Friday, 21 December, 2018
Every year there’s a feeling that Christmas isn’t really coming. It’s not in the air. ‘It doesn’t feel like Christmas,’ we hear. And no, it actually doesn’t. Krish says it’s the lack of snow but I don’t believe it’s that. I think it’s the loss of the magic we imagine belongs the season, remembered from when we were children and Christmas was all about laughter and presents. I was thinking tonight about coal fires. Suddenly I remembered putting the coal into the fireplace and lighting the newspaper below it and the smell as it caught fire.
I don’t remember but I’m sure I’m sure there were wished-for presents since we would write a letter to Father Christmas and burn it on the fire. The smoke and sparks would go up the chimney and from to the North Pole. This was surely true since very year at least one of those presents would show up. But I’m getting ahead of myself.
It’s been very rainy and windy. The days are short and it’s dark some time after 3pm.
But we were heading into the Winter Solstice, For quite a few years I’ve been part of a Flickr group that celebrates each Equinox and Solstice with a day of photos from wherever its members live. I’ve missed a few but not too many. I knew this solstice I wasn’t planning anything very special until we were invited over to Krish’s friend Rosie’s flat for ‘mince pies and tea. Christmas at last?
I thought I’d go to the Stratford Westfield shopping mall to pick up some Scentsicles (they’re like incense sticks and just one of them will fill a whole room with fragrance for weeks. I was after the Christmas one. And I need boots. And there I found a sort of Christmas – a very commercial one.
We had a terrible time getting to Rosie’s house. First we went to the Overground platform. Our plan was to take the train to Dalston Kingsland, then a short bus journey, followed by a short walk. Half an hour was more than enough. But it didn’t work out that way. They announced that trains weren’t running right now and there would be an hour’s wait. We had no choice but to head to the us – at least five minute’s walk away. It didn’t end there. The bus stop wasn’t where it has been for years. No bus! So we started walking to where we thought the next bus stop would be. Ten minutes later, and already late for Rosie’s invitation, we saw the stop, only to see our bus get there before us and leave. So again we waited, while I let Rosie know we’d be late. Expecting to arrive around 4pm, we finally arrived at 5:15pm.
Rosie was relaxed about it all. We hadn’t been to her home before and she’d warned us it was messy. Nothing like that. Her flat was spread over four floors of a house, interesting, artistic and full of colour and charm. I was totally comfortable and enchanted.
We sat and ate mince pies and drank tea, and had a glass of wine. Very relaxing! Rosie drove us home and a present I’d ordered for Krish arrived and the evening was complete. On with the Christmas lights and I thought, now I’ve finally found Christmas!
Welcome to Winter!