Abersoch Life Christmas Issue 2022

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It’s that time of year again. The incomparable magic of the season warming the coldest of hearts and thawing each frost-bitten branch. There’s no feeling that compares. With mitten-covered hands tucked in pockets and necks appreciating the warmth of generous scarves, the winter chill has returned just in time for the festivities to begin. Jack Frost is teasing and whispering glittery love-notes across the Llŷn’s landscapes –welcome to the most magical time of the year, in the most magical pocket of the world!

Granted, the peninsula may not be a continuous winterwonderland vision. Prolonged grey days, fierce winds and rain clouds shall return, but no matter the weather we won’t let this dampen the yuletide glow. It’s the time to indulge in the sweetness of life: good food, good drink and great company.

Our highstreet is truly a wonderful place. Full of amazing small businesses that deserve our support throughout the year, but especially throughout the Christmas period. The community spirit is more apparent than ever throughout the festivities, warm smiles from friendly faces and season’s greetings fill the highstreet.

This issue we reflect on the year just gone and soak up the wonderment of Christmas. Holly shares the benefits of blue and green spaces; we explore Welsh traditions of past and present; Zoe discusses this season’s festive interior trends and we share our annual gift guide from our local stores… and plenty more!

Christmas is a time of hopeful anticipation. A time when dreams come true and miracles happen. Spending Christmas on the peninsula is a real treat. Fancy an enviable post-lunch Christmas walk along The Warren Beach followed by a bracing traditional sea swim? Or perhaps a Christmas Eve tipple enjoyed at The Ship, shared with

Mae hi’r adeg honno o’r flwyddyn eto. Hud anghymharol y tymor yn cynhesu’r oeraf o galonnau ac yn dadmer pob cangen a frathwyd gan rew. `Does dim teimlad tebyg. Gyda dwylo mewn menig wedi’u cuddio mewn pocedi a gyddfau yn gwerthfawrogi cynhesrwydd sgarffiau trwchus, mae oerfel y gaeaf wedi dychwelyd mewn pryd i’r dathliadau ddechrau. Mae Siôn Barrug yn pryfocio ac yn sibrwd nodau serch disglair ar draws tirweddau Llŷn - croeso i amser mwyaf hudolus y flwyddyn, ym mhoced fwyaf hudolus y byd!

Mae’n wir nad yw’r penrhyn yn un darlun parhaus o hud a lledrith gaeafol. Bydd dyddiau llwyd hir, gwyntoedd ffyrnig a chymylau glaw yn dychwelyd, ond ni waeth beth fo’r tywydd, ni fyddwn yn gadael i hyn bylu llewyrch yr ŵyl. Dyma’r amser i ymbleseru ym melyster bywyd: bwyd da, diod dda a chwmni gwych. Mae ein stryd fawr yn lle gwych rhaid dweud. Yn llawn o fusnesau bach anhygoel sy’n haeddu’n cefnogaeth drwy’r flwyddyn, ond yn enwedig dros gyfnod y Nadolig. Mae’r ysbryd cymunedol i’w weld yn amlycach nag erioed drwy gydol y dathliadau, gyda gwên gynnes gan wynebau cyfeillgar a chyfarchion y tymor yn llenwi’r stryd fawr.

Yn y rhifyn hwn rydym yn myfyrio ar y flwyddyn sydd newydd fynd ac yn amsugno rhyfeddod y Nadolig. Mae Holly yn rhannu manteision mannau glas a gwyrdd; rydym yn archwilio traddodiadau Cymreig y gorffennol a’r presennol; mae Zoe yn trafod tueddiadau addurno Nadoligaidd y tymor hwn ac rydym yn rhannu ein canllaw anrhegion blynyddol o’n siopau lleol … a llawer mwy!

Mae’r Nadolig yn gyfnod o edrych ymlaen gyda gobaith. Cyfnod pan fydd breuddwydion yn dod yn wir a gwyrthiau’n digwydd. Mae treulio’r Nadolig ar y penrhyn yn bleser pur. Awydd tro bach Nadolig ar ôl cinio ar hyd y traeth ac yna

snowy view from the Abersoch end of The Warren beach across to St Tudwal’s Islands.

by John Wormald - TOTALLY ABERSOCH

FROM ST. PEDROG’S

FOLLOWING ON FROM THE Q&A SERIES LAST CHRISTMAS, HOW HAS THIS YEAR BEEN FOR YOU/ THE CHURCH AND WHAT WONDERFUL THINGS HAVE HAPPENED AT ST PEDROG’S THIS YEAR?

This past year has been a good one for us in St Pedrog’s Church as we have been able to welcome back so many people who have been careful about travel and visiting following two very difficult years which saw lockdown, anxiety and caution. It was wonderful to welcome our extended family back to the area and to the church as well as new visitors and tourists. We are blessed by being able to open the church everyday and we cherish our ministry of welcome and hospitality. 2022 was a year of full recovery to Church events - Lent and Easter were full of our traditional celebrations and even the Easter morning eggs in knitted chicks were back. And this year we had our summer fete on the green for the first time since 2019 and as I write we’re planning our Christmas parish dinner - again the first one since 2019! It has been a full and a well supported year for us as a church family.

WHAT DOES THE CHRISTMAS SPIRIT MEAN TO YOU?

I always enjoy Christmas - the planning, the preparation, the colour, the autumn season, carol services, school celebrations and of course the parties and the opportunities to ‘get together’ with family

and friends. Of course, it is also a time of sadness for many people who have lost loved ones and for whom Christmas is a time of remembering better timesas a church we recognise that we have a privileged responsibility to ‘look out’ for these people and to offer a space in which they can come to reflect and to remember. I often say that our church is a place in which people can laugh and cry, be happy and be sad. For me personally it is an extremely busy time for all these reasons but it’s a wonderful busyness and a chance to tell ’the story’ once more with different kinds of people and children.

