Merry Midwinter: How to Rediscover the Magic of the Christmas Season

by Gillian Monks

Celebrating midwinter is not about what you buy or how much you spend – it's about your attitude to life. Turn away from the frenetic consumerism of Christmas and rediscover the authentic and meaningful realities of this, the oldest and most precious celebration of the year. The true significance of midwinter is not found in any individual spiritual or religious belief or practice. Instead, the winter solstice provides an opportunity to celebrate what we as humans share; to set aside our differences and come together with a sense of community and cheer. Merry Midwinter is a cornucopia of ideas for how to make your own decorations (kissing boughs, advent wreaths, crackers, stockings and more); your own alternative gifts which cost nothing except your time and thought; your own entertainments and games; and simple, seasonal recipes from years gone by.

Genres: Nonfiction, Christmas

375 pages, Paperback

Published October 8, 2018

Reviews

[The Sassy Bookworm]

[thewoollygeek (tea, cake, crochet & books) · Rating 5 out of 5]

I really loved this well presented, attractive and full of great ideas. A good mix of the tradition and histories of midwinter, Christmas, Yule and the festive period we know, along with practical ideas for crafting and gift making. A useful book form r anyone looking Togo back to a simpler Christmas about family, love and friendship, not commercialism, thoroughly recommended

Thanks to netgalley and the publisher for a free copy for an honest opinion

[Penelope · Rating 4 out of 5]

A wonderful book which really does make you rethink how you celebrate the Winter season. Full of fascinating facts, history, folklore, craft ideas and recipes this is a book that you can return every year and find something new and interesting. I would be delighted if the author produced a book like this for every season.

[Kirsty · Rating 2 out of 5]

I really like the idea behind this book, but found the tone rather insipid, bordering on patronising.

[Julie Renee · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book resonated on a spiritual level for me. I loved the ideas and stories and overall feel of this book. I have experienced the range of emotions with the holidays and I don’t want to be a curmudgeon ever again. My children are 6 & 8 and I want them to enjoy the holidays for their warmth, spirit of generosity, thinking of others and relishing in their own excitement as children (they’re growing quickly.)
We already canned blueberry and cherry jam to give as gifts! I will not let the commercialism of this time of year dampen my spirits! This book is the true spirit of the season. Highly recommend:)

[Aimee · Rating 4 out of 5]

Gillian Monks' Merry Midwinter is several things at once - her memories of winter holiday celebrations when she was a child in Wales, a recounting of the stories and myths that holiday themes and figures are based upon, and the explanation of the cross-current themes that underlie winter holidays, most notably the return of the sun and light to the Northern hemisphere.
Monks includes some recipes as well as directions for things such as an orange-clove pomander, which is something I remember making with my own grandmother. I only wish Grandma had known of Monks' advice to use a thimble when pushing in the whole cloves - they can be pointy and sharp for little fingers! Readers in the US need to know that Monks' recipes are in the British/European style, with ingredients measured by weight rather than in cups, as in the states. Baking temperatures are given in Celsius/gas mark/Fahrenheit, though, so it shouldn't be much of an issue. The recipe for a minty chocolate Yule log is worth taking a slight weighing diversion for.
An overall pick, especially if one is interested in the commonalities of winter celebrations, no matter which tradition they stem from. A lovely read.

[Lisa Johnson · Rating 2 out of 5]

Totally different to what the blurb hints at, this is a very confused collection of Christmas and winter musings.
There are pieces about the history and origins of Christmas (which are nice enough to dip into, if a little obvious- there surely can't be many people left unaware of Saturnalia and Sol Invictus?) the usual collection of recipes- again, nice enough, but Delia and Nigella can sleep soundly I think, and so far so average.
Then we get the frankly smug and patronising pieces which (maybe unintentionally) feel like the reader is getting a jolly good telling off from Miss for Not Doing Things The Way Her Family Does Them Which Is The One True Way (Example: everyone having parties in December is WRONG, we should be toasting crumpets in the dark etc)
Not sure what the aim of this book is, all told. It's not cookery, it's not a memoir, it's not historical. It's just a smug mishmash of ideas thrown down by someone who doesn't manage to relate in any way to the reader. Or at least not to this one.

