Passage from Village Christmas - Laurie Lee

"We tumbled downstairs, three steps at a time, into the kitchen's glow.  The fire was ablaze, and Mother had already started the breakfast, frying great pans of eggs and bacon.  We sat down to the finest breakfast of the year, which included real cream and porridge.  'Hark, children!' cried Mother, suddenly cocking her head, 'Isn't that pretty? Now fancy that.' With our mouths full of bacon we ran out into the yard and stood listening in the snow.  Then we heard it, the pealing of Painswick bells, the traditional and joyous sound, coming faint but clear over the distant hill like icicles stirred by the wind, ringing Christmas in the valley." ~ passage taken from Village Christmas And Other Notes on the English Year by Laurie Lee.