Tuesday 29 December 2020

Delightful December

Well, December has been absolutely delightful, in spite of the weather: wind and rain arrived with a vengeance and we have just had a tremendous hailstorm. Even a couple of hours later, the hail is still lying around in drifts.



Early in the month, we set up the pump which we bought last year, after the back of the garden flooded. The field behind is slightly elevated and so, once sufficient rain had waterlogged the ground, the water took the easy option and filled up the lowest part of our garden. We dug a hole as far as we could, down to the marl, sank an old dustbin in and installed a pump which then takes the water out to the drain.

We’ve used it several times already, sometimes for an hour or so at a time. By the end of the month, there was flooding in various bits of the garden: it subsides after a few days without rain, but we are keen that the plants, shrubs and trees do not stay waterlogged. Last year, in fact, the rain flooded the slabs which the shed stands on, so that the shed itself had a couple of inches of water inside it.

School, of course, was the usual run-up to Christmas. Actually, a wind-down. Reports had been written, projects were nearing completion and we started to ease up a little on homework. The last week was full of carol service rehearsal and performance; Christmas activity booklets – mostly maths and English, with some ‘Victorian Christmas’ thrown in; Christmas party and disco; and my traditional, Victorian fireplace themed, 3D Christmas card. The children all make one each, of course, and this year I made one for a friend who had taken ill and was in hospital. He is an artist, so it was a delight to see him examine each tiny intricate feature, including the handwritten Christmas card on the mantelpiece.

Many of the children wrote me cards, but my favourite by far was the handmade nativity card. A lot of painstaking work by a shy, quiet, under-confident child who took great pleasure in showing me all the different aspects of the nativity which he had included. It gives ME tremendous pleasure to look at it.

I managed to write, and send off on time, our card and Christmas emails, completing the last of them by Christmas Eve. Intentionally, we tried to have a low-key Christmas. At the beginning of December I began to feel extremely sorry for myself. We couldn’t go anywhere to see family as we would have to self-isolate for at least two weeks on our return and the holiday was barely two weeks long in any case. Plus that Covid does indeed make it risky to travel and New Zealand does not allow visitors in at the moment – let alone having to comply with THEIR quarantine requirements (a mere two weeks in a Government-approved hotel).

I forced myself to start putting Christmas decorations up. First a few strings of lights: this year, for the first time, we draped them in the entrance hall which gave a wonderfully welcoming glow. They will probably stay there until the end of February...#Januarycheer  Nativity sets went out quickly, as did my Jesse tree – twigs from our spring-time pruning this year, with a variety of ornaments. A few years ago – over 15, in fact – Cat and I made saltdough ornaments. There are only a few left, so I have supplemented with others although, over in New Zealand, she has made a complete set for Cara. Perhaps I might do that next year... Eventually, the tree was decorated, a candle lit and evergreens placed in a vase to host my collection of hearts.








And I got over myself. We committed to helping with lunch at church on Christmas Day, discovering, to our delight, that several other friends were also on the ‘team’. Our job turned out to be preparing vegetables beforehand and then welcoming guests on the day, hosting a table. A very different Christmas Day lunch – we had always had friends and family, or gone out to friends, for all our married lives. It was good to facilitate lunch for several people who were completely on their own and it proved to be a very enjoyable time. Even the weather proved to be fine enough to cycle: a glorious, sun-filled day, the air crisp and clear over the cliffs.

Baking pepparkakor, distributing the clove-scented spicy Swedish biscuits to friends, is a tradition I have followed for many years. This year I added vanilla fudge and lemon curd as well. The gluten-free Christmas cake turned out moister than in previous years, thanks to a recipe from Nigella, but was still unsatisfactorily crumbly.

The best part of December, though, was reconnecting with friends, near and far. Writing cards and emails, reflecting back on last year’s news, is always satisfying but we also found ourselves very busy socially. My Christmas work meal was enjoyable, immediately followed by my friend and colleague Carry’s birthday party – in a pub with a skittles alley. Good fun. Our church carol service provided more opportunities and then we were at friends for the Longue Vielle.

The Longue Vielle. What a great tradition. The origins of La Longue Veille date back to 17th Century, when an Act of Parliament allowed the export of wool from mainland Britain to the Bailiwick to service Guernsey’s woolen industry. Many islanders were engaged in the manufacture of woollen stockings, frock jackets and jumpers, and neighbours would often gather in each other’s homes to work together in the production of garments in a social setting. 

In the long winter evenings neighbours were in the habit of meeting at each other’s houses in turn, and while the matrons took their places on the 'lit de fouaille' [bed made of grass or rushes],1 and the elderly men occupied the stools set in the deeper recess of the chimney, the young man and maidens gathered together on the floor, and by the dim light of the crâsset, plied their knitting, sang their songs, and told their stories. The saving of fuel and oil, which was effected by working in company under the same roof, entered for something in their calculations. These assemblies were called 'veilles,' or vielles, and were well adapted to keep up a pleasant neighbourly feeling.

The wares produced were taken into St Peter Port on a Saturday to be sold at market, with a special market held for them on the day before Christmas, known locally as “surveille”. The evening before, on the night of December 23rd, goods were packed ready to be taken to market and, it being the last market of the year, the opportunity was taken to celebrate the hard work of the last twelve months.

“Masters were in the habit of regaling their servants—merchants treated those with whom they had dealings—and neighbours clubbed together to supply the means of spending a joyous night.”
Edgar MacCulloch, Guernsey Folk Lore

During this period in Guernsey’s history the church took a somber view of any celebrative gathering connected to religious festivals, in an attempt to remove the influence of ancient pagan festivals on their congregation. With no link to a festival, be it Christian or pagan, there could be little objection to this celebration and consequently La Longue Veille became an opportunity for islanders to openly celebrate the festive season without incurring the displeasure of the local clergy. La Longue Veille continued to be a traditional gathering of family, friends and neighbours on the evening of December 23rd long after the importance of the island’s woolen industry and regular veilles had declined. Traditionally, spiced and sweetened mulled wine (known as “vin brûlé) is served in coffee cups, along with cheese and a Guernsey biscuit or galette.

Here is a recipe for mulled wine: Receipt for Guernsey Mulled Wine.

Some cloves and whole cinnamon;
An ounce of the last;
Of the first just one quarter;
Boiled, but not boiled too fast;
In a quart of cold water
To a dozen of wine;
Take a pound of loaf sugar,
Don't break it too fine;
Let them stand both together
While boiling the spice;
You can taste it to see
That the sweetness is nice.
That the cloves and the cinnamon
May simmer away,
If you're not in a hurry,
One third of the day;
It may then be poured into
The wine, and is fit
To be warmed—but not boiled
When you wish to drink it.

From Louisa Lane Clarke's The Folk Lore of Guernsey and Sark, pp. 7-8.

After that, we had planned or impromptu invitations every day until New Year – possibly one of the most fun Boxing Days we have spent, playing charades with new friends. We enjoyed skype chats with family and my two dear ‘sisters’ – Cath and Mary. (Our WhatsApp group is called Three Sisters – we miss dear Ann, our fourth, so much.) The busiest Christmas season I can remember... despite not being able to be with family, we have enjoyed the time with friends both old and new.

It has been lovely. We look back on this year with tremendous gratitude. God has been so, so good to us: keeping us and ours in good health; providing us with family, friends and fellowship (even in a season of loss - our marvellous neighbours, Nicky and Richard, moved into town just before Christmas); and, lastly, the safe arrival of Rosalie Freda Noel Dow, born on 28th December in New Zealand – a wonderful sister for Cara. Such joy.