Christmas Poems, Stories and Winter Tales from Glasgow WritersTwelve Days of Christmas – Leela Soma
A Festive Story by Leela Soma Twelve days of Christmas She is excited, super excited from the moment she sees the tinsel and the baubles in the shop. October this year! Twelve days of Christmas? No, not for her. My nerves are frazzled from October onwards. She calls her friend excitedly. Day – 1. […]
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Sunday, December 19, 2021 | Filed under: Christmas Poems , Stories and Winter Tales, Writing, Writing for the Festive Season 2015
Shaking Hands With Christmas – Brian Whittingham
The Quilt and The Book, Christmas Day The Ball and The Boots, Boxing Day A Christmas Trilogy THE FIRE AND THE TREE Christmas-Eve. Mum cleaned the grate of yesterday’s fireplace replenished it with crumpled newspaper, kindling, adding course-coal she lit, gently puffing her cheeks, blowing to fan the new-born flame. She’d stand the coal-shovel against […]
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Saturday, December 18, 2021 | Filed under: Christmas in Glasgow, Christmas Poems , Stories and Winter Tales, Pat's Home Page Blog, Seasonal Stories and Poems by Glasgow Writers, stories and poems, Writing, Writing for the Festive Season
To Move On – short story by Samina Chaudry
(Image by Hans Benn) To Move On (Also published in Scottish PEN) Riz came out of the kitchen holding an oven tray. He put two chicken legs on her plate. It was pink in the middle when she cut through it. He looked up from his plate as he forked a mouthful of the chicken […]
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| Filed under: Christmas Poems , Stories and Winter Tales, Seasonal Stories and Poems by Glasgow Writers, Writing for the Festive Season
The Angel Beds by Michael Crossan
From a valley place he came. A north man. The Scotsman. Fatherly to see, hardy spined, here in lowland Howwood a fortnight to fix a chapel rooftop. Eight till five daytime shifts. Grey then black hours. He the gaffer, a one man service, jacketed and booted, given hammer-tap at the slates. Afternoons, December crept dark […]
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Friday, December 17, 2021 | Filed under: Christmas Poems , Stories and Winter Tales, Writing, Writing for the Festive Season 2015
The Fortune Teller by Pat Byrne
‘it’s me. Colin. Let me in.’ Her brother nearly fell on top of her as Cora opened the door. ‘What’s up?’ She caught his arm as he staggered. ’Looks worse…that’s his, no mine.’ He patted his bloodstained shirt. ’My God. Look at the state of you.’ She helped him to the couch. One eye was […]
Hopes and Fears by James Connarty
A Christmas Story by James Connarty Joe went to Bethlehem once. It wasn’t Christmas Eve though. It was the height of Summer and he’d had to douse himself with insect repellent to keep the mosquitos from biting his face aff. His pals thought he’d cracked up, using his redundancy money like that – a mid-life […]
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Monday, December 6, 2021 | Filed under: Christmas Poems , Stories and Winter Tales, Seasonal Stories and Poems by Glasgow Writers, Writing, Writing for the Festive Season
Driving to Mass by Micheal Norton
I drove through the sticks over the thick ice and frozen muck that gripped the backroads. The countryside was pitch black, abandoned, with lonely houses spread out like rare driftwood amongst the ditches. My mother was wrapped up in the passenger seat. Her nose poking out from her head scarf as she eyed the road. […]
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Sunday, December 5, 2021 | Filed under: Christmas Poems , Stories and Winter Tales, Winter 2014, Writing for the Festive Season
Christmas Chocolate Log with Irish Cream Filling by Mags McGrath
Begorrah! Children, cover your eyes. I’m a grown-up’s pudding. Dark and tempting oozing cream liquered filling really means that after babes have gone to sleep I’m for sharing with those who keep late hours, and, yes a little wine to drink with me dessert of course, ah, can you see my gorgeous curls which snap […]
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Saturday, December 12, 2020 | Filed under: Christmas Poems , Stories and Winter Tales
Tak Tent (Take Care) Christmas video – Janet Crawford
‘A wee Christmas wish…take care and all the best for 2021’ Janet Crawford Janet Crawford is a Falkirk based writer. ‘I write about the stuff I see, the issues that get to me and those which make my heart soar.’ Janet Crawford on Twitter
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Thursday, December 10, 2020 | Filed under: Christmas in Glasgow, Christmas Poems , Stories and Winter Tales, Seasonal Stories and Poems by Glasgow Writers, stories and poems, Writing, Writing for the Festive Season
Ice on Loch Lomond a poem by Catriona Malan
(Photograph by Mike Taylor) That was the winter the loch froze over stealing reflections from the hills, and laying its pale shawl on their shoulders. Islands, feeling they were trapped, huddled sullen in the cold as the wind shaved the bracken of their skin. But the postman skated that squeaking plain sensing, beneath his blades, […]
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| Filed under: Christmas Poems , Stories and Winter Tales, Seasonal Stories and Poems by Glasgow Writers, stories and poems, Writing, Writing for the Festive Season
Ruby saves the day by Gillian Mayes
Ruby is a young woman who lives at home with her mother, father and little brother. She lives in a part of Glasgow called Giffnock, where there are nice houses with big gardens so that everybody there feels very lucky. Most of her days are straightforward – the odd calamity happens of course, like losing […]
