Small Ways To Live Well from The Simple Things

The Simple Things
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Small Ways to Live Well is a podcast from The Simple Things, a monthly magazine about slowing down, remembering what’s important and making the most of where you live.  To subscribe or order a copy of The Simple Things visit thesimplethings.com Christmas is coming and how much do we love the build up?  Our Merry Midwinter podcast season will be at your side at the excitement of Advent, the welcome quiet and calm of the winter solstice and the feasting and traditions of the Christmas holidays right through new year to the twelfth night. We’ll be sharing recipes and ideas for decorations and homemade gifts as well as taking time to simply enjoy midwinter – a season of long views and frosty mornings, twinkling lights and cosy evenings. It’s six weeks of gathering, giving and everyday magic that can pass us by in a whirl of stress and socialising if we don’t slow down now and again to appreciate it. It’s also a chance to reflect on the year just gone and look ahead to the one to come. We’re here to help with all of the above.   Co-hosted by the Editor, Lisa Sykes, wellbeing editor Rebecca Frank and regular contributor Jo Tinsley. 

  1. JAN 4

    Merry Midwinter - Episode 6 - STAR

    In the STAR episode The Simple Things’ Editor Lisa Sykes and author of The Slow Traveller and regular contributor Jo Tinsley celebrate Twelfth Night and look for other reasons to cheer up what feels like the longest month of January. If you are in the UK, you can try an immediate start subscription to the The Simple Things and receive the current issue straight away. Or buy current and back issues here Editing & music by Arthur Cosslett.  On the blog Candle Holder How To Wassail Well How to hold a Wassail Buttered bourbon apple cider Tangerine and nutmeg hot chocolate Blood Orange Posset Slow Orange Poppy Seed Cake In the January issue (163) on sale now The appeal of ice skating A winter of care and repair   In our In our A Year of Celebrations Anthology Gathering: Twelfth Night with the La Fête des Rois Candle holders    In previous issues, available to buy at picsandink.com Life lessons from the north: the value of age-old customs and community in enduring the long, dark winters. (Issue 151) Looking back why we are fascinated by the stars (issue 152) Snow lanterns (issue 138)   Learn more Candles: A modern guide to making candles by Ebi Sinter and Emmanuel Sinteh Watch out for the Quadrantid meteor shower between 28 December-12 January, peeking around 3-4 January 2026 Slow Down And Be Here Now by Laura Brand and Freya Hartas A Winter Dictionary: A Collection of Words for the Festive Season by Paul Anthony Jones Thanks to our partner for the Merry Midwinter season, the Marine Stewardship Council, which sets certification standards for sustainable fisheries and awards the blue ecolabel on fish and fish products. Find out more about the best fish to choose at msc.org and follow them on instagram @mscintheuk

    58 min

  2. 12/28/2025

    Merry Midwinter - Episode 5 - PAUSE

    If you’ve got some time off, now’s the chance to kick back a bit. Join Wellbeing Editor Rebecca FrankAuthor of The Slow Traveller and regular contributor Jo Tinsley In Episode 5 PAUSE, as they share ideas for carving out some time to relax and reset in this in-between bit of Christmas. If you are in the UK, you can try an immediate start subscription to the The Simple Things and receive the current issue straight away. Or buy current and back issues here Editing & music by Arthur Cosslett.  On the blog How to do a jigsaw properly   In the January issue (163) on sale now Long views from tall towers Taking cues from the  people, animals and nature that surround us  Life lessons from David Attenborough Fish pie and cheddar mash   Learn more Is a gansey a Guernsey? Mindwandering: How It Can Improve Your Mood and Boost Your Creativity, by Moshe Bar (Bloomsbury Tonic) Fish pie hash    In previous issues available to buy at picsandink.com Wearing well: Mittens (issue 127) Panettone French toast (Issue 138) Favourite annuals (issue 138)   Thanks to our partner for the Merry Midwinter season, the Marine Stewardship Council, which sets certification standards for sustainable fisheries and awards the blue ecolabel on fish and fish products. Find out more about the best fish to choose at msc.org and follow them on instagram @mscintheuk

    42 min

  3. 12/21/2025

    Merry Midwinter - Episode 4 - FEAST

    Join The Simple Things’ Editor Lisa Sykes and Wellbeing Editor Rebecca Frank as we get stuck into festive feasting. We’ll be talking turkey, side dishes, tipples and nibbles, how to explain Christmas Eve to kids with science and just why we love Boxing Day so much.  If you are in the UK, you can try an immediate start subscription to the The Simple Things and receive the current issue straight away. Or buy current and back issues here Editing & music by Arthur Cosslett.   On the blog  Root veg peel crisps  Christmas Eve explained   Cheese board pairings   Brussel sprout bhajias   Which Christmas character are you?  In the December issue (162) on sale now   Boxing day buffet – roast cranberry and mustard gammon, winter goat’s cheese salad, meringue nests with fruit and boozy cream Grow your own Christmas Day veg  Sprout slaw  Homemade blinis  In previous issues available at picsandink.com Kitschmas – snowball, devilled eggs, mozzarella and pineapple sticks (Issue 150) Why we love Boxing Day (Issue 150) In our A Year of Celebrations Anthology Side dishes as celebratory as the roast they surround  Thanks to our partner for the Merry Midwinter season, the Marine Stewardship Council, which sets certification standards for sustainable fisheries and awards the blue ecolabel on fish and fish products. Find out more about the best fish to choose at msc.org and follow them on instagram @mscintheuk

