The halcyon days begin around now. In Ancient Greece these were two weeks of fine, calm weather around the winter solstice.

The origins of the halcyon days came from a legend about Alcyone, daughter of Aeolus, ruler of the winds. Alcyone was married to King Ceyx, whose ship was sunk in a storm. Alcyone threw herself into the sea with grief, but she was carried up on a wind, and both she and Ceyx were changed into birds.

As a bird, Alcyone laid her eggs in a nest floating by the sea in the two weeks around the winter solstice, during when her father would bring calm seas and keep away storms. The story probably was inspired by the habits of the kingfisher, whose scientific name is Halcyon.

Although the UK is a long way from the Mediterranean, the period from December 18 to 24 is often noted for settled weather. This is when a high-pressure system can bring clear skies and quiet weather, but also frost, fog and cold.

This week the halcyon days seem to have arrived early with cold but calm weather, in marked contrast to the lashings of rain and gales earlier in the month. And the outlook is for more settled weather, but whether it will last the full two weeks of the halcyon days remains to be seen.