). Never heard a penny drop quite as loudly. So anyway, am just saying, these pals and these books and finding your substack this year - timely beyond belief. Thank you. Enjoy your lullingness, it sounds like you nailed the festivities perfectly!
I hope you really enjoy them both. Weird fact about publishing: the word 'older' is supposed to be tremendously off putting because people don't buy those books as presents in case the giftee is insulted. SO SILLY.
Happy post Christmas pre New Year India. And thank you for the best tip ever - professionally laundered bedding. Never occurred to me - my NY resolution will be to implement this as a permanent luxury 🤣🎄🥂
I love that you call the period between Christmas and New Year ‘the lull’ - it’s a perfect description. However, I am also very taken by Jane Garvey and Fi Glover’s name for it: the perineum ...
Loved G and S, specially that Gwen and Dave Coaches hooked up, AND that he saved the day. All so sweet and satisfactory, as was All Creatures. I hope they got great audiences and Mrs Brown got 10. Why anyone watches it is beyond me. I am afraid so is Cmas bed linen. I have never had a sense of humour about penguins and pillowcases. Give me 4-row Peter Reed white Egyptian cotton every time! But I agree your JL is hugely stylish and I hope he enjoyed being comforted by fat red robins. I also agree about the delectable lull. It’s bliss.
All looks beautiful. The sheets the cherry on top. Fully Christmas marinated. I realised only today that my top film/book theme preference is family dysfunction. Regret tho...💔
You are such a star for turning potential bedding disaster into a hilarious new Xmas tradition. I'm almost tempted by the robin linen. Almost!
I like to contrast Christmas hibernation with some bracing activity... my own extremely peculiar tradition is spreading black gold (commonly known as manure) on my borders on Boxing Day or as soon after as the weather permits. It's a little known fact that this is a particularly auspicious time for such activity, and your plants will reward you come spring :-) And hell you feel virtuous afterwards, and more than ready for the next round of indulgent eating.
The robin linen has really gown on me. I so envy you re the borders, what a brilliant time to do it - I might mushroom compost everything on Jan 1. Or find some poo. Happy new year!
A lull sounds lovely I’ve just had my brother and family to lunch and now preparing for drinks with 40 and my 5 and 3 year old nephews have been here since Christmas Day and are having a ball running around and screaming!!
John Lewis do fab Christmas bedding - it's only properly Christmas in this house, when the Christmas bedding goes on! :) Generally I like to make Christmas last as long as possible - it's been so grey, misty/foggy here for the last few days, that I am extra grateful for all the candles and sparkly lights I put up this year (more than usual). We had a lovely Christmas day too - glad you enjoyed yours and Gavin & Stacey: utter brilliance. Loved it - will def. be watching that again :)
I love the Christmas bedding now and it's going to come out every year. Have watched G&S twice, wouldn't be sad if someone suggested a third go. Have a lovely new year!
The festive sheets! Did everyone know, or was it a surprise when they pulled down the covers? (I, too, have an ex-husband who is very much part of the scene, I just loved this!)
Your home is so cozy —my tradition is to not take anything down til after January 6! Glad you had a great Christmas, empty plates are the best photos!
Surprise - and they were delighted, or at least claimed to be. Good ex-husbands are the best! Nothing coming down until 6th here either and I so agree re plates - much prefer the after to the before. Have a wonderful new year!
Just wanted to say thank you for Home. I always do a bit of a look back during the lull, and when I thought of what made me happiest, what I really loved most, during this past year, your newsletter immediately came to mind. It's one of the happiest-making things I know. Many thanks for all the color, wit, intelligence, and joy! And best wishes for the happiest of 2025s to you.
That's about the nicest thing I've ever heard - thank you VERY much indeed and have a wonderful new year.
My lull has been spent switching between two books I received for Christmas… your “Beauty Edit” which I requested from the husband, and your “In Your Prime” which was a surprise treat from a wonderfully good friend. Both feature the word “older” on the cover and are helping me adapt to my new chapter of growing up (current highlight? Starting HRT after another wonderfully good friend gave me a stern talking to at dinner two weeks ago, along the lines of “OK so everything you just said? You need drugs.” She wasn’t wrong!). Never heard a penny drop quite as loudly. So anyway, am just saying, these pals and these books and finding your substack this year - timely beyond belief. Thank you. Enjoy your lullingness, it sounds like you nailed the festivities perfectly!
