Table of contents for December 2023 in The Simple Things

Pop on an audiobook and get stuck into a bit of baking Visit a stately home, decorated for the season (mince pie in the café, a must) Read a book of ghost stories at bedtime Feed wildlife in your garden or at a nearby wood or park See stars twinkle on a clear night Try some of our ideas, make up a few of your own, or just read and enjoy For most of us, it's not going to snow at Christmas. But the fairytale we love to tell about this time of year is not only found in a snug cabin among the fir trees, the light from its log fire glowing in the frosty windows. Yuletide magic is also present when we make paper stars and gingerbread houses,…

Worcester Victorian Christmas Fayre Step back in time at this Victorian-themed market, which will be packed with around 200 stalls and promises entertainment, music and festive food. From 30 November to 3 December, worcesterchristmasfayre.co.uk. Exeter Cathedral Christmas Market Devon's biggest Christmas market returns to the glorious surroundings of Exeter Cathedral. With festive chalets, local produce and food stalls, it's well worth a visit. From 17 November to 17 December, exeter-cathedral.org.uk. Made.UpNorth Market Held at the Boiler Shop in the heart of Newcastle, this maker's market will see 60 creatives selling their handmade goods. Taking place on 3 December, entry is £2 (under-16s free). instagram.com/made.upnorth. The Beverley Festival of Christmas Explore several traditional Victorian Christmas markets, selling everything from festive food and drink to arts and crafts – plus there'll be…

As the nights are drawing in and days are darker and colder, fireside stories begin to seem very appealing, and this book, edited by Nancy Campbell (author of the fantastic Fifty Words For Snow) is the perfect read for this chilly season. It's brimming with tales from polar explorers, ecologists, novelists and poets, about everything from weather to wildlife. There's Sei Shōnagon, from the Imperial Japanese Court, contemplating a snow mountain; Tove Jansson's infatuation with an iceberg; generations-old Inuit stories and Daisy Hildyard on a line of holly trees that guide a weary walker home on a snowy day. (Elliott & Thompson)…

THINGS TO NOTE AND NOTICE Field work Hoar frost Frosty mornings are always magical but there's nothing quite so wonderfully wintry as a hoar frost, which takes its name from its appearance of giving twigs and hedgerows an old man's hoary white beard. The best time to see a hoar frost is the morning after a very still, cold night. If you want to sound sciencey, as you trudge alongside hoar-frosted hedges, you can tell your companions that the difference in appearance between a spiky hoar frost and an ordinary ground frost is due to the way the ice crystals are formed. With ground frosts, water vapour condenses on solid surfaces, then, as the mercury drops below zero, the water vapour turns to ice. Whereas for a hoar frost, the…

There's no better way to get to the heart of a city than through the people who live there. This month, we asked travel writer LEA HAJNER (@esctown; allabouttirol.com) to take us on a tour of Innsbruck. You may feel inspired to visit one day, but for now just sit back, relax and enjoy some armchair travel. How long have you lived in the city? I was born in Vienna but in 2012, my tech job offered a three-month work away opportunity, igniting a passion for travel. I settled on Innsbruck where three months turned into 12 years, and it's been home ever since. Tell us what makes your city unique Innsbruck blends urban vibrancy with natural beauty. It's compact, yet diverse, offering culture, nightlife and breathtaking mountain experiences. Its unique…

TRADITIONS THE BEANO, BUNTY… AND EVERYTHING IN BETWEEN, FINDING A CHRISTMAS ANNUAL UNDER THE TREE IS ALWAYS A GLEEFUL MOMENT, SAYS IONA BOWER Everyone has a personal Christmas must-have. It might be a box of dates or a new jigsaw. Mine is the pleasingly solid feel of a wrapped annual. Novels are lovely, too, but if you've not sat down with a weighty annual in your lap, then have you really even had a Christmas? The annual is two centuries old this year. The first 'literary annual' was The Forget-Me-Not, which contained poems, short stories and illustrations to amuse 19th-century ladies. But they really took off in the inter-war period, after silent cartoons became popular and there was a market for books featuring Mickey Mouse and other favourites of the…