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Thursday, December 3, 2020 | Filed under: Christmas Poems , Stories and Winter Tales, Writing for the Festive Season
Fionnuala Boyle – Glove Makes the World Go Round
In his New Year message, the Archbishop of Canterbury urged Britons to “start healing some of the divisions that we’ve seen over recent years” by reaching out to people in their lives who they are estranged from or may disagree with on the issues of the day. “Pick one person. Pick up the phone. Send them […]
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Thursday, January 9, 2020 | Filed under: Christmas Poems , Stories and Winter Tales, Fionnuala Boyle, blogging about culture, arts and other stuff, Writing for the Festive Season
Mary Irvine’s Blog: Christmas Customs and Festivals
Christmas Customs Once again the rush is on and stress increases as the day draws near… I abolished, for myself, the commercialism of Christmas several years ago. It was the year I went to the post office and bought stamps which cost more than double the actual cards being sent. I also considered to whom […]
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Wednesday, December 11, 2019 | Filed under: Christmas Poems , Stories and Winter Tales, Mary Irvine: Writer and Philhellene, Writing for the Festive Season
Some Wintertime Poems by Finola Scott
Darkening So the Darkness approaches, I could talk of enveloping black the rip and reveal of the veil stripped […]
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Friday, December 6, 2019 | Filed under: Christmas Poems , Stories and Winter Tales, stories and poems, Writing for the Festive Season
I Deserve This – a poem for Christmas by Calum Maclean
The talented Glasgow poet Calum Maclean reveals his thoughts on Christmas. I Deserve This I must’ve been the architect of some outrageous larceny, my henchmen thieving priceless jewels delivered to me personally. Presumably, I used that swag to fund an act of treachery, facilitated shady deals, created instability, ensured elections swung my way, indulged in […]
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Monday, January 28, 2019 | Filed under: Calum Maclean – poet and aspiring writer, Christmas Poems , Stories and Winter Tales, stories and poems, Writing for the Festive Season
A Christmas Poem – The Forgotten by Margaret Harrison
(Margaret Harrison, Freewoman of Dumbarton, life-long peace campaigner and activist for human rights. A remarkable woman who, at the age of 95, has not lost hope of world peace. Whilst acknowledging and respecting opposing viewpoints she has never swerved in her convictions or in working to achieve peace through non-violent protest.) The Forgotten They used […]
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| Filed under: Christmas Poems , Stories and Winter Tales
Frohe Weihnachten – a Christmas Poem by Brian Whittingham
FROHE WEIHNACHTEN (My Christmas poem for friends old and new.) On Christmas Eve, mum softly sang Stille Nacht. Busy with final preparations. Scotch pine, I recall her telling dad. Best for keeping its needles. She clipped red candles onto green sprigs, placed small bowls of walnuts, almonds and hazelnuts at the base of the tree. […]
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Friday, January 25, 2019 | Filed under: Christmas Poems , Stories and Winter Tales, Writing for the Festive Season
The Stress of Christmas Wrapping by Calum Maclean
Christmas 2018 I’m wrapping your present with delicate care, While sweating and shaking with tape in my hair. I wish I could do it with style and aplomb, Instead it’s much more like defusing a bomb. The paper’s dishevelled, all battered and creased, Though the cartoons of Reindeer are festive at least. There might be […]
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Sunday, December 23, 2018 | Filed under: Calum Maclean – poet and aspiring writer, Christmas Poems , Stories and Winter Tales
Christmas Day – a story by Cornelius Doherty
Christmas Day Everything old was new again. The rust on the tin roofs of the outhouses disappeared. The black pitch on the byre – gaping and torn down to the rotten cladding was covered in the cold white of Christmas morning. A small robin landed lightly on the window sill, barely marking the untouched […]
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Monday, December 25, 2017 | Filed under: Christmas Poems , Stories and Winter Tales, stories and poems, Writing for the Festive Season
Seasons Greetings from Stef Shaw The Glasgow Cabbie
‘Most of us look forward to a traditional Christmas dinner with all the trimmings, and many enjoy a drink on Christmas Day. 🥃🍷 This time of year is such a fun time for most children and families, but I’d like you to remember that it can also be a very sad time of year […]
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Thursday, December 21, 2017 | Filed under: Christmas Poems , Stories and Winter Tales, Writing for the Festive Season
‘Between Christmas and the year you never knew’ by Stephen Watt
‘Between Christmas and the year you never knew’ A terrible time of year to go. Not a holiday, but expiring. Accepting that the wiring in your body is loose; heart attacks caused by Star Jumps or having the stomach pumped after an uninspiring vindaloo. Between Christmas and the year you never knew when the Cat […]
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Tuesday, December 27, 2016 | Filed under: Christmas Poems , Stories and Winter Tales, Stephen Watt, Poet.
