Christmas Focus with Jillian Hart

Please help me welcome back Jillian Hart to talk about Christmas. Its been really good getting to know Jillian this year and if you like Love Inspired Historicals come to http://www.goodreads.com and join the LIH group and join in the fun we have there.

Would love here in the comments what your favourite Christmas movies are or if you have seen any good ones this year so you can share the titles with us.

1. Firstly thanks for coming back to my blog as we are focus on christmas.
What do you most associate with Christmas where you live?
 
Thanks so much for having me back, Jenny. : ) I grew up in western Washington state about an hour east of Seattle, where it is green all the time and where rich evergreen trees line the Cascade Mountain range and the foothills. It can snow, but I only remember a few white Christmases. To quote a local favorite song, “Christmas in the northwest is a gift God wrapped in green.” Maybe that is why I love Christmas trees so much. One of my very favorite parts of celebrating Christmas is putting up and decorating the tree. All those soft lights and ornaments and lovely evergreen boughs.  The smell of pine. 

2. Do you have any special family traditions you do at Christmas time?
 
My birthday is in December, so when I was young my family always put up the tree on my birthday. I still do.  It is a lovely way to celebrate and kick-start the season. My mother would make Christmas cookies and I would help her decorate them. The house would be bustling with secrets until Christmas Eve when we could each open just one present, and my brother and I took a lot of time deciding which one it would be. In the morning Santa brought more festively wrapped gifts and we would have a family gathering full of merriment, great food and lots of carols--both my mom and I play piano so the day was full of music and singing.

3. Do you have a favourite Christmas Carol and if so do you know why? 
 
It’s a tie between "O Holy Night" and Amy Grant’s "Grown-Up Christmas List." Both songs say exactly how I feel about Christmas.
(Jenny here I love O Holy Night its such a special song)
4. If you could spend Christmas anyway you could how would you celebrate?
 
Spending it in Maui sounds nice . (sounds good to me too)

5. Do you have any special memories of Christmas?
 
One of my favourite memories is sitting at the piano singing Christmas carols and hymns with my family circled around. We would do that for hours and hours on Christmas day.

6. What is a typical Christmas eve and or Christmas day for you.
 
Christmas Eve is usually a lasagna dinner (my mom has a great recipe that has become tradition). Lots of fun making it, everyone in the kitchen, Christmas music blaring and of course, singing along (I’m usually off-key). It’s A Wonderful Life is the movie of choice that night and then off to the candlelight service. Christmas is relaxed, fun, full of good things to eat--Christmas cookies, pie, a ham dinner midday, presents to open, Christmas music and more holiday movies.  (sounds good this year I am going to be watching quite a few Christmas movies.)

7. Do you have any Christmas movies or Christmas books you like to see or read each year?
 
I am a confessed Christmas movie junky. Right now Hallmark’s Meet the Santas and ABC Family’s Snowglobe are my favourites. It’s a Wonderful Life is a yearly must see. Every year I record every Christmas movie I can find on tv and then watch them one after another every weekend in December, knitting away on my couch. I have the tree lights on to make it extra festive. Other favourites: Bill Murray’s Scrooged, The Christmas Visitor, The Christmas Box, The Christmas Shoes, The Christmas Wish and the Hallmark Channel’s The Ultimate Gift
(Oh I saw Meet the Santas last week nice movie. haven't seen ABC Family's Snowglobe but now I want to.)
8. Do you have a Christmas message for my readers? 
 
It’s a busy and hectic time of year, but there is so much beauty in the Christmas season. I hope you can take a moment and let that beauty touch you deep, heart and soul.
 
Thank you so much, Jenny. It is an honour to be on your blog, my friend.
(Thanks you Jillian I have loved getting to know you and read your books)


Jillian can be found at http://www.jillianhart.net 
Below are two of Jillian's books the second is the January release.





