73 Comments

I think Mavis is glorious. And in paint and pencil, even more so! I really hope that one day, on your art series, you will invite us all to an exhibition of your work - paint, pencil, even glass. This side of Rebecca the writer really turns you into a Renaissance woman. Next, you will be writing music and then singing the lyrics or playing the melody on an instrument. I fully believe you have a musical trump card up your sleeve... Yes?

A lovely coddywomple through your Christmas memories and thank you for including me. Happy NY!

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Dec 30, 2023Liked by Rebecca Holden

Dear Kenneth Williams had SUCH a distinctive voice. So lovely to hear him again. What a cute little show!

And what lovely memories you’ve shared. I have no idea how your parents had such patience, to leave the tree until the afternoon of Christmas Eve! Our neighbours had their decorations up in November this year, trying to cheer us all up in these trying times. I’m glad your tree makes an appearance the week before Christmas. That gives you a little more time to enjoy it.

As always, I adore your art. Such a talented soul.

Thanks so much dear Rebecca. Wishing you all the best for the year ahead. 🤗🤗😘😘🥰🥰

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What a great post to close a great year of being lost, Rebecca. I always enjoy the art book posts!

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Wow! I love that your family also grew Christmas trees! Yours really was a properly diverse smallholding. And such patience indeed to wait so long to put up your home Christmas trees! I loved all your artwork this week: such emotion-filled images! Mostly I love your Mavis-she is a sweetie and not ever likely to turn anyone into a frog. (Enjoyed the cartoon too!). Happy 2024 to you and looking forward to many more of your images and words!

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Dec 30, 2023Liked by Rebecca Holden

Lovely storytelling and artwork. You are an inspiration to me. 💞🎄🙏

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Happy New Year, Rebecca! I always wanted to live on a tree farm - I’m rather envious of this!

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I really enjoyed this year end post and your artwork is amazing. I especially love how all your Christmas memories center on family rather than the more material aspects of the season.

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Rebecca, Your artwork is brilliant and I love Mavis! Thank you for this wonderful story. I wish you and yours a Happy New Year. I look forward to 2024 and our write/paint along Fridays. :) Thank you so much for helping me spread the word.

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Glad to spend the run up to Christmas with your historical family. Your recall is uncanny! But pls elucidate: why sand in the cut-tree bucket? Is this some British tree-preservation tip I need to translate to the US?

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Dec 30, 2023Liked by Rebecca Holden

Awww,Rebecca, you did it again. Another lovely thing that made these old tired eyes shed a few tears. I didn't know I even had cockles in my heart anymore, but you have warmed them back to life. Seems to me, that with all the art you have created for this project, and all the accompanying stories, you have a highly desirable book to reproduce and publish. You could sell this in a minute. It is true! PS I loved the video, The frog's voice is so adorable! PPS Your kind mention really got to me. Just when I was feeling especially vulnerable and less than confident, I read that and wept. Thank you so much.

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I can't imagine waiting that long to put up the Christmas tree. We usually put ours up on the Saturday after Thanksgiving. You need time to get in the spirit of the holidays.

Your drawings and artwork are fabulous Rebecca!

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Lovely on so many levels and the paintings, simply marvelous.

As a newish watercolorist, I am wondering how gesso allows you to remove watercolor? -- should you have the time to explain. ~ Mary

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I love this post, Rebecca; the stories, as well as the artwork, are simply beautiful. Your family's tradition of putting the tree up on Christmas Eve and listening to nine lessons and carols sounded enchanting. While we decorate, I typically put on one of my favorite movies, White Christmas or It's a Wonderful Life. I always appreciate the sentiment and the music. I wish you happy holidays and look forward to more Substack fun in 2024. 💜

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Dec 30, 2023Liked by Rebecca Holden

This was just a gem of a post! I loved it. It made me think of all the trees in my life, starting with the one that was the most spectacular- a silver tree with a rotating light that changed the tree into many different colors. As a child I could see it from my bedroom and I spent many nights just watching it. I have a tree now that was a reject from a friend, the lights on it no longer worked, so I removed them all, then put ordinarily stands of tiny white lights. It is up on my music holder so the cat won’t get at it in my dining room in a corner with aluminum foil around the base again because of the cat. I leave it up all year as it is too heavy for me to move.

My son and his partner have a disreputable cloth gnome with wings on the top of their tree. It seems to work!

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I love Mavis! She needs to be a childrens story accompanied with your art work. Or a short story. Something. She has so much personality.

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All of What Prue said! 🤗❤️

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