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The 1st December is the first day of meteorological winter in the northern hemisphere. This year it also coincides with the beginning of the Christian season of Advent – a time when Christians prepare not only for the birth of the infant Jesus at Christmas but also for his return  at the Second Coming. 

Advent is a time of watching and waiting. Traditionally there were four themes to Advent – death, judgement, heaven and hell. Sombre matters indeed, and themes which focussed on the vulnerability of humankind – our fragility and our inability to solve all the problems in the world on our own. That is why we look forward to the coming of Jesus, the Light of the World, who, in his life and teaching, proclaimed those great messages of hope, reconciliation and peace.

During Advent – from the Latin word Adventus, meaning ‘coming’ – Christians look forward. It is a dark time of the year; the short days are brightened by whatever sunlight is available but also by the many candles that will be lit during this period – symbols of the light that the love of Christ brings to the world.

Taking time out from the busy hustle and bustle of Christmas preparation can be a valuable opportunity for us to slow down and focus on the significance of that birth over 2000 years ago. There is much that is sad, wrong and wicked in the world but there is also a lot that is good, true and hopeful. We might each ponder on how we can add to the hope, joy and peace that are all so vital to the wellbeing of the world and its inhabitants.

Words from a tenth century Latin hymn:

Hark, a thrilling voice is sounding;

‘Christ is nigh,’ it seems to say;

‘cast away the dreams of darkness,

O ye children of the day.’

May your Advent be blessed with hope, light and peace.

When the season turns and the weather changes it’s not always easy to revel in the great outdoors. Blustery rain, keening winds and chilly dampness curb our enthusiasm for getting out and about.

Our thoughts turn to the warmth and snugness of indoors – but what then? How can we retain our sense of calm and relaxation?

Needlework might not be the first thing you think of.

But stitching can be immensely relaxing.

It can be simple; it can be complicated. Large or small. Whatever you choose it is almost certain to provide therapy for beginners or experts – there are projects that can be undertaken by all. 

Stitching has long been recognised as a way of relaxing and reducing stress. Soldiers returning from traumatic service during WW1 stitched to aid recovery from the horrors they had been through.

The simple act of drawing thread through fabric, the gentle repetition and gradual evolution of pattern or picture helped calm and still the mind.

It continues to be popular today as a meditative and soothing practice.

Stores specialising in haberdashery (small items used in sewing, such as buttons, zips, and thread) used to be widespread in the days when households were more self reliant on making clothes, knitting garments, mending and decorating household items that were expensive to replace. 

The traditional haberdasher is now much harder to find but they can still be found in some of the larger department stores. Specialist craft stores will stock almost anything you might need to embark on an absorbing project. Just browsing these wonderful emporiums can be therapeutic. In a recent newspaper article one commentator has asks, ‘Is loitering in the haberdashery the ultimate path to happiness?’

Jane Shilling goes on to write of these wonderful treasure troves as ‘an entire emotional ecology, built of ribbons and 4-ply merino knitting wool.’ She quotes John Betjaman as having said that when Armageddon comes ‘he would like it to find him in the haberdashery department of Peter Jones since nothing unpleasant could happen there.’

Indeed, there is something unforgettable about haberdashery departments – the clean scent of fresh linen unrolled from its bolt.

The myriad colours and shades of threads, ribbons and wools. The intricacies of lace edgings and pompoms, rosettes and gimps. The tactile satisfaction of a box of buttons.

As a child I recall playing with a box of collected buttons belonging to my mother. She had worked in the 1950s in one of the London couture houses and all sorts of unwanted scraps of material, surplus sequins and discarded buttons made their way into her possession. She’d use them for making dolls’ dresses, embellishing a fancy dress costume or smartening up some worn and out-of-style piece of clothing to transform it into something exotic and exciting.

Why not create your own collection of sewing and haberdashery goodies?

Scraps of material, half-used reels of cotton, balls of wool, embroidery threads, buttons and beads – a joyful array of delights to help the imagination run riot as you create your own original masterpiece… 

…also known as ‘Daylight’s Gate’ – that period of the evening when daylight fades and twilight draws on…

At this time of the year an evening (or early morning) walk will reward you with some magical sky-sights. Clear sky and sun just below the horizon gift us with ‘The Blue Hour’.

The technical explanation has to do with the relative diffusibility of shorter wave lengths of light (the blue-er rays) as against the longer wavelengths (the red-er rays). During the blue hour red light passes out through space whilst the blue light scatters into the atmosphere and reaches the Earth’s surface. ‘Chappius absorbtion’ and its interaction with ozone also plays a part but if too much science makes your head spin, don’t worry. The important thing is to observe this wonderful phenomenon and just enjoy the effect and the dramatic views that can be seen.

If you enjoy photography then the Blue Hour is a wonderful time to experiment and let your imagination run free. In days gone by, when we had to use rolls of film, wait for them to be developed and returned – we might discover that perhaps we should have done something completely different (fine-tune the exposure, adjust the angle – you know the story.) And by the time we’re able to make corrections the blue hour window has passed and it’s all too late. The joy of using modern technology is that we get an instant result. Errors can be corrected right away – and by the end of our walk we’ll have a collection of wonderful ‘daylight gate’ mood photos to savour and enjoy.