Small Ways To Live Well from The Simple Things

If you’ve got some time off, now’s the chance to kick back a bit. Join Wellbeing Editor Rebecca FrankAuthor of The Slow Traveller and regular contributor Jo TinsleyIn Episode 5 PAUSE, as they share ideas for carving out some time to relax and reset in this in-between bit of Christmas. If you are in the UK, you can try an immediate start subscription to the The Simple Things and receive the current issue straight away. Or buy current and back issues hereEditing & music by Arthur Cosslett. On the blogHow to do a jigsaw properly In the January issue (163) on sale nowLong views from tall towersTaking cues from the  people, animals and nature that surround us Life lessons from David AttenboroughFish pie and cheddar mash Learn moreIs a gansey a Guernsey?Mindwandering: How It Can Improve Your Mood and Boost Your Creativity, by Moshe Bar (Bloomsbury Tonic)Fish pie hash  In previous issues available to buy at picsandink.comWearing well: Mittens (issue 127)Panettone French toast (Issue 138)Favourite annuals (issue 138) Thanks to our partner for the Merry Midwinter season, the Marine Stewardship Council, which sets certification standards for sustainable fisheries and awards the blue ecolabel on fish and fish products. Find out more about the best fish to choose at msc.org and follow them on instagram @mscintheuk

Join The Simple Things’ Editor Lisa Sykes and Wellbeing Editor Rebecca Frank as we get stuck into festive feasting. We’ll be talking turkey, side dishes, tipples and nibbles, how to explain Christmas Eve to kids with science and just why we love Boxing Day so much. If you are in the UK, you can try an immediate start subscription to the The Simple Things and receive the current issue straight away. Or buy current and back issues hereEditing & music by Arthur Cosslett.  On the blog Root veg peel crisps Christmas Eve explained  Cheese board pairings  Brussel sprout bhajias  Which Christmas character are you? In the December issue (162) on sale now  Boxing day buffet – roast cranberry and mustard gammon, winter goat’s cheese salad, meringue nests with fruit and boozy creamGrow your own Christmas Day veg Sprout slaw Homemade blinis In previous issues available at picsandink.comKitschmas – snowball, devilled eggs, mozzarella and pineapple sticks (Issue 150)Why we love Boxing Day (Issue 150)In our A Year of Celebrations AnthologySide dishes as celebratory as the roast they surround Thanks to our partner for the Merry Midwinter season, the Marine Stewardship Council, which sets certification standards for sustainable fisheries and awards the blue ecolabel on fish and fish products. Find out more about the best fish to choose at msc.org and follow them on instagram @mscintheuk

Join Wellbeing Editor Rebecca Frank and Author of The Slow Traveller and regular contributor Jo Tinsley as they help you discover ways to find your own little pockets of calm in the run up to Christmas. In this episode, we appreciate the quiet of the approaching solstice, press pause and take some time for ourselves before curling up with some winter reads. If you are in the UK, you can try an immediate start subscription to the The Simple Things and receive the current issue straight away. Or buy current and back issues hereEditing & music by Arthur Cosslett.  On the blogHow to solve an Agatha Christie novelBooks that Embrace the ColdWhy We Love Cosy Crime In the December issue (162) on sale nowPressing pause: Whether it’s a few minutes to yourself or a day away, giving yourself time to do the things you enjoy this month will help prevent overwhelm Kitchen therapy Reading: awell-chosen book can bring moments of comfort, calm and cheer over the coming weeks.Modern eccentrics: Solstice revellers My place: Festive foliage Learn moreNature’s Calendar: The British Year In 72 Seasons by Kiera Chapman, Lulah Ellender, Rowan Jaines, Rebecca Warren (Granta)  In previous issues available at picsandink.comA day in December: images that captured the magic of this month (150)How to get on with your siblings as grown-ups (and have a more harmonious yuletide). (126)A winter walk is a breath of fresh air. (150)Tuning into the month’s micro-seasons (138)Thanks to our partner for the Merry Midwinter season, the Marine Stewardship Council, which sets certification standards for sustainable fisheries and awards the blue ecolabel on fish and fish products. Find out more about the best fish to choose at msc.org and follow them on instagram @mscintheuk

The Simple Things’ Editor Lisa Sykes and Wellbeing Editor Rebecca Frank talk treasure, including the things we decorate our homes with, the people we treasure at Christmas and ways to treasure the season.If you are in the UK, you can try an immediate start subscription to the The Simple Things and receive the current issue straight away. Or buy current and back issues hereEditing & music by Arthur Cosslett.  Thanks to our partner for the Merry Midwinter season, the Marine Stewardship Council, which sets certification standards for sustainable fisheries and awards the blue ecolabel on fish and fish products. Find out more about the best fish to choose at msc.org and follow them on instagram @mscintheukOn the blogHandmade gift ideas from thesimplethings.comChristmas crackers  template hereBay and lemon sea salt body scrub  Homemade tea bagsEdible baublesFairy cake baublesGingerbread tree decorations   In the December issue (162) on sale nowMake your own advent candle Christmas playlist Mini rosemary wreath decorationsEggnog – why everyone should try itForest needles chai Decorations from fabric scrapsWeekend away – wreath making in the west country In our A Year of Celebrations AnthologyCrafternoon – festive bakes and gifts Choosing the tree Edible baubles and stained-glass biscuitsHandmade Christmas crackers  In our wellbeing bookazine, Flourish Volume 4Everlasting wreaths Learn moreHow to have an eco-friendly Christmas: advice from The Wildlife Trusts, The National Trust and WWFFish pie recipe carrying the MSC blue label by James Strawbridge In previous issues available at picsandink.comMissing people at Christmas – Issue 150

Join The Simple Things’ Editor Lisa Sykes and author of The Slow Traveller and regular contributor Jo Tinsley in the first episode of our Merry Midwinter season, where we are doing our best to find calm and contentment in the run up to Christmas. This episode we will be chatting about alternative approaches to advent calendars, the people working hard to preserve much-loved customs, the joy of a Christmas market and how to fill your home with festive scents. If you are in the UK, you can try an immediate start subscription to the The Simple Things and receive the current issue straight away. Or buy current and back issues hereEditing & music by Arthur Cosslett. In the December issue (162) on sale nowWeekend project advent candle Alternative advent calendar ideasKeeping up traditionsOn the blogNatural Advent Calendar of Promises Make your own advent calendarLiving Advent CalendarScented PineconesHerbs & Spices playlistFrom A Year of Celebrations anthologyWeekend project: make your own advent calendar Learn moreWindow Wonderland in Shepton Mallet, Somerset A Winter Dictionary: A collection of words for the festive season by Paul Anthony Jones (Elliott & Thompson) In previous issues available to buy at picsandink.comLooking back: Mid-century Christmas traditions (138)Finding the fairytale for free(ish) (138)Weekend project: Scents of the season: Use natural finds to fill your home with some favourite smells of winter (150)Christmassy Cities: Nuremberg (150), Bruges (Issue 126), Prague (162) Easy Giving: simple ways you can help spread cheer (150) For Christmas gift wrapped subscriptions click here and use code GIFTWRAP25  Thanks to our partner for the Merry Midwinter season, the Marine Stewardship Council, which sets certification standards for sustainable fisheries and awards the blue ecolabel on fish products. Find out more at msc.org and follow them on instagram @mscintheuk