The Calm Christmas Podcast with Beth Kempton

Friends, December is upon us, which means meterological winter has arrived here in the northern hemisphere. This episode, Season 4 Episode 4 ‘Christmas Lights’, is all about words, because winter is my favourite time of year for writing. It’s so cosy to light a candle, read some poetry, get out your notebook and write, and I hope this episode inspires you to do just that. It’s a beautiful way to bring some calm to the chaos of the holiday season.This episode includes:❄️Reasons why writing is a good idea (as if you needed a reason!)❄️Three simple ways to get the words flowing❄️A beautiful candlelight meditation❄️An invitation to get outside to seek creative inspiration❄️ My youngest daughter’s Chocolate Orange Wreath Cake recipe❄️Get ahead tips to help you arrive for the holidays feeling calm and preparedI hope this podcast will be a lantern guiding you through the darkness of winter, and your words are a companion along the way.Beth XxPS You can also tune in on Apple Podcasts or Spotify.Lovely things for you* Winter Writing Sanctuary registration here (FREE, runs Dec 28-Jan 5)* Calm Christmas Planner – download yours for free here* A new festive giveaway at Instagram @bethkempton* Up to 50% off ALL my life-changing courses in my giant gratitude sale hereLinks* Christmas Lights by Coldplay* Save The Children Christmas Jumper Day donation link* The Christmas Train essay * The Life Changing Magic of Writing Haiku essay* Link to join my private writing community SoulCircle (choose Monthly to try it out or Annual to get two months free)Referenced books + recommendations* Calm Christmas and a Happy New Year by Beth Kempton (Piatkus)* Winter Solstice by Nina Maclaughlin (Black Sparrow Press)* The Light in the Dark by Horatio Clare (Elliott & Thompson)* Midnight at the Christmas Bookshop by Jennie Colgan* The Poetry of Impermanence, Mindfulness and Joy edited by John Brehm (Wisdom)* Kokoro: Japanese wisdom for a life well lived by Beth Kempton (Piatkus)Ingredients for the recipe sharedFor the cake* Three eggs* The weight of three eggs in self-raising flour, caster sugar, unsalted butter, then remove about three tablespoons of the flour, and replace it with the same weight in cocoa powderFor the icing* 200g unsalted butter* 320g icing sugar* 80g cocoa powder* 1 teaspoon vanilla extract* A 100g bar of cooking chocolate, melted gently over a bain marie* Sprinkles – we like blue and white* A Terry’s Chocolate Orange or an orange chocolate bar, ideally with segment shapes 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

Happy Thanksgiving if you are celebrating, and may it be a day of counting our blessings, for all of us, wherever we live and wherever we are from. This episode - Season 4 Episode 3, Home for the Holidays - goes out with so much gratitude for your presence in my world, for listening to the podcast and sharing your own experiences of the festive season - many of which have been woven into this season of the podcast! Today's episode is all about making our homes festive and cosy with lighting inside and out, sparkle, evergreens, textures, scents and love.This cosy episode includes:- Lots of ideas for making your home welcoming and cosy- Some wonderful decorating traditions from listeners around the world- A recipe for Cheesy Garlic Hedgehog Bread- A lovely citrus star garland crafty project- Tips to help you get ahead for the festive season, and more!I hope this podcast will be a lantern guiding you through the darkness of winter and into a happy new year.Beth XxLovely things for you:* Winter Writing Sanctuary registration here (FREE, runs Dec 28-Jan 5)* Calm Christmas Planner – download yours for free here * A new festive giveaway at Instagram @bethkempton* Up to 50% off ALL my life-changing courses in my giant gratitude sale hereLinks* Madison Square Park Conservancy* Christmas at Sea by Robert Louis Stevenson * Evidence of a Christmas spirit network in the brain - Research by the University of Copenhagen published in the British Medical Journal* (There’s No Place Like) Home for the Holidays by Perry Como* The Calm Christmas Podcast Season 2 Episode 5: Nest* The Calm Christmas Podcast Season 3 Episode 4: Deck the Halls* Selvedge Winter Fair* National Trust* St Martin in the Fields advent carol serviceReferenced books + recommendations* Calm Christmas and a Happy New Year by Beth Kempton (Piatkus)* Rest and Calm by Paula Hines* The Get-Ahead Christmas Cook by Jane Lovett (Headline Home)* Christmas is Coming by Auriol Bishop (Headline Home)Ingredients for the recipe shared (Jane Lovett’s Cheesy Garlic Hedgehog Bread)· 175 g of butter, with extra for greasing· 3 large garlic cloves, finely chopped· a handful of parsley, chopped· 200 g taleggio cheese· one round white loaf of rustic country style bread, like a cob or boule· some sea salt flakesWhat you need for the craft project (Auriol Bishop’s Citrus star garland)· some citrus fruit (clementine, satsuma, orange etc)· cookie cutters in Christmas shapes· a knitting needle or a skewer· scissors· string or twine 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