WHAT PLANS DOES THE CHURCH HAVE THROUGHOUT THE CHRISTMAS PERIOD?

For us in St Pedrog’s we have five opportunities to celebrate. We will be having our carol service on Sunday evening the 11th of December at 6pm and then on Christmas Eve at 2pm we will have open air carols and music at the Aqua Beach Bar - we did it last year and it was great fun despite the weather, when over two hundred people came to sing and enjoy - as a church we are grateful to John and his team at Aqua - I’m hoping for a scorcher Christmas Eve! And then later that day we will have our midnight mass which begins at 11-30pm and I look forward to welcoming many people to that celebration - locally it’s one of the people’s favourite Christmas services. Then on

OUR CHRISTMAS ISSUE WOULDN’T BE COMPLETE WITHOUT A CONVERSATION WITH THE WONDERFUL VENERABLE ANDREW CARROLL JONES, ARCHDEACON OF MEIRIONNYDD AND CHERISHED PRIEST IN LLANBEDROG. WE’RE REMINDED OF WHAT’S TRULY AT THE HEART OF CHRISTMAS AND ARE WELCOMED TO CELEBRATE WITH ST PEDROG’S CHURCH TO ENJOY THE FAITHFUL MAGIC AND PURE SPIRIT OF CHRISTMAS.

PHOTO: STANDING PROUD. ST. PEDROGS CHURCH BY: OUTWEST IMAGES

Christmas Day at 10am we will have our morning celebration where, usually, we have many children in church and I will get the opportunity to ask them about their gifts and what they received!! Oh, and of course we will have our Christmas parish dinner and party at the Glyn y Weddw Arms - the first since 2019 - and it’s always a good evening and we are grateful to Martin and his team for making it a great time for us.

WHAT ARE SOME CHRISTMAS TRADITIONS THAT YOU LOOK FORWARD TO EACH YEAR? MAYBE THERE ARE SOME THAT WE SHOULD ADOPT…

I always enjoy those various services that I have just mentioned - I love the preparation and the planning. Some years ago I collected many Christmas cards that I had received and packed them into five shoe boxes - a box for the manger, a box for the wise men, a box for the angels, a box for the holy family and a box for the shepherds. And then I choose a box for myself in the build up to Christmas - each Christmas I choose a different box and in my services - particularly in our local schools, I take a box and share the cards and reflect on the many different pictures, shapes, colours etc in each card. This year it’s the turn of the Wise Men again and I well remember taking the Wise Men box to our schools and the response of the children was quite lovely - I remember how amazed they were that each card depicted a different kind of 3 kings and it led us to

reflect on and talk about the power and the beauty of ‘difference’ and diversity - how lovely a thing it is that people are different and that difference and diversity is a ‘gift’ to be cherished and valued.

IS THE CHURCH WELCOME TO EVERYONE?

Let me pick up what I’ve just said about the gift of difference and diversity - different colour of people, different sizes of people, different spoken people, different looking people, different religions of people, different circumstances for people, different dressed people, different gender in people, different work for people, different rich and poor people and so on - all of this is such a great precious gift. And absolutely YES YES YES… they are all welcome in our church - over the years I have so appreciated the opportunity to welcome all kinds and types of people - whoever you are, whatever you are, however you are, Llanbedrog church has a seat and a place and a love and a warm welcome to all of you.

HOW DO YOU PERSONALLY CELEBRATE CHRISTMAS: WHAT DOES DECEMBER 25TH LOOK LIKE FOR YOU/IN YOUR HOUSEHOLD?

Christmas Day has become a day when I tend to follow the same pattern - it begins in the very early hours of the day following the midnight mass and of course I don’t tend to get to bed until around 2am! But I love that early start and then the morning mass at 10am where, as I said, I get the opportunity to welcome many young families and children and to have a fun service. After that there is then a very different celebration - and I look forward to this and especially since the last one was way back in 2019... For several years the Glyn y Weddw Arms invite me to be the judge at their home-made sloe gin completion! The place is packed and I get the chance to wish so many people a happy Christmas. The challenge is having to be blindfolded and taste the many sloe gins - blindfolded incase I cheat and present the cup to a ‘favourite person’... as if I would! In 2019 there were 17 small glasses for me to taste! After that I usually invite 2 or 3 friends to join me for lunch which I enjoy cooking and we tuck in soon after the Queen’s speech and of course, this year for the first time for many of us, the King’s speech. And then relax for the rest of the evening to music and some refreshments.

MUSIC IS ANOTHER JOYOUS PART OF CHRISTMAS, DO YOU HAVE A FAVOURITE CHRISTMAS HYMN OR SONG?

I love carols - all of them - and so many of them have clear and powerful messages about what Christmas is really all about. I also enjoy non-religious Christmas songs that sing about peace and goodwill and how love

really does come down at Christmas. But one of the things we do in St Pedrog’s over the Christmas period is to sing the carol ‘O Come all ye Faithful’ in Latin ‘Adeste Fideles’ and I love that... it somehow sounds more powerful in Latin, especially as we all know the words so well. On a classical level I love Handel’s ‘For unto us a Child is Born’ from his oratorio ‘Messiah’. On a fun level I love the Drifters singing ‘O Holy Night’.

WHAT IS ONE THING THAT YOU WOULD ENCOURAGE US TO FOCUS ON A LITTLE MORE THIS CHRISTMAS TIME?

