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 […]
Read the full article: Shaking Hands With Christmas – Brian Whittingham
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 […]
Read the full article: To Move On – short story by Samina Chaudry
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 […]
Read the full article: The Fortune Teller by Pat Byrne
Friday, December 17, 2021 | Filed under: Christmas Poems , Stories and Winter Tales, stories and poems, Writing, Writing for the Festive Season
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 […]
Read the full article: Hopes and Fears by James Connarty
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. […]
Read the full article: Driving to Mass by Micheal Norton
Sunday, December 5, 2021 | Filed under: Christmas Poems , Stories and Winter Tales, Winter 2014, Writing for the Festive Season
Mary Irvine’s Blog: The Eve of Destruction – again?
I care about my planet, Earth. I worry about its future. The majority of people would admit that Man is destroying the Earth and, ultimately, Mankind. In respect of the latter probably no bad thing. Perhaps Man has a built-in defect – a self-destruct button. So let him do it. Start again. The problem is […]
Read the full article: Mary Irvine’s Blog: The Eve of Destruction – again?
Tuesday, December 29, 2020 | Filed under: Mary Irvine: Writer and Philhellene, Writing for the Festive Season
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
Read the full article: Tak Tent (Take Care) Christmas video – Janet Crawford
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, […]
Read the full article: Ice on Loch Lomond a poem by Catriona Malan
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 […]
Read the full article: Ruby saves the day by Gillian Mayes
Thursday, December 3, 2020 | Filed under: Christmas Poems , Stories and Winter Tales, Writing for the Festive Season
Performance Cancelled by Pat Byrne
I was dead excited. My first proper gig as a singer songwriter. A big affair with full backing band. A sell out. I even had a dressing room. It was exactly like the wee room where I’d met Ruth Marsh when I went to interview her at Glasgow Film Theatre. There was no mirror but […]
Read the full article: Performance Cancelled by Pat Byrne
Saturday, May 23, 2020 | Filed under: Coronavirus stories and poems, Pat's Home Page Blog, 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 […]
Read the full article: Fionnuala Boyle – Glove Makes the World Go Round
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 […]
Read the full article: Mary Irvine’s Blog: Christmas Customs and Festivals
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 […]
Read the full article: Some Wintertime Poems by Finola Scott
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 […]
Read the full article: I Deserve This – a poem for Christmas by Calum Maclean
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
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. […]
Read the full article: Frohe Weihnachten – a Christmas Poem by Brian Whittingham
Friday, January 25, 2019 | Filed under: Christmas Poems , Stories and Winter Tales, Writing for the Festive Season
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 […]
Read the full article: Christmas Day – a story by Cornelius Doherty
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 […]
Read the full article: Seasons Greetings from Stef Shaw The Glasgow Cabbie
Thursday, December 21, 2017 | Filed under: Christmas Poems , Stories and Winter Tales, Writing for the Festive Season
Jane Sweeney – Finding Mario
Oscar Sometimes we just saunter through life; days are filled with happiness and laughter and routines keep us wrapped up in a sense of normality and contentment. Then a massive curveball is thrown your way. For me, that was losing my best friend Oscar, my rather old bearded collie cross. He had been my constant […]
Read the full article: Jane Sweeney – Finding Mario
Sunday, December 17, 2017 | Filed under: Jane Sweeney: Blogging about Glasgow and its hidden gems., Writing for the Festive Season
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 […]
Read the full article: Dear Diary by Paul Wright
Sunday, December 11, 2016 | Filed under: Christmas Poems , Stories and Winter Tales, Writing for the Festive Season
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 […]
Read the full article: Winter Rain – Derek J. Brown
Tuesday, December 16, 2014 | Filed under: Christmas Poems , Stories and Winter Tales, Seasonal Stories and Poems by Glasgow Writers, Writing for the Festive Season
