Anna, I somehow ended up reading this on St Lucia’s Day, completely by accident, or maybe guided by one of those mischievous December spirits you write about.
Your Almanac is so beautifully written. I loved the way you wove folklore, memory, food, and light together; it felt like sitting beside someone who truly sees the quieter magic of this month.
I didn’t know about the Polish traditions around St Lucia, only the Scandinavian ones (and in Lyon, because of its old name, Lugdunum). The cherry twigs, the weather signs, the protective herb, it’s all so vivid and enchanting. And yes, now I’m thinking of poppyseed pastries… I have a terrible sweet tooth.
Your Wigilia preparations sound like an adventure of their own. For me, it’s mince pies, mulled wine, marzipan, dried fruit… and chocolate. Always chocolate.
And I loved your book choice. I always return to Dickens at this time of year. Still, lately I’ve also enjoyed Emily Windsor’s Regency take on A Christmas Carol, "A Governess Should Never Wager..A Duke," and for a Victorian December, "The Turn of the Screw always slips into my mind.
Thank you for this Almanac, Anna. It felt like a lantern held up in a noisy month, a reminder that December is still full of old mystery and quiet light.
Thank you so much for taking the time to read it and to share your comments. It is magial indeed that you read it on the St Lucia's Day. May she bless our writing endevours. And now you gave me an appetite for some chocolates and 'The Turn of the Screw' - I'm craving something ghostly and Victorian.
Your Almanac truly feels like an invitation into your world, the kind of tradition that grows richer with each month. I think readers will find their way to it naturally; it’s the sort of work that lingers and gets shared quietly, the way real treasures do.
And yes, St Lucia must be smiling on us sending us both toward chocolate and Victorian ghosts. ‘The Turn of the Screw’ is perfect for that whispery, candlelit mood.
May our December pages be full of the same magic you gathered in yours.
I love the variety of this, and the mindfulness.
Thank you. I'm glad you like the variety. I'm still testing and looking for a shape for it and your comment means a lot.
I'm chuckling here as I wrote exactly this sort of comment to someone about myself today! More power to our becoming!
Maybe ours is the way to be on S 😂. To more adventures in 2026!
Yes! Why be confined by expectations! Liberty and chaos!
Anna, I somehow ended up reading this on St Lucia’s Day, completely by accident, or maybe guided by one of those mischievous December spirits you write about.
Your Almanac is so beautifully written. I loved the way you wove folklore, memory, food, and light together; it felt like sitting beside someone who truly sees the quieter magic of this month.
I didn’t know about the Polish traditions around St Lucia, only the Scandinavian ones (and in Lyon, because of its old name, Lugdunum). The cherry twigs, the weather signs, the protective herb, it’s all so vivid and enchanting. And yes, now I’m thinking of poppyseed pastries… I have a terrible sweet tooth.
Your Wigilia preparations sound like an adventure of their own. For me, it’s mince pies, mulled wine, marzipan, dried fruit… and chocolate. Always chocolate.
And I loved your book choice. I always return to Dickens at this time of year. Still, lately I’ve also enjoyed Emily Windsor’s Regency take on A Christmas Carol, "A Governess Should Never Wager..A Duke," and for a Victorian December, "The Turn of the Screw always slips into my mind.
Thank you for this Almanac, Anna. It felt like a lantern held up in a noisy month, a reminder that December is still full of old mystery and quiet light.
Thank you so much for taking the time to read it and to share your comments. It is magial indeed that you read it on the St Lucia's Day. May she bless our writing endevours. And now you gave me an appetite for some chocolates and 'The Turn of the Screw' - I'm craving something ghostly and Victorian.
Your Almanac truly feels like an invitation into your world, the kind of tradition that grows richer with each month. I think readers will find their way to it naturally; it’s the sort of work that lingers and gets shared quietly, the way real treasures do.
And yes, St Lucia must be smiling on us sending us both toward chocolate and Victorian ghosts. ‘The Turn of the Screw’ is perfect for that whispery, candlelit mood.
May our December pages be full of the same magic you gathered in yours.