The Calm Christmas Podcast with Beth Kempton

• 🎄🎧Season 4 Episode 9 ✨First Light✨

  ✨ Friends, we are here at the threshold of the year, with our final episode of Season 4 of the Calm Christmas Podcast. What an absolute joy it has been to travel through the winter with you again this year. Thank you. I hope this episode sends you into the new year with hope and anticipation for many good things ahead.Episode 9 includes:* ✨Space for dreaming, and peeking through doorways* ✨An invitation to begin the new year with a deep breath, open heart and fresh eyes* ✨Talk of Twelfth Night* ✨Moonpennies, brimstone butterflies and the Wolf Moon of January* ✨The simplest of simple comforting recipes* ✨A series of questions for contemplating legacyWith inspiration from Laura Pashby (Small Stories with Laura Pashby), the Tavistock Local History Association, Down Like Silver, The Simple Things Magazine, Bex Partridge, Lia Leendertz (Lia’s Living Almanac), Emily Silva, Joey Hulin and Alfred, Lord Tennyson.I hope to see you for Season 5 in November 2025. In the meantime, you might enjoy my year-round private writing membership SoulCircle for weekly inspiration throughout the year. You can find out more about it here, and join here (choose ‘Monthly’ to try it out or ‘Annual’ to get two months free.If you have enjoyed Season 4 of the Calm Christmas Podcast, I would be so grateful if you could leave a rating/review on Apple Podcasts here or Spotify here. And be sure to subscribe so you get notified when the podcast is back.With so much love for the year ahead,Beth XxDo what you love in 2025. Last chance for my annual gratitude sale!Up to 50% off all my classes in my annual gratitude sale, on here now but ending very soon.Links* A brief history of Twelfth Night by the Tavistock Local History Association * First Light by Down Like Silver* My Substack essay ‘I did an oracle card reading for us, for the year ahead. This is what it said.’ * The Simple Things Magazine January 2021* Bex Partridge @botanical_tales on Instagram* Link to join my private writing community SoulCircle (choose Monthly to try it out or Annual to get two months free * To be notified about details of my upcoming free mini class Write for Love Write for Money, all about the nuts and bolts of Substack, be sure to subscribe to my Substack at bethkempton.substack.com.* Free Calm Christmas Planner (by me!)Referenced books + recommendations* Chasing Fog by Laura Pashby (Simon & Schuster) p.217 * The Almanac 2018 by Lia Leendertz (Gaia) p.2 * Sunrise Gratitude by Emily Silva (Rock Point) p.7 * Kokoro: Japanese wisdom for a life well lived by Beth Kempton (Piatkus) p.185 * Ring Out Wild Bells by Alfred, Lord Tennyson on the Scottish Poetry Library website Ingredients for this week’s recipe* Jacket potatoes* Butter* Sea salt + pepper* Fresh garlic or garlic powderGiveawayThe prize (for you and a friend to enjoy together) includes:- Two personalised, signed copies of my book Wabi Sabi - Two copies of The Meditation Yearbook by Joey Hulin - Two annual memberships to my private writing community SoulCircle To enter head over to my Instagram @bethkempton. Good luck! This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit calmchristmas.substack.com

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• 🎄🎧Season 4 Episode 8 ✨Winter Wonderland✨