I hope you really enjoy them both. Weird fact about publishing: the word 'older' is supposed to be tremendously off putting because people don't buy those books as presents in case the giftee is insulted. SO SILLY.
Silly indeed! And I’ll take older over ‘mature’ anyday…
Mature so awful, like cheese.
Happy post Christmas pre New Year India. And thank you for the best tip ever - professionally laundered bedding. Never occurred to me - my NY resolution will be to implement this as a permanent luxury 🤣🎄🥂
We've now got the fracking sheets back and they are THE DREAM - am going to implement for my own bed too. Happy new year for tomorrow!
Perfect. Just perfect.
: )
In every photo there are books. Happy new Year
Thanks Maggie, and to you!
(and on every floor too, sadly)
Gorgeous barn. It looks so inviting and I am going to call it the lull. I hate betwixt which sounds like estate agent talk
It DOES sound like estate agent talk! Thank you and happy new year!
So glad you are enjoying the festivities India, you work so hard to make things perfect. I hope your guests and family appreciate you.
Relieved to hear that you resolved the laundry situation 👏
Thank you Frances and happy new year!
Such a joyous reflection- I do hope you are back but I am definitely dead from cooking and cannot eat anything more - just tonic for me!
It's so exhausting. The children made (vg) dinner last night and it was SUCH a treat.
I love that you call the period between Christmas and New Year ‘the lull’ - it’s a perfect description. However, I am also very taken by Jane Garvey and Fi Glover’s name for it: the perineum ...
I don't like the image the perineum throws up, but it's a good name for it.
Loved G and S, specially that Gwen and Dave Coaches hooked up, AND that he saved the day. All so sweet and satisfactory, as was All Creatures. I hope they got great audiences and Mrs Brown got 10. Why anyone watches it is beyond me. I am afraid so is Cmas bed linen. I have never had a sense of humour about penguins and pillowcases. Give me 4-row Peter Reed white Egyptian cotton every time! But I agree your JL is hugely stylish and I hope he enjoyed being comforted by fat red robins. I also agree about the delectable lull. It’s bliss.
The Christmas bedding is now coming out every year. YES Dave Coaches.
All looks beautiful. The sheets the cherry on top. Fully Christmas marinated. I realised only today that my top film/book theme preference is family dysfunction. Regret tho...💔
Thank you! Mine too re themes.
You are such a star for turning potential bedding disaster into a hilarious new Xmas tradition. I'm almost tempted by the robin linen. Almost!
I like to contrast Christmas hibernation with some bracing activity... my own extremely peculiar tradition is spreading black gold (commonly known as manure) on my borders on Boxing Day or as soon after as the weather permits. It's a little known fact that this is a particularly auspicious time for such activity, and your plants will reward you come spring :-) And hell you feel virtuous afterwards, and more than ready for the next round of indulgent eating.
Enjoy your Christmas hosting part two!
The robin linen has really gown on me. I so envy you re the borders, what a brilliant time to do it - I might mushroom compost everything on Jan 1. Or find some poo. Happy new year!
A lull sounds lovely I’ve just had my brother and family to lunch and now preparing for drinks with 40 and my 5 and 3 year old nephews have been here since Christmas Day and are having a ball running around and screaming!!
Tomorrow hopefully a bit gentler 🤞
God, that's a lot - hope you're resting a bit now (it's the 30th).
John Lewis do fab Christmas bedding - it's only properly Christmas in this house, when the Christmas bedding goes on! :) Generally I like to make Christmas last as long as possible - it's been so grey, misty/foggy here for the last few days, that I am extra grateful for all the candles and sparkly lights I put up this year (more than usual). We had a lovely Christmas day too - glad you enjoyed yours and Gavin & Stacey: utter brilliance. Loved it - will def. be watching that again :)
I love the Christmas bedding now and it's going to come out every year. Have watched G&S twice, wouldn't be sad if someone suggested a third go. Have a lovely new year!
The festive sheets! Did everyone know, or was it a surprise when they pulled down the covers? (I, too, have an ex-husband who is very much part of the scene, I just loved this!)
Your home is so cozy —my tradition is to not take anything down til after January 6! Glad you had a great Christmas, empty plates are the best photos!
Surprise - and they were delighted, or at least claimed to be. Good ex-husbands are the best! Nothing coming down until 6th here either and I so agree re plates - much prefer the after to the before. Have a wonderful new year!
Oh goodness, roads not taken, choices not made etc. Life can be so bittersweet - and I loved Gavin and Stacey! What a finale!
So, so brilliant.