His Holiday Bride
Book #3
Autumn's story
October 2010Bity-city sheriffs don't belong in tiny Wild Horse, Wyoming. At least that's what rancher Autumn Granger thinks when handsome Ford Sherman sweeps into town and sets his sights on her. A country cowgirl, she can't possibly be his match. Like most newcomers, he'll eventually get restless with small-town life and leave it--and her--behind. But when rustlers attack her family's ranch, Ford helps her protect Granger territory. She finds herself hoping that he really is in Wild Horse to stay. Could her holiday wish of a happily ever after with this handsome lawman come true? 

His Country Girl
January 2011
Love Inspired
Book #4 in the Granger Family Ranch Series
Tucker's story
A Child's Wish
To fulfill a sick boy's wish, rodeo star Tucker Granger surprises little Owen in the hospital. But no one is more surprised than single mother Sierra Baker. She figures the carefree champion for a different kind of man. One whodoesn't spend hours talking "cowboy code" with a hospital-bound child. One who can't have her dreaming of a second chance at love. Somehow, Tucker ropes her heart and fills it with hope. Hope that this country girl and her son can lasso the roaming bronc rider into their family forever.

Focus on Christmas with Penny Zeller with a giveaway

Please welcome Penny Zeller to my blog today to talk about Christmas. I read Penny's book McKenzie and loved it. 

Firstly thanks for coming to my blog to focus on christmas. 

Thank you so much for having me here, Jenny! 

1. What do you most associate with Christmas where you live? 

I love Christmas – it’s my favorite holiday! I most associate Christmas with Christ’s birth. God came to earth as a baby so that He could later die on the Cross for the salvation of mankind. Sadly, I’ve seen over the years how Christmas has become so commercialized. It’s our family’s goal to always remember – and celebrate – even in all the fun activities and memories - that Jesus is the real reason for the season.

2. Do you have any special family traditions you do at Christmas time?

 We love creating memories, especially at Christmastime. Years ago, my husband and I started three fun traditions with our children that we look forward to each Christmas season, in addition to attending Christmas Eve services at church. Each year…

We go “Lighting.” Everyone snuggles into their pajamas, then we head out in the car for a drive around town and a night of enjoying the creativity of those who use Christmas lights to decorate their houses. We then grab a bite to eat – since we’re in our PJs, we go through the drive-thru of course!

(Jenny Here we go looking at the lights also but not always bundled up although this year its cold)

Our second fun tradition is that our girls exchange “Gag Gifts.” These are presents that appear to be normal to the unsuspecting eye (and are wrapped beautifully), but inside contain wacky gifts, such as an empty milk jug for the daughter who loves milk or an old avocado seed for the daughter who detests avocados! We capture these hilarious moments on film and laugh about these gifts for months afterward.

Finally, our third yearly tradition takes place on Christmas night. We watch Christmas movies (The Nativity Story, etc.) and for dinner we eat popcorn, crackers with spray cheese, and other fun junk food items. My husband found some large football-shaped plates from the dollar store that we use only on this special night. Our daughters have commented that we are the “coolest” parents because we allow them to have an all-you-can-eat Christmas dinner with nothing nutritious!

  

3. Do you have a favourite christmas Carol and if so do you know why?

 I have two favorite Christmas carols.J “Little Town of Bethlehem” and “What Child Is This.” I can’t remember a time when I didn’t love listening to the music and taking in the words and their meanings of those beautiful songs. Now that my oldest daughter is taking piano lessons, I enjoy them even more when her little fingers play the notes and she and my younger daughter join their voices to sing.

4. If you could spend Christmas anyway you could how would you celebrate?

 A dream Christmas for me would be to spend it in the mountains in a cabin (a cabin with all the modern amenities, mind you! *grins*) with my family. There would be a fireplace and the snow would be coming down outside making for the perfect white Christmas. We would spend time with the Lord and take turns reading in the Bible the treasured story of Jesus’ birth as we lounge by the fireplace in our pajamas. We would sing Christmas carols and make some sugar cookies with thick red and green frosting and sprinkles. Later, we would venture outside to go sledding, to watch the wildlife, or to have a snowball fight before returning inside for some hot chocolate with marshmallows. In a nutshell, anywhere I am with my husband and two daughters is the perfect Christmas to me. J

( Jenny Here can I come join you it sounds cool in more ways than one.)

