My Favorite Christmassy Things Giveaway–12 Authors


CW - My Favorite Christmassy Things (7) (1)

CW - My Favorite Christmassy Things (7) (2)

I’m excited to participate with these other amazing authors in a Favorite Christmassy Things giveaway.

I get to talk about My Favorite Christmas Tree.

It was be easier to describe my least favorite tree. I think my siblings would agree with me that the year our parents decided to purchase a white aluminum tree and the rotating color wheel to turn the ghastly thing into alternating red, green, and blue shiny aluminum fake branches, we all groaned.

Or maybe it was the tree a few years ago that lost all its needles–all of them–before Christmas. Poor, pathetic, not-even-fit-for-Charlie-Brown tree.

Or the year I jokingly put one lone ornament on a wooden tree because after a series of family disasters, it seemed to express the energy level I had for Christmas decorating.

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My husband and I have had tiny little Christmas trees sitting up high to keep them away from inquisitive toddlers and massive trees that scraped the ceiling and blocked everyone’s view of the holiday football games.

We volunteered one of the pine trees growing on our property to friends from church who owned an A-frame house. They hung the tree upside down, with the narrow “top” brushing the carpet and its trunk high in the vaulted ceiling. A conversation piece.

For many years, we grew our own Christmas trees on our few acres. Planted, waited, waited some more, until finally they were tall enough to serve the honored role. We tromp through the snow and cut our own tree, which usually also meant working hard to hide the bare spots when decorating. Homegrown, hand-cut, and free.

Ours, but not one of the trees mentioned in this story!

Ours, but not one of the trees mentioned in this story!

Once I purchased dozens of tiny stuffed bears dressed like angels with which to decorate the tree. After a few years of enjoying that kid-friendly look, my college-age daughter and I removed the angel outfits from the bears and hand-knit tiny little wool scarves and sweaters for the bears.

But possibly my favorite tree is the one that started out rather ordinary. Mid-celebration on Christmas day, my husband asked me to leave the family room and not come back in until he called for me. When I returned, the entire tree was bursting with deep red roses. He’d placed them among the branches so their beautiful blossoms looked like layered silk ornaments.

This from a man who normally considers roses a ridiculous waste of money.

That year, part of his gift to me was extravagance. And it left an unforgettable impression.

Walking into the family room to discover a tree covered in extravagance reminded me that all of Christmas is a celebration of the extravagant love of God to send His Son to us.

What was your favorite Christmas tree? Tell me your story in a short comment below to be entered in an ADDITIONAL giveaway–from my heart to yours. It’s a sweet little Christmas ornament that will remind readers about the story Miles from Where We Started.

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Don’t forget to comment with your Favorite Christmas Tree story.

Be sure to visit each stop on this My Favorite Christmassy Things journey so you don’t miss the fabulous daily giveaways!

Dec 10: Catherine West – Welcome to My Favorite Christmassy Things

Dec 10: Cynthia Ruchti – My Favorite Christmas Tree

Dec 11:  Tamara Leigh – My Favorite Christmas Carol

Dec 12: Lauren K. Denton – My Favorite Christmas Disaster

Dec 13: Ronie Kendig – My Favorite Christmas Movie

Dec 14: Jody Hedlund – My Favorite Christmas Food

Dec 15: Elizabeth Byler Younts – My Favorite Christmas Ornament

Dec 16: Beth K. Vogt – My Favorite Christmas Decoration

Dec 17: Rachel Linden – My Favorite Christmas Service

Dec 18: Courtney Walsh – My Favorite Christmas Memory

Dec 19: Rachel Hauck – My Favorite Christmas Book

Dec 20: Susan Meissner – My Favorite Christmas Vacation

Dec 21: Catherine J. West – My Favorite Christmas Gift

Enter by midnight on 12/21/18 USA Eastern time! Winners will be drawn on 12/22/18 and posted on Catherine West’s site.

Drawing open to US addresses ONLY, with apologies to our international readers.

Major Prizes:

1st: All 12 Print Novels
2nd: $50 Amazon gift card and $20 Starbucks Gift Card
3rd: $50 Amazon gift card

 

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