Yet I just opened the latest People magazine, and discovered a glossy three-page insert on the upcoming Lifetime Christmas TV movie schedule--and those movies start the end of October!
I'm up for a romantic movie any time, but some stores are already putting up their Christmas displays! If anyone needs a Christmas tree before Halloween, our local Home Depot has their entire Christmas department already set up in full, twinkling display. I don't know about you, but I guess I feel like a bit of an old fogey in wishing that we could get through one holiday at a time in the stores, instead of rushing the commercialism--and muting the true reason for the season beneath all of the tinsel.
Something I do love, though, is seeing all of the beautiful snowy, Christmas-y book covers suddenly appearing on bookstore shelves. I was crushed when our local Super Walmart closed its small book section by the front cash registers...until I discovered that they had opened up a far larger book department in the back. Whew! Just this week the dozens of holiday book covers there were so enticing that I wanted to scoop them all up and put them in my shopping cart. My towering To Be Read stacks of books hardly need additions, but oh, those gorgeous covers...
This season, I won't have a new full-length inspirational romance or romantic suspense novel out to join all of those books on the shelves, but I will have something different--a series of five Christmas season novellas, taking place in Paris, London, a quaint village in Ireland, the Scottish Highlands and in Montana ranch country. The first, A London Christmas, will be out at the end of October.
Do you enjoy reading fiction that is set in a specific season? And, since we're talking about Christmas, has anyone here started their planning for a family celebration? I am so dedicated to very traditional holiday meals, like my own mother made...but now I hear everyone in the younger generation wants beef brisket and a turkey on the pellet grill. Should be an interesting combination with all of the Scandinavian favorites! :)
Leave a comment and be entered in a drawing for a free e-copy of A London Christmas.
I hope you are enjoying a wonderful autumn!
Roxanne Rustand
Love to read Christmas fiction all year long. However, when the air gets crisp and the trees start to lose their leaves after putting on a grand show, I can really get into the holiday spirit by reading some wonderful Christmas stories.
ReplyDeleteOUr holiday season has changed greatly over the years. We use to be the big meal, lots of decorations family. However, with the passing of both our sets of parents and the death of our only child, hubby and I are all that remain other than relatives that live way off. Neither them or us are great at doing long distance traveling in the winter months when road conditions can chance at the drop of a hat.
Also with age, you figure out why put off for Christmas if we want turkey and dressing in July or pumpkin pie in April. That means our Christmas dinner will be a big celebration of wonderful food that the two of us think sounds wonderful at the time which may be the traditional meal or it may mean a grilled steak dinner weather permitting or even a baked ham if the mood so strikes. However, I seem to always think that our traditional pumpkin or pecan pie sounds very good around Christmas time. :)
As for decorations, that too has down sized. We use to put up at least seven Christmas trees including a 11 foot one that revolved that held over 300 Hallmark ornamnets. We also had a "G" sized train that rain around the perimeter of our 18x24' living room. About 3 years ago, we downsized and moved to our dream destination. Not only do we not have the room for all that, but I also don't have the energy or health to do it either. Now we do the fun stuff and what we enjoy for ourselves not giving thought to what others want to see. We have a 15 year old chihuahua furbaby who is our life. He has his own little chihuahua tree decorated with firehydrants, hotdog garland and food bowls with a star made out of bones. That is surrounded by a chihuahua train with it all sitting on our large coffee table. I love to bake so there is a small kitchen tree covered with kitchen related items with a star cookie cutter for the stat on top that sets on the dining room table. Our decorations give the house the Christmas feel without taking hours upon hours to set out and to put up. :)
Thank you for the chance! <3
2clowns at arkansas dot net
What a great idea! I'm all about the locations, Roxanne, so this has really caught my eye.
ReplyDeleteI don't read a lot Christmas fiction because most of my reading these days is audiobooks (which means murder mysteries - preferably in the UK!) but I've been listening to all the LIS audiobooks. Christmas is a very low pressure holiday for me, so I've got plenty of time. (ha!)
