Do you have Christmas Eve traditions? Ours have changed over the years, but I know I’ll be making the dough for our traditional holiday cinnamon rolls. I’ll have lovely help this year—the tiny hands that actually made a much more perfect roll than mine on Thanksgiving. My three-year-old granddaughter was apparently born to bake! This […]
Ruby Caldwell here, owner of Holiday Cheer, which puts on Santa School to train Santa and his Busy Elves! Looking for a book about the big man? Here are some of my favorites. ‘Twas the Night Before Christmas. This classic has shaped the way we think about Santa and what he does on Christmas Eve. […]
It was my idea to write about a sweetest Christmas memory. However, I didn’t really consider when I came up with said idea that I’ve had 68 Christmases, 48 of them as a mother, 28 of them as a grandmother. And I’m supposed to think of one? That’s a problem. Another problem is that I’ve […]
It’s that time of year when we willingly put all sorts of insanely pointless pressure on ourselves to resolve to do something better than we did it last year. Well, I don’t know about you, but I am feeling a little bit over resolutions. At 44 (going on 45), I’m unlikely to make huge changes […]
One of the best things about the holidays is getting together with family and friends. And get togethers mean one thing. Food. Which, just happens to be one of my favorite things. Christmas Town’s Garland family has their own family traditions. Nana Elaine loves to have the family come over for breakfast. And she goes […]
The tendons in a reindeer’s feet slide over the bones and produce a clicking noise when they walk. It’s believed this noise helps them locate each other in blizzard conditions and keep the herd together. Also useful when “rockin’ around the Christmas tree,” since reindeer have no fingers to snap. Reindeer can see ultraviolet light. […]
Wouldn’t it be wonderful if we could do our holiday shopping in Christmas Town? Here is a shopping guide to some of the fun and fictional shops we’d find there! Looking for holiday themed gifts? Try Boxes and Boughs, Holiday Design and Décor for some upscale ornaments and decorations. Hearth and Home, featured in the […]
This year I’m branching out and trying new cookie recipes to add to our usual list. Pecan balls, cherry winks, spritz cookies and sugar cookies all make an appearance in our kitchen every December. But I’ve already added two new cookies to the list. Peppermint Kisses – here’s the recipe. If you are a fan […]
Writing romantic heroes is a lot of fun. They come in all shapes and sizes. I’ve got a soft spot for the grumpy hero, the guy who feels a lot and deeply but presents a stoic face to the world. In Pride and Presents, Steven Dorsey is a bit like that. […]
It’s a joke in my family how terrible I am at wrapping presents. There was a time when it was not unheard of for me to hand over my offering in a plastic bag, knotted at the top, recipients name scribbled on the side with a Sharpie. I’m not sure what it is I dislike […]
Who on earth started the ugly sweater craze? You have to admit, as obnoxious as the sweaters can be, it’s a guilty pleasure coming up with the worst one. The tackier the better! Did it begin with the 80’s sitcoms? Or once we hit 2000 and decided to be ironic? Or was it a way […]
Epilogue (12 Days of Heartwarming Christmas) Christmas Eve After the wedding “It was entirely too dark to knit inside, Odette,” June Baxter said loudly as she stepped outside the Mercantile to join the other Knotty Elves on the sidewalk. From here, the music volume had dulled, and it was a relief to stop yelling. “We […]