IN A WORLD THAT CAN FEEL INCREASINGLY UNIFORM, WE'RE CELEBRATING THOSE HAPPILY DOING THINGS a bit differently. Meet the PEOPLE WHO ARE seriously PASSIONATE about their pastimes. PERHAPS THEY'LL PERSUADE YOU TO TRY something NEW? Christmas party season is upon us. Thankfully, there's still time to determine whether the dancefloor is going to find you tripping the light fantastic or just stumbling about as usual. But what, if you plump for the first option, should you learn? Well, some dances are more obviously accessible than others. The waltz probably appears quite welcoming if you're endowed with ramrod posture and a ready supply of starch. And that dance from Argentina looks awfully enjoyable if you've got the right temperament and are not one of the many Brits whose natural reserve might lead…

Needles I wrote a poem in the shape of a Christmas tree but then forgot to water it and only a few days later there were words over all the carpet Jolabokaflod The Icelandic tradition of giving new books on Christmas Eve and reading them as a family. oh, I wish it could be Jolabokaflod every day so I could lie in bed and read the year away but there's life to be lived and a world to be shook or at least that's what I once read in a book Merry It's a word which only comes out at Christmas. As for the rest of the year, it's as if it has been packed away in the attic with the decorations and the tinsel, waiting for its own time…

WEEKEND PROJECT PROUDLY HOMEMADE DECORATIVE WRAPPING CLOTH Creating a reusable wrapping cloth, or furoshiki*, means you will be giving two presents in one. This unique design even puts kitchen scraps to good use. You will need: 4 squares of 53.5 × 53.5cm cotton or other natural fabric 125ml soy milk Measuring cup 1 tbsp of guar gum (you can buy it from thesoapery.co.uk) Spatula for mixing Piece of paper, slightly larger than the fabric Masking tape Water-soluble fabric marker Paint brushes Pins (optional) Kitchen scraps: eg, avocado pits and skins, onion skins, pomegranate skins Pot for the dye mix, large enough to hold the fabric Mixing spoons for the dye mix Mild laundry detergent Sewing machine and thread Iron 1 Depending on the size of the item you are wrapping…

CREATIVITY Last December, we asked you to pick up your pens and laptops, and to enter our microfiction competition. The brief was to be inspired by the month, and to tell your story in 100 words or less. Thank you for all your creative responses – we've been sorting through a metaphorical sack of entries worthy of Father Christmas. When we totted up our Team TST votes, we found we had two joint favourites: the stories penned by Jenny Hazelden and Caroline Herring, who will each receive a The Simple Things anthology in their Christmas stocking. We've also shared some more of our favourite entries. From childhood memories to stories of family and friendship, via Secret Santa and some very chilly water, and even a step back in time, they…

Christmas crossword ACROSS 2. Printed greetings 4. The First … 6. Santa has a list to see who's been naughty or … 9. Christmas Tree was sung by Lady … 10. “Long time … in Bethlehem, so the holy Bible said, Mary's boy child, Jesus Christ, was born on Christmas day” 11. All I Want for Christmas Is My Two Front … 12. “Chestnuts roasting on an open fire; Jack frost nipping at your nose,” sang Diana … 14. Scrooge appears in A Christmas … 16. Santa lives at the North … 17. Baked treat, … pies 19. Bing Crosby was, “dreaming of a … Christmas” 23. All I Want For Christmas Is … sang Mariah Carey 24. Glittery garland 25. Festive dessert, plum … DOWN 1. TV favourite, … On 34th Street 2. Don't Save It All For Christmas Day, sang … Dion 3. New Year's…

