25GoC: E. Van Lowe

Tradition
By: E. Van Lowe

I have a favorite Christmas movie.  When I tell people it's my favorite they invariably say: "That's not a Christmas movie."  Sometimes people laugh when I tell them.  "You're a comedy writer.  That's funny," they say.  And I'm thinking I didn't mean it to be funny.  It's true!

After I grew up and moved out of my parents home, I realized I had no Christmas tradition--like decorating the tree, or baking cookies with the family, or caroling, or pulling out the old yule log...  By the way, what is a yule log?  Anyone?  I'm from the Bronx.  We don't even have trees.  But I digress.  I wanted/needed a tradition--something I could look forward to doing every year.  Necessity being the mother of invention, I decided to create one.  I decided to create a family tradition of gathering around the TV on Christmas Eve night and watching Die Hard.  Yes, Die Hard. 

It's my favorite Christmas movie.  Well, why not?  It's got some great Christmas songs--like the classic "Let It Snow! Let It Snow! Let It Snow!" It has a great romance between Bruce Willis and Bonnie Bedelia, two people who only see each other at the beginning and end of the movie, and yet grow more in love with each passing moment.  It's got a villain even more unforgiving than Ebenezer Scrooge--played to perfection by Alan Rickman... and lots and lots of bullets.  I'm a boy, and boys like things that blow up.  I chose Die Hard because I wanted to pick a movie that my father and son would also enjoy, and wouldn't mind watching year after year.  A boy Christmas movie.

I've watched it on video tape and now on DVD, and I guess pretty soon I'll be watching on Blue Ray.  I've watched it with my father, my son, my wife, my friends, and in the lean years I have had to watch it alone.  But the lean years don't seem so lean when I pull it out of the jewel case and pop it into the DVD player.  Watching Die Hard is my one Christmas tradition, and I love Christmas.  Merry Christmas... now, let's go blow something up!

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Visit E's Blog at http://vanlowe.blogspot.com/

Also be sure to check out his new E-Book available December 23^rd, I Want You Back!

Find out more about it at http://evanlowe.com/iwantyouback.html

Thanks

Jill

25GoC: Sarah Quigley + Fun Contest

Memorable Christmases
By: Sarah B. Quigley

1976: I crawled up to the tree and attempted to snack on the needles.

1979: The Tina the Ballerina Barbie Doll (complete with crown embedded into her skull) appeared under the Christmas tree, as did a Cookie Monster comforter. This is the first Christmas I have any real memory of.

1982: I saw E.T. in theaters seven times that year. I also experienced my first musical obsession in the form of Michael Jackson’s Thriller album. Imagine my delight when Santa gave me an album in which the Gloved One sings about E.T. and narrates the film.

1986: My family and I drove thirty miles to a church that had a live, outdoor nativity, complete with sheep and goats. Sounds like a great idea, right? Not when you live in Minnesota and it’s -12 degrees outside. A doll was used for baby Jesus since no parent in his or her right mind would subject an infant to such insane weather. We watched it from our car.

1989: I received a pair of Guess? jeans and was officially cool. Not. See http://sarahquigley.com/blog/?p=828 for more details.

1993: To my great surprise, I began dating the super-hot Norwegian exchange student my senior year. We said “I love you” for the first time on Christmas Day.

1995: Now a college sophomore, I’d long ago kissed Mr. Norway and another boyfriend good-bye. However, the latter dude phoned me on Christmas to say hi, and we got back together when the new semester started. It didn’t end up working out the second time around, either, but I’ll never forget the excitement and promise of that phone call.

1999: Not a fun one. I spent it at my grandma’s. One of my relatives was going through a personal crisis, and we were all a little nervous about Y2K. Oh, and I was engaged and spending the holiday apart from my man. Snow, sadness, and solitude.

2000: Now a married lady, I celebrated with my in-laws, an open-your-presents-Christmas-Eve type of family. Christmas morning was eerily odd, with everyone just eating cereal and reading the paper as if it were any other morning.

2007: My husband and I always traveled to see our families for the holidays, but I was eight months pregnant this year. For the first time, we got our own Christmas tree. We didn’t have any ornaments, so we threw an ornament-making party and invited all our friends. Best. Party. Ever.

2008: It was my daughter’s first Christmas, our first Christmas as a new little family. I cooked all kinds of special food, and we went out for a windy walk in the afternoon.

2009: My first Christmas as a published author!

Who knows what the coming years will bring…
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Thanks for sharing Sarah! I hope this year is just as lovely. 

Sarah has very graciously contributed one of her famous, self-designed, hand-crocheted nosewarmers!