This week’s episode is called Give Love This Year, gratitude and gifting, and I'm sending it out to you from my kitchen table, which is currently covered in wrapping paper, ribbon, my fabric stash, the good scissors, the silver pens, stickers, tape, stamps and ink. Let me get you a cuppa. We're going to be here for a while.This episode is full of probing questions that will help you come up with unusual, thoughtful gifts for your loved ones, as well as ideas for wrapping mindfully.It also includes:- Some fascinating facts about the history of gift giving, including a brilliant idea for topsy turvy gift giving from Roman times - An invitation to seek out winter sunshine and other gifts from nature- Gorgeous recipes for Rachel de Thample’s Rise & Shine Tisane and Gemma Ogston’s immunity protection dressing- A lovely craft project which can also help us deal with overwhelm- Thoughts on dealing with loneliness- Help with coming up with inspired gift ideas for your loved ones including some beautiful gifting ideas from listeners around the world (You can find my FREE Ultimate Gift Guide for Writers here and download my free printable planner to keep track of your gift lists here)- Our usual get ahead dates and key dates for the week aheadTell me: What is the one thing you most want to experience for yourself this winter? What will you gift yourself this year?Beth XxPS If you enjoyed this episode, please do tell your friends about it!Lovely things for you* Head to @bethkempton on Instagram for the chance to win The Soul of Gift Wrapping by Megumi Lorna Inouye and a personalised, signed copy of my book Calm Christmas along with a complementary place on my flagship course Do What You Love.* Join the Winter Writing Sanctuary for free HERE. https://dowhatyouloveforlife.com/product/winter-writing-sanctuary-live-oct2026/* Get my brand new Ultimate Gift Guide for Writers here (it’s free)* Download a printable Calm Christmas Planner here (also free).* Give someone (or yourself) the life-changing gift of a trajectory-shifting online course with up to 50% off all my courses (which can be given as gift vouchers!) at dowhatyouloveforlife.comIngredients for Rachel de Thample’s Rise & Shine Tisane* Half a lemon* Half a teaspoon of fennel seeds* One or two bay leaves, fresh or dried* 250 ml of freshly boiled waterIngredients for Gemma Ogston‘s immunity-protection dressing* 180 ml olive oil* 120 ml apple cider vinegar* 60 ml of water* Three tablespoons of runny honey* Three garlic cloves chopped* 5cm fresh ginger, peeled and chopped* Quarter of a teaspoon of ground turmericFor the Snow Globe* A clean jam jar* Waterproof glue, like the glue in a hot glue gun* Eco glitter* A small figure* Glycerine* Some waterReferences + recommendations* Calm Christmas and a Happy New Year by Beth Kempton* The Soul of Gift Wrapping by Megumi Lorna Inouye* Winter Wellness by Rachel de Thample* The Yogic Kitchen by Jody Vassallo* Japan The Vegetarian Cookbook by Nancy Singleton Hachisu* The Healing Cookbook by Gemma Ogston* Deliciously Ella Quick & Easy by Ella Mills* Everyday Super Food by Jamie Oliver* The Self-Care Year by Alison Davies (Quadrille)Charities that can support you if you are feeling lonely* Mind* The Silver Line* Samaritans* ShoutPrevious Calm Christmas episodes on gifting for even more ideas* Season 1 Episode 6 Mindful Gifting* Season 2 Episode 4 Love* Season 3 Episode 3 We Three KingsOther links:* Give Love This Year by Fitz and the Tantrums* Why do we give gifts at Christmas? Andrew Hann, English Heritage* Mixbook (for printing photo books)Photos: 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

Here in Episode 1 Hear the Bells, we begin this new season of the Calm Christmas Podcast by the sea, listening to the sound of the waves and contemplating what it really means to rest. We will share a hot cuppa and conversations about longing and joy, and much more including:·      A new Light Corner·      Our old favourites – Nature and Wellbeing Corners·      A lovely hot drink recipe·      Traditions from around the world·      Get ahead tips·      Some lovely goodies for youWith inspiration from @KerriniDochartaigh @botanical_tales @nigelslater @francescaamber @rspca_official @bbc @leigh.standley @mudnbloom and Sam Kamkanamge.Enjoy!Beth XxLovely things·Head to @bethkempton on Instagram for the chance to win our first festive book giveaway of the season!· Join the Winter Writing Sanctuary for free HERE.· Download a printable Calm Christmas Planner for free HERE. What you need for the Mud & Bloom leaf lanterns:- Autumn leaves- Jam jars- PVA glue- A paint brush- Cotton thread in autumnal colours- Tea lights Hot apple recipe ingredients:- Apple juice (we use clear but cloudy would be fine)- The peel of a satsuma or clementine, artfully twisty if you have that skill-  A cinnamon stick-  A little bit of ginger- Other spices like cloves or star anise, if you like them- Some honey or sugar References:·      Cacophony of Bone by Kerri ni Dochartaigh (Canongate)·      Kokoro: Japanese wisdom for a life well lived by Beth Kempton (Piatkus)·      The Christmas Chronicles by Nigel Slater (Fourth Estate)·      Joy. Boats. Time. On longing, choices and the tyranny of ‘just’ essay on Substack·      Shakti mat (no affiliation)·      How you can help garden wildlife this winter (BBC Newsround)·      Leigh Standley’s spell pot·      Autumn Leaf Lanterns how-to (Mud + Bloom)·      Hear the Bells by Calexico video·      Calm Christmas and a Happy New Year by Beth Kempton (Piatkus)·      Sen Wellness 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