Laura Haley-McNeil

11/11/18, Christmas Decorations

Hello, Everyone!

As we begin the countdown toward Christmas, your list expands with things to complete before the holidays. Most important is when to pull out those Christmas decorations—the day after Thanksgiving or the week before Christmas? Some celebrants are extravagant while others keep the celebration simple. I have a few friends who decorate every room in their house as well as install scenes depicting Christmas outside their house.

I can remember as a child when my mother would pack all six of us kids in the car and drive through the wealthy neighborhoods to look at the decorations. I’m sure it was to calm us down from our Christmas anxiety. One of my favorite Christmas scenes was an ice rink with a pirouetting skater. Next to her was a poor lad who struggled to his feet only to land face first onto the ice. I could’ve watched that scene for hours.

In my Christmas story, Christmas Kiss, part of the ‘Tis the Season Christmas anthology, my heroine Vera Yeager, has lost her job and has returned to her grandmother’s South Carolina house to celebrate the holidays. She wants to get in the holiday spirit and what better way to do that than to buy a tree at the corner lot, drag it home and decorate it with her grandmother’s antique Christmas decorations? Placing the Christmas angel on top of the tree proves a little more challenging for an acrophobic, but she grits her teeth and grabs the stool from the kitchen. Holding the angel, she reaches for the top of the tree. Once the tree is decorated, she can enjoy the holiday by sitting in front of the fire and cuddling her dog Coco.

That was the plan—until an uninvited guest named Darroch Winters storms into the house.

That’s when the Christmas sparks fly.

However you celebrate the holidays, whether staying at home, visiting family and friends or taking a much needed end of the year vacation, I hope your holiday is wonderful and that you spend it making cherished memories and can be with those you love.

I hope your week is fabulous and filled with wonderful things that make you smile!

Love,

Laura