Welcome to A Few of our Favorite (Christmas) Things blog hop (and giveaway!).
My favorite thing of this year is how launching this blog has helped me meet and become friends with so many bloggers and authors. One day this fall, one of those bloggers (Carrie!) and I were chatting and came up with this idea about a big Christmas blog hopping giveaway about what we love about Christmas. We found some friends, and here we are. I’m excited to get to know my friends a little better, and I hope you’ll comment on this post with your favorite Christmas things so I can get to know you better as well!
Today, you will find five posts published by five bloggers, each with a few words forming a sentence. Collect all of the words in order and submit them in the rafflecopter on the final blog by 11:59pm Eastern on December 18th. The grand prize is FIVE Kindle ebooks! One grand prize will be awarded (please see the disclosures page).
Blog Stop Order:
Stop #1: Kat’s Corner Books (Moi)
Stop #2: Faithfully Bookish
Stop #3: Bookworm Mama
Stop #4: Singing Librarian Books
Stop #5: Reading Is My Superpower
My Favorite Christmas Movie
I love Christmas movies. Hubs and I watch them all year around, honestly. Leaves falling from the trees? Christmas movie time. Tulips starting to bloom? Christmas movie time. 100 degrees outside and we’re sweltering in our non-air conditioned apartment? Christmas movie time (So I can imagine I’m in a blizzard).
Thus, we own several and I have so many I love, but ever since I was little, one in particular has owned my heart: Christmas in Connecticut. If you’re not familiar with this classic, it’s romantic story about a relationship entirely based on lies a misunderstanding. Barbara Stanwyck plays a food writer who doesn’t know how to cook and in order to save her career, brings “home” a soldier for Christmas. Hilarity ensues. The soldier is, of course, swoony, handsome, and loves babies, but is slightly disturbed by the fact that he’s falling in love with a married woman. But, as in all of Hallmark’s contemporary Christmas films, it all turns out ok in the end.
Cookies!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
I think many have Christmas memories/traditions revolving around baking/eating cookies. For me, Christmas cookies HAVE to come from a cookie press. It was a grand production when I was young and I loved watching the cookies take shape. I knew I was finally growing up when I was allowed to use the cookie press all by myself. Granted, the cookies never tasted that great (I’ve since learned to use a sugar cookie recipe not included in their recipe guide) but they looked sooooo pretty. We’d put green food coloring in for Christmas trees and wreaths, decorate with colored sprinkles, red “berries”, icing, or whatever we could find. Just pulling the press box out of storage makes me a little in awe. Behold the power of Christmas cookies.
My Favorite Christmas Music
Here’s another one that I partake of year around: Christmas music. (To all you grinches, I’m not listening!!!!) But my most favoritest Christmas music of all time is Point of Grace, A Christmas Story. My best friend and I were a bit obsessed with them for part of our lives, but this album is one that has continued a favorite into adulthood. It’s one of those albums that is orchestrated as a whole. The songs flow into each other and tell a story as you progress through the album, but are just as wonderful individually. And there’s no beating the orchestra composition behind the amazing vocal talent. The French Horns make my heart sing every time. Add to that, to me, this album means coming home. No matter where I am, if I have this album playing, I know I belong.
…and of course…
Books, books, and more books!!!!
Christmas isn’t Christmas without gorging Christmas stories. I do have some personal favorites, but there are many great ones. I will say that my most anticipated Christmas read this year was Melissa Tagg’s final installment of the Renwycke siblings, and it did not disappoint (if you haven’t read any of the three, you can also now get the full collection). I’ll be featuring several books throughout December, so check back often to see the highlights of this year. Also, follow me on Instagram for what #christmasreads I’m currently entranced with.
This year, I’m attempting a feat I’ve never accomplished before: reading ALL of Love Inspired’s Christmas books for this season. I’ll be posting later this month with how successful I am and a helpful guide of my opinions of which are not to miss and which might…be. I did not realize just how many books this entailed when I started with the idea and it’s proving difficult, but I am determined!
So, there you have it! Some of my favorite Christmas things. Now onto the clue for the giveaway. Remember to gather all of the clues and hop over to Reading is my Superpower to enter!
First set of words to collect: We all agree
For the second set of words to collect Hop over to Faithfully Bookish!
What are your favorite Christmas things????
Kat's Corner Books 
A fire in the fireplace, a cup of hot cocoa, a good book, dark chocolate, snuggles under a warm blanket
LikeLike
All of those sound absolutely wonderful!
LikeLike
My favorite Christmas movie is The Christmas Visitor. Our daughter went to her heavenly home at the age of 17. I could only imagine being able to talk to her again. I always cry but it’s a must see every year. I have such fond memories of baking cookies with my Mom at Christmas. We also made those with the cookie “gun”. 🙂
LikeLike
I haven’t heard of this movie. I’ll have to look it up. And a cookie gun? That sounds awesome.
LikeLike
My favorite Christmas movie is The Road to Christmas on Lifetime with Jennifer Grey.