Maybe think a bit about what could change what has become a very troubled world. Essentially, Christmas is all about the birth of a child that changed his world and continues to change people’s hearts and minds. As Jesus grew up he stressed four things I think throughout his teaching: - the utter renunciation of violence - violence either by deed or by word - the generous sharing of possessions - the call to be kind, welcoming, accepting and lovely - the overcoming of ethnic divisions - God has no favourites and shows no partiality - the unity of men and women - as a church I have always believed we are a family - as a world I have always believed we could be a better united family These four things have been at the heart of my life as a priest from the very start and never have they been so urgent as at this present time and the Christmas message of peace and good will gives us a great opportunity to commit again to these four treasures.

WHAT PLANS DOES THE CHURCH HAVE IN 2023?

As well as being a priest in this area I am also one of the Archdeacons in the Diocese of Bangor and as a Diocese some few years ago we committed ourselves to and adopted a three part ‘mission statement’: Worshipping God, Growing the Church and Loving the World. My hopes for our church in 2023 is that we committed ourselves again to this 3 part mission statement and that in all that we do that our worship in church continues to be fresh, inspiring, contemporary and meaningful; that our church continues to grow by attracting many different people to join our family through our welcome and hospitality; that we are able to show love to the world around us and further afield through our activities and never to say, as one person did 2022 years ago “there is no room at the inn”

LASTLY, WHAT ARE YOU LOOKING FORWARD TO IN THE YEAR AHEAD?

Let me go back to those four hallmarks of Jesus’ life and teaching. I think I am hoping to see a better world in 2023. Imagine a world wholeheartedly accepting these four basic values! Yes, they are all at the heart of our life as Christians but they could be at the heart of human living generally and universally - whatever religion we are or even no religion at all - it would be a very different world. Four simple values which could change the world completely - a fantastic manifesto! As I look back on so many recent events, politically and socially, these four basic values are in so many ways counter-cultural, in the sense that they are not, tragically, for so many human beings in our world ’the way we do things’ but Christmas convinces me that they should be. That’s what I’m looking forward to this coming year.

MAY I TAKE THIS OPPORTUNITY TO WISH YOU ALL A VERY HAPPY CHRISTMAS!

PHOTO: VENERABLE ANDREW CARROLL JONES, ARCHDEACON OF MEIRIONNYDD AND CHERISHED PRIEST IN LLANBEDROG

A good way to test the waters could be to incorporate some of your traditional Christmas decorations with the odd quirky ornament you may have. Dig out some old antiques and add them to the table. Adding a variety of height across the length of the centre of your table create points of interest; tall candlesticks in narrow neck vases is something out of the ordinary, and a mixture of coloured glass candlesticks reflect the warm, twinkling lights. There’s still room for the gravy, just whack it in a colourful patterned jug. Ottolenghi’s range of tableware (available at Cwt Tatws) are a unique way to add an artistic element and fun to the dining table. Their serving plates make great centre pieces and are bound to jazz up your Christmas trimmings!

WORDS BY BETHANY BIRCH

IF YOU WERE TO PEER INTO THE WINDOW OF EACH HOME ON THE PENINSULA COME CHRISTMAS DAY, YOU’D BE MET BY A VARIETY OF JOYOUS SCENES. SOME REMAINING HEARTWARMINGLY SIMILAR BETWEEN HOUSEHOLDS. OTHERS WOULD DIFFER WITH EACH GATHERING PAVING THEIR OWN TRADITIONS AND CUSTOMS FOR THE BIG DAY. THE FESTIVITIES ARE LARGELY BUILT UPON RITUALS AND TRADITIONS, ABERSOCH AND ITS WONDERFUL COMMUNITY WILL HAVE CREATED ITS OWN FESTIVE CUSTOMS, MARKING THIS TIME OF THE YEAR WITH WINTER SEA DIPS AND LOCAL FESTIVE FILM SCREENINGS!

Whether it be gift giving, singing Christmas carols or the joy of advent calendars, some Yuletide rituals stay fairly consistent wherever you choose to call home. However, the same can’t be said for all festive traditions. A quick Google search testifies that globally, there are some fairly unusual traditions filling the December diary worldwide. From celebrating with a KFC in Japan to practising radish carving in Mexico, our carols and Christmas cards seem wholly unrivalled by comparison.

When considering festive rituals that are generally followed in the UK we’re reminded of hanging out stockings on Christmas Eve, a Christmas dinner shared with loved ones and decorating the home with festive additions, just to name a few. But like plenty of other countries, Wales too is home to plenty of weird and wonderful Christmas traditions that differ from the typical nationwide customs. These Yuletide activities are part of Wales’ culture, with some still an active custom enjoyed throughout the festive season.

THE MARI LWYD (GREY MARE)

One of the more unusual New Year’s Eve customs involves decorating the skull of a horse to be worn above your head or carried around on a wooden pole. The skull would be adorned with colourful ribbons, reins, bells, and sometimes false eyes and ears would be added, before a white sheet is attached the the back of the skull to conceal the pole and person wearing or carrying the figure. The earliest documentation of this practice was recorded in the 17th century but is a Pagan custom that was most popular in Wales throughout the 19th century.

Once complete, the garnished hobby horse figure would then be carried from door to door by a group (who would usually be dressed in costumes) challenging others to a battle of Welsh verse. This wassailing folk custom was held throughout the Christmas period, most commonly performed between the dates of Christmas Day and the 6th January (although the dates varied from village to village) to celebrate the end of the festivities. Although largely associated with South Wales, the tradition has been performed all over the country and although Wales’ involvement with the Mari Lwyd has waned over time, some areas still continue to hold onto the creepy custom to this day.

NOSON GYFLAITH (TOFFEE EVENINGS)

This Christmas toffee tradition is a sweet-toothed custom involving the whole family. Noson Gyflaith involved spending an evening making toffee (taffy) and traditionally took place on Christmas Eve. This custom was celebrated primarily throughout North Wales and often involved inviting friends to your house for supper, which would be followed by merriment, games, making taffy and storytelling.

