Five Small Joys in January

January can be a bit of a slog—a “Monday” that lasts 31 days. Whether you’re dodging the summer heat of the Southern Hemisphere or the winter gloom of the North, skipping straight to March sounds like a solid plan. Since we lack the witchcraft to warp time, here is your survival guide for finding joy in the gaps of the Gregorian calendar:

• Cinematic Escapism: Awards season is the perfect time to play critic. You can catch new releases like the joyous musical

  Song Sung Blue

  (released 1 January 2026) or the highly anticipated

  Marty Supreme

  (showing from 17 January). Check local showtimes via Cineworld or Merlin Cinemas.

• Garden Raves: If your local birds are “raving” to 90s bangers, they’ll need plenty of energy. You can keep the disco going by stocking up on high-energy suet or mealworms from the RSPB Shop

• Sticky Pursuits: Seville orange season is fleeting. If you’re ready to fill your house with that heavenly citrus scent, follow a classic Mary Berry Marmalade Recipe which uses the “whole fruit” simmering method for perfectly tender peel.

• Royal Indulgence: Lean into the “reduced operating hours” of winter with a trip to the V&A in South Kensington. The Marie Antoinette: Style exhibition is currently open and runs until 22 March 2026. It’s the perfect excuse to follow a viewing of royal gowns with a large slice of cake in the museum café.

• Burns Night Spirits: On January 25th, combat the dark with some traditional rituals. Check out festivities at your local pubs and restaurants. We’ll be heading to The Harbour House Flushing.

Tablecloth and napkins in ‘Granny Smith’ by Poppy and Honesty

Books with a beautiful setting

January is a fallow month to spend lazing in front of the fire, hiding from the storms and recovering from the excesses of Christmas. It is also the perfect time to become immersed in a novel that captivates the imagination and transports us to another place and time. There are so many books full of delicious descriptions of the natural world and I have suggested three below that will take you through a portal from January to a farmhouse in France, a tavern in Cyprus or a cabin in Northern Sweden.

When The Cranes Fly South by Lisa Ridzén

This beautiful book tells the story of the last few months of Bo’s life in Jämtland, Northern Sweden. Bo recollects aspects of his life within this vast landscape, with frequent references to its lakes, woodlands, and meadows. He is deeply connected to his environment, which continues to flourish and change with the seasons in contrast to the decline of his physical health. The slow pace and vivid descriptions made me feel as though I were warming in front of Bo’s log burner, eating pastries in his Swedish cabin.

The Artist by Lucy Steeds.

Set amidst the intense heat of a Provençal summer, The Artist traps readers in a remote farmhouse with a reclusive, tyrannical painter, his quiet niece, Ettie, and a young journalist named Joseph. The novel masterfully uses the stifling atmosphere to build tension as Joseph unravels the secrets of the household. Decadence is a key theme, as the luxurious descriptions of food and surroundings contrast sharply with the artist's overbearing power. The oppressive natural environment of the hot, dry earth and chorus of crickets serves as a simmering backdrop to the human drama.

The Island of Missing Trees by Elif Shafak

In The Island of Missing Trees by Elif Shafak, the narrative centres on an ancient fig tree, transported from a Cypriot taverna to a suburban London garden. This tree, deeply rooted in Cypriot folklore, serves as the novel's heartbeat and a literal witness to history.

Shafak weaves the natural world into the narrative to reflect human trauma. The tragic loss of migratory birds acts as a stark indictment of how political conflict ravages entire ecosystems. Simultaneously, the book explores the "wood wide web"—the underground fungal networks through which trees communicate and sustain one another—offering a model of mutual aid that contrasts with human division.

Where will books take you this January ? I would love to hear your suggestions.

Happy New Year

Sophie xxx

Setting the scene for a cosy January

Whilst I maintain that January is restorative month, making a very tweaks in your home will optimize your hibernation. Last week we dragged our Christmas tree onto the verge and packed up all the sparkly decorations, leaving everything looking dusty, boring and a bit sad. I get a bit twitchy when the house doesn’t feel right so I have made a few small changes to set the scene for a comfy January.