+1 comment
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Wishing you many blessings this Christmas,

Jill

25GoC: Marlene Perez + Super Generous Contest!

This Christmas
by Marlene Perez

I’ll confess now. I am bending the rules a little (as usual.) I was asked to post about a favorite Christmas memory, but I wanted to talk about this Christmas, a holiday that may not be so bright for many people.

I am the youngest of twelve children. When my mother was pregnant with me, she divorced my father and began the overwhelming task of raising her children as a single mother. I’ve read about other people who lived in poverty as children, who’ve they didn’t know they were poor growing up. I did. I knew that there just wasn’t enough to go around, not enough money, not enough clothes, and sometimes, not enough food.

My mother worked miracles, though. She always had a huge garden, so we had fresh vegetables in the spring and summer and her canned goods in the winter. I remember my mother working non-stop in a hot kitchen canning vegetables and fruit, which would help to tide us over during the hard winter months. There was always food in the cupboard and my mother knew how to stretch a dollar with her family depression recipes, but I still remember wondering if there would still be enough for everyone next week or next month.

Today, too many parents are wondering how to find a job, how to keep their house, and how to feed their children. The economic downturn has everyone worried. Articles I’ve been reading say that kids aren’t asking for toys this year as much as they’re asking for things like food and socks.  I realize that times are tight for everyone this year and people are cutting back, but if you can, please stop by a food bank and donate a can or two.

http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2009/11/26/national/main5790135.shtml (article lists several food banks)

http://www.salon.com/news/feature/2009/03/16/turse/index.html (lists several food banks)

http://feedingamerica.org/

http://www.friendlycenter.org/

Or donate to the Marine Toys for Tots Foundation, Spark of Love, or the Salvation Army Angel Tree.

http://www.toysfortots.org/

http://www.calfund.org/give/giving_sparkoflove.php

http://www.salvationarmyusa.org/

Here are a couple of my favorite holiday songs, which I hope will get you into the spirit of giving.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8jEnTSQStGE Do They Know It’s Christmas by Band Aid

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WUCbZhIfQbA This is Christmas (War is Over) by John Lennon

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=B2-rhtOKvCc Dig That Crazy Santa Claus by Brian Setzer
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And in the spirit of giving, Marlene has kindly donated 2 copies of THE COMEBACK and 3 copies of UNEXPECTED DEVELOPMENT!

To enter comment below!

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open to U.S and Canada

Happy Holidays!

Jill

25GoC: C.K. Kelly Martin + contest

Christmas 1993: Faraway & So Close
By: C.K. Kelly Martin

I’ve been thinking about this Christmas post for awhile – about what I want to say about the holiday. Mostly I spend Christmas in Canada with family – exchanging cards and gifts, eating turkey and all the things that go along with it, watching classic (and not so classic) Christmas movies, and generally taking it easy. But recently I started thinking about a Christmas I spent in Dublin, far from family, way back in 1993.

I’d been living in Ireland on and off since graduating from university in1992 but 1993 was going to be my first Christmas away from home. I was working in a video store (a job that paid peanuts but which I loved) called Xtra-Vision, in a part of Dublin named Ranelagh, at the time. Our branch was going to be closed on Christmas Day but the Rathmines branch (only about a twenty minute walk away) would be open and they were looking for people from other branches to come in and help man the store for the day – double time pay.  

I didn’t think I wanted to work Christmas Day, regardless of the fact that my roommate and best friend was going to be out of town and that I had no real clue how else I’d spent my day. And then a friend who was part of the Dublin comedy circuit very thoughtfully asked if I wanted to spend Christmas with him and his family. Yes, I did, thanks very much!

In Ireland they have a name for people from other places who are living in the Emerald Isle, they call them blow-ins. Most of my close friends at the time happened to be other blow-ins. One was from Australia and had an amazing singing voice; another was a Kiwi and gave some of the best advice I’ve ever received. The three of us arranged to spend Christmas Eve hanging out at my flat. My friends stayed until about four in the morning and I can’t remember what we ate or what we talked about but I do remember thinking that hanging out with Louise and Michele was the absolute best was to spend Christmas Eve in Dublin. I didn’t feel far from home. I didn’t feel lonely. I felt like I was in the right place at the right time with the right people. 

The next day, Christmas itself, I spent with my comedy friend and his parents and siblings (who I’d never met before but quickly found to be lovely, generous people) eating turkey and handfuls of Cadbury Roses chocolate and playing Trivial Pursuit. And all of that was completely perfect too – a true Irish family Christmas. I slept over at his sister and her husband’s house that night and the next day (Stephen’s Day in Ireland and what we call Boxing Day in Canada) I went back to my job at Xtra-Vision, grateful that I’d had a family to spend Christmas with rather than earning double-time doling out videos at the Xtra-Vision in Rathmines.

