Shannon here: June Foster shares her family’s Christmas tradition along with a chance to win her latest Contemporary Romance, A Kiss Under the Mistletoe. Comment or answer the question in this post to enter the drawing. Deadline: Nov 28th, 11:59 pm central time. Here’s June:
Christmas Memories by June Foster:
Times have changed. But I still remember one Christmas tradition our family enjoyed. We gathered in the dining room for a luscious meal, then adjourned into the living room where our Christmas tree, bare except for lights, stood ready for our homemade ornaments patterned after the Jesse Tree.
First, we read the story of the Jesse Tree which tells, through the use of symbols, the Biblical story from creation to the birth of Christ. We learned that in Medieval times, when the tradition of the Jesse Tree first began, people created large carvings, tapestries or even stained-glass windows to place in churches for members of the congregation who were illiterate. Nowadays, the cutout symbols represent Bible stories we know so well. For example, the earth represents the Creation, a picture of an apple is the Garden of Eden, and a rainbow is symbolic of Noah and the flood—and many more.
So, now it was time to get creative. Each family member chose a couple of symbols for ornaments they wished to construct from the variety of materials I had accumulated and set out on the dining room table. When the ornaments were completed, we hung them on the tree. The next week we gathered again and told the Christmas story. In the correct order, each person removed their ornament, relayed the Bible story and replaced the cutout on the tree. Afterward we prayed and asked the Lord to help us keep Christmas in our hearts every day of the year.
But alas, those were the wonderful days when our children were home to celebrate. In the last years, we’ve traveled in our RV and our tree morphed from a six-foot pine to a two-foot plastic tree small enough to fit in our coach. But we still remembered the real reason for the season as we celebrated with our Florida friends in a room full of white-haired Christians instead of boisterous children.
Today we live in a new home in Cullman, Alabama and will begin decorating right after Thanksgiving in preparation for a family gathering soon after. No kids this time, so we likely won’t have a Jesse tree. But the memories of those former years still bring us holiday joy.
About June: An award-winning author, June Foster is also a retired teacher with a BA in Education and a MA in counseling. She is the mother of two and grandmother often. June began writing Christian romance in 2010. She penned her first novel on her Toshiba laptop as she and her husband traveled the US in their RV. Her adventures provide a rich source of information for her novels. She brags about visiting a location before it becomes the setting in her next book.
To date, June has written twenty-two contemporary romance and romantic suspense novels and novellas. She loves to compose stories about characters who overcome the circumstances in their lives by the power of God and His Word. June uses her training in counseling and her Christian beliefs in creating characters who find freedom to live godly lives. She’s published with Winged Publications. Learn more & connect:
June’s Website Amazon Author page June’s Twitter June’s Facebook
About the book – A Kiss Under the Mistletoe
The men in Noel Kendrick’s life have always lied to her. When she accepts her pastor’s plea to head the Christmas nativity scene project, she doesn’t realize the job requires her to work with Carson Shumate, the handsome youth pastor with midnight blue eyes. Despite her efforts to keep her emotional distance, she falls hard after a kiss under the mistletoe.
But Carson has a secret of his own. If he reveals the truth about his identical twin to his church, he fears they will fire him, and he could lose Noel.
A Kiss Under the Mistletoe is the sequel to An Unexpected Family.
I went to school with 2 sets of twins who loved to play jokes on the teachers by switching desks with each other until the teacher noticed little things to tell them apart and stop them
Shelia, I love twin stories. Thanks for sharing. I knew a lady who was engaged to an identical twin. At a family function, she gave her honey a big kiss. You guessed it. She’d kissed the wrong guy.
My daughter had a set of twins in her high school class. They loved to confuse me on whos who,”
I love it!😁
Shannon, many thanks for allowing me to share my Christmas story on your blog. Blessings, and merry Christmas!
I have an identical twin. In our younger years we would trade seats at school but usually the other kids would give it away by snickering. About 30 years ago we were out shopping with some other family members. I decided to go to the store next to the one they were in. I turned around to leave and saw myself in the mirror, thinking it was my sister, I started talking to “her” then realized I was talking to myself. It took a while to live that one down. We are almost 60 years old and some family and friends still get us mixed up.
That is likely the best twin story I’ve ever heard. 😊
We have twin girls among the relatives…I still can’t tell them apart lol. They are a miracle babies because they were born premature and doctors didn’t believe they’ll make it. They are turning 21!
Natalya, that is truly a blessing. Thanks for sharing.
My sister and I are not twins, but a lot of people think we look alike and some ask if we are twins. People get us mixed up and kids call us by the wrong name. More than once we have been linked to the wrong husband. We see people give us a second look when we are together. It is kind of funny because we are almost four years apart in age.
That’s really funny, Judy. I’m sure you and your sister enjoy laughing at their mistake.
Love your Jesse tree tradition. This year is different for me too, had surgery so can’t put up the big tree. I ordered a living tree online and hope to keep it alive until spring and plant in the yard. Your new book looks terrific!
Kris, thank you so much. I think your idea of a living tree is wonderful. Happy holidays.
I remember that years ago in high school a classmate asked me if my brother and I were twins. I told her that no we were not. My brother and I are about 20 months apart.
People have asked my husband and his sister the same thing and they are several years apart.
I’ve never known identical twins! I used to babysit twins but they did not look alike!
Joan, you baby sat for fraternal twins. I met a set of twins whose mom said they were fraternal but I could’ve sworn they were identical.
I have a winner! Kris Brown won the drawing. I appreciate June for being my guest and everyone else for stopping by.