Category: Holidays

My Holiday Planner Pages

It’s snowing as I write this. It looks so magical. I’m watching the big fluffy flakes fly past my windows, sipping coffee out of a festive snowflake mug.

The time has come, my friends. The time has come to start planning for the holidays. And I am so ready. So today, I want to share with you my holiday planning pages.

I celebrate Christmas and Yule. The Darling Husband’s birthday is also in December. And my best friend is Jewish, so I at least acknowledge Hanukkah and help her celebrate it. So this month is just bursting with things that need planning.

It’s fun! (Eye twitching)

Now, if you read my post a few weeks ago, it might surprise you to learn that I’m making paper planning pages for this. I just started keeping a digital planner.

And yes, I love my digital planner. I love Artful Agenda, and it is helping me organize everything. So let’s first talk about why I’m making a paper planner in addition to this and why you might consider doing so as well.

First of all, I want to make a paper planner. Having my holiday plans down on pretty paper gives me such a burst of endorphins. Checking off gifts as they arrive is just fantastic. I should also point out that my pages aren’t in a normal planner. They’re part of my memory-keeping scrapbook. So it’s part planning, part journaling.

This is something I’m going to rely on in the years to come. My previous years of planning helped me prep for this year. I can look back and see what I planned, what worked, and what didn’t work. What I planned to do that didn’t get done. What I thought I wanted to do, but realized after I really didn’t care to. Even better, I can see things I’ve always planned to do and really want to, but never get around to. With all of this information, I can plan better.

All of this planning is essential if you’re going to make the holidays happen without losing your mind. Because we all know that the holidays don’t just happen unless you’re a child. If you want the beautiful peppermint-flavored glowing moments, you have to make them happen.

So the planning has to happen. But when I scrapbook and handmake my planners, it makes planning into a holiday activity in itself. One just for me.

The holidays are about family, and that’s great. But to me, the holidays are speckled with little private, quiet traditions. Moments that I look forward to almost as much as the family events. I get to sit down with my scrapbook toys and a cup of good coffee. I get to set everything up and savor the anticipation. It is fantastic.

Finally, you all know I’m big on memory keeping. I love being able to look back at the warm, glowing holiday moments. That’s why I keep a memory scrapbook to start with. And this is the most important part of making a holiday scrapbook planner. I am building an infrastructure where all of my lovely memories can be collected. Otherwise, I’m moving too fast to capture anything for later.

Now, let’s talk about the pages themselves. These are the ones that I find most useful, and generally create every year. I’ll be including pictures as well.

Holiday events calendar

The first page, aside from the cover page, is a bullet journal-type holiday calendar. This one’s pretty self-explanatory. I write all of the days from Black Friday to New Year’s Day, and then any holiday events that are happening. I don’t think I need to go into more detail about this. It’s a calendar. We’re good.

Gift list

I probably won’t share a completed gift list page here, because at least two people I’m shopping for might stumble upon this. But it’s a decorative list of all the things I’d like to get for people. I also put an envelope full of decorative paper. So when I go out for the always popular Christmas Shopping trip, I can make a cute little list to take with me.

My holiday bucket list

I love making a bucket list for every season. They help me keep track of things I want to do, and help me make time for them among all the things I have to do. I track holiday books I want to read, movies and specials I want to watch, and all the things I want to do. Things like making mulled wine and creating an ice altar.

Holidays are busy as hell. While it might seem silly to write down things you want to, it helps. It makes these fun things a priority. And they should be.

My Yule Good Deeds List

I am a witch. And witches take care of their community. While I try to do this all year round, Yule is a time for me to really double down. So every day from December 1st to Yule day (Usually December 21st or 22nd), I try to do something nice for others. I’ll give extra donations, leave heartfelt comments online, and put Christmas cards out in public. Just something fun or nice to lift someone’s holiday spirits.

I like to keep track of these, first off, to keep myself accountable. But also because I inevitably am left with no ideas for creative good deeds by December 14th. Having a list of things I’ve done in the past is super helpful then.

If you’re a witch, or even if you’re not, you might also enjoy doing 21 days of Yule kindness. Put a little love into the world. It’s sure needed.

