Welcome to Friday Reads!
You can enter to win a print copy of The Wish Book Christmas by Lynn Austin, courtesy of the publisher. (US ONLY) You can enter by using the Rafflecopter link at the bottom of this post. (Contest ends October 29, 2021.) Click To TweetIf you’re the chosen winner, I’ll contact you for your information to pass along.
About the book…
From the bestselling author of If I Were You comes a nostalgic and endearing holiday story that reminds us that sometimes the most meaningful gifts are the ones we least expect and don’t deserve.
Best friends Audrey Barrett and Eve Dawson are looking forward to celebrating Christmas in postwar America, thrilled at the prospect of starting new traditions with their five-year-old sons. But when the 1951 Sears Christmas Wish Book arrives and the boys start obsessing over every toy in it, Audrey and Eve realize they must first teach them the true significance of the holiday. They begin by helping Bobby and Harry plan gifts of encouragement and service for those in their community, starting by walking an elderly neighbor’s yellow Lab—since a dog topped the boys’ wish list for Santa. In the charming tale that follows, Audrey and Eve are surprised to find their own hearts healing from the tragedies of war and opening to the possibility of forgiveness and new love.
Five Ways to Bring Back the Nostalgia of Christmas
by Lynn Austin
The Christmas season always seems to race by so quickly year after year, doesn’t it? We gaze at Christmases in the past with nostalgia and wish our holiday could be the way it used to be. My Christmas novella, The Wish Book Christmas, takes place in 1951, and I had a lot of fun paging through the Sears Wish Book from that year and seeing the toys and decorations from a simpler time. If you would like to slow down and bring back some old-fashioned charm this holiday season, here are a few ideas to help you:
1. Traditions—What are some traditions from your childhood that you haven’t done for a while? It might be preparing a special meal or the treats Grandma always baked, or maybe a beloved ritual from your ancestors’ country of origin. My husband’s Dutch ancestors put wooden shoes on their doorstep with carrots for St. Nicholas’s horse, hoping to find presents in exchange the next morning. My German ancestors hid a pickle-shaped ornament in the Christmas tree, and the first person to find it on Christmas morning received a special treat. We use traditional recipes to bake Dutch almond cookies and German snowdrop cookies every year. If you know the true stories of some of your ancestors, turn off the TV, get out the photo album, and gather around to share them with the next generation over mugs of hot chocolate.
2. Homemade—When I think about Christmases in the past, I always think of homemade gifts. In many cases, such as during the Great Depression, they were the only gifts that were affordable. The labor and love that went into them made them extra special. As a mom and a grandma, my favorite presents are always the craft projects my kids create. Doing those projects together becomes a special tradition when the whole family gets involved. None of us has time to make gifts for everyone on our list, but why not start a tradition of making one or two homemade ones for someone special each year? It’s easy and thoughtful to put together a homemade gift basket with individual, personalized items, such as a book they would enjoy. And why not add homemade treats or create homemade gift tags or bookmarks to go with those books?
3. Decorations—Some of us spend hours decorating our homes for Christmas, but decorations were much simpler in the past and usually homemade. Get the whole family involved in cutting out paper snowflakes, making gingerbread men, or stringing popcorn and cranberries to decorate the tree. And don’t worry if they aren’t perfect. It’s the time we spend creating them with our loved ones that makes them beautiful. Most of us have pre-lit, artificial trees nowadays, but one way to bring back the nostalgia of the past is to buy a real Christmas tree. Scented candles can’t compete with the aroma of a real tree or fresh evergreen boughs. If you’re lucky enough to have decorations from your childhood, it’s fun to share your memories of them as you trim the tree—and maybe play some vintage songs like “White Christmas,” “I Saw Mommy Kissing Santa Claus,” or “Frosty the Snowman.” You can also buy remakes of vintage decorations such as those fun, candle-shaped bubble lights.
4. Slow Down—Christmas in the past was slower-paced and simpler in many ways, and we can re-create that atmosphere by making a deliberate decision to slow down and enjoy the season. An advent calendar, especially one with Bible verses, helps us take time to savor the days before Christmas morning. Reading a Christmas devotional does the same thing and reminds us of what the holiday is really about. Set aside an evening or two to turn off the gadgets and gather with your loved ones to play games. Before the electronic age, families used to read stories aloud instead of watching movies or TV specials. So buy your family some matching pajamas, pop some popcorn, and snuggle up to read holiday classics such as How the Grinch Stole Christmas, The Polar Express, “Twas the Night before Christmas,” “The Gift of the Magi,” or A Christmas Carol. If someone can play the piano or a guitar, have a family sing-along of all your favorite carols. It can be hard to slow down and simplify, so one year I asked my family to list the top three things we absolutely had to include in our Christmas celebrations. I pooled all their answers, then eliminated several things that didn’t make the lists. We ended up with free time to do the things that we all enjoyed and I felt less pressure to create the perfect, Hallmark Christmas.
5. The Nativity—Christmas celebrations in the past always centered around the birth of Jesus. It’s still the best way to bring back the spirit of Christmas year after year. It’s one of our holiest seasons, so joining with our church family to celebrate is important. At home, our family’s favorite tradition is to set up our manger scene together and display it in a prominent place. We divide up the figurines and read the story of Jesus’ birth aloud from the Bible, letting each person add their figures to the scene at the appropriate time. I bought an inexpensive set when my children were little so they could handle the pieces and retell the story on their own. It’s a little chipped and worn after nearly forty years but we still use that same, beloved crèche.
