The Present Moment

(Scroll down for the show notes!)

I didn’t even need to bribe Will with panettone last night to sit down and have a chat about all things Advent for this week’s episode.

Earlier this year, we had a podcast chat on Ash Wednesday about Lent and many The Story So Far friends said they’d be up for more seasonal episodes along the same lines.

So, with it being the First Sunday of Advent this weekend, I thought we’d do another one!

I wanted to take the opportunity to talk about the story behind traditional Advent services such Darkness To Light, the liturgy, hymns and why the season marks the new year on the church calendar.

Above all, though, I wanted to talk about the hope it brings and the journey it invites us to embark on.

Also, how can we do so without feeling behind, before we’ve even started, on Advent devotionals and reflections? 🙋‍♀️

(If you’re interested in those, more about some new free resources in this Friday’s newsletter).

I’d love to hear your thoughts on Advent!

Even if this isn’t a topic or chat you’d usually jump into, I hope you might take something away from it and I’d love to hear if anything resonates.

Thanks so much for listening, and if you’re enjoying The Story So Far newsletter and show, please do help to spread the word—it means SO much!

New to The Story So Far? WELCOME!

Join us here each Wednesday for the podcast—with guest readings, sneak book peeks, interviews and more—PLUS you’ll get The Story So Far newsletter on Fridays.

It’s just one sign-up!👇

Links for this episode of The Story So Far:

The Church of England Daily Prayer App and Podcast (the official app to help you follow Morning, Evening and Night Prayer, wherever you are.)

Pray-As-You-Go daily podcast, with short daily reflections based on Ignatian Spirituality and produced by Jesuit Media Initiatives. It now features a guided Examen reflection every Saturday (I love this!)

A Church Near You

Last year’s Advent Carol Service from Trinity College Chapel, Cambridge (below)

Once In Royal David’s City

An Advent Playlist on Spotify from The Vigil Project

Music for this episode of About Home courtesy of the fabulous Purple Planet.

Subscribe at jennilisahoward.substack.com

In last week’s newsletter, I shared a short essay, The Tinsel Tree, about the way that decorating our homes for Christmas and the holidays is about more than the ornaments themselves.

It’s about the stories told through the tinsel, memories immortalised in glass baubles—cracks, scratches and all.

I can see dad, on his knees on the lounge carpet, carefully unfurling each branch of the tinsel tree. Sea green streams glinting, if a little more sparse every year.

But no less magical.

To change it would be to change Christmas.

Shoeboxes, smelling of old books and covered with festive wrap from years gone by, are ceremoniously brought down from the loft and opened to reveal delicate, handpainted baubles shining like jewels in fuchsia, emerald and gold.

To this day, I’m drawn to the ones that look just like them. And I know why.

How I wish I had just one or two of the originals, but they’ve been lost—along with the years, in my mother’s memory.

But I know that everything is tucked away, somewhere. In safekeeping.

(You can read or listen to the full piece here.)

Before we kick off the podcast, I wanted to tell you about something that has happened since I recorded it.

I shared the essay with my parents, when I dropped in during the week one lunchtime. It was spontaneous—I hadn’t intended to. But hearing the memories recalled-even as her own, for now, are dimming-made my mother’s eyes light up with delight. She smiled like a child, as I once did, as the shoeboxes of decorations came down all those years ago.

She remembered.

And it was SO beautiful.

Also, it makes this week’s show, in which we’re breaking from the regular format with a guest interview, even more poignant.

I loved chatting with Karen Rutledge, founder of vintage online store Jenny and Pearl, about decorating our homes at this time of year. A wonderful storyteller herself, a dear friend and an expert on all things home and vintage, she offers an insider’s perspective on how it’s about so much more than decor.

The Story So Far is all about the stories that connect us, and the ones that hold us together.

Stories about family, faith, home, and all it means to belong.

Just found The Story So Far? WELCOME!

Join us here each Wednesday for the podcast—with guest readings, sneak book peeks, interviews and more—PLUS you’ll get The Story So Far newsletter on Fridays.

It’s just one sign-up! 🥳

Links for this episode of The Story So Far:

Connect with Karen, and get links to all the ways to shop Jenny and Pearl on Instagram.

Find Jenny and Pearl merch here!

Myquillyn Smith, AKA The Nester.

Elf.

White Christmas.

It’s A Wonderful Life.

The Sound Of Music.

Actual photo of Jen at the end of the conversation.

Listen + subscribe in your fave podcast app (it’s easy!)

So speak I to myself: and when I speak, the images of all I speak of are present, out of the same treasury of memory.

—St Augustine, Confessions

To treasured memories, in this time of preparation and waiting.

Don’t miss this Friday’s newsletter, as we look ahead all things Advent. 🕯

With love, Jen XX

Music for this episode of About Home courtesy of the fabulous Purple Planet.

Subscribe at jennilisahoward.substack.com

(I’ve added an audio version of this week’s newsletter, following the suggestion from a reader who thought it might be nice to offer the option. I’m giving it a go!

The sound you hear at the end? My son starting his evening trumpet practice! 🎺 Oops!)

