The Holly & The Ivy

Gathering the Greens

The holiday season is well under way. I hope amidst the usual busyness of December you take time to slow down and experience the beauty of the season, the dark and starry nights, the twinkling lights, warm hearts, fires in the hearth, traditions of old and new.

A quick note: Nearly everything in shop is 20 to 40 percent off and much of it comes shipped for free. Gathering the Green Print above is only $5.40 and the Yuletide Emerald Post is only $10.40 both with free shipping. 

Yuletide Emerald Post

Holiday Markets

On my dream list of things to do someday is to visit Christmas markets around the world. It seems like the Celtic Isles offer their own charming markets. Read about a few Irish ones over at Tourism Ireland. 

For those of us stuck dreaming of such wonder places.... here are some visual gifts. Also, if you are looking for a lovely little Celtic gift from the comfort of your computer, take a look in the Emerald Post Shop, a marketplace of little Celtic wonders (now selling old fashioned Feather Quills!). Do imagine I'm serving hot wassail, under a glowing tent amidst twinkling lights and light snow flurries, with cathedral bells chiming in the distance.  And to make things easier, remember these promotions:

Now until Christmas

 Take 15% off anything & everything in the shop

Use the code HOLIDAY15

Spend $30 (after all discounts, excluding shipping)

& automatically receive a FREE Portal Collection Postcard Set

Galway, Ireland  {source: Tourism Ireland}

Winterval, Waterford, Ireland {source: Tourism Ireland}

Edinburgh Christmas Market {Source: Little Things Blog}

Exeter Market, England {source: Solo Sophie}

An Irish Winter Dream

Kylemore Abbey, Ireland [Source]

Ha'penny Bridge, Dublin, Ireland [Source]

Knowth Neolithic Passage Tomb, Boyne Valley, Co. Meath, Ireland

Photo by Ken Williams of Shadow and Stone [Source]

Cooley Mountains, Ireland

Photo by Derek Smyth [Source]

Wishing Well - A Candle & Tradition

Sacred Springs & Holy Wells can be found throughout the Celtic Isles of Ireland and Great Britain. At these revered sites, you may find candles burning as votive offerings, coins tossed into water with silent wishes, or ribbons & cloth hanging from a nearby sacred tree, tied in prayer. This candle, tied with ribbon & containing a lucky Irish (or British) coin at the bottom, signifies an ancient tradition of pilgrimage to holy places of prayer & healing, to sacred waters in sacred woods, welling up from the Otherworld. 

Light this candle in prayer or meditation in the hearth of your home or in a place you find sacred, as a glowing manifestation of the unseen spirit. Give it as a gift to someone who cherishes the old ways of Ireland, Britain and Celtic spirituality. When the candle burns out, retrieve the lucky coin from the bottom and carry it with you, leave it for someone in need of a little luck, or toss it into the sacred water well of your choice.

Kindle the flame of Celtic Spirit with this 2 ounce - sage green or natural yellow - unscented - pure beeswax candle with an astonishing burn time of 12-14 hours! Poured into a lidded miniature mason jar with an Irish or British coin at the bottom.

Hop over to the SHOP to purchase a Wishing Well Candle for $9.

You can also sign up for the Emerald Post Herald E-mail Newsletter HERE to receive updates, coupons, specials, and a healthy dose of Irish & Celtic Culture.

Yuletide Contents

For those who are curious what treasures were sent out in the Yuletide Edition of Emerald Post, I am sharing the contents below. This collection should give you an idea of what Emerald Post is all about. Most editions will contain 3-5 items depending on size and intricacy of work. They come bundles as you see below and nestled inside of a cellophane sleeve to protect them. Then it's all put in a bright green envelope, decorated and artistically addressed to you. AND if you missed out, the Yuletide Edition is still for sale and discounted at $13. Also, you can purchase "Gathering the Greens" alone for $10. Swing over to the Emerald Post Shop to fill your mailboxes for 2017!

5x7 Print of "Gathering the Greens" a watercolor painting on paper

The backside of the print tells of the ancient and enduring Celtic traditions of decorating with Holly, Ivy & Misteltoe

Everything is bundled in a band of Gaelic text and sealed with an Emerald Postmark Sticker.

Here is the whole package that went out to mailboxes in December

Contents (clockwise from top):

5x7 Fine Art Print "Gathering the Greens"
Mini Notecard & Envelope - photo of green rolling hills
Note from me to recipient - my musings on this edition
4x6 Postcard - Red Door Edinburgh, Scotland
5x5 Photo Print of St. Columb's Cathedral, Derry, Ireland
Bookmark - Gothic Window from Chepstow Castle, Wales

Yuletide Preview of Emerald Post

Emerald Post Artisan Parcels will officially launch January 2017! For a sneak peak - I am offering a Yuletide edition of Emerald Post to arrive near Winter Solstice (December 21). Subscriptions are available by one, three, six months. Gift subscriptions are available too and make lovely holiday or New Year's gifts. Subscribe now and get an Emerald envelope in your mailbox this holiday full of festive art! Visit my Emerald Post Shop to purchase.

Yuletide Edition of Emerald Post $15