New recipes

I like collecting recipes in my holiday journal. First, because it’s easier for me to look at a piece of paper than a screen when I’m baking. Second, because I like to keep track of what I tried from year to year. It’s another form of memory keeping.

Journaling pages

Finally, I have several pages decorated for the purpose of journaling. For collecting pictures, I take. For lists of the best memories, best moments. For the best gifts, both physical and not. Because those are the things I’ll treasure in the years to come. Not the food, which will be gone in a flash. Not the things we buy each other. But the memories of loved ones enjoying time together making the darkest days of the year the brightest.

I hope this post gives you some ideas for making your holidays more organized, more joyful, and more centered on things you and your family actually enjoy doing. Now, it’s your turn. Let us know in the comments your favorite holiday tradition.

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Free and low cost holiday ideas

The holidays are expensive. This isn’t a huge shocker, I know. And if you’re a writer and not John Grisham, money is probably tight. I know it is for me.

It’s so easy this time of year to feel like we must miss out on things. Like the lack of numbers in our bank account is holding up holiday joy. And it just shouldn’t be that way. Christmas shouldn’t have a price point for entry.

So today, I want to share some things that I do every holiday season that cost little or no money. Because while I’m on a budget now, I used to be dead broke. And this is how I made the holidays special.

Read

I have a full list of Christmas books that aren’t romance. I posted them here, here and here. I also wrote my own collection of Christmas stories, if you’re interested.

Reading is maybe my favorite solo activity during the holidays. And while reading is always a treat, there are ways to amp it up. I think reading with the electric fireplace on and a nice hot mug of Earl Gray tea with a slice of orange in it makes the whole experience next level. Before I had an electric fireplace, I was obsessed with fireplace videos on YouTube. I still use those if I’m reading in the bedroom, rather than lugging the fireplace all over the house.

We’ll talk more about YouTube soon.

Crafting

This will look different for everyone. And it’s something that I’ve leaned hard on ever since my first (very broke) Christmas on my own. Decorations, gifts, cards. These are all expensive, and they can be crafted.

On my first Christmas out, I made origami ornaments for our pathetic little tree. I drew portraits of my family in a circus. I hand-stitched a teddy bear. Over the years my family has received hand-knit and crocheted scarves, blankets and fingerless gloves.

While I’m in a better position this year, my loved ones are still getting handmade gifts. I crocheted my grandmother a sweater, which I can say safely here because she doesn’t read this blog.

Well, you might be thinking, that’s all well and good for someone handy with yarn and such. Or paint, sketch or pottery. What are the people who don’t craft supposed to do?

The answer is that there is always something you can create. For instance, my grandma is also getting a casserole dish of homemade mac and cheese, a dish she doesn’t need to return, with a nice note telling her the time and temperature to bake it.

You can cook something, take pictures, make fire cider, or make cute ornaments from a tutorial on Instagram. Or, since I’m assuming you’re a writer if you’re here, you could write something!

A handmade gift doesn’t need to be a traditional handmade gift. It can be anything that you create that someone else will value.

Repurpose decor in your home for holidays

So, we’ve got gifts out of the way. So, what about decorations? Well, there are lots of ways you can simply move things, and reorganize them. And make your home festive without buying new things.

I decorate my house plants with ornaments. I collect red and green books from the house to place in specific places. I leave my Christmas mugs or just ones that happen to be green or red, out on the counter where they can brighten up the place. When I’m putting out a hand towel or washcloth in my kitchen, I reach for the holiday-colored ones. Look over your home and belongings as though they’re all brand new. Get creative. And let me know what you come up with.

Forage

I love pinecones this time of year. I am also blessed to live in Western PA, where pinecones are plentiful. So are holly and pine. I can take a simple walk to a nearby wooded area and collect things to decorate my home and alter. I can make all sorts of things. People make some truly amazing things out of sticks, yarn and paint.

And, if you’re witchy inclined like I am, natural-made ornaments also match a more Yule-centered vibe. The whole reason we decorate trees is because people brought them in so the wood spirits would have somewhere warm to spend the darkest nights.

Just be careful your foraged goods aren’t harboring tiny pests. You want to invite wood spirits, not woodlice.

