The house was busy the moment people arrived. Someone rushed in carrying fresh holly, and everyone helped cover the halls with it until the rooms looked ready for the season. Laughter kept breaking out as they worked, like the cheer of the holiday was pushing its way in ahead of the cold.
When they finished decorating, they went off to change into their bright festival clothes. They returned wearing colors that stood out even in the dim winter light, and the whole place suddenly felt warmer.
A yule log was set on the fire, and its flame caught quickly. The glow spread across the room just as one of the guests picked up a harp and played a familiar tune. Voices followed the melody, rising and falling with the rhythm of an old Yuletide carol everyone already knew by heart.
The group moved closer to the fire, telling small stories from past winters. Outside, the old year felt like it was slipping away fast, but inside the house, no one seemed bothered by time. More friends arrived—young men and women brushing snow from their coats—and they joined the singing without hesitation.
The wind outside stayed sharp, but it didn’t matter. The house was bright, filled with music, and alive with people enjoying the season together.
Deck the Halls
The melody dates back to the 16th century and comes from the Welsh winter song “Nos Galan.” The English version familiar today was prepared by Thomas Oliphant in 1862.
Out this season on Bandcamp.
⌨ ᴛʸᵖⁱⁿᵍ ᴏᵘᵗ ᵒᶠ ᵗʰᵉ ʙˡᵘᵉ ᵈᵃʳᵉᵐ ᵐᵘˢⁱᶜ ᵇˡᵒᵍ