Soft lighting is central to feeling warm and cosy. I am constantly chastising family members for putting on the ‘big light’ instead of all the nice little lamps around our home. I haven’t packed away the fairy lights and these have been draped around surfaces to diffuse a lovely glow. I love having lights at different heights and recently bought this Seletti Mouse from Ebay, who looks rather gorgeous sat on a pile of books on a side table. We have converted some of our lamps to include a rechargeable bulb so that they can be placed in dark corners to cheer us all up. There are so many rechargable lamps on the high street that give you the freedom to put lights where you wish without investing in an electrician to add sockets.

For some reason Christmas seems to leave a lot of dust and clutter. I personally don’t have the energy to undertake a big deep clean, but a few lucky drawers will be getting a makeover and there is a charity shop box on the go. I don’t really want to look at grubby streaks when the spring sunshine finally arrives, so if anything gets a good scrub it will be the windows. I will definitely be having a wipe around everything with a mixture of essential oils and water. Purdy and Figg make fantastic blends which get the job done and hide the doggy/ teenage trainer aroma.

Long before the advent of Christianity, people hung evergreen boughs in their home over the winter months. Green is a great colour to include in your home during January as according to Karen Heller it is ‘restful, creating balance and harmony.’ Apparently green has these qualities because it resides in the centre of the colour wheel and does not require the eye to adjust. I love having large vases of of eucalyptus or foliage from the garden in our home. You could add some fluffy Gypsophila or large white roses from the supermarket, for some winter magic. It’s also very satisfying to force some bulbs at this time of year. I enjoy growing narcissi although they can get out of control pretty quickly and so it’s a good idea to prop them up with some nice mossy sticks. .As well as plants, you could also introduce some green textiles such as our linen tablecloth in Granny Smith or Ruffle Cushion.

Whilst I won’t be transforming into Marie Condo, it is difficult to rest when the house is awry. A bit of a chuck out, some soft lights and lots of refreshing greenery will hopefully set us up for a rejuventating January. I must mention here that I am very diligently refilling our bird feeders, it is so wonderful to hear their little chatter in the morning.

What small adjustments will you make in your home this month?

Linen Duvet Set, Ruffle Cushion, Bolster and Storage Bag in Granny Smith.

Handmade in Cornwall by Poppy and Honesty.

Taking a fallow January.

This morning, I watched the sun half-heartedly rise to approximately 2 inches above the horizon (scientific measurement). Stood in a freezing cold field at 8 am on January 3rd, I felt it’s weariness and wondered why we choose this particularly time in the year to transform our lives through resolutions or less aggressive manifestations.

Christmas and the Winter Solstice are out of step with each other. The Christmas frission demands a lot of our energy. From parties to shopping, cooking and decorating, it is a joyful but frequently exhausting time. At this time of year Norovirus and flu are already doing the rounds and we smash our weakened immune sytems with too long to-do lists and boozy late nights Don’t get me wrong, I love a bit of Christmas, but in January we must respect that winter is a fallow season

I haven’t seen our resident hedgehog for days. I expect he is curled in a ball somewhere under a pile of leaves and not manifesting or taking up wall pilates. He will probably get out and about again in April, which I think is a good time to start afresh unlike the long, cold days of January.

Humans have not evolved to hibernate but we can do something similar to restore our energies and suspend some of life’s demands. We can shut out the bad weather and enjoy solitude for a while. I will be spending January reading and dunking biscuits in my tea, perhaps doing a little bit of thinking about what I want from the coming year when it starts properly in springtime. I love this poem by David Gate who perfectly describes a ‘lessening January’ and the ‘down time’ we all need to wake up feeling refreshed and maybe even ready to make some changes in our lives.

Single Bedding Set in Florence (SALE). Ruffle Sheet in Florence (SALE). Ruffle Sheet in Rose Gingham. Bolster Cushions in Rose Gingham. Variety of cushions by Poppy and Honesty.