Five things for Friday #1: Ghost stories, creative tips and frosty folklore

One of the challenges I’ve set for 2026 is to be more regular with this newsletter — starting with a weekly Friday round-up of things I’ve enjoyed recently and think you might too

It’s inspired by Austin Kleon’s excellent newsletter, so if you fancy even more things to read this weekend, I'd recommend giving him a sub too!

Here we go!

1. Stay curious: Guardian journalist Amelia Gentleman shares 10 lessons about creativity she’s taken from her father, artist David Gentleman. 
   
   The eighth lesson particularly spoke to me when I first read the piece.
   
   
2. The Mistletoe Bride: I first wrote about this macabre tale of festive tragedy back in my Countryfile Magazine days, so was pleased to hear more about the origins of the legend in the Christmas episode of the excellent Folklore Podcast.
   
   Best of all, the wonderful folk singer Jackie Oats performs a haunting version of the traditional folk song that sprang from the story, The Mistletoe Belle. You can also watch on YouTube. 
   
   
3. Wassailing larks: My friend Emma Newman has been sending out a delightfully cosy podcast advent calendar even though she is recovering from a serious illness. On the days when she is too tired, her friends have been jumping in to record an episode. My turn was on Boxing Day, when I relayed my wassailing adventures from last year. You can take a listen here.

4. The Star Wars review of the year: The official Star Wars website gives a roundup of a galaxy far, far away in 2025, including a picture of my High Republic buddies and me having fun at Disneyland last March.
   
   
5. Ghost stories are for life, not just for Christmas: It’s still the festive season, at least until Twelfth Night, so there’s still plenty of time to enjoy Archive on 4: A Ghost Story at Christmas, a marvellous examination of our tradition of telling ghost stories at midwinter.
   
   Along the way, presenter Katherine Rundell takes in the folk-horror television of the 70s, Beowulf, and The Woman in Black, interspersed with the funereal tones of Sir Christopher Lee.
   
   I particularly liked writer Jeanette Winterson's assertion that ‘electric light has ruined everything’ for spooky stories. Break out the candles and have a listen!
   
   
6. Once upon a National Trust Christmas: Okay, I said there would be five, but this is the first week, so have a bonus wander around the storybook Christmas decorations of one of my favourite National Trust properties! Fa-la-la-la-la!

Let me know if you check out any of the links — and feel free to share your own reads, listens or watches in the comments below. You can also just reply to this email.

Until next time, look after yourself and each other!