Christmas at Anglesey Abbey
It’s nearly Christmas again and I’m not quite sure how another year has gone by. Christmas is one of my favourite times of year, and as always my last post before the main event is a little bit of festive, little bit of reflection.
I’d planned a couple of Christmassy trips prior to the big day this year (a London Christmas lights visit, Winter Wonderland and a Christmas lights walk at Sandringham), but didn’t get to do them as I was knocked for six with the new COVID variant. That left me with just one trip I’d managed to squeeze in before being taken out – to Anglesey Abbey.
Anglesey was once a monastery, founded in the 1100s and yet again dissolved by Henry VIII and his havoc. After it was shut down in 1536, it was converted in to a Jacobean house which was lived in until 1966 when it passed to the National Trust.
Today the house is open to the public, and it’s one of my favourite stately homes to visit to see the interior Christmas decorations.
It had been raining for days, but on the day of my visit the sky was a beautiful blue with the sun shining, although deceptively so as the air was still bitterly cold. It was one of those days where the wind is so biting your nose turns red and your fingers feel numb, but the photos look like you could have basked in the sun.
I arrived to the gardens and started off with a beautiful woodland walk around the trails – there are huge grounds here and I followed a 45 minute round route. It was really striking in the light with it shining through the trees.
After blowing the cobwebs away it was time to take a peak inside the house. I absolutely love seeing houses ‘dressed’ for Christmas, and it always gives me a nice, warm festive feeling. Anglesey’s decorations are some of my favourite, with the dining room being particularly special. I loved the cosy displays and couldn’t help but ‘ooo’ at some of the trees.
After visiting inside, I decided I’d walk another of the marked trails before heading home. This time I decided to do the river walk up to Lode Mill. The sun meant the reflections in the water were truly stunning and I couldn’t help but smile to myself at how beautiful everything was. Solo walks are really good for my soul, always giving me time to think, plan, and take time out.
After spending my entire morning exploring, I headed to the restaurant for lunch and then drove home. As always with a bit of time to myself, I reflected on Christmas.
I find the Christmas season is often a reminder for all of us of what we don’t have, and I think we can often idealise how we might spend Christmas if it were perfect. I envision myself in a family with 2 children and an idealised notion of how happy we’d be. I’m sure others imagine it abroad somewhere, or with absent family members, or with people who have left their mark on us but are long gone. I think sometimes this can mean we don’t appreciate what we have today because really that’s all any of us have. I’m so very lucky to be able to spend Christmas with my parents and my husband, to see my friends, to enjoy calm and peace in a house that is a true home. Living in the moment and not idealising is freeing – because one day the ‘today’ could well be what we idealise, and by then the reality may have already passed us by.
I hope whatever you’re doing, whomever you’re with, where ever you are – you enjoy your Christmas and can find happiness in the today, whatever it looks like for you. Merry Christmas everyone.
