Yuletidings: Part Two

A Long Wait in Wintry Limbo. . .

Already, the glitter and sparkle of all that is Christmas, has dropped out of sight, below the horizon. It’s only the second week of January (well. . . it was when I started writing this post), a week after Twelfth Night, and shops have once more reverted to a state of neutrality - all evidence of Yuletide festoonery banished until late October! The festive season is but a cosy, hazy dream which lingers upon waking, before trickling away from all conscious thought. . . until barely anything remains. Two weeks into January and we need to grope within our minds to connect with the memory of recent Yuletide celebrations, which seem so distant now. . . so last year. Shelves and displays are neat and orderly, all clean lines and perfectly piled products; shoppers, fewer and far less hurried.

Photo by gemma on Unsplash

What I have never quite understood is why there are less people in Tesco now, than in the weeks before Christmas; as everyone still needs to buy food and other essentials.🤔 It’s the complete opposite of shopping in November and December - people everywhere, every day! Where do they all come from?

But today, the whole experience is altogether less chaotic, less frenetic and somehow more clinical; less seasonally nuanced, as if just waiting in limbo for the first signs of spring to arrive. A place somewhere in time suspended between Christmas and the commercially inspired micro-season of the redwash (where supermarkets and shops are suddenly flooded with Valentines’ Day related decorations and merchandise). Reds, golds and rich greens have been replaced by beiges, whites and light greens; robins and snowflakes, by flowers and bunnykins. We are being brainwashed into spring from within the depths of winter.

And I do get it! We are fast approaching the midpoint between winter solstice and the vernal equinox. The days are noticeably lightening at both ends, and people just want that wee boost of hope, when things seem so bleak, cold and unending. Cold and bleak but without the accompanying joy of the Yuletide props and perks which permeate December (bearing in mind that for many, the festive season can exacerbate feelings of loneliness and isolation, which may begin ebb with the promise of spring). But there’s no reason to wipe the slate clean completely, when it comes to all things cosy and wintry (a paradox I know, but ye ken fit I mean!). . .

West Clayford near Premnay, Aberdeenshire: 16th January 2024 (photo by Rob Gordon)

January and February are the coldest months of the year here in Scotland; maybe not quite as dark as December, but invariably colder and more wintry. The kind of cold with biting winds which seem to cut right through, straight to the bone marrow and into every red blood cell. . . chilling you to the core and making your fingertips throb with white hot pain. So. . . why rush into spring mode when, for a couple more months, you can continue to sink into the cocoon-like haven of a hot bath at any time of day (if you are lucky enough to have one!); don your comfiest, cosiest layers of clothes; wrap yourself in a soft, fluffy blanket, when having some down time at home; light candles scented with mulled spices and pine; and relish the delicious flavours and textures of comforting foods and toe-warming libations?

This tea is delicious. . .

We can often put ourselves under too much pressure to begin and stick to new habits come January. A fresh year, a fresh start - so the saying goes. . . Makes sense in theory, but this can go against what the body, mind and soul need at this time of the year. Although our busy lives dictate otherwise, we need to tap into the lower energy flow of the winter season. If we awaken on January 1st yelling “Go! Go! Go!” and launching into new versions of ourselves with gusto, we will inevitably burn out by springtime (there are always exceptions, but generally New Year’s intentions will be harder to sustain). The night is still longer than the day, and temperatures are low. Just look around at the rest of the natural world. . . innately conserving energy in preparation for warmer days, for spring, for action!

Photo by Mark mc neill on Unsplash

It’s a great idea to have goals, to have intentions, to work on creating new habits in order to make our lives healthier, more fulfilling. . . to find our ikigai and flourish.¹ But I am learning to take my foot off the gas and stop pushing so hard; being a bit kinder to myself in the process. I’ll still work on trying to get where I want to be, and developing habits in order to help me get there; but crucially, this time I’m going to take a bit more time to transition. I’ll try out new ways of doing things, until I find what works best for me. This is much better than setting unrealistic goals, and when expectations aren’t quite met, dropping off the bandwagon with the plummeting nature of a post caffeine crash! Founder of the Institute for Muscle-centric Medicine, Dr. Gabrielle Lyon advocates focus on personal standards rather than lofty goals; encouraging daily lifestyle change, rather than tunnelling vision solely on achieving targets. She also suggests having a plan in place for the almost inevitable drop off stage; for example, having accountability partners to help you ‘show up’ to whatever activity or habit you have been trying to sustain.²

I like to review and renew at various points in the year, such as the sabbats³ or even at the start of a new week, or new day. If the shit is hitting the fan or I’m down in the doldrums, I don’t need to wait a year, to begin again; or write off a week or even a day! Every moment is a fresh opportunity to start again; or to continue on, making wee changes along the way to help get where we want to be. 😊

Harestone near Premnay, Aberdeenshire: 16th January 2024 (photo by Rob Gordon)

New Year’s winter season. . . a time to dream, to plan and most importantly of all, to get some rest and look after ourselves. Only then will we truly be able to embrace the changes needed to create and sustain happier and healthier lives, which spill over into the world around us.💚

In the final part of Yuletidings, I will share some of the ways in which I like to quietly celebrate January and embrace all that goes with it. . . 🥶 ❄️ 🤗

1. Ikigai, ‘a reason for being’. The Japanese concept which refers to something that gives a person a sense of purpose in life. A passion which brings joy and value to life.

2. Rangan Chatterjee’s podcast, Feel Better Live More: 418. The Crucial Importance of Strength Training, How To Make Healthy Habits Stick & Living a Strong & Healthy Life with Dr. Gabrielle Lyon. Gabrielle’s most recent book Forever Strong: A New Science-backed Strategy for Aging Well.

See also the wonderfully accessible and motivating Atomic Habits by James Clear which illustrates the way in which many tiny decisions can, over time, have a profound impact on behavioural change. It’s just great! It’s changed so many lives. . . so many ways of thinking about life, and how best to manage it for the better!

Photo by Lala Azizli on Unsplash

3. Samhain, Yule, Imbolc, Ostara, Beltane, Litha, Lughnasadh/Lammas, Mabon (solstices and equinoxes in bold).