from all at the house of stories

CRISPIN

All is ready for the festival. The year is turning, and the light coming, even though it doesn't feel like it when it's dark in the middle of the afternoon and every tree in Anemone Wood is coated with frost. So beautiful, and so bitter for the animals venturing out in it. They stay safe and warm in their homes as far as might be.

Everyone has the day off today, so the kitchen animals are sliding down from the Tower on tea trays. The Threading Makers are building snow hedgehogs, Sepia's choir are having a snowball fight, and Catkin... oh, now where has she got to...?

Ow!

MUCH

That Stephen wot does the garden, 'e come in 'ere on Tuesday when it were six degrees below freezing. 'Er Ladyship takes 'im a mug of coffee, stops for a blether, and they see this big funny looking duck bobbing down the river.

'I think it's a goosander, but I'm not sure' sez Stephen. 'Er didn't know, so she goes indoors, picks up the bird book and checks it. Sure enough, it's a goosander, and she goes out with the book to show him. The whole thing takes four minutes, by which time he's drunk his coffee and left the mug on a stone step. She tries to pick it up and she can't. It's frozen solid.

Laugh! I nearly fell off me snail.

MARGI

From Tony, Margi, Wonderful Daughter, Lovely Older Son, Lady Sunshine, Lovely Younger Son, Hamilton Bear, the Mistmantle Animals, Hammy the Wonder Hamster, and all at the snowy, icy House of Stories beside the frozen river, we hope you have a wonderful Christmas and a Good New Year.