Five minutes of civilised calm, recorded in East London, as the capital starts to wake up. Sign up at https://marcsalmanac.substack.com

With a poem by Susan Cooper, The Shortest Day.

"And so the Shortest Day came and the year died

And everywhere down the centuries of the snow-white world

Came people singing, dancing,

To drive the dark away..."

From the show:

Luke, 2:1;4-5

The winter solstice

William's Truthful Christmas by Richmal Crompton

On this day: 21st December, 1117, the birth of Thomas Becket, in Cheapside, London

Music to wake you up – This Year by The Mountain Goats

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Have a lovely day.