PLAYLIST Soundtrack to December Silent Night, Holy Night The Oxford Trinity Choir As suggested by @sianspinney Carol Of The Bells John Williams As suggested by @jacmg61 and @debbie25091 Winter Wonderland Darlene Love As suggested by @piperjohn and @cheshires_lost_the_plot Christmas Wrapping The Waitresses As suggested by @mystical_drifter It's Beginning To Look A Lot Like Christmas Michael Bublé As suggested by @mrslaurataylor and @fairylottie10 The Last Of The Melting Snow The Leisure Society As suggested by @emflxer In The Bleak Midwinter Worcester Cathedral Choir As suggested by @karencnix O Holy Night Nat King Cole As suggested by @edge20marriedlifeloves White Wine In The Sun Tim Minchin As suggested by @claire_chamberlain_ Driving Home For Christmas Chris Rea As suggested by @kingwelll31, @muddy_welly_boots, @I_am_mrs_dee, @madelon_meijer and @lucia_learns_to_fly Sleigh Ride The Ronet tes As suggested by @myfermanaghlife…

Shepherd had been part of Leona's life from the moment of her birth. Mum would tell her the story over and over again. “You decided one day that you couldn't wait any longer. Dad was at the creamery, and by the time Mrs Callinan got here from the village you were nearly born, and Shepherd stood guard in the doorway of my bedroom, waiting for you. He didn't bark, even when I screamed. He knew just to be still and to wait.” Shepherd often listened to the story, too, looking from Mum's face to Leona's face, as though he might at any moment nod his head and say, “Yes. That was the best day of my life.” It was a cold day, not far from Christmas. The valley stretched still…

HILARIOUS HIS TORIES Weird Medieval Guys by Olivia Swarthout How to Live, Laugh, Love (and Die) in Dark Times is the subtitle of Olivia Swarthout's brilliantly funny look at the “underappreciated world of medieval manuscripts and their art”. With more than half a million followers on Twitter, and a keen eye for the beauty of the illuminations and the absurdities depicted, Olivia celebrates the wonderful weirdness of the past. This gleeful book glories in popular names of the time (Evergrim, Herbeta and Gunge), and includes an overview of astrology, wonderful pictures of various patron saints plus a marvellous menagerie of animals from swans to salamanders. (Square Peg)…

STYLE When my 13-year-old daughter needed a dress for her school Jingle Ball last December, I proffered my knee-length Oasis black shift. She chose my black short-sleeved Noa Noa dress. The fact that both were as suitable for a young teen in 2022, as they were for me when I bought the latter 15 years ago, and the former nearly three decades ago, surely demonstrates the timelessness of the little black dress. As adaptable now as when Coco Chanel first came up with it in the 1900s. My Oasis dress was bought for my sixth form dinner. I remember walking in, its high neckline and silhouette somehow transforming my gangly frame into something approaching elegance, and for the first time, making me feel stylish. After that, the shift dress pops…

GOOD THINGS TO EAT Welcome to my veg patch Take a stroll with me in my garden and see it change through the seasons. I'll share what I'm planting, harvesting and cooking, including my successes… and my failures. We'll gather the goodies in a muddy bucket and head to the kitchen to make a joyful meal (we'll even use the slug-nibbled ones). These are simple, seasonal recipes I make after a day in the garden. I hope they give you some new ways to celebrate nature's bounty. Bring on the winter veg At this time of year, root veg are the stars of my dining table. All too often overlooked for winter harvests that flaunt their potential more precociously (I'm looking at you red cabbage, and you too, sprouts), root…

SNAP IT FOR LATER Favourite shop Feinheiten In Innsbruck's Old Town, this lovely store sells slow fashion and beautifully soft leather bags. feinheiten-innsbruck.at Favourite gallery Die Bäckerei A former industrial bakery transformed into a lively cultural centre. diebaeckerei.at Favourite café Fuchs & Hase In the heart of the Old Town, this friendly bar makes incredible cocktails from scratch. fuchsundhase.bar Favourite restaurant La Trattoria Come here for Italian vibes, amazing Neapolitan pizza and tasty spritzers. latrattoriainnsbruck.com Favourite hotel Montagu Bed & Beers A modern hostel in an old building with a bar, where locals and tourists mix and mingle. montagu-hostel.com Place to see by night Nordkette Every first Friday of the month the Nordkette cable car runs until 11pm and the iconic peak, overlooking the city, is lit up. nordkette.com Best…