Plygain - The Dawn Chorus

Holly & Mistletoe alwyas to be found at this time of year

HOLLY AND MISTLETOE

Homes throughout Wales were decorated with holly and mistletoe since the holly was said to represent eternal life and the mistletoe was thought to protect your family from misfortune and evil. Both plants are considered to be associated with good luck, so this ancient tradition (originating with the Druids around the 3rd century) was adopted by many throughout Wales. Mistletoe and holly have had positive connotations within many cultures and customs for centuries, in Norse mythology mistletoe was said to be a symbol of love and friendship and holly represented fertility and was used to ward off bad luck. Although the heritage has often been lost or forgotten in modern times, we continue to decorate our homes with both holly and mistletoe for Christmas to celebrate.

HOLMING

Thankfully the custom of holming is no longer practised throughout Wales, as the custom involved hitting or beating the last person to rise from bed on Boxing Day (also known as St. Stephen’s Day) with prickly holly sprigs. Apparently, if you were a late-sleeper and also a woman, you would be especially unlucky by having two lots of hollystick holmings. You did not want to be at the receiving end of this extinct custom - ouch!

HUNTING THE WREN

Hunting the Wren or sometimes known as Wren Day was celebrated on the Twelfth Night of Christmas whereby groups of men would go out ‘Hunting the Wren’. Once captured, the tiny bird would be caged (often remaining alive) in a wooden box and carried door-to-door for all to see. This 19th century custom was connected to luck by visiting homes in the village or carrying it in a procession throughout the neighbourhood whilst singing to praise the wren. Although now extinct in Wales, the tradition was long-standing throughout Britain for some time, and was practised largely throughout Ireland on Boxing Day.

PLYGAIN - THE DAWN CHORUS

Plygain or sometimes referred to as ‘The Dawn Chorus’ or ‘Carols by Twilight’ was an early Christmas morning service (often starting at 4 or 5am) where people gathered in busy rural churches to sing and celebrate to welcome Christmas Day. Some would rise early to attend the service however many would stay up throughout the night ready to see the day in through carols. They would sing mainly unaccompanied, three or four part harmony carols in a

service that went on until daylight - some variations of the custom only involve male voices performing the songs. This would then be followed by further Christmas celebrations including feasting, strong ale, oatcakes and a game of football.

Unlike several of the Welsh Christmas customs, the Plygain tradition still lives on in many areas of Wales. The custom often plays a role in the Cadw Christmas events calendar at sites such as Tintern Abbey and St Davids Bishop’s Palace.

CALENNIG

This Welsh custom was traditionally celebrated on New Year’s Day to welcome the new year in. The word ‘Calennig’ means ‘New Year gift/celebration’ but directly translates to ‘the first day of the month’. The practice involved children in the early 19th century travelling from door to door throughout their village or neighbourhood and singing songs or rhymes. Other variations of the custom involve children splashing the home owners with water or asking for calennig, which were gifts of small change.

Blaenavon Ironworks’ Stack Square would have been a prime spot for resident children to ask for Calennig – and what’s more, it is quite possible that the spooky Mari Lwyd was carried from door to door at the square too!

DO YOU ADOPT ANY OF THESE WELSH CHRISTMAS TRADITIONS, OR WILL YOU BE INCLUDING ANY IN YOUR CHRISTMAS CELEBRATIONS THIS YEAR TO INTEGRATE SOME HISTORICAL WELSH PRACTICE?

VIETNAMESE CRISPY CHICKEN ROLLS

(spring rolls in rice paper served with sweet chilli sauce)

Preptime: 10 mins Cooktime:15 mins Makes:12pieces/servings

• 350 g of minced chicken breast

• 2 cloves of chopped garlic

• ½ teaspoon of ground black pepper

• 1 dessert spoon of fish sauce

• 1 dessert spoon of light soy sauce

• 1 egg

• 2 dessert spoons of chopped coriander

• 2 dessert spoon of chopped shallots

• 2 dessert spoon of finely chopped ginger

• 1 dessert spoon of toasted sesame seed

• 2 cup of fry oil

• 12 inches of round Vietnamese rice paper

METHOD:

1. Make the mixture. Put all the ingredients in the mixing bowl (except for the cooking fry oil and Vietnamese rice paper).

2. Mix the ingredients together until combined well and ready to use.

3. Very quickly dip your Vietnamese rice paper into the lukewarm water. Place it on a damp clean kitchen towel. Put 2 dessert spoons of the mixture in the rice paper and fold in both sides. Continue rolling outward.

4. Repeat the process with the remaining filling mixture until they are ready to fry.

5. Put the fry pan on a medium heat

6. Gently place the spring roll to the hot oil and cook for 4-6 mins, turn the rolls until they become a nice light brown colour.

7. Place the kitchen paper to drain the oil out. Cut in half before serving with

FINDING YOUR GREEN AND BLUE SPACES THIS CHRISTMAS

WORDS BY HOLLY PRICE

TO MANY (MYSELF INCLUDED,) SUNLIGHT IS THE ELIXIR OF HAPPINESS. BRINGING WARMTH, OPEN SKIES, VITAMIN D AND, ACCORDING TO A STUDY OF 30,000 SWEDISH WOMEN, A LONGER LIFESPAN; SUNLIGHT ENCOURAGES US TO GET OUTSIDE IN NATURE. IT IS SAID TO BOOST SEROTONIN AND THEREFORE COMBAT STRESS, AND IT ALSO MAKES YOU MUCH MORE LIKELY TO WANT TO MOVE YOUR BODY AND GET ACTIVE EITHER IN THE EARLY HOURS OF THE MORNING OR IN THE LIGHT EVENINGS AFTER WORK.

