Hey everyone-

The manuscript is complete on Christmas – Can you wait?, my book on Christmas traditions and my thoughts about Christmas.

Here is a few snippets and what you will find.

(Just last night I drove nearly 2 hours to see lights!)

Table Of Contents

1. The Reason For The Season
   Can you wait? Here it is the 14th of November and we had some snowflakes in the air while my granddaughter and I checked out lights, ornaments, and well, yes, we BOUGHT SOME CHRISTMAS DECORATIONS! We cooked a 30 pound turkey for a fellowship meal and I baked an 8 pound ham for dinner. The house smelled wonderful and it needed some color!
2. Ornaments
   When I was young one of the great times surrounding Christmas was the pulling out of the ornaments.Each Christmas season, my folks would gather up the boxes of ornaments, decorations and Christmas gear from the basement and bring them upstairs.
3. Trees
   My first memory of a Christmas tree is in East Haven Connecticut in my parent’s home. A small living room with a picture window, and there in the middle was our Christmas tree. With lights bigger than my tiny hands and ornaments and tinsel, I was enthralled. I would sit in the living room and watch the lights glow from our couch.
4. Lights
   My kids and friends will tell you I am the king of lights. I love lights. Especially Christmas lights. Big ones, small ones, flashing and dancing ones. I will sit with my children and grandchildren and watch videos of outrageous light displays of flashing Christmas lights and crazy music because I think they are that cool!
5. Family
   I would struggle with Christmas without family. That was not true every year but for the last 20 plus years it has been.Whenever I think about Christmas I always think about my family. It was my family who introduced me to everything Christmas. My parents loved Christmas. My grandparents would often come down and visit for Christmas in the few years I had with them before they both died.
6. Kids
   If you approach Christmas like an adult a lot of it is not going to make much sense or have any meaning. (I am like the little kid who can’t sleep in the commercial, because I am too excited!)
7. Friends
   I think perhaps one of the things that evokes the best memories in my personal life is the celebrating of Christmas with friends. Even now as an adult each year my wife and I invite people over for the Christmas holiday. We attend a church fellowship where many people put on parties and celebrate Christmas.
8. Snow
   Let’s be really truthful here. Even if you hate snow, a little Christmas snow just makes the world a nicer place! (In New England we consider it “landscaping”.)
9. Movies
   At first I wasn’t going to even include this, but sometimes movies are just the vehicle someone needs. (Hey, Hallmark started on November 1st with its Countdown to Christmas!)
10. Music
    What would Christmas be without music?Whether it is hand bell concerts, chorales or the ringing of a single bell by a Salvation Army kettle, there is something about music that adds to the atmosphere of Christmas. Christmas orchestras, choir concerts and caroling all increase the spirit of the Christmas season.
11. Food
    This last week my wife bought me my first egg nog of the season. I had my first glass last night. It was the first holiday food of the season. Tonight I am eating bread putting.
12. Toys
    Everyone loves toys. Especially children, of course. Christmas is one of those special times and toys just add to the fun.
13. Gifts
    Christmas without gifts? Umm… Probably not!
14. Happiness
    One of the greatest things about the Christmas season is the air of happiness that surrounds it. It’s the spirit of happiness that begins to come forth in so many lives as the season progresses. Children laughing, people smiling and even friendliness begins to appear.
15. Running Around
    Visiting places.When I was a child, the holiday season always included a lot of events. I felt like we just went to a lot of places to be with a lot of cool people. There was always the church related events that my mom participated in whether it was choir sings or caroling, bake sales or pageants. My dad often had a couple of special events (like the Fireman’s Ball) that were related to the Christmas season and family. There was a lot of preparation that was necessary to get ready for the Christmas season and be a blessing to others.
16. Jesus
    When I was a child Jesus was not really talked about a whole lot. It wasn’t that my mom didn’t go to a church fellowship in the area. Not that He wasn’t there. I just never heard about Him unless my dad was yelling at one of us!
17. Santa Claus
    Who is this Santa Claus?If there is one thing that is divisive about Christmas it is probably Santa Claus. People develop all sorts of theories and understandings about whether or not we should tell our children about Santa Claus. What should we tell the kids? That it’s the biggest lie capitulated by the retail market? I’m just going to say that in my own life, Santa Claus is cool.
18. Vacation Time
    What would Christmas be without a little time off? What child does not look forward to the holiday season? As children we counted the days to when we would get out of school. (Pretty sure my grandchildren do the same thing.) Usually in our school system we would be released 2-3 days before the holiday itself. It was always great if Christmas fell on a Tuesday because you knew you were getting out on at least the Friday before. Usually you had a half day of school and nothing got done but Christmas parties, gift giving and Christmas cards. Being off for school was amazing.
19. Christmas Eve
    Christmas Eve was the time where you felt you were “coming in for a landing”. Everything had come down to the next few hours.
20. Christmas Day
    Christmas morning! Whoever was not awake soon would be.My family would tell you that I am the last to go to bed on any night and the first to get up. Even now I will be the first up. And Christmas? I am more excited than the children!
21. Well The Christmas Season Is Here
    As I was considering how to close this book, my thoughts turned to an article I wrote a number of years ago for a newspaper I owned. Some of it may be dated but I believe it is the best expression of my Christmas hopes for you, as you come to the end of this Christmas story.

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Yes, it is finished. Timing is everything! I thought I would have it done sooner, but life and God had greater thoughts. Plus the thoughts of a few friends and family and I have concluded something done properly is better.

Pre-buy today-what you will receive immediately is a PDF version of the completed manuscript. Hard copy.
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MERRY CHRISTMAS!
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