Brought up on a diet of eighties films, my sister Maxine was a huge fan of American culture and a trip to NYC was her holy grail. In 2003, she made it there and lived the tourist dream, shaking sparkly pom-poms on New Year's Eve in Times Square. Looking back at the photos, I see how her lips were blue as her body fought the icy wind of the New York winter. Maxine was born with a heart condition and felt the cold more keenly than most. She brought me back a snow globe with a teeny New York City inside – and who can fail to be enchanted by a snow globe? The ideal piece of tourist tat to show that my little sister had thought of me. We…

WRAP IT UP Pick up some pretty paper – printed in Cambridge this gift wrap can be recycled and is made from sustainable sources. Christmas is a time to embrace a rainbow of jewel colours full of festive joy – and finding upcycled decorations gives you yet another reason to be cheerful. It's always nice to get out your best things for the ceremony of Christmas dinner. Enjoy finding your favourite plates, candles and the fancy napkins. Then just tuck in. TOP TINS The classic British brand Falcon has had a bit of a makeover recently. Ready to celebrate with your favourite fruit loaf. KEEP IT COSY Made in Britain using British spun wool – Rove Knitwear even offers a repair service. We take our hats off to them. All…

“Nothing beats the experience of browsing beautiful objects in a well-designed, atmospheric and inviting bricks-and-mortar store,” says 91 Magazine editor Caroline Rowland of her favourite independent shops. Beautifully photographed, and divided by regions, the book hones in on those shops that are a complete joy to wander around. The sellers and makers here stock plants and flowers, skincare and perfume, homeware and fabulous furniture, all chosen with “uniqueness, provenance, inspiration and connection in mind”. Feast your eyes here, then head to the shops for the ideal purchase. (91 Magazine)…

Morning! Where are you waking up? I live in Lewes – from my apartment, I can see the sun rising from my bedroom and setting from the balcony. I ease into the day with my first cup of tea in bed at 6am. We approve. Tell us a little about your work I'm an artist working in paper, willow and steel. In summer, I make steel sculptures for gardens and in winter, I make lanterns. Since 2015, I've freelanced for Same Sky for Wakehurst's Glow Wild – a lantern trail in the Botanic Gardens. Do you work from home? I have a studio in nearby Barcombe Mills. However, it often floods, so I sometimes work from home – you can see my lanterns on the balconies! Breakfast time? I like…

The Christmas tree grower Farms don't come much more festive than the Morgans' on the Gower Peninsula. Not only do visitors have the chance to choose their Christmas tree and see it freshly felled before their eyes, there's also a herd of reindeer. And if that's not enough, there are a dozen elves and 15 Santas waiting in the wings to complete the yuletide experience. “They call me Robert the Spruce,” says the man who's provided Number 10 with its 18 foot 6 inch specimen twice in recent years, and is the annual supplier to the splendid St Davids Cathedral in Pembrokeshire. “I quite like that name,” admits the fifth-generation farmer. Cultivating five different varieties, Robert sources the best seed from the States, sending it to a nursery in London…

OUTING “Finding all of your gifts while drifting through a decorated market or market town can turn a chore into a pleasure” Think back to the best Christmas outings you ever had. Which ones spring to mind first? For me, it's tramping out in my bright blue wellies with my dad to buy a Christmas tree from a craggy-faced bloke in the war memorial car park. It's the carol-singers on the green in my North Yorkshire village, and the Christmas tree festival at the cliff-top church in Whitby. More recently, it's the annual Christmas Eve screenings of It's A Wonderful Life at the indie cinema down the road from my brother's house. None of these things cost very much – and some of them were even free – but there's…

