Ring in the New Year in style at The Emporium! Special 4 course menu, jazz band & DJ. Book online.
Every Thursday & Friday from 7pm to 8pm, we’re serving up our fabulous 2 for £12 cocktails.
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From relaxed coffee catch-ups to festive dining and evening cocktails, our menu is full of delicious seasonal touches — all served in a setting that’s warm, welcoming, and full of Christmas cheer. Join us this festive season for good food, good company, and a little everyday indulgence.
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Janet Beard
Welcome - Editor’s Letter
Dear Readers,
Welcome to our Christmas issue of The Carrier Pigeon Magazine! It’s that magical time of year again - twinkling lights, cosy nights, and a little extra kindness in the air.
In this issue, we’ve gathered together a festive mix of stories, local highlights, and sweet treats to keep you company through the season.
Discover the sparkle behind the Christmas tree in our editorial feature, dive into heart-warming reads like The Nightingale by Kristin Hannah and The Good Left Undone, and explore everything happening across our community this month — from pantomimes, Light switch ons and meet-Santa events to a sprinkle of local poetry and a delicious Chocolate Honeycomb Cheesecake recipe to try at home.
So pour yourself a mug of something warm, wrap up snug, and enjoy this festive issue filled with cheer, stories, and the best of local life.
As always, thank you for reading, supporting local, and being part of this wonderful community. Subscribe to our monthly newsletter at info@ thecarrierpigeon.co.uk to receive more content and exclusive advertising offers directly to your inbox.
To book an advertisement or get a quote please get in touch: 01254 492088 // 07824553790// infocpmag@gmailcom.
Wishing you all a joyful Christmas and a bright New Year,
thecarrierpigeon.co.uk | info@thecarrierpigeon.co.uk
Dearest friends,
We are getting ever closer to the evening when I will visit you, and my reindeer are getting restless! But first, I must explain the reason for my letter.
This year, my workshops have been busier than ever. Toys, books and gifts fill every nook and corner! The elves are working shoulder to shoulder, but still, I can’t fit them all in! They keep standing on each other’s feet and knocking off their caps and are becoming a tad grumpy. It’s all quite the muddle!
And so, I found myself in need of a little assistance - a place of warmth and goodwill where I could safely keep some of my treasures until Christmas Eve. I sought those who understand the true art of handcraft - gifts made with patience, care, and love.
Dasher, my swiftest flyer, was given this task, and discovered a most delightful workshop deep in the Ribble Valley countryside - a charming place known as Melt. There, amidst the rolling hills and winter fields, stands a candle-makers’ shop filled with light, laughter, and the most enchanting fragrances of Christmas. A perfect haven indeed! Dasher dropped my message at the workshop door before soaring homeward over Pendle Hill.
In no time, the candle-maker - a tall fellow with curly hair, a fine beard, and a hearty laugh (perhaps you know him!) sent a note fluttering back into the starry sky. It was caught mid-gallop by Comet, my night-flight reindeer, confirming that he would be most delighted to assist.
And so it is that some of my Christmas magic now rests safely at Melt - where the candles glow, and the air is filled with joy and the sweet spice of the season (and their delicious mulled wine). As a token of my gratitude, I have allowed a few of my treasures to remain upon their shelves, waiting to bring happiness to kind hearts and welcoming homes.
So wrap yourselves warmly, dear friends, bring your merriest smiles, and step into this haven of light and fragrance to share in the spirit of Christmas.
With my warmest wishes for peace and joy in the coming season.
I remain, as ever, Your devoted servant,
Father Christmas
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CATHERINE FINCH
War ... and peace
Novels set in World War II
Books can make us laugh, cry, gasp in horror or sigh with relief.
It’s a skilful writer who can immerse the reader in the narrative, evoke real emotion and describe the setting accurately enough to give depth to the story.
For 80 years, World War 2 has provided a rich backdrop to many novels. The actions of the Nazis, a part of recent history, still astound us for their brutality on an unimaginable scale.
The Nightingale , by Kristen Hannah, tells the story of two French sisters. One stays in the village and deals with the difficulties of German occupation.
The other joins the resistance, leading British pilots stranded in France to relative safety in Spain. In places, the novel is heart rending, but also a tribute to the courage of both women. The sisters survive the war although the ending is tinged with sadness and loss.
Adriana Trigiani’s The Good Left Undone , explores the fate of the Italians during the war. The family in Italy are almost destroyed by events, yet the fate of Italians in
the UK is not as well known.
In one scene, the Italian community in Glasgow are targeted by thugs. Many had lived and worked in Scotland for generations, but their houses and businesses were wrecked.
Italians were interned in large numbers although there was little or no evidence they could be a danger.
Both novels were hard to put down, but after two stories of hardship and cruelty, I was ready for a break from the war. I am grateful that my generation can learn about it through novels but escaped the horrors.
Hopefully, novels are on your Christmas lists, and the darker nights are allowing time to stay in and read.
Books make lovely gifts and if you would like to give a novel set in Lancashire with Lancashire characters, please consider my novels and short story collections.
There may be some unexpected events, but I promise, there are no devastating scenes and the endings are mainly happy!
www.chaffinchbooks.co.uk
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