I hope I thanked Ian, Michele and Louise at the time but guys, I still remember and I’m going to send you a link to this. Thank you for making my Christmas back in 1993!

To end this off and complete the flashback, I want to include a U2 song that was top of the charts in Ireland for most of December 1993 - Stay (Faraway & So Close):

******

 

Ms. Martin has so graciously donated a prize pack for one lucky winner. The
giveaway will be for a signed paperback of I Know It's Over, a signed hardcover of One Lonely Degree and a Lighter Side of Life and Death journal (picture to the right)

Open to U.S. and Canada only

Closes Dec.25^th

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Thanks so much

Jill

25GoC: Jan Blazanin + Contest

My Dog’s Ten Favorite Things About Winter
By: Jan Blazanin

I’m not a fan of Iowa winters. If I could abolish snow, frigid winds, and freezing rain, I would be a happy woman. So I’m turning this blog over to my three dogs: Brewster, Gizmo, and Sassy. My lhaso apso Brewster is going on 14. He’s earned the right to be a couch potato. Gizmo, my 6-year-old Pekingese, loves howling randomly and chasing chipmunks.  Sassy, a 3-year-old Maltese-lhaso apso mix, is a running, jumping, licking champion. She’s also a registered coward.

In the interest of fairness, I asked my cats Sebastian and Raggedy Andy to contribute to this blog. They ignored me. So here are

My Dogs’ Ten Favorite Things About Winter:

10.       Gizmo and Sassy both spoke up for ice-skating on the driveway. (When you have four feet and your legs are six inches long, falling is not an issue.)

9.         All three dogs are fans of the long tummy rubs and unlimited snuggling that come when you’re snowed in with humans. (Confession—I enjoy snuggling, too.)

8.         Sassy mentioned digging up and eating frozen objects of unknown origin. (Since she also eats yellow snow, please ignore her dining suggestions.)

7.         One of Gizmo’s favorite winter pastimes is stalking mice that are tunneling under the snow toward the bird feeders. (He would prefer not to discuss his capture rate.)

6.         Gizmo and Sassy both like chasing snowballs, but they can’t figure out why the pesky things disappear when they land.

5.         All three dogs love being rubbed down with a warm towel after they’ve been playing in the snow. (It feels especially good when the snowballs on their fur are dissolved with warm water.)

4.         After the rubdown and rinse, Sassy runs all through the house, stirs every creature, rolls on all the furniture, and knocks the throw pillows off the sofa. (Hey, it’s a ritual!)

3.         Brewster’s favorite way to spend a winter evening is by sleeping on the hearth by a crackling fire. Sassy’s favorite way to spend a winter morning is by camping out on the heat vent in my bathroom. (Her belly is toasty warm. I’m freezing.)

2.         Gizmo and Sassy both recommend burrowing under the covers beside a nice, warm human being. (They find it especially satisfying if they’ve just run through the pet door from outdoors and their feet are caked with ice.)

1.         But of all the wonders of winter, all three dogs agreed that the very best thing is eating turkey leftovers—the more, the merrier. (Even the cats opened their eyes for that one!)

The dogs also asked me to mention their favorite holiday songs.

Brewster’s favorite is “Silent Night” performed WITHOUT words or music. (He needs his beauty rest.)

Gizmo loves Alvin and the Chipmunks singing “Christmas Don’t Be Late.” (He suspects that easy living has made them slow runners.)

Sassy adores “Barking Dogs Jingle Bells.” (What’s not to like?)

            From left to right we have Gizmo (with the black muzzle), Sassy, Mike (the human) and Brewster. All of them just came in from playing in the snow after the blizzard.

           
Jan Blazanin has so kindly contributed 2 copies of her book Fairest of Them All for 2 lucky winners! AND each winner will also win a fabulous bookmark made by Jan herself!

I reviewed Fairest of Them All HERE and made a book trailer for it HERE if you’re interested)

As always the contest is open to U.S. only and closes on the 25^th.

+1 comment w/ email

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Thanks so much and Happy Holidays!

25GoC: Sarah Darer Littman + Contest for ARC

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win an ARC of Sarah's latest novel, LIFE, AFTER by commenting on this post

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thanks so much!