5. Do you have any special memories of Christmas? 

When I was a little girl we would climb into the car and drive the short distance down a dirt road to my grandma and grandpa (Nanie and Papa’s) house. My entire extended family lived within a two-hour’s drive so we would all meet at Nanie and Papa’s each year on Christmas Eve. Their house was so small, but there was something special about 20-some people cramming into their living room and enjoying each other’s company. Before dinner, Nanie made prayer cards for each one of us grandchildren and we would read from them when we prayed before our meal. The littlest grandchild at the time always said “amen” and I remember there being no place to walk in the kitchen and dining room because the table was so long to accommodate everyone and took up the entire space! Still, those were fond memories and ones I wouldn’t trade for anything!

6. What is a typical Christmas eve and or Christmas day for you.

 On Christmas Eve, we relax and enjoy each other’s company before heading to the Christmas Eve candlelight services at our church. If it has snowed, we sometimes venture out to build a snowman. On Christmas Day, my husband sets out a special unwrapped present for each one of his “girls” on the couch so it’s the first thing we see when we walk up the stairs. We then open presents before I whip up a mean batch of pancakes. All of our relatives live in other states, so we take turns calling them and wishing them a Merry Christmas. Later, we read from the Bible then watch a movie with our nutritious dinner (see question number two!)

7. Do you have any Christmas movies or Christmas books you like to see or read each year? 

Our family loves to watch “The Nativity Story”. Another movie we enjoy is “The Christmas Card” and “Christmas Child.” As for books, we always read the account of Jesus’ birth, usually from the Book of Luke.

(Jenny here again I do like the Christmas Card and Christmas Child I have bought both of them.)

8. Do you have a Christmas message for my readers?

 My message would be first and foremost to always remember Christ in Christmas. I would also like to encourage your readers to be on the lookout for someone who might be alone this time of year and to reach out to them and maybe even invite them to your home to celebrate Christmas with your family. We’ve done this before and it’s amazing how others can be blessed through this gesture.

(Jenny here Penny thanks for mentioning people who are alone as it really does mean alot be be asked)

Thank you so much for having me here, Jenny! Merry Christmas everyone and may the Lord bless you and keep you safe as we venture in to the New Year!

I love to hear from my readers and can be found on the web at www.pennyzeller.com (website)

www.pennyzeller.wordpress.com (my humor blog – a Day in the Life of a Wife, Mom, and Author)

http://www.facebook.com/pages/Penny-A-Zeller/96391560959?ref=ts (Facebook)

http://twitter.com/pennyzeller (Twitter)

Penny is offering one reader the chance to own McKenzie  and to enter tell us How you would like to spend Christmas. leave a way to contact you in your comment and with Christmas this week I will extend the dead line to Dec 31 6pm aussie time.

McKenzie

McKenzie (Whitaker House) is a Christian fiction historical romance and the first in a series of three in the Montana Skies Series. Release date: September 1, 2010

Read on for a synopsis of this touching and heartwarming novel:

"Desperate times call for desperate measures" is the reasoning that prompts McKenzie Worthington, a young lady of Boston’s high society, to respond to an ad for a mail-order bride for a man in the Montana Territory. McKenzie is desperate, after all, to save her beloved younger sister, Kaydie, from her evil, abusive husband, who robs banks for a living. And so, it is with reckless determination that McKenzie runs away from the comforts of home and hearth to head West and meet her new husband—whom she’ll divorce, of course, after she rescues her sister.

"Desperate times call for desperate measures" is the reasoning that also prompts Zachary Sawyer, a rugged rancher after God’s own heart, to post an ad for a mail-order bride in various newspapers across the country. Managing a ranch and caring for his adoptive son, Davey, has become more than one man can handle alone, and Zach prays for God to send him a wife with whom to build a life and share his dreams.

