MIDE CARTER
A Letter From The Editor. It’s here – December and nearly the end of 2023. As I write this, like so many other people, I’m mid the pre-Christmas whirl. Where you’re blending everyday normal life with dazzling lights, seasonal parties, presents and preparations. It can feel exciting – I love it – but it can also be overwhelming. There’s just so much to do and you want it to be special. I read recently how it’s important to make time to do nothing. I thought about this and realised that doing nothing is deeply uncomfortable for me. Especially right now. But the more I read the better it sounded. Research shows that by excluding distractions and making time to daydream and do nothing, you can improve your mental health, productivity, problem solving and creativity. So, by doing nothing I’m actually still doing something really important for my head. A difficult notion for many of us, particularly as we live in a society that glorifies busyness. Considering this I’ve decided that this Christmas and during the year ahead, I’m going to try – mid the madness – to make the time to do sweet-nothing every day. It feels like the strangest resolution ever, but I’m looking forward to it. Sort of. I’ll keep you posted on my progress. For more ways to lean in to the relaxation this holiday season try one of our special
Christmas recipes. With Blackberry Mojitos from our foraged fruit on page ***, Snowball Christmas cookies on page *** and ‘Skirle’ – a traditional Scottish stuffing. I warn you they’re all very easy and delicious (my cooking mantra). On page *** find out about ‘Weird and Wonderful Christmas Traditions’ from the UK and beyond – a piece I thoroughly enjoyed researching and writing. Christmas is really quite bonkers. Its page *** for ‘Artisan Shopping in the Cotswolds’, where we find the very best retailers in the Cotswolds that reflect the beauty and passion of the area. Find my highlight of the month, an update on the goings-on down at Gorsehill Abbey Organic Dairy Farm, on page ***. I’d love to meet more of you next year so if you’ve got an interesting story to tell do give me a shout. Wishing you and yours a very Happy Christmas and New Year. Mide x