Jill

Elise @ Reading Rocks (+forgotten contest)

What Christmas is to Me
By: Elise from Reading Rocks

Christmas carols dance in my ears
Festive colors ornament the stores

Sparkling eyes and pink faces from the cold

Bring forth the kindness

That seems lost

Smiles from strangers

Gifts for friends

Warm hugs from people who care

Is true magic at work

It’s the holiday season

A time to enjoy the little things

Sparkling lights

Tradition

The smell of cookies

Traveling through a book

It’s a time for joy

A time for hope

A time to breathe

And a time to celebrate

It’s Christmas

Here's a sweet song that shows the true that comes forth in people during Christmas time

Make sure to check out Elise’s blog at http://www.readingrocks4me.blogspot.com/

Also, I made a mistake and forgot to include it the first time but scroll down to Janette Rallison’s post to win a copy of How to take the Ex out of Ex-Boyfriend.

Thanks so much.

Jill

25GoC: Janette Rallison + contest

Most Memorable Christmas
By: Janette Rallison

I have plenty of nice Christmas memories: The time a bus full of strangers all sang Christmas carols together for no other reason than it was Christmas Eve. The time my family delivered Christmas presents to a family in need. After we left the presents on the porch and doorbell ditched the house, we watched their little children come outside and search the sky for Santa Claus. I’ve forgotten most of the presents I received over the years, but I remember laying in the living room every year, lights off, just enjoying the glow of the Christmas tree.



Perhaps my most memorable Christmas is the one that happened after my mother died of cancer. I was about six. I say about, because I don’t know the date my mother died. I remember the day. It was a Saturday morning, but I can’t tell you what time of year it was. I’ve purposely not asked and not looked at any documents that would tell me. It’s not an anniversary I want to note on the calendar every year.


My father said we weren’t going to have a Christmas tree that year. He just couldn’t do a big Christmas. I can imagine how overwhelmed he felt, alone with four children to raise—and in all likelihood he was angry at God for taking his wife. At least, I would be. Still, at six years old, I had perfect faith that we would have a Christmas tree. Christmas trees were part of Christmas, and Christmas was coming.


We did end up getting a tree. I remember, perfectly preserved the way some memories are, the pastor of our church showing up at our house and taking the tree inside. “I know what you said about not getting a tree this year,” he told my father. “But I had to bring one. If it’s okay, I’ll set it up.”


How could my father say no? Four children were suddenly jumping around the living room with glee. Or at least I was.


We got presents too. Once a night, sometimes twice, the doorbell rang and a stack of presents would be on our doorstep. We never caught anyone, but we figured it was members of the church.


It wasn’t that we were poor. My father could afford to buy us the presents that we wanted. But it was still a Christmas miracle. Because it meant people remembered, that they were thinking of us, that they cared.


This year I’m super busy. I’m behind on a writing deadline, my husband is out of town, and I have five kids to shop for. The dishes in the sink never end, the library books are overdue, and it’s been so long since my dog had a haircut that she looks like the abominable snow dog. It would be easy for me to rush through this season, but I think this quote from Dieter F. Uchtdorf sums it up: In the end, the number of prayers we say may contribute to our happiness, but the number of prayers we answer may be of even greater importance.


This year, be the answer to someone’s prayers.


Merry Christmas!

Janette Rallison

Find a little magic. Read My Fair Godmother
www.janetterallison.com/
www.janette-rallison.blogspot.com/

________________________________________________________________

I made a mistake and forgot to include it the first time but comment on this post to win a copy of How to take the Ex out of Ex-Boyfriend.

+1 comment w/ email
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+1 post about 25GoC somewhere and leave the link
U.S. only
closes the 25th

thanks so much.

Jill

25GoC: Sara Bennett Wealer

My Favorite Choral Christmas Pieces

By: Sara Bennett Wealer

Some of my best memories are of singing in choir—especially at Christmas, when there’s so much beautiful music to be performed and enjoyed. Those memories are a big reason why I put my debut novel, RIVAL (HarperTeen, Winter 2011), in a choral setting. My main characters, Brooke and Kathryn, are enemies and opposites, but they share a love of music. I’d like to share that love with you, along with some of my favorite choral Christmas pieces.  Maybe you’ll find some new favorites for your holiday playlist.

1. In The Bleak Midwinter

This song just seems to capture the mystery, simplicity and even the melancholy of Christmas. I especially love this particular arrangement.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=K-9yB6t8Vl4

2. Biebl’s Ave Maria

I don’t think a more beautiful piece of music exists, and this version gives a nice feel for the way the two choirs answer each other. There’s a lot of repetition, so if you’re in a hurry listen to  1:35 and then skip to 4:39. As a soprano, I can tell you there’s nothing more glorious than singing that final “Amen.”