    55 min

  4. 12/14/2025

    Merry Midwinter - Episode 3 - PEACE

    Join Wellbeing Editor Rebecca Frank and Author of The Slow Traveller and regular contributor Jo Tinsley as they help you discover ways to find your own little pockets of calm in the run up to Christmas. In this episode, we appreciate the quiet of the approaching solstice, press pause and take some time for ourselves before curling up with some winter reads.  If you are in the UK, you can try an immediate start subscription to the The Simple Things and receive the current issue straight away. Or buy current and back issues here Editing & music by Arthur Cosslett.    On the blog How to solve an Agatha Christie novel Books that Embrace the Cold Why We Love Cosy Crime In the December issue (162) on sale now Pressing pause: Whether it’s a few minutes to yourself or a day away, giving yourself time to do the things you enjoy this month will help prevent overwhelm  Kitchen therapy  Reading: awell-chosen book can bring moments of comfort, calm and cheer over the coming weeks. Modern eccentrics: Solstice revellers  My place: Festive foliage   Learn more Nature’s Calendar: The British Year In 72 Seasons by Kiera Chapman, Lulah Ellender, Rowan Jaines, Rebecca Warren (Granta)    In previous issues available at picsandink.com A day in December: images that captured the magic of this month (150) How to get on with your siblings as grown-ups (and have a more harmonious yuletide). (126) A winter walk is a breath of fresh air. (150) Tuning into the month’s micro-seasons (138) Thanks to our partner for the Merry Midwinter season, the Marine Stewardship Council, which sets certification standards for sustainable fisheries and awards the blue ecolabel on fish and fish products. Find out more about the best fish to choose at msc.org and follow them on instagram @mscintheuk

    37 min

  5. 12/07/2025

    Merry Midwinter - Episode 2 - TREASURE

    The Simple Things’ Editor Lisa Sykes and Wellbeing Editor Rebecca Frank talk treasure, including the things we decorate our homes with, the people we treasure at Christmas and ways to treasure the season. If you are in the UK, you can try an immediate start subscription to the The Simple Things and receive the current issue straight away. Or buy current and back issues here Editing & music by Arthur Cosslett.   Thanks to our partner for the Merry Midwinter season, the Marine Stewardship Council, which sets certification standards for sustainable fisheries and awards the blue ecolabel on fish and fish products. Find out more about the best fish to choose at msc.org and follow them on instagram @mscintheuk On the blog Handmade gift ideas from thesimplethings.com Christmas crackers  template here Bay and lemon sea salt body scrub   Homemade tea bags Edible baubles Fairy cake baubles Gingerbread tree decorations     In the December issue (162) on sale now Make your own advent candle  Christmas playlist  Mini rosemary wreath decorations Eggnog – why everyone should try it Forest needles chai  Decorations from fabric scraps Weekend away – wreath making in the west country   In our A Year of Celebrations Anthology Crafternoon – festive bakes and gifts  Choosing the tree  Edible baubles and stained-glass biscuits Handmade Christmas crackers    In our wellbeing bookazine, Flourish Volume 4 Everlasting wreaths   Learn more How to have an eco-friendly Christmas: advice from The Wildlife Trusts, The National Trust and WWF Fish pie recipe carrying the MSC blue label by James Strawbridge   In previous issues available at picsandink.com Missing people at Christmas – Issue 150

    43 min

  6. 11/30/2025

    Merry Midwinter - Episode 1 - MERRY

    Join The Simple Things’ Editor Lisa Sykes and author of The Slow Traveller and regular contributor Jo Tinsley in the first episode of our Merry Midwinter season, where we are doing our best to find calm and contentment in the run up to Christmas. This episode we will be chatting about alternative approaches to advent calendars, the people working hard to preserve much-loved customs, the joy of a Christmas market and how to fill your home with festive scents.  If you are in the UK, you can try an immediate start subscription to the The Simple Things and receive the current issue straight away. Or buy current and back issues here Editing & music by Arthur Cosslett.  In the December issue (162) on sale now Weekend project advent candle  Alternative advent calendar ideas Keeping up traditions On the blog Natural Advent Calendar of Promises  Make your own advent calendar Living Advent Calendar Scented Pinecones Herbs & Spices playlist From A Year of Celebrations anthology Weekend project: make your own advent calendar   Learn more Window Wonderland in Shepton Mallet, Somerset A Winter Dictionary: A collection of words for the festive season by Paul Anthony Jones (Elliott & Thompson)   In previous issues available to buy at picsandink.com Looking back: Mid-century Christmas traditions (138) Finding the fairytale for free(ish) (138) Weekend project: Scents of the season: Use natural finds to fill your home with some favourite smells of winter (150) Christmassy Cities: Nuremberg (150), Bruges (Issue 126), Prague (162)  Easy Giving: simple ways you can help spread cheer (150)   For Christmas gift wrapped subscriptions click here and use code GIFTWRAP25    Thanks to our partner for the Merry Midwinter season, the Marine Stewardship Council, which sets certification standards for sustainable fisheries and awards the blue ecolabel on fish products. Find out more at msc.org and follow them on instagram @mscintheuk