When McKenzie arrives at Zach’s ranch, she immediately puts her plan in motion, searching for her sister and doing all she can to keep her new husband from forming an attachment. But his persistent kindness and significant self-sacrifices begin to change her heart—and ruin her plans. God has a way of working things out to the good of those who love Him, though, as McKenzie will soon see.

Kaydie (Book #2 in the Montana Skies Series ~ Whitaker House)

For the first time in years, Kaydie Worthington Kraemer can breathe easily. Although she is still haunted by memories of her abusive husband, Darius, she takes comfort in knowing the man is dead. Staying with her sister McKenzie and brother-in-law Zach Sawyer at their ranch, Kaydie is still wary of men, especially now that she has another life inside of her to guard. As she looks forward to her baby’s birth, she builds a protective wall around herself that won’t be easy to tear down.

 

Ranch hand Jonah Dickenson views his boss, Zach, like a brother. He does not, however, envy Zach’s new role as a husband. Deserted by his mother at a young age and forever despised and rejected by his own father, Jonah has few close relationships. But there’s something about Kaydie that draws him to her and makes him question his decision to remain a bachelor. When Cedric Van Aulst, an old friend of Kaydie’s, comes to town, an unforeseen prospect of marriage arises. Cedric is someone Kaydie trusts. Will she settle for a safe union with him, or can she trust God to guard her heart and her life in the arms of Jonah?

77 Ways Your Family Can Make A Difference (Beacon Hill Press)

(from back cover)

Serving others - loving them the way we love ourselves - is the heartbeat of the Christian faith. As parents, we want to instill this virtue in our children, but simply telling our kids to love their neighbors isn't enough - they need to see and experience love in action.

Packed with 77 suggestions and activities designed to serve the different needs of people in your community, this fun and insightful book will help you cultivate love and compassion in your kids as you discover ways your family can make the world a better place by impacting the lives of others.

This practical and easy-to-use book includes:

• Creative activities that can be adapted to fit your unique family
• Service ideas for a variety of budgets
• Bible verses tohelp children connect God's truth to their lives
• Interactive discussion questions to help your family understand the importance of each activity and correlate it to God's Word

Focus on Christmas with Carla Capshaw

Please welcome Carla Capshaw to my blog today to talk about Christmas. I am loving hearing about others memories and traditions. (The pickle story has me intrigued). Thanks Carla for stopping by. Carla will be popping in today so if you would like to leave her a message I am sure she would appreciate it. Maybe post one of your Christmas Traditions.

1. Firstly thanks for coming back to my blog as we are focus on christmas.

What do you most associate with Christmas where you live?

***White sand?  Nah, just kidding.  Jesus is what I most associate with

Christmas.  He is the reason why the Christmas season is my favorite time

of year.  I mean, what other time of the year can you walk down the mall

and hear celebrations and praise to the Lord?

2. Do you have any special family traditions you do at Christmas time?

***Well, I go a little crazy at Christmas so we do just about every>

tradition there is.  :-)  When my son was younger, I wanted to introduce

him to Christmas traditions from around the world.  So, we have Christmas

crackers from the UK, nativities from Italy and we do a rendition of the

pickle ornament search from Germany to name a few.

(Jenny Here we call the crackers bonbons but didn't know they were from England)

3. Do you have a favourite christmas Carol and if so do you know why?

***O Holy Night.  It's just beautiful and sums up the whole special time

to me. My favorite version is sung by Michael Crawford.

(Jenny again love Michael Crawfords singing too)

4. If you could spend Christmas anyway you could how would you

celebrate?

***I'm so blessed because our celebration at home is exactly how I love it

and would want to spend Christmas every year.  On Christmas Eve we go to

church for a candlelighting service and carols.  Then all my siblings and

their families, my son and I meet at our parents' house.  We have a huge

party where everybody gets all their favorite treats, we open our

presents from each other and the kids search for the German pickle

ornaments in an elaborate "pickle" hunt that takes them all over house and

yard.  They each have to find their own pickle, but the first one done is

declared the "pickle" winner for the year.  On Christmas morning, we have

a more intimate time with our individual families, open more presents and

have homemade cinnamon rolls for breakfast.  In the afternoon, we all meet

up again and have Christmas dinner together.  After dinner, we all do

whatever we want.  The kids play with their new toys, we watch Christmas

movies and round everything off with our favorite dessert.

