🎄🎧Season 4 Episode 4 ✨Christmas Lights✨

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