However, during the entire months of December and January, the UK only gets, on average, 100 hours of sunshine. When you contrast this to the 372 hours of sunshine enjoyed in southern Spain, it’s not

difficult to see why our health, both mental and physical, takes a bit of a nosedive during this period.

The festive period especially can wreak havoc on the human body. Our exercise regime goes out of the window in favour of keeping cosy indoors with a bottle of Baileys and a tin of quality street. And while there’s nothing necessarily wrong with doing so, it’s definitely not the right approach to ease the symptoms of the ‘winter blues’ that over 2 million of us Brits battle each year. Alongside this, 1 in every 6 adults battle depression on a daily basis, and the late nights, endless hours spent indoors, unhealthy food and lack of daylight that we all experience over the festive period only serve to exacerbate this.

So, while we are all undoubtedly

going to indulge and enjoy (because ultimately life is too short not to pick out all of the green triangles and take them for yourself) - how can we offset the effects of fewer sunlight hours and a few extra bad habits during December and January?

The answer, I personally believe, is seeking out your green and blue spaces.

WHAT ARE GREEN AND BLUE SPACES AND WHY ARE THEY IMPORTANT?

When it comes to green and blue spaces, the clue is very much in

the name. ‘Green’ spaces refer to places with natural green vegetation such as the forest, mountains and open rolling fields. ‘Blue’ spaces refer to places where the visible surface of water bodies such as lakes, rivers and the sea can be admired. With this in mind, you can ultimately class the L lŷ n AONB as one big green and blue space.

The term itself has skyrocketed in use thanks to the WHO European Centre for Environment and Health, which has been closely following global research on green and blue spaces because of their importance in addressing human and ecosystem health in urban planning, especially in the context of climate change. In short, on a depleted planet where technology

continues to advance and the population has surpassed eight billion, these spaces are more important than ever.

Aside from bolstering the ecosystem, preventing biodiversity loss and tackling pollution, green and blue spaces provide a refuge for us humans to relax, recharge and quite simply - think.

In actual fact, spending time in nature is critical to our survival. Throughout the history of the planet, the homo sapien has spent more than 99.99% of its evolutionary history living and surviving entirely in the wild - it’s only for a very short duration of time that we have lived in a manufactured environment and earned money to feed and clothe ourselves by looking at screens. Even if you’re lucky enough to have, for the most part, shunned technology in your career - can you wholeheartedly say that your free time is spent entirely without a phone?

THE HEALTH BENEFITS OF GREEN & BLUE SPACES.

If you’re reading this, there’s a

high likelihood that you’re already aware of how much better you feel after time spent outdoors along the L lŷ n. Whether you’re a local or holidaymaker, the thing you both have in common is how much you love to admire the sunrise over Snowdonia from the Warren beach. How good it feels to stretch your legs with a modest hike up Garn Fadryn, and how refreshed and revitalised you return after a scenic coastal path ramble. While the exercise involved undoubtedly goes some way to release endorphins and make us feel fit, healthy and strong, it is our surroundings that are largely responsible for feeling good.

SO, WHAT’S THE SCIENCE BEHIND ALL OF THIS?

In the research explored by the WHO, it was found that among blue spaces, benefits of the coast were prevalent across all studies. This gives the coast superior status when it comes to combatting mental health, and it is, therefore, no surprise that the NHS is planning to prescribe surfing to help young people who are anxious and depressed.

In general, most green space types also yielded positive effects on

PHOTO: OUR WONDERFUL COASTAL PATH . THE PERFECT ESCAPE BY: OUTWEST IMAGES

both short-term and long-term mental health outcomes along with perceived stress, restorative outcomes and severity of mental disorders. Evidence tells us that being in nature for more than 120 - 150 minutes a week is related to the best possible physical and mental well-being. Some studies even suggest that you don’t need to be doing anything to reap the benefits, and simply sitting for a while to admire the view is good enough.

When we look after our mental health, the symptoms of other health problems can also be eased. By managing anxiety with time spent in nature, we may be able to reduce or eliminate medication. By managing stress with hour-long walks through the fields, we might find that our lethargy and upset stomach no longer loom over our lifestyle.

HOW CAN I ENJOY GREEN AND BLUE SPACES SAFELY DURING WINTER?

Getting outside along the L lŷ n during the depths of winter is not all crisp, clear blue skies and sparkling frost. At times, it is galeforce gusts and endless dull days without sun. On occasion, it is even dangerous. Reduced sunlight hours combined with the common 9 to 5 grind can also mean that many of us won’t be able to enjoy daylight any other time than during the weekend. This can ultimately make it difficult to get those 150 minutes of nature in, which is when you might find yourself having to look further afield for safe and accessible green and blue spaces to enjoy.

While there are endless nature trails, lakes, hikes and beaches in proximity to the L lŷ n, one of our favourites is Adventure Parc Snowdonia, where it is possible to safely enjoy the lagoon’s surface and the sweeping green scenery of the Conwy Valley. There is an annual shutdown in order to drain and maintain the lagoon, but you

can get your SUP and surf sessions in throughout most of the year.

When the conditions do align and you happen to have time to spend in the great outdoors on a clear, calm winter’s day, some favourite places to head on the L lŷ n for the ultimate immersion in nature are: The coastal path stretch from Rhiw to Aberdaron.

• The circular walk from the National Trust Porthdinllaen carpark, over the golf course to the lifeboat station and back, passed the Ty Coch, to the stairs opposite Cliffs Pub. (Be sure to check tide times for this one).

• A bracing dog walk along Machroes beach before

heading into the village for something sweet, warm and delicious.

• Joining the @abersochdunkers for one of their daily dips on Abersoch beach. (Follow them on Instagram for updates and info).