Playing Cards by Pat Byrne
Mind and phone me,’ said Maureen. ‘I’ll give you a ring tomorrow.’ ‘Sure you don’t want me to wait?’ Polly didn’t answer. ‘Number 92 mind.’ ‘I know. And you’re the Northern Line. Would ye just go. I’ll be fine.’ Maureen shrugged her backpack on and walked away. Polly could sense her looking back as she […]
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Tuesday, December 20, 2016 | Filed under: Christmas Poems , Stories and Winter Tales
Merry Christmas from Scuffer Airways by James Carson
(I’ve been enjoying James’ very humorous stories about Scuffer Airways and requested a Christmas addition to add to my Festive Poems and Stories on the site. Thanks very much, James). Merry Christmas from Scuffer Airways Good morning, ladies and gentleman, boys and girls, and welcome aboard this very special Scuffer Airways flight to Lapland. In […]
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Wednesday, December 14, 2016 | Filed under: Christmas Poems , Stories and Winter Tales
Dear Diary by Paul Wright
Thursday 23 December Midnight Dear Diary Been thinking all day about the Prince’s Ball. Grimelda and Safi have been a nightmare all day ordering me around, getting everything ready for THEM. No time for cleaning. I’ll pay for that! Not even had five minutes to myself and been close to tears all day. But didn’t […]
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Sunday, December 11, 2016 | Filed under: Christmas Poems , Stories and Winter Tales, Writing for the Festive Season
Ice on Loch Lomond by Catriona Malan
Ice on Loch Lomond, Christmas and Christmastide Three poems by Catriona Malan, Helensburgh Ice on Loch Lomond That was the winter the loch froze over stealing reflections from the hills, and laying its pale shawl on their shoulders. Islands, feeling they were trapped, huddled sullen in the cold as the wind shaved the bracken of […]
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Saturday, November 26, 2016 | Filed under: Christmas Poems , Stories and Winter Tales
Fiona Alderman: A Peaceful Christmas Greeting from Rural France
A peaceful Christmas greeting After a month’s trouble in France let’s hope that the festive period is calm, wherever we live. Here in rural France life carries on as usual and there are lots of Christmas markets and musical events that have been quietly getting underway. In Salignac, the cluster of fairy lights decorating the […]
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Thursday, December 24, 2015 | Filed under: Christmas Poems , Stories and Winter Tales, Fiona Alderman blogging from The Salignac Foundation France, Writing, Writing for the Festive Season 2015
Café Noir by James Carson
Inspector Bjørn Torvik was in heaven. As the scorching Costa Rican sun warmed his weathered face, Torvik’s senses were immersed in the incredible fragrances drifting across from the coffee plantation. He could almost taste the full-bodied fruitiness, the sweetness of caramel, the hint of vanilla. If he just reached out, he could – An explosion […]
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Saturday, December 19, 2015 | Filed under: Christmas Poems , Stories and Winter Tales, Writing for the Festive Season 2015
Some Winter Poems by Maria Venditozzi
The invalid January hobbles along un balan ced Paying for the consequences of December Nothing to do but learn… Premature The weather changed to snow confetti –fluttered showers, soft as baby’s breath.Kissed her eyelids, cooled her burning tears.They lowered the coffin, laid her child to rest. Pause for […]
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Thursday, December 17, 2015 | Filed under: Christmas Poems , Stories and Winter Tales, Writing, Writing for the Festive Season 2015
Winter Rain – Derek J. Brown
Winter Rain Tonight, in the city, a winter rain falls heavily, with an unknown purpose It takes more than rain to cleanse soul and more than soul to change a world pleading to be altered. Everything is conscience denied its head and tail, Edward Hopper in his grave, not turning, not stirring, tuned to a […]
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Tuesday, December 16, 2014 | Filed under: Christmas Poems , Stories and Winter Tales, Seasonal Stories and Poems by Glasgow Writers, Writing for the Festive Season
Mary Irvine’s Blog: Xmas Overdone.
Several years ago, being appalled at the amount of money I was spending on postage for Xmas cards I resolved that was it. No more. I duly informed people of my decision. Some still send cards, others donate £1 to their local charity and others stopped talking to me. Ok, there were only two but […]
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Thursday, December 11, 2014 | Filed under: Christmas Poems , Stories and Winter Tales, Mary Irvine: Writer and Philhellene