5. Do you have any Christmas movies or Christmas books you like to see

or read each year?

***My favorite is A Christmas Carol. I love the movie version with Patrick

Stewart as Scrooge the best.  I watch it every year in the first week or

so of December.  It really kicks off the season for me.  :-)  I love A

Christmas Carol so much that when I get done with my current book, The

Champion, I'm going to start a new trilogy based (very) loosely on it in

the new year.

6. Do you have a Christmas message for my readers?

I wish each of you peace, love, joy and the happiest of hearts filled with

the love of Jesus.

Happy reading and Merry Christmas!

Carla Capshaw
www.carlacapshaw.com


These three books of Carla's would make great christmas gifts.

Danger and intrigue follow Elise Cooper wherever she goes. Surviving on her wits and her faith, Elise, code named the Fox, is the most elusive patriot spy in South Carolina.  When a double agent threatens to turn Elise over to the British, she fights for her life and makes a narrow escape...

But when Drake Amberly, fifth duke of Hawk Haven, learns of his brother's death and the failed investigation to find the spy who shot him, he heads for America determined to see the murderous brigand brought to justice.  Once in Charles Town, he follows the Fox's trail to Brixton Hall Plantation where he meets Elise Cooper.  As Drake tracks the Fox, he and Elise fall deeply in love. Once they wed, everything seems idyllic, until a trap he sets for the Fox exposes his beloved as his sworn enemy, forcing him to choose between his quest for vengeance or the traitorous wife whose love and faith may prove to be his downfall or The Duke's Redemption. 

Set in ancient Rome, Caros Viriathos is an ex-gladiator who has everything except inner peace. When he buys Christian slave girl, Pelonia, on a whim, he never expects her or her faith to turn his life upside down and win his heart.

Rome, 81 AD - Former merchant turned slave and gladiator trainee, Quintus Ambustus will do almost anything to earn his freedom. Enslaved for his faith in Christ, he hopes someday to find a Christian woman to marry and share his life. A friend of Quintus's master, Adiona Leonia is one of wealthiest, most beautiful women in Rome. She has good reason to despise men and has vowed never to wed. Although each of them is attracted to the other, they're determined to fight their feelings. But when an attacker threatens Adiona's life and Quintus is made her protector, neither can resist their fascination for the other. As Adiona learns to trust, first Quintus, and then his God, Quintus learns the Lord's gifts sometimes come in the most unexpected packages and in ways he never dreamed possible.

Focus on Christmas with Regina Andrews

Please welcome Regina Andrews to my blog to today for focus on Christmas. I have gotten to know Regina after her book was featured on the ACFW book loop. Thanks Regina for taking the time to be with us today.

1. Firstly thanks for coming back to my blog as we are focus on christmas.

What do you most associate with Christmas where you live?

Christmas in New England is filled with tradition, snow, sentimentality, sending Christmas cards and religious services.  Many times families and friends will go door-to-door, singing Christmas carols.

2. Do you have any special family traditions you do at Christmas time?

Yes, we all get together for a buffet on Christmas Eve, and then attend Midnight Mass together.  On Christmas morning, we wake up and race downstairs to put the turkey in the oven and see the gifts Santa has left for us all. Then we have  a big breakfast and go for a walk to see our neighbors, particularly the ones who might not have a lot of family in the area. After that, it's back to my house! My family and I prepare a Christmas feast, and everyone starts arriving around 1pm. The visiting and feasting winds down around 9pm, and then we go next door to my sister's for dessert. She makes sugarplums and mince pie tarts, yum, and we toast with champagne. Then we go home and collapse!
3. Do you have a favourite christmas Carol and if so do you know why? 

