Welcome to December—Advent, Hanukkah, the First Day of Winter, Christmas Eve, Christmas Day, and New Year’s Eve—so many special days to celebrate!

Holly trees with their bright red berries and evergreens with their sweet fragrance stand out against alternating blue and gray December skies. Lawns are painted fresh each morning in frosted lacework, and birds flock to feeders with the first light of dawn.

As we near Christmas candles fill windows and nights take on a holy hush. Mornings require no second call from slumber for children or grandchildren for Advent calendars await and there are daily races to see who gets there first, who opens the little door to reveal the next feature of the Nativity Story—and sometimes chocolate!

I’m warm and steeped in the joys of days present and treasured memories from days gone by—

~Lighting the Advent wreath each Sunday, sharing the meaning of each candle, and thanking our Heavenly Father for the Light Who entered our world to redeem us 

~Hanging the Christmas wreath on our front door, heralding the Season to one and all 

~Recruiting young ones to arrange the Nativity Scene on the sideboard or in front of the fireplace, giving the youngest the privilege of tucking Baby Jesus in the manger 

~Trekking through woods and fields to find the perfect Christmas tree—the one that makes me shiver in delight from head to toe 

~Shopping with Grandma (many years ago) and together mixing ingredients from her old family recipe for English Plum Pudding, then wrapping it in cheesecloth or storing smaller quantities in greased cans until Christmas Day when she’d steam the puddings and simmer hot custard sauce to top each serving 

~Wrapping gifts—that I hope will delight—and hiding them from inquisitive children in creative, secret spaces 

~Painting pinecones with peanut butter and rolling them in birdseed to hang outdoors for our feathered friends 

~Cutting out and decorating Christmas cookies with children and/or grandchildren 

~Penning messages in Christmas cards to be sent far and wide as carols play on the radio or record player or later played on CDs in the background 

~Singing around the piano as Grandma played carols and remembering the favorite of each family member—those here now and those who’ve gone before 

~Taking a Christmas Craft or Cupcake Decorating Class with my daughter or hosting a Christmas Tea for my children and their friends—a tradition continued with grandchildren  

~Inhaling the comforting fragrance of my mother’s traditional apple pecan cake as it baked—remembering how it filled the house and drew us in, a true sign that her work week was done and Christmas Eve had come at last 

~Relaxing before the fire at night once all the young ones were tucked in, a cup of Christmas Tea and Christmas novel in hand, and a cozy quilt wrapped around me 

~Christmas Eve services at church—the carols, the Christmas story, a Nativity Play with children performing the roles—nothing compares 

~And then on Christmas Day, after the hustle and bustle of presents and traditional feasting, we gather as a family, as we’ve done most of my life, for an early evening Christmas service. We sing carols, no longer accompanied by Grandma on the piano, but now by our son on his guitar and granddaughters on the piano. We read the Christmas Story from Luke, and finish with “Silent Night,” passing candlelight from one to another. It’s the perfect close to Christmas. My heart is filled to overflowing. 

Writing News:

I’ll be in Sterling, VA at Ridgetop Coffee & Tea on December 13, 10 am – 1 pm, where I’ll join Christian authors Susan G. Mathis, Kelly J. Goshorn, Toni Shiloh, Elizabeth Maddrey and Mar Crowe for an Author Pop-Up. We’ll have books to sell and sign and would love to meet you there. I’ll have my latest, This Promised Land and William Henry is a Fine Name, as well as several of my earlier books. It’s the perfect opportunity for one-stop Christmas shopping.

A December Surprise:

December 1 -31 A Hundred Crickets Singing is available from your favorite E-Book Vendor for $2.99 –Amazon, Apple Books, NOOK (Barnes & Noble), Google, and Kobo! This is a stand-alone novel, but revisits some of the same characters you met in Night Bird Calling.

With depictions of a small southern town “reminiscent of writings by Lisa Wingate” (Booklist on Night Bird Calling), Cathy Gohlke delivers a gripping, emotive story about friendship and the enduring promise of justice.