There is a moment of silence that occurs every year somewhere between the dawn of Christmas Eve and the setting of the sun on Christmas Day itself. A moment we all have experienced at least once in our lives, maybe more than once. It can silence a great city like London or New York, and it can bring stillness to our hearts, whoever and wherever we may be. That moment of silence is unlike any other. It offers the promise of new beginnings, of the clean slate of New Year, and it incorporates the breathless expectancy of Christmas Night itself, when a familiar figure enters our lives and changes them briefly. - The Winter Solstice by John Matthews

Welcome to Christmas Eve Eve and to Season Five, Episode Seven, Driving Home for Christmas. To me that feeling of expectation on the cusp of Christmas is about the feeling of time folding in on itself as all past Christmases and hopes for future Christmases collapse into a single moment on the cusp of Christmas itself and anything - even magical things - seem possible. This cosy episode includes:

* Christmas Eve traditions from listeners around the world

* A special memory of the Budapest Christmas Market

* Thoughts about gathering

* Taking a moment for gratitude

* Giving ourselves grace

* A delicious mocktail recipe

* The simplest Christmas craft project

* A special Christmas story

* Our final get ahead tips

* A Christmas message for you

With inspiration from John Matthews, Clement Clarke Moo1515115re, Chris Rea, Fiok, the team at Pentire in Cornwall, Sara Starling and Kings College Cambridge.

You can listen on iTunes/Spotify or here on Substack.

I would like to dedicate this episode to Chris Rea, whose classic Driving Home for Christmas inspired the title, and who sadly died yesterday, December 22, aged 74.

I’ll be back on December 27th with Episode 8, The Deer’s Cry: Welcoming the Hush. Until then, may you have whatever kind of Christmas you want and need this year.

Beth Xx

Lovely things for you

* Winter Writing Sanctuary (join for FREE here, runs Dec 29-Jan 4 online)

* Giveaway with a prize worth over £700 on my Instagram @bethkempton

Here are some Calm Christmas Podcast listener recommendations you might enjoy:

* Cosy reads for the dark season

* The only Christmas movie list you’ll ever need

* The Ultimate Gift Guide for Writers (including some last-minute ideas!)

Books mentioned

* The Winter Solstice by John Matthews

* The Night Before Christmas by Clement Clarke Moore

* Christmas, The Bubbling Toad and the Gift by Sara Starling

Other links

* Driving Home for Christmas by Chris Rea

* Fiok stationery shop, Budapest

* How to make a Christmas tree from music manuscript paper

* Snowflake templates on marthastewart.com

* Pentire botanics

* Carols from King’s / A Festival of Nine Lessons and Carols

Ingredients for mocktails

Pentire Seaward Eastern Fizz

* 50ml / 2 oz Pentire Seaward

* 25ml / 1 oz fresh lime juice

* 20ml 0.75 oz agave syrup

* 3 cucumber slices, muddled

* 3 mint leaves

* soda water

A Winter Wonder (easiest Christmas cocktail ever)

* Your favourite gin or non-alcholic botanical equivalent

* Your favourite tonic water

* Ice

* Slice of clementine

* Sprig of rosemary

Image: Holly Bobbins

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