Welcome! Welcome! I’m absolutely giddy with excitement! (Is that redundant?) Who cares! It’s the first week of my bloggy Christmas!
I l-o-v-e Christmas. It’s so big! You transform your house, your food, your clothes (hopefully not to light-up sweaters!), your music and even your words! It’s more than just a holiday. Christmas makes every day things seem magical.
For me, it’s Christmas books. We always had a stack of Christmas books at home when I was little. I loved flipping through them because they seemed new since we only saw them once a year. As an adult, I’ve tried to collect those great Christmas stories and keep them for my family. A new classic I discovered a few years ago is Gideon’s Gift by Karen Kingsbury.
If you’ve ever read anything by Karen Kingsbury you know she’ll make you cry and then make you want to go out and change the world! Gideon’s Gift is a short little novella. Only 12 chapters–one for each of the 12 days of Christmas. (What a great idea! When are the 12 days of Christmas anyway?!) I don’t want to tell you what it’s about because it’s so good. OK, fine…basically, it’s about a little girl with cancer and a crotchety homeless man.
This book is a part of the Red Gloves series. In each book a pair of red gloves make a cameo as an important item in the book. Why red gloves? Red is, of course, a Christmas color but it also symbolizes Jesus’ blood. And it’s with our hands, that we get to serve others and show them Jesus’ love. And because of these books (there are 4 total) people have started Red Gloves service projects–just regular people collecting red gloves for the homeless, a family giving an anonymous present of red gloves and cookies to their neighbor, or a church giving red gloves as a gifts to the community! I love this! (Maybe Lydia and I should do that this year…collect them, not make them, of course.)
Now to the fun part– I’m giving away Gideon’s Gift to one lucky reader! All you have to do is leave me a comment and let me know your favorite Christmas book or story. (Because I’d love to find some more fun books!) I’ll randomly draw a winner…or will I draw a random winner? Anyway, on Friday, November 9th, I’ll announce the winner!
If you’d like an extra entry, just put my yummy oh! ho! ho! button on your blog somewhere and let me know!
Thanks so much for playing. I’ve got more fun stuff planned, so check back! And Happy oh! ho! ho! to you!
Lauren@Baseballs&Bows says
I am putting your button on my side bar right now.
Noralee says
My favorite Christmas movie is It’s A Wonderful Life.
Favorite book is God Came Near – first chapter- Max Lucado.
Would love to read Gideon’s Gift. The red glove thing is such a great idea!!
Linda C at 2nd Cup says
OH, please enter me. You might enjoy “The Best Christmas Pageant Ever.” It’s about a misfit family in a little church whose participation in the Christmas pageant raises all sorts of havoc. There is a deeper story to it, as well. It’s edifying and sweet.
Linda C at 2nd Cup says
Oh, I’m also putting your button on my sidebar!
Erin says
I can’t say I’ve ever really read much in the Christmas genre. Since now seems as good a time as any to start, I’d love an entry since I already put your button on my sidebar last week : ) Happy “oh, ho, ho-ing”
Laura @ Laura Williams' Musings says
My favorite book is a classic… A Christmas Carol by Charles Dickens.
I blogged ya: http://laurawilliamsmusings.blogspot.com/2007/11/monday-edition-of-contests-galore.html
Elizabeth says
Snoopy is always my favorite for every holiday.
Tiffanie says
I love the “Gift of the Magi” My mom would read that story to my brother and I every year. It brings back memories!
Rebecca says
What a fun idea to collect Christmas books to pull out during the holiday season. I’ll have to try and start that for my family. I can’t think of Christmas books that are my favorite right now but I do love White Christmas & It’s a Wonderful Life – classics. Oh and there’s another old classic that takes place during Christmas with Cary Grant in it but I can’t think of the title, it’s sweet though. Anyways, that book sounds wonderful. I haven’t heard of the red gloves series but I love the idea behind them and what people have been inspired to do. Oh and I put your button up on my blog.
To Know Him says
Please enter me… I love any story that tells the Christmas story (representations too). I like the “Crippled Lamb” story too. Thanks for the fun…
Lisa W says
I also love the Polar Express!
Merrie says
I love “All is Well” by Frank Peretti! It is one of my all time favorite classics and I re-read it often.
Jenna says
My mother has us sit down and watch White Christmas every year… we don’t really have a choice but it’s become a tradition that now when I’m not “home” enough at Christmas I want to pull it out and watch it even if she isn’t making us! (my husband watches very begrudgingly!!)…
I also love the play “The Eight Reindeer Monologues.” It’s very funny and takes a nice adult look at what these eight reindeer go through once a year…
Angela Willis says
The Polar Express is popular here in this household!
I put your button up on my contest blog :
http://contestaddict.blogspot.com/
Noreen says
you should laugh but every year in college I always read murder for christmas. A collection of short murder mysteries that some how dealt with x-mas. I miss that book, I did not haul it across the country when I graduated
Shannon **Gabi's Mom** says
Put me in please. I am reading one of her books now. As a kid, I honestly on read things like “How The Grinch Stole Christmas.”
Enter me twice since your button is on my blog. Okay?
Sweet Mummy says
I LOVE Christmas time, too! My favorite story, recently, is Skipping Christmas by John Grisham. It’s just a cute story that in the end really celebrates the spirit of Christmas in spite of the main characters trying NOT to.
Sweet Mummy says
I forgot to tell you that I put your button on my blog, too. (I tried to enter another comment a minute ago but something got hung up or something and it didn’t submit…). So, enter me twice, K?
Oh, and I can’t forget, “Amanda, you’re wonderful, you’re SO creative, and you’re beautiful!”
😉
Christina says
My favorite is a children’s book titled, The SHow Box written by Francine Rivers! Great story!!!
Courtney says
My fav Christmas Story is Meet Me in St. Louis.. it’s not entirely about Christmas but Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas comes from that movie. Either way it’s a great Judy Garland flick.
Crystal B says
My favorite Christmas story is The Night Before Christmas.
My favorite Christmas movie The Polar Express.
Val says
I don’t think anyone listed my favorite! It’s The Christmas Box by Richard Paul Evans. Sooooooo good. I need to read it again soon.
And I haven’t put up your button yet, but I’m going to right away. I’m so ashamed by that because I’m your biggest fan, a.
Caryn Bailey says
I used to love A Charlie Brown Christmas when I was a kid. It is soo cute.