New Year, New Gear
- Daisy Steel
- 6 days ago
- 3 min read
This Christmas was many things. Joyful, chaotic, emotional, funny, and at times very hard. It was our first Christmas without Ben, and I won’t pretend that wasn’t tough. I didn’t quite realise how much it would hit me until it did. Grief has a way of sneaking up when you’re distracted by wrapping paper and roast potatoes. Some moments were manageable, others less so, and that’s probably how it will be for a while yet.
But there was also new joy. This was my baby granddaughter Ren’s first Christmas, which felt quietly miraculous. Seeing Christmas through the eyes of someone who’s only just learnt to walk is a gift in itself. I took Ren and my daughter to meet Santa, and it was magical in the simplest way. No expectations, no overthinking, just wonder…and a very impressive beard.
As January begins, the three of us are packing our bags and heading to Sri Lanka together, which feels very needed right now. Sunshine, a change of scene and time together away from the familiar routines. I’m excited about that. Excited in a tentative, grateful way. New beginnings don’t have to be dramatic. Sometimes they’re just about breathing a little more easily.
That sense of gentle reset runs throughout the January episode of When in Frome, which we’ve called New Year, New Gear. Recorded on my birthday, no less, it wraps up this Christmas in Frome and looks ahead to what’s coming round the corner in January.
We went behind the scenes at Frome Symphony Orchestra’s performance of The Snowman, which really does feel like Christmas distilled into an afternoon. There’s something deeply comforting about live classical music, a familiar story and a room full of families sharing the same experience.
We danced our way around town at Mrs Christmas’s Silent Disco, which proved that festive joy is best expressed through questionable dancing and the bliss of not being able to hear anyone else’s commentary. I also squeezed backstage at Crimes Against Christmas at the Merlin Theatre for a show packed with local talent, sparkly costumes and the kind of energy that reminds you how creative this town really is. And Sonia caught up with Planet Janet, a local girl band who are proof that friendship, harmony and a bit of theatrical flair only get better with time. Their joy is infectious and their confidence inspiring.
January is also about recognising the people who quietly make a difference all year round in Frome. Our Winter Hero this month is litter picking legend Tracey Eames, who reminds us that looking after where we live doesn’t require fancy equipment, just consistency and care.
I talked about enterprise and new ideas with James from Edventure, whose work supporting people to turn business ideas into reality feels especially timely at the start of a new year. We also heard from several mumtrepreneurs who’ve been finding ways to make money at Christmas, juggling creativity and family life with sheer determination.
And because Frome is very good at looking after its own, we spent some time talking about community kindness. Fair Frome and the Community Fridge are lifelines for many, particularly in the colder months, and hearing about the work they do is both sobering and heartening.
We finished the episode with a gentle New Year, New You moment, focusing on movement rather than transformation, when Becky went to interview Liz Earle from Pure Moves. It made me realise the importance of trying to be kinder to myself this year. I’m going back on the human being diet to shed some of the pounds I managed to pile on in December. I also intend to take up Pilates again. More fresh air, more movement, less sitting still. I’m determined to get out and about more on my new electric bike too, which feels like a small but joyful piece of New Year gear.
I’m not making big resolutions. Just intentions. To look after myself a bit better. To stay connected. To say yes to things that bring light. To allow space for grief and joy to exist side by side.
Here’s to new beginnings, however they show up. And to stepping into the year ahead with curiosity, compassion and maybe a bit of new gear (and new cheer) along the way.
If you are a business and would like to have a Spotlight feature written about you and published on Fabulous Frome, please contact Becky on +44 7793 561696 or email her at becky@fabulousfrome.co.uk. For prices, click here.
