I've been taking a quick trip round my links list offering secular best wishes even though that doesn't sound all that festive. I checked out your previous post and note that you offer the option of Happy Solstice but that for me (probably quite erroneously) has meteorological overtones and I was put off talking about the weather - even at its most elliptical - by my Grannie, dead at 96, who never talked about anything else. "You're too critical," said Mrs LdP, "it's not to be taken seriously. It's a conversational comfort zone." Of course I could use a foreign language, and you generously provide a choice, but that's cheating. Or I could use some lumbering locution which starts out: "Well, it's that time of year..." On top of all this, most people think that unbelievers have brought it on themselves and there's scant sympathy.

Secular (but heartfelt) wishes is what I've ended up with and I trust you're not offended. You do after all occupy a special place at my blog (literally) which can be confirmed by going to Stats and noting on the world map that there's a lonely comment source on the westernmost tip of that giant landmass known as the Americas. After that Siberia and the northern tundra. Kinda lonely.

Aha, I've got it. It is an honour and a delight to be linked to someone who shares roots with one of the world's best (yet often underrated) composers. Great great symphonies, drank well but not wisely, a pawky attitude on the world. That's him not you. Wow! I may be incapable of saying Happy Christmas but surely my agonising is worth twopence-halfpenny.

Beautiful photos and have a wonderful Christmas too

Lorenzo! Thank you for the good wishes and no offence taken at the secular! Did mine sound overtly religious? I've chosen a broad though not complete selection of wishes centred mostly around the old festivals of light which fascinate be (much of which got absorbed by some religions as their own, as you know). I like the Solstice greetings but had not thought of them as weather related though!

I'm very pleased to be on your link list (which reminds me I need to update mine to your new blog) but am surprised to be the only one from the west coast of North America. And I'm also pleased to be associated with the great though troubled Sibelius! Finland has many other wonderful musicians - perhaps you will discover some of them in your musical journeys. Best wishes again to you and Mrs LdP!

Cathy, thank you and the same to you!

Marja-Leena,
I wish that you find time to look up also to some modern concert music composers. No, I mean that you have time to listen to Kaija Saariaho or Esa-Pekka Salonen, among other's.

Listening to them is sometimes to plunge into somekind of other time-space and nothing brings so much relaxation and energy as that.

Great Finns are not the only Great People, fortunately! And happy coming year, as well, now that the solstice is gone. We have no snow, still not.

Ripsa, yes, I agree. I know about those artists and some others. We have a DVD of Saariaho's first opera L'Amour de Loin and a CD of some of Karita Mattila's recordings (even saw her in recital in Vancouver some years ago). Salonen is famous everywhere and I hear his work here and there online (and he was conductor of the world premiere recording of L'Amour as well.) Finland's reputation for their excellent music education is well noted and I've blogged about some of it here (under "music") though I'm not by any means an expert. Would you believe that I even like some of the music by Finnish heavy metal bands like Apocalyptica and Nightwish, in very small doses?

Thanks for the good wishes. I'm surprised you have no snow, while here it is not a surprise to have a green rainy Christmas. I miss the exceptionally snowy one of 2008!

This morning (their Eve) we had a lovely long iChat with our middle daughter's family in England, even watched the granddaughters open our gifts to them. Wonderful technology! It helps ease how we miss each other at a time like this.

We have naught but a sprinkling that may have melted already... We had rains...

Love the weird light in the second one! Both quite nice.

Happy Christmas and a Peaceful New Year to you and yours.
Please sent Jack Frost to my little corner of the world!

Fröhliche Weihnachten und frohe Festtage! Please send Jack Frost my way, for it's all sunshine and warmish temperatures here.

Marly, thanks, that weird light is a streak of low sunshine on part of the leaves. So, rains for you too, sorry to hear.

Herhimnbryn, thank you for the wishes! Is it not summer in your part of the world? Surely Jack Frost would be unwelcome.

Rouchswalwe, Danke! I wish I could send Jack Frost your way, but he has left us too. It was raining hard all day and more to come with mild temperatures.

Happy Christmas, Marja-Leena and Fred. It strikes me that every leaf has a different story to tell.

A very Merry Christmas to you and Fred, Marja-Leena! Thank you for all the beauty you share with us - gifts almost every day of the year.

So he's nipping at your toes is he? I wouldn't mind some bright frosty weather but the mild stuff will do for now. That is a magical little flash of gold there.

Happy Christmas to you and yours!

Joe and Beth, thank you! Hope your Christmas Day is wonder-full!

We had our Christmas Eve feast last night, followed by carols around the piano, with a nice fire in the fireplace, candles burning... then we opened our gifts to each other...

This morning I slept in and was up for brunch made by youngest daughter. I've just put away all the papers and chocolate wrappers from the living room and am now checking emails. Soon I must put the turkey into the oven and make the spiced red cabbage.

Oh Lucy, your comment just came in as I'm writing this. Jack Frost 'was' nipping... it's been mild and wet here but at least has stppped raining for the moment. Hope you and Tom had a wonderful day.

You are such a wonderful photographer. The frost and the light. I love it.

Hattie, thanks so much!