I Love "O Holy Night." It is so reverent, and so moving I cry every time :-.  Tears of joy, though!
4. If you could spend Christmas anyway you could how would you celebrate?

Well, my first answer would be to have the power to give the world the gifts of peace in the world and no illness or loneliness. And I would send everyone a card, I love cards! Also, I would love to visit the Holy Land and go to Bethlehem and see where Jesus was born. But it's too filled with strife, which is very, very sad.
5. Do you have any special memories of Christmas?

I come from a very happy, loving family and our situation was very humble. I remember one year, when I was 4 or 5, we almost did not have Christmas at our house for some reason.  Looking back now, I'm sure the family was in dire financial straits.  But then,I had no clue. My parents, brother and sister and I all walked to church to say a prayer to God that we did not lose Christmas. I remember kneeling in the dimly-lit, candle-filled church, all of us together, praying. We were the only ones in the church. I felt the loving presence of God completely and I never forgot what that was like. The whole experience was magical. And yes, we did have Christmas.  (Jenny Here that is so cool and a wonderful memory to have)
6. What is a typical Christmas eve and or Christmas day for you. (see #2) :-)
 7. Do you have any Christmas movies or Christmas books you like to see or read each year?

Yes!  Every year we watch "It's a Wonderful Life", Miracle on 34th Street" and "The Sound of Music".

They still let me sit with them even though I cry too much, laugh to loud and sing along with every single song!
8. Do you have a Christmas message for my readers?

Happy Holidays to everyone, and I wish you all a healthy, peaceful, prosperous and joyous New Year!  Keep reading!  I love to hear from each and every one of you, you, so please visit me over and over again at : www.reginaandrews.com and www.rginaandrews.wordpress.com

And thank you, Jenny so much for having me here with you today. God bless you all.

Thank you and love,

Regina

Regina has a couple of books out which would make excellent christmas gifts.

From the chintz window treatments to the plush carpeting, Lisa Machon has carefully designed every detail of Innovations, her Newport, Rhode Island interior design firm. Control has been the objective in her personal life, too. Until she meets the dashing sailor Neil Lamont, a man who doesn't seem to have a care in the world. Little does she know that he is not as fancy-free as he appears. They are united only by their mutual affection for Countess Lamont, Neil’s mother, and destined to go to great lengths to bring her happiness. Through faith, will they see that Lord is really in control of our lives? And will faith open their hearts to their love for each other?

Haley Hawthorne is a successful Art Director at a high-powered greeting card company in Manhattan. Designer clothes and expensive material luxuries are what she uses to try and fill the emptiness inside -- but it wasn't always that way for her.
Orphaned at a young age, Haley was raised in rural Dunbar Falls by her Uncle Nelson amid pasture lands and a clear sense of the things that matter most in life, including her joyful relationship with God.
One day Aaron Carrier, her old friend from Dunbar Falls pays her a surprise visit to her office at Sterling Greeting Cards with devastating news about Uncle Nelson. When she returns home to Dunbar Falls, Haley is faced with a professional decision upon inheriting Uncle Nelson’s air-conditioning company. More than that, she faces a crossroads in her heart. It is a crisis of faith, of loyalty and of love.
What does God want her to do? Will she be able to return home to Dunbar Falls and all that it has meant for her? And will Aaron Carrier be more than a friend?

Focus on Christmas with Bruce Judisch

Please welcome back Bruce Judisch to my blog. Bruce is sharing some of his Christmas memories. I hope you will leave comments for Bruce. Would love to hear about others special Chrsitmas memories in the comments.

Thanks again for being on my blog today.

1. Firstly thanks for coming back to my blog as we are focus on christmas.
What do you most associate with Christmas where you live?

Geographically, warm weather. I’ve BBQ’d in shorts and a T-shirt here in San Antonio on Christmas in years past. I miss the seasons and, yes, sometimes the snow and ice, in Ohio where I grew up. But it’s nice to be able to visit the snow when I want to, and then leave it behind.

(Jenny here) We also have a warm Christmas quite often and BBQ is what alot of people will do for Christmas lunch.

