Hello, dearest daydreamer. Welcome to the Isle of Neverwas and the Lost and Found Exchange.

Our lives are filled with tiny rituals. During deep mid-winter, these moments help us feel connected to our environment. Our routines help us feel grounded in the present and bring with them joy and hope. Our rituals can help to bring some light to the darkest of days.

It is day ten of Yule, and time for our islanders to prepare for the new year. If you are sitting comfortably, then let’s spend a few heartbeats together and share a story. Let’s check back with our three friends.

My dearest daydreamer, you are joining us in the home of Wilder Bear as he prepares for the new year. Today is an opportunity to reset, and Wilder Bear starts by carefully taking down his Christmas decorations. Not all of the decorations are being packed away just yet; he wants to welcome the new year with some freshening up of his festive decor.

On his mantlepiece, Wilder arranges an assortment of trinkets, small objects that he has been gifted by friends or family, or things he has collected on his adventure days. There is a small, round ceramic robin gifted to him by Little Mouse, a reminder of a time spent together in the garden feeding the birds. There is a shell he picked up from the beach at Thunder Cove when building sandcastles with his niece and nephew. There is a silver thimble, a gift from his grandmother’s sewing box when he was just a cub. All of these items hold memories, a connection to special people and places. It is amazing how even small, seemingly random objects can help you to travel back in time to particular moments. Wilder takes the time to organise them and thinks about all the people he loves and how lucky he is.

As he resets his home, the windows and doors are opened for a while to let the fresh air in and chase the old air out. Wilder sweeps his cottage clean, taking time and care to dust and tidy. He has even organised and restocked his kitchen pantry. Wilder is preparing for the arrival of his best friends, Ruby Rabbit and Little Mouse. Already on the stove, he has a simmer pot, inspired by the aromas of the Great Hall at Castle Nod, Wilder has decided to make his own. Pine, cinnamon, ginger, and orange with a hint of cloves and allspice are drifting through his cottage.

Soon, the smell of freshly baked bread adds to the delicious aroma. Wilder has thought about what his friends might like to eat for supper and has baked an apple pie. Later, he will heat some tomato soup to accompany the bread, and he’ll let Little Mouse make some custard to go with the apple pie. She really is the best at making custard.

As darkness begins to creep around the edges of the cottage, Wilder Bear lights candles in the windows. His friends burst through the door into the cottage, chatting animatedly. Ruby is carrying a bowl of thick, creamy rice pudding dusted with cinnamon sugar. Food is an important part of all the Yule celebrations. The care and attention that goes into making food for friends and family is a way the fairy folk express love and affection.

After the three friends have finished their delicious supper, it’s time for games. They play board games, charades, and cards. Elsewhere on the island, families clear their dining tables and sit around doing a jigsaw together.

There is a lot of anticipation and discussion about the New Year’s Eve dance they will be attending tomorrow. As they play games together, they make arrangements, plan outfits, and share memories of past New Year’s eves. Remembering is another part of Yule. Remembering has its own kind of magic.

For my daydreamers, mischief-makers, and restless souls. Welcome to the Isle of Neverwas. You are Home.