I can see dad, on his knees on the lounge carpet, carefully unfurling each branch of the tinsel tree. Sea green streams glinting, if a little more sparse every year.

But no less magical.

To change it would be to change Christmas.

Shoeboxes, smelling of old books and covered with festive wrap from years gone by, are ceremoniously brought down from the loft and opened to reveal delicate, handpainted baubles shining like jewels in fuchsia, emerald and gold.

To this day, I’m drawn to the ones that look just like them. And I know why.

How I wish I had just one or two of the originals, but they’ve been lost—along with the years, in my mother’s memory.

But I know that everything is tucked away, somewhere.

For safekeeping.

I can feel the softness of the little red stocking with the fur trim and green foil leaf detail I picked out one year with my mother in a department store Christmas hall (an annual tradition.)

I picture the delicate, white honeycomb tissue bells hanging from picture frames, ever more fragile each year.

In our hall, a small, silver tinsel tree stood on the leather-topped table, next to the Bakelite phone, decorated with coloured fairy lights and small, brightly coloured baubles. Above it, an ornate oval mirror and more lights.

The first Christmas I tree I bought for my own home was in my twenties, with Will, for our Covent Garden flat. A full size “lookalike”, we bought it from John Lewis on Oxford Street and struggled to carry it up the stone spiral staircase to our top floor apartment.

We picked out new baubles to hang along with the tiny Christmas stockings (knitted by Will’s grandmother) and white paper angels which once decked his childhood tree (always real. White lights.)

The cats loved to tease the low-hanging wooden fruit from its branches, chasing festive red apples across the old wooden floorboards.

Today, our collection of decorations includes those chosen or made by our children over the years, all haphazardly stored in an assortment of old Christmas gift bags (some still with the tags on). Each year, I say I’ll buy one of those storage trunks designed for the task, but then … maybe we’d miss those crumpled old bags?

Browsing the Christmas halls of a department store this week, I passed a mother and daughter shopping together. “But you don’t need any more decorations!” the daughter affectionately teased. “You can never have too many,” came the reply. We exchanged smiles.

An elderly lady steered her friend towards a display of old-fashioned looking glass baubles, painted with robins. “I prefer these more traditional ones,” she said.I stood mesmerised by a display of multi-coloured tinsel, shimmering in swathes (big and bushy—nothing like the ones I remember from my ’70s childhood.)

All of us, gathering up gleaming new treasures.

Holding those from the past close to our hearts.

I’m sharing this story as it ties in with the conversation I had with my guest for next week’s podcast, about how holiday decorations tell the stories of our lives and how, now more than ever, we’re looking to find those that remind us of bygone Christmases (fascinating).

Over on Instagram, I’ll post some pics I took of one store’s Christmas “decs” this year, as we Brits affectionately call them (my southern Californian friend tells me that one didn’t make it across the pond. 😂)

Do you have any that bring back special memories, or have you ever found yourself searching for ones which remind you of your childhood online?

I can’t wait for you to hear the episode! In the meantime, my homework for the weekend—set by our guest—is to watch It’s A Wonderful Life, which I’ve never seen.

Have you? Will I need very many tissues?

See you here next week!

Hopefully I’ll have pulled myself together by then. 🥺🎄

Love, Jen XX

This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit jennilisahoward.substack.com

It makes me so happy to welcome writer Maeve Gerboth to the show this week.

Graciously, she agreed to share her words—a powerful and personal reflection on motherhood.

The Story So Far is all about the stories that connect us and the ones that hold us together. Stories about family, faith, home, and all it means to belong.

I know Maeve’s will resonate deeply with many, and be a blessing.

As we head into Season 4, you’ll notice the show name change to The Story So Far. Since it now accompanies the weekly newsletter here on Substack, it kind of keeps things simple—I hope you agree?

I’m all for that! 😅

If you’re new here, a) WELCOME!! 🏡

and

b) you can play each new episode—with guest readings, sneak book peeks, interviews and more—on Wednesdays, and get the newsletter on Fridays, with one sign-up!

Links for this episode of The Story So Far:

Maeve’s Instagram.

A lovely 🎁 from Maeve, completely FREE: A prayer and a practice for reflection.

Also, here’s that beautiful post, which inspired this episode:

Listen + subscribe in your fave podcast app (it’s easy!)

Come say hi and talk things all things The Story So Far with me on Instagram!

Don’t miss this Friday’s newsletter—it’s got a heads-up about next week’s show.

Clue: 🎄

With love, Jen XX

Music for this episode of About Home courtesy of the fabulous Purple Planet.

This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit jennilisahoward.substack.com

Welcome back to listeners of the past three seasons and welcome to new friends on Substack—the new home of the About Home podcast (🎉🎉) and The Story So Far newsletter.

Now you can play each new episode, with guests, essays, sneak book previews and more each Wednesday, in your inbox or podcast app.

Sign up once, and you’ll automatically get both!

“Housekeeping”—wise 🧹, I’d be SO grateful if you could help to spread the word by sharing this email, so we can build this wonderful community and share more stories.

We’re kicking off this new chapter, Season 4, with an essay I wrote earlier this year for a collaborative project (links below).

