The seasons have finally shifted. For what felt like a never ending summer, we now find ourselves reaching for cosy jumpers, warm drinks and a little more time nesting at home. It is the season for hunkering down with a good book, lighting a candle, and letting the pace of everyday life soften a little.
With her new novel, Not Just for Christmas, author Cathy Bramley captures that feeling beautifully. A heart warming story of friendship, family, second chances and finding the courage to choose a different path, it's a celebration of the unexpected moments that can change everything.
We caught up with Cathy to talk about the inspiration behind the book, the importance of place, her favourite rituals, and what makes this time of year so special.
Your new book, Not Just for Christmas, is all about friendship, family, finding your way and the unexpected moments that can change everything. What inspired you to write this story?
I think most of my stories begin with a ‘what if?’ and Not Just for Christmas started with the idea of two people, one of whom has spent years putting everyone and everything else first, and the other, their career first, suddenly finding themselves at a crossroads and wondering: what if I chose something different?
But there was another little idea at the heart of the story that I really loved. I wanted the invitation that brings Dylan back into Lucy’s life to come from somewhere completely unexpected – eight-year-old Sam. Lucy is determined to make Christmas magical for her little boy, particularly after everything they’ve been through, so when Sam secretly invites Dylan to spend Christmas with them at the farm, she’s shocked and a tiny bit horrified.
And from there, the story grew into one about friendship, family, second chances and having the courage to admit that sometimes you want something different from the life you’ve been living.
Christmas is such a lovely backdrop for that because it’s a time when we naturally take stock. We spend time with the people we love, look back at the year that’s gone and perhaps think about what we’d like from the one ahead.
Ultimately, I wanted to write a book that would make readers laugh, perhaps shed a tear or two, and leave them with that lovely feeling that anything is possible.
There’s something wonderfully comforting about settling down with a good book as the evenings draw in. What does your ideal winter evening look like?
My perfect winter evening would be very simple: home, cosy clothes, the log fire blazing, something delicious bubbling away in the kitchen and nowhere I need to be!
I love that moment when the day is over and you can finally settle down and cuddle up on the sofa. I’d probably have a glass of white wine (Albariño is my current obsession), I’d be engrossed in a good book (my kindle is reserved for travelling or bedtime), and my favourite candles flickering.
And if I could add a little background music, it would be something Christmassy – possibly the soundtrack to The Holiday by Hans Zimmer.
There’s something magical about winter evenings because they seem to give us permission to slow down. In the summer I’m always tempted to squeeze more into the day, but in winter I’m much happier being tucked up at home.
We’re big believers in the little rituals that help us slow down and reconnect with ourselves. Do you have any evening rituals or small moments that help you switch off after a busy day?
Because I work from home, I’ve had to learn to create a definite end to the working day. Otherwise, it’s very easy to think, ‘I’ll just answer this one email’ or ‘I’ll quickly finish that chapter’ and suddenly it’s really late!
One of my most important rituals used to be closing the laptop, leaving my current manuscript behind and taking my dog, Pearl out for a quick walk before starting dinner. This physical act of moving from one place to another felt like drawing a line under the day. Sadly she passed away recently so I won’t hear that excited thump of her tail on the rug beside me when I stand up from my desk, or the patter of paws on the wooden floor while I get our coats on. But as the nights draw in this winter, I’m going to try to keep up with my evening walk because I think a bit of fresh air and a chance to stretch my muscles still works wonders.
I think that transition is really important. I don’t have the commute that naturally separates my working life from my home life, so I’ve had to create my own version of one. It’s a small thing, but it makes a big difference to how I switch off.
Your books are known for their warmth, heart and sense of place. How important is the setting to your storytelling, and what drew you to the North Devon coast and Merrydown Farm for this novel?
Setting is incredibly important to me because I want my readers to feel that they’ve stepped through the pages and into the world of the story. I love writing places that feel real enough that you can imagine visiting them, but with that little bit of escapism that makes you wish you could move there!
North Devon was perfect for Not Just for Christmas. It’s somewhere I’ve loved for years, and there’s something wonderfully atmospheric about the coast in winter – the wild sea, big skies, windswept beaches and those little pockets of warmth and comfort when you come back inside. Craggy Bay is a fictionalised version of Croyde, a place my family and I adore, and I was lucky enough to meet a local farming family, the Heywoods, who have been running an organic dairy farm – North Hole Farm in the area for generations. Their help was invaluable in helping me to understand what looking after a hundred cows is really like, especially in winter!
The idea of taking time to pause and escape the everyday runs through Not Just for Christmas. What does ‘hunkering down’ mean to you, and why do you think we’re increasingly drawn to these quieter moments?
For me, ‘hunkering down’ is about giving myself permission to stop. Sometimes it’s simply sipping a hot drink and re-watching a favourite film, or lighting a candle and settling down somewhere cosy with a good book, or having a video call with one of my daughters to catch up on their day.
I think there’s something wonderfully comforting about those little rituals that tell us to make time for ourselves.
That’s very much at the heart of Not Just for Christmas. My characters are all at points in their lives where they’re being pulled in different directions, and Christmas gives them the opportunity to step away from the everyday and really think about what they want their lives to look like.
I think we’re increasingly drawn to quieter moments because the modern world can feel so noisy. We’re constantly connected, constantly scrolling, constantly being told what we should be doing, buying, achieving or thinking about next. There’s something incredibly restorative about switching all that off and coming back to the simple pleasures in life.
For me, hunkering down is about pressing pause so that you can enjoy the world a little more when you step back into it.
Is there a particular character, moment or theme in Not Just for Christmas that you feel especially connected to?
There are some scenes in this book that I absolutely love, but I don’t want to give you any spoilers, so instead I’m going to plump for one of the themes of the book which is giving yourself permission to want something different.
Lucy has spent years putting other people first. She’s a mum, a widow, a friend and someone who has always been there for the people she loves. But underneath all of that, there’s a part of her that is wondering what happened to the woman she used to be – and whether it’s OK to want something for herself.
I think that’s something many of us can recognise, particularly as we get older. Our lives can become so full of responsibilities and expectations that we forget to ask ourselves a very simple question: What would make me happy?
I loved writing Lucy as she gradually starts to ask herself that question. And I think her friendship with Dylan makes the story particularly special, because some who loves you often knows what you need before you can see it yourself.
Finally, if you could create the ultimate cosy winter evening for yourself; a book, a drink, a scent, something delicious and somewhere to settle down, what would it include?
Oh, this is my idea of heaven!
I’d start with a long, hot bath, preferably with some relaxing essential oil in the water, followed by my big, fluffy dressing gown. Then I’d want a delicious dinner, possibly something comforting like chicken, leeks and butter beans and a glass of crisp white wine.
I’d light the log burner, turn on the lamps, and have beautifully scented candles burning throughout the house. Then I’d settle down on the sofa with a book that fully absorbs me (my current read is ‘Let The Bells Ring Out’ by Milly Johnson), and try not to snigger as my other half ploughs gamely through his teach-yourself-Spanish novel.
As for the scent, I adore the smell of the outdoors and fresh herbs, so I’d choose The Pig X Bramley candles, or as Christmas approaches, I can't resist the aroma of orange, cinnamon and eucalyptus.
For me, the perfect cosy evening is a little bit of escapism, a few simple pleasures and the feeling that, for a couple of hours, the rest of the world can wait.
Thank you Cathy, for letting us into your world, and for reminding us that more often than we realise, the best things happen when we press pause. A long bath, a favourite book, the scent of something beautiful in the air, a walk as the days draw in or an evening spent with the people we love. These small rituals can make this time of year feel extra special.