2. Do you have any special family traditions you do at Christmas time?

When my children lived at home, we went to our church’s Christmas Eve service and then came home, lit a fire (turned down the air conditioning, if necessary—we were determined to have a fire!), had cheese, meat and fruit snacks and sang carols. Sometimes the kids would open one gift on Christmas Eve, and then go to bed.

3. Do you have a favourite christmas Carol and if so do you know why? 

I love almost all of them. “O Holy Night” became the most poignant carol for me when I lived in Berlin, Germany, in 1989. The Berlin Wall had fallen in November, and when we began singing Yuletide carols at the chapel, the third verse of “O Holy Night,” leaped off the hymnal page: “And in His name all oppression shall cease.”

(Jenny again)  Wow that would be so awesome, I too love O Holy Night.

4. If you could spend Christmas anyway you could how would you celebrate?

In Heaven at Christ’s return. I don’t know if we’ll celebrate His incarnation in the Hereafter, but it’s momentous for a Christian that God would send His son to live and die for us. I want to thank Him in whatever way I’m able for that Christmas. Maybe once; maybe a bunch of times. I hope a bunch of times.

5. Do you have any special memories of Christmas?

Oh, my goodness—a bazillion! I’ve already mentioned the Berlin Christmas. When I was growing up in Ohio, we would attend our church’s candlelight service. I remember trying to make it home with the candle from the service still burning so we could light the candles in our house from it. The weather often made that quite a challenge, but more often than not we were successful by tucking the small flame beneath a coat while making a mad dash for the car in the wind and snow. Fun!

6. What is a typical Christmas eve and or Christmas day for you.

That is changing, now that our children have families of their own. My son, his wife, and their five children still try to make it down from Oklahoma for the Christmas Season. My older daughter and her husband with their five children live closer, so that’s easier. My younger daughter, husband, and three children live in Alabama, so that’s more difficult for them to make it home. We anticipate doing more of the traveling ourselves when the grandkids become older and our kids want to establish their own traditions at home—which is only right. We hope to be part of those traditions.

7. Do you have any Christmas movies or Christmas books you like to see or read each year?

“White Christmas” and “Miracle on 34^th Street” are a must. We watch the plethora of cartoons—The Grinch, Charlie Brown, The Polar Express, etc.—when the grandkids visit.

(Jenny again) I will be watching The Polar Express tomorrow night. I do like Miracle on 34th street. I wish we got more of the older movies on tv here.

8. Do you have a Christmas message for my readers?

As tiresome as the message has become for some, it’s still essential that we focus on the fact that it’s Christ’s birthday and that He should get the attention. The first thing to ruin Christmas is the stress of overbuying gifts for everybody but Him—and we all do it. We r-e-a-l-l-y aren’t going to enjoy Christmas until He take center stage.

(Jenny again) I do agree the stress does ruin Christmas, so many forget Christmas is more than gifts and food. 

You can find Bruce at www.brucejudisch.com or www.brucejudisch.blogspot.com

Also for a good gift check out Katia.

A spirited American exchange student. A sixty-year-old invalid. An enigmatic Berlin gentleman. A riveting Cold War secret. "Seek the truth, embrace the pain, cherish the freedom." Spunky Maddy McAllister, a twenty-one-year-old exchange student in Berlin, Germany, has a journalism career to launch. Stalwart Katia Mahler, a sixty-year-old invalid from the former East Berlin, has a story to tell. Enigmatic Oskar Schultmann brings together the journalist and the storyteller. Maddy's task: to document Katia's story. Cultures and generations clash as the young American and the German matron strive to understand each other's present and past. Maddy learns more than a personal history; Katia receives more than a memoir. And always in the background is Oskar, who is drawn into the story in ways he never intended. Peek over the Berlin Wall as Katia's story comes to life through the scribbled notes of a girl struggling to grasp the significance of what she has written for her own life as well as for future generations. By the author of the beloved A Prophet's Tale Series: The Journey Begun, Book One, and The Word Fulfilled, Two Book.