I’d love to know if it resonates with you in any way, as the holiday season approaches and the prospect of loved ones coming to and fro home.

I took the photo above last week in an “off-ramp” moment (this will make sense when you’ve listened to the episode).

It makes me smile because it proves the apple didn’t fall far from the white—sneakers—and—blue—jeans tree (her Reeboks to my Supergas. That’s a whole different story, which you can read about here.)

Links for this episode of About Home:

IOLA magazine, the NEW Joy issue

Sue Fulmore’s FREE resource on parenting older children

Come and say hi on Instagram!

Don’t miss this Friday’s The Story So Far Newsletter …

Phew!

Lots of love and see you back here on Friday!

Jen XX

Music for this episode of About Home courtesy of the fabulous Purple Planet.

Subscribe at jennilisahoward.substack.com

At a time when we’re all spending more time at home, Jen’s chat with fellow Brit Abi Patridge–founder and editor of iola magazine–feels super-timely.

As well as giving us a peek behind the scenes of iola and all that goes into publishing it, Abi talks creativity at home and shares her tips and encouragement for those of us who wouldn’t consider ourselves “arty” (cue a confession from Jen about college layout classes…).

As with all our guests, Abi shares what’s helping her feel at home-in the beautiful Oxfordshire countryside–right now.

Read more about iola–and order back issues–here.

You can find out more about Abi’s magazine design and management services here.

Find Abi on Instagram.

In this episode, we also mention:

The Hope*Writers community

Ann Voskamp

Myquillyn Smith, AKA The Nester (and her latest book, Welcome Home)

Emily Lex and her new book, Freely and Lightly

Everyday Natalie

Ruth Chou Simons’ book Beholding & Becoming

Music for this episode is by Purple Planet.

Get the newsletter, FREE each Friday! Enjoy inside peeks from the podcast, news from Jen and links to lift and encourage you.

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A short episode this week, in which Jen shares a special memory of a simple meal, made late one February night, which will always say ‘home’ to her.

Do come and share your own stories of meals and recipes which have special associations for you, too–come and say hi over on Instagram, and join The Home That Loves weekly newsletter, where the conversation continues (along with Jen’s favourite links from the week, reads and lots more. Sign up here now and get this Friday’s in your inbox!).

In this episode, Jen mentions Nigella Lawson’s How To Eat cookbook, which is now out in a special anniversary edition (and, she thinks, is TOTALLY worth buying for the minestrone soup recipe alone. Although she might be biased).

Music for this episode is by Purple Planet.

Lovely photo by Becca Tapert on Unsplash

(This post contains an Amazon affiliate link, with any clicks/purchases helping to support the show at no extra cost to you–thank you so much!).

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As Lent begins with an Ash Wednesday which feels especially poignant for many this year (and with the UK still in lockdown as this airs), Jen sits down with Will, her husband, to chat about the different ways we can follow a Lenten journey from home.

In their discussion, Will mentions St Martin In The Fields in Trafalgar Square, London, and its daily online services which are streamed and available to watch anytime on Facebook.

He also talks about the Church of England daily lectionary online, where you can find the appointed readings and prayers for every day of the year.

Jen recommended the Jesuit daily prayer podcast, Pray-As-You-Go.

Will trained in the Church of England, has an MA in theology and studied at seminary/theological training college in England (if you’d like to read or hear any more of his past sermons and essays, you can find them here).

Stay connected! Get Jen’s weekly email newsletter, The Home That Loves, in your inbox every Friday and come and say hi over on Instagram!

Music for this episode by Purple Planet.
Photo by Grant Whitty on Unsplash

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Jen kicks off Season Three sharing a story from her week which illustrates how everyday rituals can have a deeper significance we might realise ‘in the moment’.

In this episode, she mentions the traditional Italian Moka espresso coffee maker like this one and Lavazza Rossa coffee.

She also mentions a feature in the current issue of The Magnolia Journal.

As always, Jen asks what’s making you feel at home right now and to share any breaks for rest and refreshment which are about more than just ‘the coffee’.

Come and join the conversation over on Instagram, and sign up to the weekly newsletter, The Home That Loves, from Jen’s home to yours!

Stay tuned to hear more stories from our guests and to find out how, as a community, we can share more about all things faith, family and what it means to be home.

Music for this episode is by Purple Planet.

(This post may contain affiliate links, with any clicks/purchases helping to support the show at no extra cost to you–thank you so much!).

Subscribe at jennilisahoward.substack.com

Happy New Year, and happy Feast of the Epiphany (this is my sister Lucie’s homemade Nativity in Italy–isn’t it beautiful?! I should be so arty-crafty …).

In this short reflection on today and it’s message of hope for the year ahead, Jen mentions this previous episode of the podcast, The World On Your Doorstep.

Among the tracks on her Epiphany day playlist is Starlight, by The Vigil Project.

Music for this episode is by Purple Planet.

Listen to this and all episodes on Apple Podcasts here (subscribe and never miss an episode!).

Let’s be email friends! Sign up now and get Jen’s posts and news, sent straight to your inbox!

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