• Sitting atop the stones of Mynydd Nefyn to watch the sun slide into the sea between evergreen pines.

PHOTO: THE AMAZING VARIETY OF BEAUTIFUL BEACHES ON OUR DOORSTEP BY: OUTWEST IMAGES

PHOTO: LOVE WHERE YOU LIVE - SURROUNDED BY WONDERFUL WOODLAND AND MOUNTAINS BY: OUTWEST IMAGES

SOME

TOP TIPS ON WHAT TO DRINK THIS CHRISTMAS

BY DEAN & MARGARET

ARE YOU HAVING THE FAMILY ROUND FOR CHRISTMAS OR ARE YOU GOING TO ENJOY YOUR FIRST CHRISTMAS TOGETHER AS A COUPLE? WELL FIRSTLY YOU NEED TO MAKE SURE YOUR COOKBOOK COLLECTION IS UP TO DATE AND SECONDLY YOU NEED TO ENSURE THAT YOU HAVE PLENTY OF WINE IN THE HOUSE.

Christmas wouldn’t be Christmas without a glass or two and if you want to find a big positive in the midst of all the chaos we have been through this year then you should look no further than your wine rack. With delicious wines always at the forefront of our thoughts we have put together some rules for ensuring that you get the maximum enjoyment from your wine this winter.

PRITCHARD OF LLŶN WINES

when you consider that a £15 bottle of wine would generally set you back over £40 in a restaurant. The absolute sweet spot for wine buying in terms of getting the best flavour to value ratio is between £10 and £15, so you really don’t have to re-mortgage the house to have great wine.

Know when to go big and when to lighten the load.

Spend, spend, spend. Well sort of. We are not suggesting that the only way to get great wine is to spend triple figures and upwards on your bottles. Rather it’s to remember that dining at home is replacing the restaurant and that on average you would pay £19 for a bottle of house wine. So, if you spend nearer to that mark at home then you are going

Wine comes in many various styles and knowing when to pour which one can seem a little daunting. It isn’t as scary as it might be and you certainly won’t need your own sommelier because the biggest mistake people make is a simple one, going for too much oomph. Especially on a day like Christmas where we tend to start drinking a little earlier and we certainly tend to drink for longer. It is common to go for big ‘treat’ wines such as Malbec, Amarone and Chateauneuf-du-Pape for the reds and Marlborough Sauvignon Blanc for the whites

elegance. Good Cru Beaujolais and Pinot Noir are such pretty wines and are perfect for prolonged drinking along with being very food friendly. A proper Chardonnay or a good Gavi from Italy have the perfect balance of sophistication, subtlety and flavour. None of these wines lack anything in flavour but they aren’t big and shouty either so they creep up on you rather than beating you about the taste buds and that way you can stay awake and ‘happy’ right to the end of the day.

A little extra effort goes a long way.

If you really want to get the most out of your wine then there are a few handy things you can do to maximise the flavour. Firstly temperature, and this is for both red and white wines, it makes a massive difference to the way your wine tastes. We generally serve white wine far too cold and this just tightens up all of the flavours. Take a white wine out of the fridge 20 minutes before serving and you will see a huge difference in flavour. Reds we generally serve too warm, room temperature comes from a time before central heating and double-glazing so be aware. A red wine which is too warm will become flabby and you will wake up the alcohol element and your wine will seem a little burny on the throat. Pop it in the fridge for 10 minutes if you want to get it back in shape.

The other thing that really helps is letting wine breathe. This isn’t done by opening the bottle and leaving it on the sideboard for an hour as only the tiny amount of wine at the top of the bottle gets any air. Our favourite way to open up a wine is to pour it into a 1 litre Pyrex jug, nice and steadily. This will ensure that any sediment remains in the bottle, give it a good swirl then rinse the bottle and pour the wine back in. The Pyrex jug will ensure that you don’t spill any and you can then pour it from the bottle again. Bottles these days look very pretty and decanters are as good for pouring wine out of as those little metal teapots at motorway service stations are for tea. You can do this with a white wine just as you would a red and it will have the same effect. It’s all about breaking down the structure and allowing the flavour to wake up a little more.

The numbers game. Make sure you have enough wine; nobody wants to run out and whilst you may not have a house full of thirsty guests an empty wine rack is a real first world problem! Firstly, remember that we never drink as much as we think we might drink so you certainly don’t need to panic buy. Wine however is incredibly robust and unlike

the rest of the festive groceries it will still be fine in February, March, heck even next Christmas. So, if you do over order, it certainly won’t go to waste.

Explore your options

Whilst the majority of wine we drink is just red and white there are many other options. Rosé has become a wine you can enjoy even in the depths of winter and a nice pale Provence with roast chicken is a delight whatever the weather. No fridge should be considered ‘stocked’ without a bottle or two of bubbles. It doesn’t have to be Champagne but a glass of great fizz adds something special to any occasion. A glass of Champagne with breakfast on Christmas Day is a tradition in our house.

Don’t forget low alcohol or no alcohol options, there are now really good no / low wines, beers and spirits. Buy a good Port. Tawny Port is brilliant in as much as you have so much more time to drink it once the bottle is opened (3 or 4 weeks) so you can just dip in and out of it. Tradition dictates Ruby Port and Stilton but a good Tawny Port is really where the action is. Tawny’s aged from 10 years to 40 years old are so full of flavour. All of the ageing has already been done for you so they are ready to drink and once you’re used to them you will never go back. A glass of chilled 10-Year-Old Tawny served over ice with some good cheese is a match made in heaven.