  ✨ This quiet time between the bookends of the festive season – a time I call the Hush - is a beautiful opportunity to slow down and reflect. January will be here before we know it, after all. So, instead of rushing towards it, let’s meander for a while, giving our minds and hearts a chance to assimilate and process all that’s happened over the past twelve months.Episode 8 includes:* ✨An oracle card for the Hush* ✨A beautiful journalling prompt inspired by the Celtic ‘Omen Days’* ✨Talk of firelight* ✨A wonderful recipe for a Christmas sandwich with sprout slaw* ✨Traditions and stories from listeners all over the world* ✨Some thoughts on New Year’s EveWith inspiration from Denise Linn, Charles Darwin, National Geographic, Felix Bernard, Richard Bernhard Smith, Michael Buble, Jessie J, Kerri ní Dochartaigh, Lisette Cheresson, Andrea Rice, Ruth Allen, Charles Lamb, Nikita Gill and Lauren McDermott.Don’t forget, if you feel like seeking solace in words this winter, don’t miss my Winter Writing Sanctuary which begins TOMORROW (Saturday December 28) and runs until January 5. If you haven’t signed up yet, you can register for FREE here.Wishing you peace and calm during the Hush,Beth XxPS You can also listen on Apple or Spotify.Winter Writing Sanctuary sign up - starts tomorrow!- Register here for free (runs Dec 28-Jan 5 online)Do something different in 2025- Up to 50% off all my writing and personal development classes in my annual gratitude sale, on now here.Links* Darwin’s trip around the world on NationalGeographic.org * Winter Wonderland by Felix Bernard and Richard Bernhard Smith. I do love the Michael Buble version and the Jessie J version is fun * The Omen Days: On witnessing the world by Kerri ni Dochartaigh on Substack * For a host of reflection questions, see the end of my free Calm Christmas PlannerReferenced books + recommendations* The Sacred Forest Oracle by Denise Linn (Hay House) * The Signature of All Things by Elizabeth Gilbert (Bloomsbury) * The Yoga Almanac by Lisette Cheresson and Andrea Rice (New Harbinger) p.245 * Weathering by Ruth Allen (Ebury) p.131 * New Year’s Eve by Charles Lamb * Keep Calm at Christmas (Ebury) * On The First Frost of Winter by Nikita Gill in Cosy Poems edited by Gaby Morgan * Calm Christmas and a Happy New Year by Beth Kempton (Piatkus)Ingredients needed for Lauren McDermott’s ‘Christmas sandwich with sprout slaw’ recipe* Crusty bread* Some raw sprouts* Olive oil* White wine vinegar* ½ teaspoon Dijon mustard* Salt + pepper* Cranberry sauce* Stuffing* Roast turkey* Sliced pigs in blankets* Emmental cheese* Butter* Pot of gravyWatch Lauren making it here.Images: Holly Bobbins / Unsplash This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit calmchristmas.substack.com

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• 🎄🎧Season 4 Episode 7 ✨Let it Snow✨

  ✨As Christmas Eve approaches, let’s pause a moment, sense the hovering magic, and rest in the beauty of the world. This episode is, essentially, me sending you a Christmas wish. I hope you love it, and I wish you whatever kind of Christmas you want and need this year.Episode 7 includes:* ✨The most famous Christmas poem ever written* ✨A glimpse of the ocean from a wild corner of Cornwall* ✨Talk of snowflakes and dreams of snow* ✨Ice fires and memories of years gone by* ✨Christmas Eve traditions from listeners all over the worldWith inspiration from Clement Clarke Moore, Jule Styne, Sammy Cahn, Moya Cannon, Professor Brian Cox, Suzie Dent, Nancy Campbell, Richard Skrein, Dot May Dunn, Sketchbook of Washington Irving and St Nicholas himself.Don’t forget, if you feel like seeking solace in words this winter, don’t miss my Winter Writing Sanctuary which begins on Saturday December 28 and runs until January 5. If you haven’t signed up yet, you can register for FREE here.Sending Christmas blessings your way,Beth Xx08PS You can also listen on Apple or Spotify. And in case you missed it, you might enjoy my wintery essay ‘For the Love of Tiny Things: A short note about small joys, and a little festive puzzle for you.’Winter Writing Sanctuary sign up- Register here for free (runs Dec 28-Jan 5 online)Inspiration sale!- Up to 50% off ALL my classes in my annual gratitude sale, on now here. Ending very soon!Links* A Visit from St Nicholas by Clement Clarke Moore * Let it Snow by Jule Styne and Sammy Cahn made famous again in the nineties by Boyz II Men featuring Brian McKnight * What can snowflakes tell us about our universe? with Prof Brian Cox on the BBC* Free Calm Christmas Planner (by me!)Referenced books + recommendations* Snow Day by Moya Cannon in Keats Lives by Moya Cannon (Carcanet Press) * Roots of Happiness by Suzie Dent (Puffin) p.12* Fifty Words for Snow by Nancy Campbell (Elliot & Thompson) p.207* Fifty Things to do in Snow by Richard Skrein (Pavilion) p.126* Christmas Around the Village Green by Dot May Dunn (Orion) p.1* Old Christmas, from the Sketchbook of Washington Irving p.72* Calm Christmas and a Happy New Year by Beth Kempton (Piatkus)Images: Holly Bobbins / Unsplash This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit calmchristmas.substack.com