    46 min

  7. 10/05/2025

    Golden Days - Episode 6 - RAMBLE

    Join The Simple Things’ Editor Lisa Sykes, Wellbeing Editor Rebecca Frank and regular contributor and author of The Slow Traveller, Jo Tinsley as they take an early evening walk together and ponder over the joy and comfort of a familiar ramble, consider why being outdoors helps us to talk more freely, and finish with a stroll in the footsteps of Jane Austen in Bath’s very own pleasure gardens.  If you are in the UK, you can try an immediate start subscription to the The Simple Things get 30% off and receive the current issue straight away. Or buy current and back issues here Editing and music by Arthur Cosslett.  In The Simple Things In the October HUG issue (160) on sale now Magical creatures – an appreciation of the tawny owl   In the November SPICE issue (161) An Autumnal roast – it’s the season for roast dinners and this one is a winner Buy the November issue at picsandink.com from 16 October and on the newsstand from 22 October.   From Flourish, our wellbeing bookazine (Volume 3) How to do autumn well – foraging, feasting and conker fighting Outdoor therapy – how it works and techniques to try as your walk Flourish Volume 4 is coming soon and is available to pre-order with 10% off until 29 October   IN PREVIOUS ISSUES Which Jane Austen character are you? Fun quiz and events to suit your character. (Issue 154, April 2025) Moodscapes and walking routes – how different landscapes make us feel. (Issue 154, April 2025). Read more on our blog. Taken from The Walking Cure by Annabel Streets (Bloomsbury Tonic)  Buy current and back issues here   LEARN MORE Jane Austen 250 year anniversary events in Bath https://visitbath.co.uk/inspire-me/literary-bath/jane-austen-bath and beyond www.janeausten.co.uk The joy of a familiar walk by Alice Tatham (Issue 129) Follow Alice on Instagram @thewildwoodmoth

    25 min
  8. Golden Days - Episode 5 - HARVEST

    09/28/2025

    Golden Days - Episode 5 - HARVEST

    Join The Simple Things’ Editor Lisa Sykes and Wellbeing Editor Rebecca Frank for our own mini harvest festival as they relish this time of abundance for cooking, gathering and squirreling away before the first frosts arrive.  If you are in the UK, you can try an immediate start subscription to the The Simple Things and receive the current issue straight away. Or buy current and back issues here Editing by Dhylyn Foster. Music by Arthur Cosslett.  On the blog Hedgrow fizz – foraged berries diluted with sparkling wine or water  Crab apple whisky  Crab apple and fennel seed leather In defence of the pear  How to stock a store cupboard  Lessons from Nigella Baked pear pies    In the October HUG issue (160) on sale now  Kitchen therapy – baked pear pies and a mindful drawing exercise Wine and cheese gathering – good wine and cheese pairings make for happy guests    In previous issues In the September TREASURE issue (159)  Plates to plot – share the harvest with friends by holding your own allotment feast with a tipple of warm apple cider and other seasonal dishes   Coming up in the November issue (161)  Smart ways to eat well. An extract from Shrewd Food: 60 Ways to Eat Yourself Healthy by Noonie Zand Goodarzi (Badger Books). Illustrations by Mudd Bexley November issue 161 will be available to pre-order at picsandink.com  from 16 October, on sale from 22 October.     Don’t give up your garden for winter: The natural world may be winding down but autumn is actually the start of the agricultural year, a time to plant and plan for the months ahead In Flourish Volume 3  Today, tomorrow to keep: pears  Chocolate pear cake and preserved pears in red wine  Pre-order the new Flourish Volume 4 with 10% off at www.picsandink.com until 29 October   How to subscribe to The Simple Things – for an immediate start subscription with 30%  go to off cover price go to  http://www.icebergpress.co.uk/subscribe

    41 min
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4.7
out of 5
30 Ratings

About

Small Ways to Live Well is a podcast from The Simple Things, a monthly magazine about slowing down, remembering what’s important and making the most of where you live.  To subscribe or order a copy of The Simple Things visit thesimplethings.com Christmas is coming and how much do we love the build up?  Our Merry Midwinter podcast season will be at your side at the excitement of Advent, the welcome quiet and calm of the winter solstice and the feasting and traditions of the Christmas holidays right through new year to the twelfth night. We’ll be sharing recipes and ideas for decorations and homemade gifts as well as taking time to simply enjoy midwinter – a season of long views and frosty mornings, twinkling lights and cosy evenings. It’s six weeks of gathering, giving and everyday magic that can pass us by in a whirl of stress and socialising if we don’t slow down now and again to appreciate it. It’s also a chance to reflect on the year just gone and look ahead to the one to come. We’re here to help with all of the above.   Co-hosted by the Editor, Lisa Sykes, wellbeing editor Rebecca Frank and regular contributor Jo Tinsley. 

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