Sunday, December 11, 2011

Christmas Favorites


Christmas is only two weeks away. The stores are all decorated, radio stations are playing Christmas songs and there are lots of Christmas movies on TV. Some are cute, some funny, some sad, some uplifting. There’s no doubt that it’s a busy and an emotional time of year. It’s also the time of year when, in addition to my regular diet of mystery/suspense novels, I make time to re-read some of my Christmas favorites. I’ve listed a few for those of you who haven’t read them or who are looking for gift ideas.
The Gift by Danielle Steele will bring a tear to your eye and it will also warm your heart. Danielle is famous for writing romance novels but this slim, little book is a departure from her regular genre. If I have to pick a favorite, this is it.
The Angel Doll and the sequel, A Gift of Angels, by Jerry Bledsoe are two more wonderful books. The Angel Doll is set in a North Carolina manufacturing town in the 1950’s. It’s the story of a young boy helping his friend search for a doll to give his sister, who is stricken with polio, for Christmas. To quote the book jacket, “Along the way they learn much about sadness and heartbreak, but most important, they learn about the transformative power of love.”
The Christmas Shoes and the sequel, The Christmas Blessing, by Donna VanLiere are good reads too. In The Christmas Shoes, Robert, an attorney, is so caught up in his quest for success that he’s missing out on the important things in life. A chance meeting with a young boy on Christmas Eve teaches him an important lesson.
Christmas on Jane Street by Billy Romp with Wanda Urbanska is another on my list. This one is all about family and how one person can make a difference in family dynamics and even in the world.
What are your Christmas favorites?