Because God gave us the gift of His Son at Christmas, we return His love and honor that gift when we remember to serve and give to others. There are many wonderful charities to choose from, such as filling shoeboxes for Samaritan’s Purse, buying gifts for prisoners’ families through Prison Fellowship Angel Tree, or choosing farm animals from the World Vision catalog. There are also food pantries and local charities where we can volunteer our time. The important thing is to take the emphasis off our to-do lists and the commercialism that tries to hijack the holiday and ask ourselves, “How can I shine Christ’s light this Christmas season?”
My review…
| I have fond memories of looking at a similar Christmas catalog as a child, so I was excited to check this book out.
This is a lovely book to get you in the mood for the upcoming Christmas season. (I realize I’m reading and reviewing this book in June, but it’s never too early for holiday stories!) It’s a sequel to Austin’s book If I Were You, but it makes sense as a standalone. This book takes place in the US, years after WWII ends. Reading the books in order will allow the reader to have a greater appreciation for the characters. Audrey and Eve, as well as their sons Bobby and Harry, are realistic and relatable characters. The women are just trying to find their way and set up their lives in a new location. Both are dealing with various personal issues that will likely resonate with readers. Everything takes place against the backdrop of the upcoming Christmas season. Vivid detailing transports the reader to winter in New England. You can almost see the twinkling lights! Austin adds in wonderful takeaway messages, such as the true meaning of Christmas and the important of family and friends. Their is a romance angle, but it’s not overwhelming, thankfully. The conclusion wrapped things up nicely, making this a quick, charming holiday read. Disclaimer: I received a complimentary copy, but I wasn’t required to leave a positive review |
About Lynn…
Lynn Austin has sold more than one and a half million copies of her books worldwide. A former teacher who now writes and speaks full-time, she has won eight Christy Awards for her historical fiction and was one of the first inductees into the Christy Award Hall of Fame. One of her novels, Hidden Places, was made into a Hallmark Channel Original Movie. Lynn and her husband have three grown children and make their home in western Michigan. Visit her online at lynnaustin.org
Rules for giveaway can be found here.
I love Christmas. I love the decorations. Having family get togethers and the fact everyone is just always in a good mood and happy.
I agree! It’s my favorite holiday, by far. Good luck, Beth!
I love Christmas, but Valentine’s Day is my favorite holiday. I have wonderful memories of folding down the corners of the pages of things I was wishing for for Christmas. Excited to read this!
Ah, yes… folding down the corners ? I used to circle things, too. Good luck Peggy!
Christmas has always been my favorite holiday, and what I love best is the music.
I agree! The music is wonderful. And I love the lights, too ? Good luck, Roxanne.
Christmas is my favorite holiday because this holiday brings out the best in so many people. People seem happier and more generous.
You are correct! I have noticed that, as well, and it’s one of the reasons it’s my favorite season. It’s just filled with hope in so many ways. Good luck, Danielle!
My favorite holiday is Thanksgiving. I love going to church, feeding the whole family and enjoying the day of thankfulness before the busyness of Christmas starts.
I really enjoy Thanksgiving, too. I used to really enjoy them with a large family gathering when I was younger. Good luck, Carla!
Christmas. More people think about Jesus then.
Amen! Good luck, Joan.
I love both Thanksgiving and Christmas because extended family is gathered, and I get to connect with family members I haven’t seen for awhile.
That’s wonderful! Good luck, Elizabeth.
I really enjoy the music during the celebration of Jesus Birth. And there is a huge birthday cake at our Bible Study
I love the music, as well. That’s a wonderful tradition with the birthday cake. Good luck, Eva.
This is awesome! Excited to read Lynn Austin’s book!
Good luck, Jillian!
I love Christmas but not the commercialism. I love celebrating Jesus birth with friends and family. The food and the family altogether. And we have a big family!
Good point about the commercialism. Jesus is the reason! Good luck, Carol.
Christmas is my favorite holiday. I love to make and give gifts.
That’s wonderful. Good luck, Vivian.
Difficult question – probably Thanksgiving, as it is less commercialized than some others. More about food and fellowship.
Cathy, so true. I don’t like how it always seems to be rushed along to move on to Christmas (starting right about now, in fact). Good luck!
I love Christmas because my family and I spend it together doing low-key activities together—eating, drinking, opening gifts, watching movies, and building new Lego sets. It makes me happy to see my kids enjoying their gifts.
Sounds lovely, Esther! Good luck.
I look forward to reading this book by Lynn Austin. I enjoyed the story, If I Were You, and am looking forward to learning more about Eve and Audrey and their boys. Also, I automatically become nostalgic when looking at the book cover for, The Wishbook Christmas. I does remind me of simpler times. Lynn’s article posted here is also a good reminder. We used to fill shoeboxes for Samaritan’s purse each year. It might be too late to do that for this year but I’ll have to research to know for sure. If it’s too late for that, we’ll find another tradition we let slide and start it again.
Tammi, I think you’ll really enjoy it. We have done the shoeboxes, as well. It may not be too late for this year. Good luck!
My favorite holiday is Christmas because we get to celebrate the most important birthday of all…Jesus! I love our quiet family day filled with a special church service, good food, Christmas movies and pumpkin pie for dessert. It’s a time of reflection and remembering why we celebrate.
I love that cover on Lynn’s book and the story sounds really good. Thank you for the giveaway chance Leslie!
Amen! It sounds like you have a lovely tradition. Good luck, Trixi!
It’s my favorite time of year, too. The world seems just a little more beautiful and peaceful this time of year. I loved reading everyone’s comments. Thanks for sharing!
You’re very welcome.
Thanks so much for stopping by, Lynn! All the best with your wonderful book.