Shannon here: Jenny Carlisle shares her family traditions that inspired traditions in her Christmas novella, Rejoicing with Joy, which is included in the multi-author novella collection, A Gift for All Time, along with three Christmas recipes. Comment or answer the question in any post dated Dec 16 – 30 to enter the drawing for a copy of the novella collection plus 4 other titles in my Dec Book Bundle #2. Deadline: Jan 3, 11:59 pm central time. Here’s Jenny:
Every family has favorite Christmas traditions. This time of year, we are comforted by a real or artificial evergreen tree with twinkling lights that brighten our eyes and touch our souls. Joyous Christmas songs we learned as toddlers fill our hearts with happiness. Even the food is festive, and our mouths begin to water just reading the recipes.
When Tonya Ashley, Ellen Withers and I collaborated to write a Christmas novella collection, I knew I would create some family traditions for Christmas Joy Fredericks, and her new friend, Junior Caldwell. I drew from my own childhood, joyful celebrations with our own kids, and the magic of our current community.
In my small hometown, our city streets were brightened by strings of sparkles. A vacant lot was transformed to a holiday park with a community Christmas tree and a special “house” where Santa conspired with his eager believers. Joy’s fictional hometown of Snowville, Arkansas also features a towering evergreen in the center of town. Junior can’t wait to show Joy how his own downtown celebrates. This display is shamelessly copied from our own illuminated courthouse square.
A new tradition started by my daughter is a Christmas Eve scavenger hunt. A homemade ornament is hidden, and clues written by the older boys lead the younger one through their house to the prize. In Rejoicing with Joy, a scavenger hunt initiated by Joy’s older brother when they were kids plays a very important part in the story. The prize in this instance is the carved figure of baby Jesus. Rediscovering this treasure symbolizes the renewal of Joy’s Christmas spirit.
The most widely varied traditions involve food. Handed down for generations, each family fixes their favorites year after year. In my story, the weather disrupts holiday plans, and basics like grilled cheese and tomato soup win the day. Joy’s hometown and Junior’s each have a diner that serves as the gathering place for the community.
I hope all this talk of traditions has you intrigued. If you would like to win your own paperback copy of the novella collection A Gift for All Time, add a comment about a tradition in your family that you think is unique.
Shown below are three holiday recipes that are a big hit at my house.
Mama Merry’s Dump Cake
One can of crushed pineapple with juice
One can of cherry pie filling
One box of yellow cake mix
One cup of chopped walnuts
One package of shredded coconut
One stick of butter- cut in small pieces
Pour ingredients in order into a 9×13 cake pan. DO NOT MIX
Bake at 350 degrees for thirty minutes uncovered and then 30 more minutes loosely covered with foil.
Kiss Cookies
½ cup butter
½ cup peanut butter
½ cup granulated sugar
½ cup brown sugar
1 egg
½ tsp. vanilla
1 ½ cup sifted all-purpose flour
¾ tsp. baking soda
¼ tsp. salt
I pkg. chocolate kisses
Cream together butter, peanut butter, sugars, egg and vanilla. Sift together dry ingredients. Blend into creamed mixture. Shape in 1-inch balls, roll in granulated sugar. Place 2 inches apart on ungreased baking sheet. Bake at 375 degrees 10-12 minutes. While still warm, press one unwrapped chocolate kiss into the top of each cookie. Cool slightly before removing from pan. Makes 4 dozen.
Grinches
Fresh strawberries, washed and capped
Fresh green grapes
Firm (not overripe) bananas, sliced
Miniature marshmallows
Long toothpicks
Assemble grinches on toothpick. Green grape on bottom, sliced banana next, strawberry, topped by marshmallow.
Reader Question: What does your family enjoy that may be different from other families?
Dec Book Bundle #2
A Gift for All Time by Tonya B. Ashley, Jenny Carlisle, Ellen E. Withers, Novella Collection, print
A Texas Holiday Reunion by Shannon Taylor Vannatter, Contemporary Romance, large print
My Journey in Fiction Writing by R.F. Whong, Nonfiction, Newsletter signup download
Right Before Their Eyes by Carrie Walker, Romantic Women’s Fiction, e-book
Across the Lake by Barbara M. Britton, Devotional Short Story Collection, print
About Jenny: Jenny Carlisle retired from a career in state government to pursue her dream of writing fiction.
She was a long-time columnist with Ouachita Life magazine, she self-published two inspirational non-fiction books, Turn, Turn, Turn and To Everything a Season. Her Crossroads series, was published by Scrivenings Press. Hope Takes the Reins, Faith Moves Mountains and Love Never Fails feature two neighboring ranch families on the Arkansas River Valley. Her Christmas novella, Rejoicing with Joy concludes the collection A Gift for All Time, written with Tonya Ashley and Ellen Withers.
She is a past president of American Christian Fiction Writers-Arkansas Chapter, and Saline County Preservation. Because of her fascination with old buildings and old towns, there is undoubtedly a book about the past in her future.
She and her husband, James live in Benton, Arkansas, where they worship with the Church of Christ. Three married children have blessed them with eight busy grands. She loves spending time with her supportive tribe of readers and writers, in person and on social media. God is good! Learn more & connect:
Jenny’s Website Jenny’s Facebook Jenny’s Facebook Author Page
About the Novella Collection – A Gift for All Time:
“In the 1840s, an immigrant family experiences a catastrophe in a violent storm. They escape the riverboat with their lives, but al of their possessions, including their treasured nativity are dumped into the Arkansas River. In the town of Van Buren, Arkansas, a young woman enlists a local blacksmith to help return the treasured symbol of hope to its owners as they continue to their destination of St. Louis Missouri.
By the time the Civil War causes a massive identity crisis for our country, the nativity scene arrives in Mexico, Missouri, a little worse for wear. There, a soldier recovering from injuries sustained in the War, takes on the project of refreshing and restoring the set as a gift to his lady love.
Finally, in a new millennium, the nativity set has completed a full circle. This time, it turns up in the attic of an old church in f Snowville, Arkansas, where a college student named Christmas Joy and her new friend, Junior work to restore the spirit of of the forgotten town. After more than a century, the symbol of the first and most holy family becomes the focus once again.
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Get your copy/copies now!
A Gift For All Time Jenny’s Books
Come back Dec 18th for R.F. Whong!
Wonderful traditions, Jenny! We sure had fun collaborating on the novella collection.
Can’t wait to try the recipes.
I hope you love these super simple recipes. Have a wonderful Christmas, my friend!
We have some peanut blossom cookies in our freezer now. and I LOVE the grinchy fruit display! Our Christmas’s are different because we celebrate birthdays too. 23rd, 24th, 25th, and 26th. Lots of present and always, a chocolate cake with shared candles.
Holiday birthdays add a new level of traditions! Enjoy your holidays.
We enjoy cutting our Christmas tree 🙂
I know some people prefer artificial trees.
I love the smell of a real tree, but not the mess. Our old ornaments look great in any tree!
For many years we used to get a live Christmas tree but now we have an artificial one.
Some of the artificial ones look very real. They can also stay up longer!
We enjoy the bark my husband makes.
Yes, I love Christmas bark. Perfect combination of flavor and texture.
I have a winner! Diana Hardt won the drawing. I appreciate Jenny for being my guest and everyone else for stopping by.