WEEKEND PROJECT PAINTED PAPER STARS A great way to reuse wrapping or parcel paper that maybe isn't in the best condition. Painting the paper makes them stand out, so choose any colours that take your fancy. You will need: Scissors Recycled paper Watercolour paints Sponge Needle and thread Glue stick 1 Cut a strip of paper with a width around the size you'd like the decoration to be. Make the length 2–3 times as long as the width. 2 Paint the paper with watercolours using a sponge. Pick two or three shades and create an abstract pattern – it doesn't matter if it's messy as the folds will hide any imperfections. Allow to dry. 3 At one end, fold over a strip around 2cm wide. Turn the paper and fold again, creating a concertina effect. (A bit…

HOME TOUR A couple of miles from the centre of Kouvola, Finland, on the edge of a quiet residential area, is an old wooden house. The windows overlook the frozen lake and silence surrounds but inside, its owners are hanging up decorations and keeping cosy around the fire. “We like Christmas a lot and we do start early,” says Janica, who lives there with her husband Ronny, sons Lenny, 11, and Luca, six, and their pet rabbit. “On All Saints' Day, 1 November, we put seasonal lights in the yard and inside, and hang paper stars in the windows. As Advent begins, I put up decorations in the kitchen and living room and Christmas calendars in the boys' rooms.” The tree goes up on Finnish Independence Day (6 December), then…

“I love wrapping my Christmas presents here, on my own, drinking mulled wine and watching a Christmas film. We had the Edwardian fireplace installed and it's the focus of the room, so I like to create a really cosy, Christmassy feel. I use a combination of candles and fairy lights, while the different star shapes really make it feel magical. The tealight holders have sentimental value as we bought them almost 20 years ago for our first house and they're still with us, twinkling away!” Clare Bolger, Halifax, West Yorkshire @nospacelikehome.uk “In December, we invite family and friends to our orangery for Christmas hygge with gløgg and æbleskiver [a Danish dessert]. With lots of candles and warmth from the fireplace, for us, Christmas begins out here.” Bibi Fibiger Leerhøy, near…

Well seasoned DOWN TO A TEA TOWEL Who wouldn't want a kitchen as jolly as the one on this tea towel? (Especially if it features a dog in a cracker hat.) And, another bonus, it's one of a set of two. Buy them for £8 from marksandspencer.com SNOW LANTERNS Or snölyktor: To make, start with a lit candle. A candle holder or jam jar can protect it from the wind. Build a circle of snowballs around it, before building up the walls in a pyramid shape. Taken from Fifty Things To Do In The Snow by Richard Skrein. Illustration by Maria Nilsson (HarperCollins) This design gives a 'stellar dendrite' snowflake a more practical use. Warning of ice or snowdrifts ahead, it's used alongside a second sign that specifies which. This…

Apricot stilton This variant on an 18th-century staple isn't for anyone feeling blue. It's white stilton (without the mould) that's used for adding fruit. Dubliner Created in the 1990s in an attempt to take cheddar's crown, it's a chip off the old block. Despite the name, it's made in Cork. Ubriaco This Italian cheese has been on the wine: it spends up to half a year in the stuff, to give it its distinct coloured rind and flavour. Lush. Brie This squidgy favourite – originating in France but with varieties from Cornish to Cenarth – gets wheeled out at Christmas without fail. Emmental The holey (cheese) to your ivy? If you're looking for a fun-do, consider introducing this Swiss big hitter to your fondue. Roquefort Said to have come out…

CUT OUT AND KEEP Cranberry mimosas A festive take on a mimosa – after all, why limit your cranberries to sauce? Serves 4 12 tbsp sweetened cranberry juice ½ unwaxed orange 4 sprigs of fresh thyme Chilled champagne, to top up 1 Set out four glasses and pour 3 tablespoons of cranberry juice into each one. 2 Squeeze a little orange juice into each glass, then muddle with a thyme sprig, leaving one in each glass. 3 Top with champagne just before serving. Bartender's note: For vegan imbibers, many brands of champagne are vegan friendly, but some do contain animal ingredients such as isinglass, so check before purchasing. Vegan prosecco makes a good alternative, too. Taken from Easy Vegan Christmas by Katy Beskow (Quadrille) Photography: Luke Albert Spicy nuts Be warned, you…