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• 🎄🎧Season 4 Episode 6 ✨Ancient Embers✨

  ✨ This is the episode where sadness is honoured, our loved ones are remembered, and we allow all the feelings, however they might arise. May it be a comfort to you in the dark season.Episode 6 includes:* The comfort of poetry* Thoughtful ideas for dealing with sadness in the dark season* A candlelight meditation* Lovely robins* London’s last lamplighters* Commonplace books* Beautiful ideas for honouring and remembering loved ones, from listeners around the world* Get ahead tipsWith inspiration from David Whyte, Danni Nicholls, Nina MacLaughlin, the London lamplighters, Day Schildkret, Songbird Survival, John O’Donohue, Patricia Fargnoli and my mother’s recipe book.Don’t forget, if you feel like seeking solace in words this winter, don’t miss my Winter Writing Sanctuary which runs from Dec 28-Jan 5. If you haven’t signed up yet, you can register for FREE here.Take good care of your heart,Beth XxPS You can also listen on Apple or Spotify.This week’s giveawayTo enter this week’s special giveaway, you are invited to leave the name of someone you love and miss, or simply a heart to acknowledge them, in the comments of the giveaway post on my Instagram. We did this last year and it became the most beautiful tribute.The winner gets all this for themselves:* A personalised, signed first edition of my book Kokoro: Japanese wisdom for a life well lived* Bath House patchouli & black pepper candle* Winter Solstice by Nina Maclaughlin* Festive Spirit - Candlestick Press Poem Card* A complimentary place on my short writing course Words HealTo enter, go to @bethkempton on Instagram.Glazed Ham recipe* You can find Delia Smith’s Glazed Ham recipe online here What you need to make a commonplace book* Any kind of notebook* Ephemera and bits and pieces gathered from your life* A stick of glue or tapeWinter Writing Sanctuary sign up- Register here for free (runs Dec 28-Jan 5 online)Inspiration sale!- Up to 50% off all my classes in my annual gratitude sale, on now here.Links* Ancient Embers by Danni Nicholls * Under the Neem Plum Tree by Danni Nicholls * London’s last lamplighters via the BBC* Burn Something Today by Nina Maclaughlin in The Paris Review * Songbird Survival * Free Calm Christmas Planner (by me!)* Poets.org * The Poetry Society 15151* The Poetry Foundation * For the Love of Tiny Things essay by me on SubstackReferenced books + recommendations* Winter Grief by David Whyte - The version shared on the podcast was from David’s Substack here. The original appeared in The Bell and the Blackbird by David Whyte (Many Rivers Press) * Kokoro: Japanese wisdom for a life well lived by Beth Kempton (Piatkus) * Calm Christmas and a Happy New Year by Beth Kempton (Piatkus)* Winter Solstice by Nina MacLaughlin (Black Sparrow Press) * Hello, Goodbye by Day Schildkret (Simon Element) * Echoes of Memory by John O’Donohue (Transworld Ireland) * Winter Grace by Patricia Fargnoli in Poetry of Presence edited by Phyllis Cole-Dai and Ruby R Wilson (Grayson)Images: Holly Bobbins/Unsplash This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit calmchristmas.substack.com