Check for local events that might not cost anything.

God bless my local library. They are doing all sorts of events for the holidays. Concerts, craft nights. There was even a local author event to help people out with their Christmas shopping.

Yes, I was there, and yes it was a delightful time.

We are blessed to have a local symphony as well, and they do free concerts every week. I am willing to bet that you have something local that is awesome and exciting. Check your local library website and any other cultural organizations you have. You’ll be amazed at what you can enjoy for no money.

YouTube’s holiday content is vast

Then, of course, there’s the question of Christmas TV. Everyone wants to cozy up and watch something festive and nostalgic this time of year.

But if streaming isn’t in your budget right now, don’t despair. YouTube has some fantastic holiday content. Garfield’s Christmas, those claymation videos everyone seems to like, clips of Pentatonix concerts. If you are looking for holiday watching, you will find it on YouTube.

Spending time is the best gift

This one is a bit cliche, but it’s true. The best thing about the holidays is spending time with people you love. Your family, your friends, your pets. Spend as much time with them as you can. Bake together, read together, go walking and look a the Christmas decorations together. (Oliver especially loves this one.) Decorate the house together, make homemade cards together. Break out the board games if your family likes that sort of thing. Put on matching PJs and take a million bad pictures. Because that’s what everyone’s going to treasure in the latter years. That’s the point of the holidays, to hold onto warmth and brightness during the darkest and coldest nights of the year.

I have, over the years, written several gift guides that include inexpensive or free gifts for readers and writers. If you’re interested, you can find them here, here, here, here, here, here, here and here.

Now, it’s your turn. What is your favorite no-cost way to celebrate the holidays? Let us know in the comments.

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Holiday books that aren’t romance, part three

Holiday books are one of my favorite parts of the season. I love reading next to my electric fire with a cup of tea.

The problem is, I hate romance novels. I hate those meet-cute stories where people hate each other and then fall predictably in love. And I hate that so many holiday books are just these fluffy, vapid meet-cutes with some strategically placed Christmas trees.

Hunting holiday books that aren’t romance has become a festive pastime. I’m sad to say, that if you read the last two installments of this series, I only have one new book that I’ve read. But, I do have three new books that have piqued my interest. So today, I thought I’d share with you my Christmas reading wishlist. These are books that I want to read. If you want to read them with me, I’d love to hear what you think about them.

By the way, here is part one, and part two of this series.

Miracle on 34th Street by Valentine Davis

This one I actually did read last year. And I was surprised to find out that the book came after the well-loved movies.

Just on the off chance you’ve never seen the movie, either the original from 1947 or the remake in 1994, Miracle on 34th Street is about an overworked single mom named Doris. She’s overseeing the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day parade when she realizes that the guy they have playing Santa is drunk. Fortunately, an elderly gentleman named Chris is there to save the day and take over the role. He does such a good job that Doris hires Chris to be Santa in the Macy’s store.

Chris is doing a great job until it comes to light that he thinks he really is Santa.

A soul as cold as frost by Jennifer Kropf

What if St. Nicholas was really a young, mad trickster and you had the one thing he wanted? What if the only person who agreed to protect you from him had a dark past of letting those he’s meant to protect die? What if one day you’re walking in the city and suddenly you can see a whole other world tucked into the cracks of your own?

That’s the description of this book from Amazon. I stumbled upon it while browsing Instagram. I can’t wait to read it. I love that several people have compared it to Chronicles of Narnia.

Hogfather by Terry Pratchett

This is literally a book about a bunch of gods getting together to bump off another god, Santa Claus. Oh, and for a while Death has to be Santa because he’s too important to not be around. What’s not to love about this?

Jacob T. Marley by R. William Bennett

I started reading this book already, because it asks a very interesting question. Why did Jacob Marley get to come back and save his friend Ebenezer? And why didn’t he get the chance to be saved by the three spirits himself?

I can’t wait to find the answer. I also apparently can’t get enough of this story, short as it is.

As always, if you have a holiday book I should add to my TBR, please let me know. I’m always looking for new holiday tales. Happy holiday reading, everyone.

