What are you doing to keep sane this holiday season?

I couldn't resist writing about this topic today.

After all, we're almost to Thanksgiving, and then the real fun begins!

During the holidays, do you spend time reading a good book, or are you more likely to be racing around the stores for the best buys?

Do you shop online to avoid the rush?

Are you a Scrooge?

Do you love to decorate and spend time in the evening sipping hot cocoa by the fire?



As I thought about the things I do every Christmas season, I was actually surprised at some of the more worthy traditions our family has incorporated, many of which ease the stress of the holidays.

1. Reading children's Christmas books together. I have the opportunity to be with 2 of my 4 grandchildren every Christmas because they live with me. So that means I have ample time to read at night before bed or during the day.

2. I also invite my grandchildren to decorate the tree with me. I play Christmas music and enjoy the excitement that only children can bring.

3. We ususally take a drive and see the Christmas lights, stopping afterward to get scones and hot chocolate at a nearby country store. Unfortunately, this year there will be a little bit of stress choosing another location since our favorite place has closed down.



4. Some of the more practical things I do to turn down the volume, is to wrap my gifts and place them under the Christmas tree right after I've purchased them, rather than spending hours wrapping them on Christmas Eve. 

5. I also choose one Christmas book I'd like to read during the month of December and make sure I get throughit before December 25. This year the book is O Little Town by Don Reid of the Statler Brothers.



What do you do to keep sane?

What are some of your holiday traditions?

I would love to hear!

Kathryn

THANKFUL THURSDAY

HAPPY THANKSGIVING!!

I hope you're eating turkey!

Happy Thanksgiving!

Are you breathing yet?

Thanksgiving,

It's only two days away.

Are you feeling the rush yet?

Wondering how you'll get through it

and then on to Christmas?

Stop.

Right now.

Wait.

Do you hear it? 

No, not your kids.

Not the ticking of the heater.

Your heart.

It's still beating.

And it's time for you to 

listen.

Do you hear it?

What is it telling you?

FRIDAY FLICKS: One is a Feast for Mouse by Judy Cox

Get the book at Amazon

The Thankful Writer: Christian Indie Authors Thanksgiving Hop CONTEST!

ENTER THE CONTEST BELOW!

It's easy to be thankful as a writer, isn't it?

We get positive feedback for our work, spend time doing what we love, learn about people and places through research, and even, dare I say it? Get a grand opportunity to sign our books.

But do we sometimes forget?

Among our pile of rejection letters, evil comments on Amazon, and yes, even those signings where we sit there all alone, there is room to give thanks.

For the paper we use. The writing utensils, whether they be computer or pen. The time to write. The places we are given the opportunity to write in.

And so today, and since it is a mighty fine day to give thanks for the Christian Indie Authors
Thanksgiving Hop...

www.booklybooks.com/thanksgivinghop

I want to give thanks to God for the blessings of writing.
Because without God, I couldn't be thankful for anything.

WHAT ARE YOU THANKFUL FOR?

I WILL CHOOSE ONE LUCKY READER WHO COMMENTS ON THIS POST

TO RECEIVE

THIS BOOK!

Giving Thanks for Your Writing

Thanksgiving is fast approaching, and before you think that I'm all ready for Christmas (you may have seen a few of my posts promoting my book signings) allow me to clarify.

I LOVE Christmas!

But I also LOVE Thanksgiving.

Photo by: basykes, courtesy of Flickr

When did you begin writing?

From a class assignment that you loved and writing has been with you ever since?

When you began your journal as a teenager?

As a child? Can you still see yourself sharing stories with your friends, maybe even getting them to believe they really happened?

When you first fell in love with ink on paper?

When you fell in love with reading and said to yourself, "I could write like this!"

Whatever sparked in you the desire to write, think about it now...

Photo by: PhotoGraham, courtesy of Flickr

For me, it wasn't until after I married that I developed a real interest in writing, though I'd been a journal writer and reader for years. And I suppose the idea to write struck me at that time because I was pregnant with my first child and feeling pretty sick.

Suffice it to say I didn't just get morning sickness.

I remember that day because, as I sat on my couch with my legs propped up to take down the swelling, I thought about the real meaning of being pregnant; with all of the aches and pains there were also many joys and I just had to get my feelings down on paper.

The story, when finished, was titled, "Weebles Wabble."

I don't know what I think about that title today, (okay, it's pretty strange) but then, it was like a spark of light had entered the room. I was on my way.

What about you?

Early Thanksgiving

My husband and I are putting together an early Thanksgiving again this year. That means my children and their children will be coming. We will be without my oldest, of course, but I wanted to let you in on a little secret that began two years ago when my oldest daughter was in town.

It doesn't matter the day that you hold Thanksgiving, what matters is getting as many people together as possible.

This year we've gathered the standard fare: turkey, stuffing, mashed potatoes and rolls, as well as a couple of other dishes my family loves; dad's cranberry salad and yams.

We are also filling out a "I'm thankful for" paper that we'll discuss at the dinner table. After dinner we'll be taping our voices in a book called, "Twas the Night Before Christmas." You may have heard of it. :) I thought it would be nice to get all of our voices on tape reading the story. We'll send the story off to my oldest daughter and her family before December hits.



My oldest daughter, Aimee, with Bekah and Elmo.
We celebrated Thanksgiving and Christmas in the same month: November

I'm always hoping that all of my children and their families will be able to join us for our early Thanksgiving--there's another one on Thanksgiving Day with the whole crew--but until then, I love to spend the time with those who can make it.

What are some of your holiday traditions and fare? I'd love to hear about them.

Kathryn

Happy Thanksgiving!

I wasn't planning on writing today; things are so busy. But it so happens that I actually have some time. Thanksgiving isn't at my house and my husband made the cranberry salad we are taking, and so I am left with some wonderful time to write.

If you read my blog yesterday, you're aware of what I am thankful for as a writer. I think it's important that we celebrate Thanksgiving, not only to remember what we are thankful for as a writer but to reflect on the great opportunity it is to spend time with friends and loved ones.

There's a lot of negativity out there about the "pains" of getting together with loved ones especially at Thanksgiving. We may not get along with one or more of our relatives, we may find that we are at a loss for words in a large group that we see only once or twice a year, we may even feel as if we've somehow been made to feel invisible or unappreciated; whatever we feel, however, we need to remember that the end result really is about love.

We gather together not just because we have to, but because we want to. We want to know what Uncle Fred is doing in his life now, what Aunt Jane is doing in her new business; we want to see how big the children have gotten and what the varying families are doing for Christmas. We want to be a part of something memorable.

Thanksgiving connects us, and makes us better people because of what we have learned from those who love us best. What would we do without them?

Family portrait at my daughter's wedding in 2008
(You may see someone familiar in the upper left hand corner)

And so, this Thanksgiving, I give love and thanks to all those I love. Without my family I wouldn't be where I am today. Thank you!