And here we are, Christmas Day 2020. Peace and goodwill have been in short supply this year, and perhaps we would do well as a species to offer a bit more joy to the world. And I’m attempting to do this through a little bit of art and a little bit of magic.

This is my interpretation of a Yule Log, imbued with the power of images and messages which I have burned into it with my pyrography pen. I have inscribed it with some of the tragedies, nightmares, demons and regrets of 2020 that I should like to release and send spiralling off into the void of the black night.

A Yule log should remain aflame until it is gone, for days on end. I can’t really do that because our log burner is too small and I haven’t the inclination to keep tending it through the night, but this is my version – a special personalised log that might last through the next couple of nights and catch some of the magic that floods into the world around Christmastime.

And among the cinders of the Yule log, let there be a spark of hope to bring light and warmth into the new year.

Merry Christmas to all, and to all a good night!