HOWEVER YOU SPEND YOUR DAY, HAVE A WONDERFUL ONE. CELEBRATE WITH YOUR FAVOURITE TIPPLE, SURROUNDED BY GOOD COMPANY AND SEE THE NEW YEAR IN WITH A GLASS OF FIZZ IN HAND! MERRY CHRISTMAS AND A HAPPY NEW YEAR FROM US HERE AT GWIN LLŶN WINES.

“What are you doing Charlie?” asked his Mum gently.

“My making boat.”

“That’s very good Charlie. You do remember that you’re only two, don’t you?”

“My a big boy. My sister baby. My big boy.”

Charlie was busy at his Chad Valley workbench, manoeuvring several pieces of wood around in the way he’d seen his dad work. But it was difficult to see how he was going to make a boat with the ingredients he had to hand. A plastic saw, foam hammer, wooden spanner, and the various pieces of ancient wood he and his little dog had found in

the garden. You had to admire his ambition.

“Let’s have a little drink of water and a chat, shall we?” said his Mum.

Charlie sighed and put down his tools. He was very tired. Not just because he was two. It had been a difficult twenty-four hours. He’d been frightened by the big thunderstorm in the night. But, much worse, the same gales had hit Abersoch even harder, his grandad’s boat had been in the eye of the storm, slipped its moorings and been wrecked on the rocks. Grandad always went sailing on Christmas day and now he wouldn’t be able to.

“My make new boat for Grandad,” he said firmly.

The next few weeks were a busy time for Charlie with nursery, playing with his baby sister and having all the usual Christmas fun a toddler enjoys. But, with help from his Mum and Dad, he’d put his collection of wood together into something that definitely looked like a boat. It was a bit wonky, but it was a boat. He was very proud.

As they drove over to Abersoch for Christmas, Charlie noisily reminded his Mum and Dad from his car seat. “My big boy. My make new boat for Grandad!”

Charlie had loved Grandad’s boat. It was magical spending the summer sailing around the bay with Grandad in his beautiful, traditional sailing boat. They were some of the happiest days of his little life. It looked exactly like the boats in Charlie’s stories, so he loved it almost as much as Grandad.

As Christmas Eve drew to a close, Charlie listened intently to his Grandad reading his well-thumbed copy of ‘The Night Before Christmas.’ He loved the story so much he asked for it again, even though his baby sister had already fallen asleep. When Grandad finished reading, Charlie told him one last time, “Charlie make Grandad new boat for Christmas. Grandad go sailing on Christmas day.”

Grandad held him tight, told him he was the best

little boy in the world, but he mustn’t worry about Grandad’s boat. Charlie smiled. Charlie believed in Christmas miracles.

“Tell Grandad we are going to take him down to the harbour in the morning to give him his present,” said his Mum. Grandad raised an eyebrow and told Charlie he was very excited.

But as Charlie helped his Mum wrap Grandad’s present that night, doubts started to creep in. He was only two but even he knew Grandad wouldn’t be able to go sailing in the boat Charlie had

made. He was very proud of it, but it wasn’t Grandad’s boat. “My sad,” Charlie told his Mum. “Grandad not sailing on Christmas Day. My very sad.”

“You loved ‘The Night Before Christmas’ story didn’t you Charlie?” said his Mum. Charlie nodded sadly. “Well, that’s all about the miracle of Christmas. If we wish hard enough maybe we can make a miracle too.” Charlie was excited now.

They’d packed the little boat in a big box and wrapped it in

PHOTO: A WINTER WONDERLAND BY: TURTLE PHOTOGRAPHY

PHOTO: CHARLIE LOVED PLAYING IN GRANDAD’S BOAT - EVEN ON DRY LAND! BY: SALLY BELL

brightly coloured paper covered in reindeer, penguins, and snowmen. It looked wonderful. “Let’s say the Christmas Wish together,” said his Mum. Charlie closed his eyes tightly and repeated after his Mum:

“Oh Father Christmas, please listen to me. Make this present what we want it to be!” As he drifted off to his Christmas sleep, Charlie repeated the rhyme again and again. All night he dreamt of the miracle of Christmas.

The first part came true, as he woke to find his bedroom full of presents and cards for him and his little sister. Father Christmas had been! He’d got everything he wanted – and more. Then, as promised, his dad held the big box in his arms and Charlie held his Grandad’s hand as they walked down to Abersoch harbour, busy with lots of festive folk out on their Christmas morning walks. Charlie’s Mum had dressed him in his yellow coat, yellow wellies and woolly hat. His Granny had made him very proud when she told him he looked like a sailor, just like his Grandad. He stopped to cuddle a new puppy. He was happy again. Even if the miracle didn’t work, he knew his Grandad would be pleased with the little boat he’d made. But Charlie believed in ‘The Night Before Christmas’ and he believed in Christmas miracles.

As they stood on the cobbled slipway of the harbour, Charlie closed his eyes and whispered the Christmas Wish one last time, “Oh Father Christmas please listen to me. Make this present what we want it to be!”

Grandad unwrapped the present, Charlie helping him tear off the colourful Christmas paper. “Wow” said Grandad. “Not one boat, but two!” Charlie couldn’t believe it, but there they were! Charlie’s little home-made boat, alongside a beautiful scale model of Grandad’s boat in a polished wooden box. Complete with sails and a remote control. Grandad really could

go sailing on Christmas day!

Charlie danced up and down shouting, “My do Christmas miracle!” as Captain Grandad worked the controls to sail the perfect replica of his boat across the harbour, a tear of happiness in the corner of his eye. Charlie’s Mum and Dad smiled at each other and shared a secret wink.

Sitting looking out over the harbour from the headquarters of Soch Sails, Tim the Boatyard allowed himself an equally big smile. He’d been commissioned to supply lots of model boats before, but this Christmas miracle was perhaps his favourite job of all. And even Tim didn’t mind that Grandad’s favourite boat was still the wonky little wooden one Charlie had made for him.

