Winter Playlist

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Hibernation season is here 🌙

For my last blog post before Christmas I thought I’d share a wee ‘playlist’ for those cosy days between Christmas and New Year.

BOOKS

There’s a pile of book-shaped parcels under the Christmas tree with my name on them. As I don’t know what they are I can’t give an exact list of what I’ll reading be over the holidays. I’m currently working my way through a collection of festive ghost stories by Charles Dickens.

A friend also lent me copies of The Silver Bough (books on old Scottish folklore and customs) which I’ll read over Christmas. And, as I mentioned in my last post, I’ll start Checkmate by Dorothy Dunnett.

FILM & TV

After loving the book I’m seeking out the Jonathan Strange & Mr Norrell adaptation.

I might give The Witcher a whirl (though I’ve never played the games) and maybe watch a Harry Potter film on Christmas Eve.

I’ve also been following His Dark Materials but seem to be in the minority in finding it disappointing. It follows the novels fairly faithfully but somehow the atmosphere is flat.

Every Christmas I try to make time for The Tailor of Gloucester because I can’t think of anything more magical than talking mice helping a poorly tailor in the depths of Victorian winter.

PODCASTS

Current favourite bookish podcasts are Backlisted and Slightly Foxed. Both discuss lesser-known or long-forgotten classics and my reading list is swelling as a result.

MUSIC

I’d like to direct your attention to this medieval Christmas playlist on YouTube.

Loreena McKennitt’s Christmas album is my present-wrapping soundtrack.

My favourite Christmas songs – Winter’s Tale by David Essex, December Will Be Magic Again by Kate Bush and Fairytale of New York by The Pogues – have been playing on a loop.

There’s also this beautiful Gaelic carol and an incredible cover of Lindesfarne’s Winter Song which I’ve been enjoying in quiet moments.

I hope you found something inspiring to enjoy over Christmas. Thank you for all your support, kind words and encouragement this year. It truly means the world knowing there are folk eager to read my book when it’s done, and who stick around when I go offline to spend more time doing the creative work I care about. See you on the other side!