Welcoming the New Year with Magic, Tradition, and Wassail!
As we bid farewell to the old year and embrace the new, let's gather 'round the hearth and welcome the chilly month of January with open arms. The calendar may have turned to a new page, but the cozy spirit of the 12 Days of Christmas lingers on through the whole month, inviting us to savor each moment, cherish our loved ones, and continue basking in the joy of the season.
For many years, drawing inspiration from Celtic traditions that surround the excitement of the incoming new year, our January celebrations found their unique magic. Windesphere, our farm in Burton, was built by a Scotsman named Samuel Mcbride in 1848 and always served as the perfect cozy backdrop for welcoming the New Year. With its hilltop location and willow tree-lined landscape, it was such a magical place to gather with family and friends.
Living so close to nature, I often imagined the anticipation felt in centuries past as the days grew colder and darker, and the promise of a new year filled the air. I would prepare for the 12 Days of Christmas by crafting clove-studded oranges and lady apples to simmer in a fragrant wassail bowl. My wassail recipe for the new year always incorporates extra herbs like rose petals, rosemary, vanilla, and hops, ensuring continued love, luck, and abundance!
January preparations always felt like we were enveloping our home in a warm and welcoming embrace. A thorough house smudging with white sage, lavender, and pine infused every corner with a sense of renewal. Fragrant bayberry and beeswax tapers softly illuminated the rooms, their gentle flicker carrying our intentions for the new year. We would raise our glasses to toast the coming year and follow the Scottish Highlands tradition of "saining" the house—a heartfelt blessing that filled every nook and cranny with wishes for abundance and wellbeing.
Winter Hearth Blessings
In the spirit of the season, let us gather 'round the hearth as winter's chill embraces the land. With hearts aglow and spirits bright, we welcome the New Year with blessings, warmth, and light.
By the fireside's gentle flicker, may all ill fortune fade away. Let the hearth's warmth be our refuge, on this winter's night and every day.
With the Yule log burning, a symbol of life's enduring grace, may our homes be filled with laughter, and love in every corner find its place.
In this sacred season of frost and snow, we offer gratitude for all we hold dear. With each ember's radiant ember, may joy and serenity draw near.
As snowflakes blanket the world outside, let harmony reign within these walls. May friendships flourish, and hearts be warmed, as the New Year's promise gently calls.
With blessings of health, prosperity, and peace, we welcome the days yet to unfold. In this home, love resides, and cherished traditions we forever hold.
So, let us raise our voices high and toast to the year that lies ahead. With hearts aligned, may our home be blessed and abundantly fed.
With every flicker of candlelight and crackling log, may our spirits unite and soar. In this house of warmth and grace, we welcome the New Year evermore.
In the spirit of the season, our home is blessed anew, and in the winter's hush, we find serenity and strength to carry us through.
BSG
An Adventurous 2024 Ahead!
One of our cherished winter customs on the farm was "owling." On crisp January evenings, my son and nephew would embark on Viking-inspired adventures, lighting bonfires on the back hill and seeking the first owls at midnight. Magic always danced around us as we roamed through the woods, encountering all kinds of wildlife and owls hooting under the new year's moonlight. We’d come back inside shivering and laughing, grateful for cups of warm cocoa with lots of whipped cream and a blazing wood stove!
These are some of my very favorite memories.
Fast forward to today and life is good. I am immensely grateful for the well-being of my husband and the presence of my children and beautiful new grandson Wolfie. My home is cozy and serene, with snow gently falling outside the kitchen window as I write these words to you.
In this new year, I extend my warmest wishes to all of you. May your days be filled with love, peace, joy, and all the desires of your hearts. As they say in Scotland, "Lang may your lum reek."
Your presence in my life, reading my writing and sharing in these moments, means the world to me. Let's raise our glasses once more and toast to the adventures that await in 2024. Together, we'll embrace the magic of the days to come, carrying the spirit of love, hope, and joy in our hearts and homes.
RECIPE: Beth’s Wassail for Love and Luck!
Here's to the journey that lies ahead, filled with warmth, tradition, and countless magical moments. And if you're looking to add a touch of enchantment to your January, try my favorite (and super easy!) wassail recipe.
Traditionally done on 12th night, Wassailing the orchards not only drove away evil spirits but bestowed blessings for an abundant harvest in the coming year.
Begin by creating pomanders with apples and oranges, studded with cloves, making wishes for a year of safety, abundance, and love. Slice the oranges and core the apples.
In a cauldron or large pot, combine one gallon of freshly pressed cider, two cups of honey, a bottle of hard apple cider, one tablespoon of fresh powdered cinnamon, cinnamon sticks, vanilla extract, nutmeg, star anise pods, dried or fresh rose petals, fresh rosemary, dried hops flowers, and the pomanders. Bring it all to a boil, then let it simmer.
Add a bottle of red wine, and a stick of salted organic butter. Simmer for about 15 minutes. Keep it hot but not boiling, and serve with care—this brew is potent! Then take the extras and head out to the nearest apple orchard. Don’t forget pieces of hard toast that you’ve sprinkled with your wassail, spread with peanut butter and covered with birdseed. Just tie a string or ribbon through them and hang each one on the branches of the trees for extra luck and fun with your children or grandchildren.
Here's to a year filled with warmth, tradition, and plenty of magic. Welcome, January, and all the cozy moments you bring!
Make it Your Own!
As we come to the end of this journey through the enchanting traditions of the season, I invite you to step into the embrace of winter's serenity and create your own moments of warmth and connection. Take these age-old rituals and make them uniquely yours, infusing your home with the spirit of love, hope, and joy.
Perhaps you'll craft your own wassail recipe, adding a secret ingredient that speaks to your heart, or you'll design a house blessing that resonates with your family's traditions and aspirations. Gather your loved ones by the fireside, light those candles, and relish the simple pleasures of life. Whether you're seeking solace in the peacefulness of winter or sharing laughter with friends and family, let your heart lead the way.
Venture into the crisp winter nights and create your own owling adventures, or simply savor the quiet moments, letting the beauty of nature and the magic of the season wash over you. And as you sip your favorite warm beverage, raise your cup to the year ahead, filled with endless opportunities for love, growth, and new memories.
This is your story, your journey, and your time to embrace the magic of winter's glow. Let these traditions be a starting point, a canvas upon which you paint your own masterpiece of coziness and connection. May your heart be your guide, and may the spirit of this season fill your home with the most precious gift of all—unwavering love and cherished memories.
So lovely! Happy New Year, Beth and family! Here’s to a healthy happy year! ❤️💖❤️🌟❤️💖🌟💜