PHOTO: CHARLIE & HIS GRANDAD LOVED WATCHING THE BOATS IN THE HARBOUR

BY: SALLY BELL

PHOTO: A PERFECT REPLICA OF GRANDAD’S BOAT!

BY: ALLAN READ

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IT TOOK ME A LOT LONGER THAN MOST TO DISCOVER THE WONDERS OF PODCASTS. OVER THE LAST FEW MONTHS I’VE DEVOURED EVERYTHING FROM PARK PREDATORS TO UNREAL: A CRITICAL HISTORY OF REALITY TV, BUT MY FIRST RECOMMENDATION FOR YOU IS THE LONG-AWAITED NEW SERIES BY ACCLAIMED JOURNALIST DANNY ROBINS. LISTENERS OF RADIO 4 WILL ALREADY KNOW OF DANNY’S SERIES UNCANNY AND THE BATTERSEA POLTERGEIST, THE LATTER OF WHICH BECAME THE #1 DRAMA PODCAST ACROSS THE ENTIRE WORLD WITH OVER FOUR MILLION DOWNLOADS. FEATURING A COMBINATION OF DOCUMENTARY AND DRAMA, HIS PODCASTS COVER THE SPECTRUM OF PARANORMAL PHENOMENA FROM GHOSTLY PHANTOMS TO UFOS - AND NOW HE’S BACK… AND A BIT TOO CLOSE FOR COMFORT.

This time he’s in Wales and The Witch Farm, starring Joseph Fiennes (The Handmaid’s Tale) and Alexandra Roach (No Offence) is an investigation into a couple’s 1989 move to an isolated farmhouse and what may be Britain’s spookiest house. How will young, pregnant Liz and her artist husband Bill cope when their dream home becomes a haunted nightmare? What is real versus a figment of their imaginations? Listen at www. dannyrobins.com.

As for what I’ve been enjoying on the telly, Sensationalists: the Bad Girls and Boys of British Art on BBC iPlayer is well worth the time of any art fan. Taking us back to the shocking and provocative world of the art schools of the

It was only on moving away to Liverpool I discovered the Welsh are known for their angelic singing voices, and that it’s not normal for school children in England to sing in choirs practically at gunpoint. Anyway, if like me you need bringing up to speed on the extent of our musical talents, look no further than Wales: Music Nation with Huw Stephens on BBC iPlayer. The three-part series will cover the entire gamut of Welsh music through the ages, from haunting medieval melodies to the Cool Cymru explosion of the nineties and legendary singer-songwriter Dafydd Iwan, whose 1983 song Yma O Hyd recently became a football

The real-life Liz Rich, with The Witch Farm creator Danny Robins

Dame Rachel Whiteread, artist and sculptor

WORDS BY LOWRI LLEWELYN

anthem. Hopefully by the time you read this there will be excellent news to report from the World Cup!

While we’re celebrating (premature? never) I’d like to wish Welsh-language channel S4C a very happy 40th birthday. With such an abundance of media at our fingertips it can be easy to take S4C for granted, so let’s remember the only reason we have it in the first place is because Plaid Cymru president Gwynfor Evans threatened a hunger strike when the promise of a channel was revoked. And let me tell you, if he were alive today I’m sure he’d be beside himself about the brand new Gogglebocs Cymru! Watch it on S4C Clic now, and don’t forget all programmes are available with English subtitles if you’d like to practice your Cymraeg.

As tempting as it is to hibernate until March, if isolation has taught us anything it’s that films are better enjoyed with that one person who won’t shut up in the front row. With that in mind, head over to Dylan’s Criccieth on 14th December for a cinema supper club screening of festive favourite Elf, complete with popcorn and pizza slices. Starts at 7pm and tickets cost £15; visit www. dylansrestaurant.co.uk for tickets.

I know January is no one’s favourite time of year, but fear not, because we’re starting 2023 off with a bang. My all-time favourite writer Martin McDonagh (In Bruges, Seven Psychopaths, Three Billboards) is back at Neuadd Dwyfor from 20th-23rd with new offering The Banshees of Inisherin, and having literally got back from Bangor cinema an hour ago, I can assure you it is spectacular. Set on a remote island off the west coast of Ireland, the film follows lifelong friends Padraic (Colin Farrell) and Colm (Brendan Gleeson), who find themselves at an impasse when Colm unexpectedly puts an end to their friendship. Padraic refuses to accept the situation, but his repeated efforts only strengthen his former friend’s resolve and when Colm delivers a desperate ultimatum, events swiftly escalate, with shocking consequences. Suitable for ages 15+.

From 2nd-4th February, Welsh-speaking visitors to Neuadd Dwyfor can enjoy Croendena, the latest offering from acclaimed young people’s theatre company Frân Wen.

Seventeen year old Nel finds refuge in her local pub on top of a hill full of desire, judgment and sticky floors; a hilarious and heartbreaking coming-of-age story about a young girl trying to find her feet whilst living in rural isolation. Adult tickets cost £15.

Finally, from January 22nd onwards head to Oriel Plan Glyn Y Weddw for exhibitions by Stephen John Owen, Deanne Doddington Mizen and Sian McGill, as well as a mixed exhibition of artists’ work. If you’re at the Oriel before Christmas don’t forget all original art can be bought under the Arts Council of Wales’ Collectorplan scheme, while the onsite shop is also stocked with prints which won’t break the bank.

Huw Stevens

Work by Sian McGill

Work by Deanne Doddington Mizen

THANKS FOR READING

DIOLCH AM DARLLEN

PHOTO: A WONDERFULLY WELCOME SIGHT, NO MATTER THE SEASON BY: OUTWEST IMAGES