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• 🎄🎧Season 4 Episode 5 ✨Sleigh Ride✨

  ✨Friends, we are just a couple of weeks out from Christmas now. The festive feels are all around… This episode is all about seeking delight and tiny flickers of magic in amongst the ordinariness of our daily lives. It’s about the kindness of strangers, and all the ways we can bring magic into our own worlds, and those of others.Episode 5 includes:* ✨Magical memories* ✨Being inspired by children to seek out magic* ✨Stargazing* ✨A lovely craft project – make some citrus candles!* ✨A super easy recipe for brandy-soaked satsumas* ✨Get ahead tipsWith inspiration from Claire Keegan, Leroy Anderson, Ella Fitzgerald, The Spice Girls, Boney James, Royal Museums Greenwich, Kari Leibowitz, Kinsey Gidick, The Simple Things Magazine, Lia Leendertz (Lia’s Living Almanac), Clover Stroud, Storm Dunlop, Wil Tirion, Alex Palmer, The Poetry Pharmacy, Paul Anthony Jones, my youngest daughter and my Greek aunt.And if you fancy whipping up a little wintery magic in the pages of your notebook this year, don’t miss my Winter Writing Sanctuary which runs from Dec 28-Jan 5. If you haven’t signed up yet, you can register for FREE here.Stay cosy,Beth XxPS You can also listen on Apple or Spotify.This week’s giveawayThe winner gets all this for themselves:❄️ A prescription for a ‘Sense of Belonging’ from The Poetry Pharmacy❄️ A Winter Dictionary by Paul Anthony Jones❄️ A personalised, signed copy of my book The Way of the Fearless Writer❄️ Christmas Lights (Candlestick Press poem card)❄️ A complimentary ANNUAL membership to my beautiful private writing community SoulStack (find out more at bethkempton.substack.com)Enter at @bethkempton on InstagramIngredients for Brand-soaked Satsumas* Brandy (how much depends on you). Could also work with rum!* Some small citrus like satsumas, mandarins, tangerines or clementines* Sugar of your choice* Christmassy spices like ginger, cinnamon, cloves, bay leaves – just use what you haveWhat you need to make citrus candles* Oranges or clementines* Olive oil* A knife* A glass container to put your candle in* MatchesWinter Writing Sanctuary sign up- Register here for free (runs Dec 28-Jan 5 online)Inspiration sale!- Up to 50% off all my classes in my annual gratitude sale, on now here.Links* Sleigh Ride by Leroy Anderson (Ella Fitzgerald version | Spice Girls version | Boney James version) * BBC story about Oswald Laurence’s voice telling us to ‘Mind the Gap’ * Star Walk 2 app (iPhone | Android)* Sky View Lite app (iPhone | Android)* Royal Museums Greenwich on the Cold Moon * Kari Leibowitz on how to winter in The Guardian* Why no one does Christmas better than the Finns by Kinsey Gidick (mentioning "pikkujoulut" or "little Christmas" parties) * The Simple Things Magazine* Save The Children donation link for Christmas Jumper Day* Free Calm Christmas Planner (by me!)Referenced books + recommendations* The opening passage of this episode is from the Epilogue of my book Calm Christmas and a Happy New Year by Beth Kempton (Piatkus)* Small Things Like These by Claire Keegan (Black Cat)* 2024 Night Sky Almanac by Storm Dunlop and Wil Tirion (Collins) * A Year in Story and Song by Lia Leendertz (Gaia) * Giant on the Skyline by Clover Stroud (Doubleday) p.258 * A Winter Dictionary by Paul Anthony Jones (Elliott & Thompson) * The Atlas of Christmas by Alex Palmer (Running Press) Please share this podcast episode with anyone who might enjoy it! Thank you so much. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit calmchristmas.substack.com

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