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kV7l0uqOD_8

3. The Wassail Song

It’s a classic, and this arrangement is a blast to sing. Here, it’s done by an all-male group. So much fun--and you’ve got to love the “Glee”-esque show choir!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dKrMfc5XdhY

4. What Sweeter Music?

I had this song performed at my December wedding. I just love the melody and what it has to say about the true meaning of Christmas. 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1ucVQSJunR4

5. For Unto Us a Child is Born

Of course, I had to include Handel’s Messiah! You’ve probably heard this song all over the place, but I’m a purist—must have the real deal. And it’s so much fun singing those long vocal runs!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MS3vpAWW2Zc

6. Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas

OK, so it’s not a choral piece, but this rendition by Tori Amos is just amazing, and it sums up my wish for all of you. Have yourself a merry, happy holiday, however you celebrate it!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QfdnRSrFD8Q

BIO

Sara Bennett Wealer grew up in Manhattan, Kansas (the “Little Apple”), where she sang with the show choir and wrote for her high school newspaper. She majored in voice at the University of Kansas before deciding she had no business trying to make a career as an opera singer and transferred to journalism school.

Sara now lives in Cincinnati with her husband and two daughters. She still sings when her schedule allows—most recently with the official chorus of the Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra. Her debut novel, RIVAL, will be released by HarperTeen in 2011.

Blog:  http://sbennettwealer.livejournal.com/

Website: http://www.sarabennettwealer.com/

Twitter: http://twitter.com/sbennettwealer

25GoC: Samira Armin Hodges

So with a name like Samira Armin, you’ve probably already guessed that my heritage may not be one that typically celebrates Christmas. Thankfully, when my family moved to Canada many moons ago (when I was but 5 years old), they witnessed the wonder of Christmas and attemped to adapt these traditions at home. So for years now, even though I’m of no religious preference, I have celebrated this fantastic holiday and have taken part in all the festivities with much happiness. Sounds great, right? Truly, it has been.
With one tiny exception.

Since my parents were from a foreign country, they sort of “winged” the concept of Christmas at our house, thinking they had it all figured out. How hard could it be, right? It wasn’t until I married my husband (hence the Hodges at the end of my name) that I witnessed what a REAL North American Christmas is actually supposed to be like….and thus figured out how awkward and funny my Christmas experiences have been so far. So without further delay, I give you the top 10 reasons why you should have spent at least one Christmas with me growing up.

10- Instead of turkey, stuffing and all the traditional fixings, we had an imitation dinner which usually involved some ethnic variation including rice, meatballs and stew. It was the same, only way, way different.

9- We left our stockings empty. We never quite understood the purpose of stockings and for the longest time, thought they were purely decorative. What (of value) could possibly fit into a stocking? Presents had to be BIG.

8- Santa existed but not in the way you would think. Presents were addressed from people such as “Mommy Santa” and “Daddy Santa” and “Auntie Santa” and “Doggie Santa”….It wasn’t hard to figure out who they were actually from.
7- No cookies for Santa. But always, always cookies for us!
6- Our Christmas tree was a project eagerly taken on by my mother who didn’t like the idea of “multiple colors”. So she stuck with one color theme per year. My favourite was the year of the gold. God forbid somebody would want to add a different ornament to the tree. Nocando. It would just have to wait until the year it would match the rest of the tree. Let’s just say our trees were very (very) flashy.
5- We didn’t actually know the words to Christmas songs or carols. We knew the tunes though! So we happily sang our own versions which were sometimes as lame as “Jingle Bells! Jingle Bells! Jingle Jingle Bells! La la la la la lala lal la la Jingle Bells!”
4- Christmas movies. Yes, even we couldn’t screw that up. Back when I was a kid, we used to love watching “All I want for Christmas”. Have you seen this movie? It’s rather old but so very cute and sweet. It’s about two kids who try to get their divorced parents back together for the holidays.
3- We played “hide the present”. Turns out, we got Easter and Christmas mixed up.
2- We had no clue what mistletoes were. Usually, they would be decorating our house in the most random places (you know, like the bathroom).
1- Since we were Canadian, we also always had a white Christmas which would mean (you know it!), an unusual Christmas snowman. Instead of coal and carrots, think cucumbers and prunes.

Thanks for having me Jill!

____________________________________________
Anytime Samira! Thanks for stopping by! Your holidays sound very festive and full of love and very very very unique!

I hope you have a very Merry Christmas this year (though I'm very doubtful that you'll get a White Christmas here in Texas...)

Make sure to check out all the contests going on all month long and keep checking in daily for more festive guests!

Thanks so much!

Jill