I love autumn and Thanksgiving because of the beauty of this season and because my daddy loved Thanksgiving so much. He was a child during the Depression, he had seven siblings and my grandparents were farmers. There was very little money for Christmas presents but Thanksgiving food was abundant and I truly believe that is why he preferred that November holiday. I hate to see the Christmas decorations displayed along side of Halloween candy BUT I do enjoy seeing the covers of Christmas books that are now available. I love, love, love reading these stories ANY time of the year. Thanks for adding to our reading enjoyment this year and thank you for the chance to win one!
ReplyDeleteConnie
cps1950(at)gmail(dot)com
I enjoy books with warm weather settings preferably the beach. I haven't started planning anything yet but I do like to stick with tradition. Although I too have no problem eating any of these foods any time of the year lol.
ReplyDeletenstotts@sbcglobal.net
I'm really not ready to start planning Christmas yet...I just got my fall decor out yesterday! 😂 I do love reading seasonal books though! Love reading Christmas stories!
ReplyDeleteI enjoy reading Christmas stories year round! Badawosn16 at aol dot com
ReplyDeleteI can read a Christmas story anytime! As for planning for Christmas, it will be very low-key this year with only a few family members in...but come January, I'll be headed to south Florida to celebrate a granddaughter's birthday and Christmas!
ReplyDeleteI read Christmas books and play Christmas music all year round. As far as Christmas dinner goes, I don't cook anything. We go to my brother's and I don't have to even take anything.
ReplyDeleteI enjoy reading Christmas stories any time of the year. Our Christmas traditions have changed drastically over the years with the older ones passing & younger ones living all over the country with families of their own. Hubs & I are adjusting to new "just us" traditions. Hope your blended traditions mesh well together...relax & let the younger ones do the hard work. ;)
ReplyDeleteI’m like you, I would like one season at a time. Everything is to rushed and we forget to be thankful for the time at hand. Thank you for sharing. Blessings
ReplyDeleteLove Christmas stories! Thanks for the giveaway!
ReplyDeleteI love Christmas stories anytime. They uplift the spirit no matter the season. Now that are kids are married I pretty much do dinner for hubby and i and a get together with kids later. So they can have Christmas with their wives families. Christmas is Christ.
ReplyDeleteBlessings
Diana
When the only books I could get my hands on to read came from the local library (thankful for libraries!!!!), I would search out the Christmas themed books - usually novellas. Alas, everyone else was, too, so I rarely got to read them during the holiday season. But come June and July..... yep! I thoroughly enjoyed my fill of stories.
ReplyDeleteNow I blog and review lovely books. What a blessing to me. I always vie for a couple of Christmas themed books if the opportunity arises.
And yes.... I would love to read A London Christmas.
Many thanks for alerting me to your book.
holiday stories are fun
ReplyDeletebn100candg at hotmail dot com
I try to read Christmas books during the month of December. I don't mind watching the Hallmark Christmas movies when they are on so early but I don't do any decorating till after Thanksgiving, usually early December. Thanks for the chance to win your book.
ReplyDeletepmkellogg56[at]gmail[dot]com
I love books set during the Christmas season. They are great in hot weather as a way to cool off also. I do get frustrated when Christmas is just portrayed in the background for a formulaic romance. That's why I love to support Christian authors. I would love to read A London Christmas. Thank you!
ReplyDeleteThis is a perfect ,and typical, time for me to start enjoying Christmas novels!
ReplyDeleteThank you for the offer!
Janice
pjrcmoore@windstream.net
I love to read Christmas stories. It doesn't even have to be Christmastime. They are just so heartwarming. lkish77123 at gmail dot com
ReplyDeleteI love reading Christmas stories! I especially like reading them and decorating after Thanksgiving. I like to cherish the nostalgia of the season. Thank you for the chance to win an e-copy of A London Christmas!!
ReplyDelete