[Laura Macdonald · Rating 3 out of 5]

Floating between 3 and 3.5 stars for me so I rounded down. This book combines memoir, history and traditions, with recipes, craft ideas and other suggestions for seasonal activities away from the rampant commercialism of modern Christmas. It's an old-fashioned and nostalgic book. Overall I enjoyed this book, BUT for two things; sometimes there were mixed or contradictory messages, e.g. suggestion cutting down on excessive and overpackaged gifts and being more environmentally-aware, but also suggesting biscuits wrapped in plastic bags as suitable gifts. Additionally, as other reviews have noted, sometimes the tone is almost patronising. I want to make the minty chocolate Yule log though, so I'll save this book for next year.

[Jen · Rating 2 out of 5]

This book was a lot different than the summary described. This reads like part memoir, part history of midwinter. While I was interested to learn more about traditions and history, this book felt disjointed and partly narcissistic. Unfortunately, this was not what the summary led me to believe the book was about and it was not written well enough for me to feel positive about my experience. Thank you to the publisher for the advance reader in exchange for my honest review.

[KT · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved this book. It is an ideal read to rediscover the joy of winter and not only Christmas. It's full of memories, recipes, ideas and the history of the traditions and celebrations for the whole midwinter.
It strips back the commercialism of the season to reveal the magic we need to harness. It changed my outlook on the festive period.

[Karen · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a brilliant resource for bookshelves.

Featuring a myriad of ways to celebrate the winter season, modern traditional and pagan alike, this is a really handy 'how-to' guide for the navigation of a season that can seem incredibly hard work. Gillian's writing brings mindfulness to the fore and is so very welcome.

[Lesley Guest · Rating 2 out of 5]

I liked the idea of this book but was a little disappointed. I was interested in the history and traditions of the midwinter season, but I was irritated by some of the tips and tricks. I found them to be very patronising. i loved the cover of the book and I may use some of the recipes in it.

[Annarella · Rating 5 out of 5]

An excellent read that mixes memories, traditions and recipes.
I loved it and I think it's the perfect read for remembering what Midwinter and Christmas are.
Highly recommended.
Many thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for this ARC, all opinions are mine.

[Cariad · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a book I go back to every winter. It’s a great book for more than just a one-off read. I go back each year to get me in the winter spirit and give me great ideas for all sorts of activities. I highly recommend.

[Rachael · Rating 3 out of 5]

Overview of the midwinter period. This book explores why we celebrate and how we celebrate mixed with the authors own experiences and recipes of the season.

[Dearbhla · Rating 3 out of 5]

http://www.susanhatedliterature.net/2...

[Suzanne · Rating 4 out of 5]

Lots of interesting information about days of the seasons; lots of good recipes and instructions. There were also many things that are similar to things we as a family have done for years.

[Ramona Mead · Rating 2 out of 5]

This book is part memoir, part history, and part craft guide. It follows the calendar from Halloween through the end of winter, giving the history of the holidays we celebrate and others that are lesser known. The author gives her personal history and experiences as well, along with including recipes for food and drink, and instructions for things to make that match up with her stories. It was a bit drier than I was expecting, but still interesting. From the cover and description I thought it would be lighter and not so heavy on the author's personal history.

Many thanks to NetGalley for my advanced copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.

[Alicia · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was sweet, not what I expected going in. Loved the traditions and the inclusion of recipes.

*Thank you to netgalley for an arc for my honest review

[Rachel · Rating 3 out of 5]

A definite slog towards the end, but would be great to dip in and out of in the future.

[Gillian · Rating 5 out of 5]

Read this with my book club to get us through a particularly dark patch of a dark year. It brought us joy every time.

[Eswee42 · Rating 3 out of 5]

I really liked it. There is so much nostalgia! And it's also fun to read about how things went on for the Monks family during the 50's-60's. And the fairytalish folklore feeling really made me feel cozy. There is a lot to celebrate during December. Something to choose for anybody.