Pub-Culture Christmas

Kira M. Tjomsland

Sheltered from the frigid bite
of Oxford’s dreary rain,
pairs, parties, and lone wolves shed
their coats to thaw
in the amber glow
of the lamplit pub. 

The wooden walls are lined
with pinecone and evergreen garlands
interwoven with holiday lights
and dotted with mistletoe.

Smells of steak-and-ale pie
and sticky toffee pudding waft
past booths for friend and family gatherings
and corner tables for nervous new couples;
heavy meat and syrupy sweetness
washed down with honeyed mead
and citrus-spiced mulled wine.

Travelers, for a fleeting hour,
forget the chill—falling into
the contentment of a regular tavern-goer
as subtle smiles and savory pies
warm them from inside.

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Kira M. Tjomsland
Kira M. Tjomsland’s award-winning poetry and prose has been published in numerous national journals including The Rectangle, Timada’s Diary, and Living Waters Review. Recently, her fantasy flash fiction Fae Bar earned a finalist award in the Four Tulips fantastic mischief anthology. In September 2025, Kira founded Wandering Lights Literary Magazine (@wanderinglights.litmag). Holding a B.A. in English from Palm Beach Atlantic University, her academic adventures include a semester at the University of Oxford. Kira currently lives in South Florida with her husband Cade. To read more of her work—including fantasy fiction, travel narratives, and ekphrastic poetry—follow her @kiramtjomsland.author.