LikeLike
Seems to me I’ve read a book with a similar plot, but I haven’t seen this movie. Sounds good.
LikeLike
Someone else just mentioned Christmas in Connecticut on FB lol – I’m going to have to check this one out! 😀
LikeLike
Uh, yeah. You are so behind the times! 😉
LikeLiked by 1 person
Apparently. LOL.
LikeLike
Thanks for the recommendation of the movie -I want to watch it!
LikeLike
I hope you enjoy!
LikeLike
I love the classics like Holiday Inn and White Christmas! I was raised on listening to Bing’s Christmas album on vinyl! Lol
LikeLike
I didn’t listen on vinyl, but I did on cd’s!
LikeLike
I never have learned how to use my cookie maker. I will try the sugar cookie recipe. Thank you for the tip. I don’t watch tv or go to the movies so I am behind on the movies. It was nice to meet you.
LikeLike
I’ve learned that you want a cookie recipe with no pieces in it (so no chocolate chips, etc.) and one the is on the firm/dry side. If it’s too mushy, then it won’t hold the shape. So, think cookies that maybe you’d roll and cut rather than a drop cookie.
LikeLike
Going through your list, I’ve seen Christmas in Connecticut, made cookie press cookies, like Point of Grace, and have Melissa Tagg’s new book and hope to read it in the next couple of weeks. I just anxiously waited for and read Keli Gwyn’s Their Mistletoe Matchmakers & Sherri Shackelford’s Mail-Order Christmas Baby. I highly recommend both!! Making & icing sugar cookies with kids is always another of my favorite Christmassy things. And I love The Piano Guys, Pentatonix, and Straight No Chaser’s Christmas albums! As for movies, we have quite a list that we have to see each year, and we are working our way through them. Fun post!!
LikeLike
Pentatonix is a more recent favorite, but I don’t own any albums, unfortunately!
LikeLike
Baking
LikeLike
Baking Christmas cookies and decorating the tree.
LikeLike
Hubs & I are addicted to the Hallmark Channels & Freeform, so many Christmas movies!! Also love going to Christmas Eve candlelight service then riding around afterward to look at the lights, making treats & cookies & getting together with family & friends!
LikeLike
I love candles at Christmas eve service as well. We usually go to my sister’s church for Christmas and they still do this, which makes my heart happy.
LikeLike
I enjoyed reading this blog post! A few of my favorite things: Movies-I’ve never watched Christmas In Conecticut, but I’ll be adding it to my list! I like White Christmas, It’s A Wonderful Life, and just about any Christmas movie playing on the Hallmark channel. Music-I LOVE Christmas music by Pentatonix. But I also love the classic Christmas songs playing on the radio. Food-We also bake cookies and decorate (and eat!), and I love peppermint bark and chocolate covered cherries too. I bought some today. 😀 And Books- This is my new favorite thing…reading Christmas books. I have always been an avid reader, but I’ve never got into reading Christmas stories. I am enjoying them this year though!
LikeLike
I glad you’ve joined the Christmas book club! There are so many and they always leave you with the warm fuzzy feeling.
LikeLike
I spend way too much time watching Christmas movies on Hallmark channel. I also enjoy the music and baking. My reading in December is mostly Christmas novellas or novels.
LikeLike
I don’t think that’s possible. As with books, there are never too many Hallmark Christmas movies.
LikeLike
Christmas party with friends and family.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Raspberry Coconut cookies are my favourite cookies.
LikeLike
Those sound delicious!
LikeLike
My favorite Christmas movies are Miracle on 34th Street, A Christmas Carol, Home Alone, Hallmark Christmas and Die Hard 1-3.
LikeLike
I’m not into movies (just books), but I do like It’s a Wonderful Life. Thanks for the fun post & giveaway opportunity. Merry Christmas.
LikeLike
You’re welcome!
LikeLike
Point of Grace is one of my all time favorite groups! I love decorating with my snowmen and snuggling up in front of a warm fire watching my Christmas movies!
LikeLike
My favorite Christmas movie is The Bishop’s Wife, an oldie with Cary Grant, David Niven & Loretta Young. A great movie. I love decorating for the holidays and baking .
Carol L
Lucky4750 (at) aol (dot) com
LikeLike
That is a good one as well!
LikeLike
My favorite Christmas thing to do is to curl up with a good book, hot tea or cocoa, and spend the day reading.
LikeLike
Sounds perfect!
LikeLike
My favorite Christmas things are books, hot tea, and having the time to read all day.
Janet E.
von1janet(at)gmail(dot)com
LikeLike
Wonderful!
LikeLike
I honestly never watched Christmas in Connecticut. I am more of a “A Christmas Story” person and its sequel.
LikeLike
I enjoy celebrating Christ with the ones I love.
LikeLike
Great post 🙂 Thank you!
LikeLike
You’re welcome!
LikeLike
Favorite Christmas movie is A Christmas Carol with Alistair Simm.
LikeLike