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Your holiday pep talk, 2023

It’s official, the Christmas season has begun. Not the holiday season. As far as I’m concerned that started on October first. But everyone’s got their own opinion about what constitutes a holiday, I suppose.

But one way or another, here we are. Thanksgiving is behind us in the States, and today is traditionally Black Friday.

As a former retail worker, I hate everyone who’s shopping today.

But that’s not why we’re here today. If you haven’t guessed or if you’re new, this is my yearly holiday pep talk. Because the holidays are a fantastic magical time of the year, with a whole bunch of buts and unlesses.

But you have to see family you don’t want to see. But you might be missing people you can’t see. But you might be the person in your house who makes the holidays happen and that’s a lot of pressure.

Unless you find yourself alone. Unless you’re sick. Unless you have negative memories attached to the holiday. Unless you’re too broke to celebrate the way everyone else appears to be celebrating.

So here, as always, is my holiday pep talk. As always, I need this reminder as much as anyone else.

You deserve to enjoy your holidays

Now, I mean this in two ways. One, you deserve to enjoy whatever holidays you celebrate.

In my house, we celebrate Christmas and Yule. The darling husband has his birthday in December, so that’s a whole thing. And my best friend is Jewish, so I at least need to be aware of when that is and cheer on her celebration.

Whatever you’re celebrating, celebrate it. Celebrate it loud, and post pictures online. Especially if you celebrate something unusual, please tell us about it. There are like fourteen holidays this month spread out over cultures and religions. I want to hear about yours.

But when I say enjoy your holidays, I also mean that you should celebrate too. You’re probably spending a lot of time right now making the holidays perfect for the people you love. And I get it, I am too. But you deserve to enjoy yourself too. You deserve a nice holiday season. You deserve to get a gift you want, eat the holiday food you like, and take some time to reset. In short, don’t make it all about everyone else. Make it a little bit about you.

Make it look how you want it to look

I am so sick of pink Christmas that I could just vomit on the next cotton candy-colored tree I find. So no, there’s not a single pink ornament in my house. There is also no tinsel. My tree is a hodgepodge of mismatched ornaments collected over the years. Some of them are homemade, some are store-bought. Being a Christian Witch, some of them are pagan. I’ve got a pentagram ornament right next to the Charlie Brown one.

My house is full of handmade decorations, mostly made out of wood and yarn, and that’s exactly how I like it.

Some people like that matchy holiday look. Some people want everything to have a theme. Some people still have all their grandmother’s ornaments. And some people do like the pink Christmas thing.

It doesn’t matter. Make your home look like the holidays to you. It doesn’t have to look like someone’s Instagram influencer fantasy. It just needs to look like your home, exactly how you want it to look.

Make it make sense to you

I am not the only person to ever say this but do not compare your holiday season to those online. Instagram is everyone’s highlight reel. And most of those shots aren’t realistic.

Your holiday needs to make sense to you. It needs to be realistic for the life you live. For instance, a lot of my breakable ornaments are staying in the box this year because we have a new kitten in the house. I work Christmas Eve and Christmas Day, so I’m not planning any big meals. We don’t do a lot of baking because the Darling Husband is diabetic and I don’t need to put away a batch of frosted gingerbread cookies myself.

More than once a year.

Make it make sense to you, your family, and your life. The holidays are supposed to be a celebration, not a burden.

You are not alone

Finally, remember that you’re not alone. Everyone is stressing out about the holidays. Everyone thinks they’re not doing enough, not decorating enough, not buying enough gifts, not sending enough cards.

You are doing enough. You’re probably doing too much. And no one feels half as confident about the holidays as they seem.

I hope you have a wonderful holiday season, no matter what you celebrate. I hope that you love every minute you have with your family and friends. I hope that you enjoy every meal you have and that you read a ton of good holiday stories. I hope you watch every special you want to watch and skip all the ones you hate.

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2022 Holiday Gift Guide

Everyone’s got a list of holiday gifts this time of year. And I’m no different. I always post a writer’s gift guide, because I know writers are hard to shop for.

I don’t know why we’re hard to shop for. I don’t think we’re any harder to shop for than anyone else. 

I think everyone’s hard to shop for. Except for witches. Witches are easy to shop for. We always need more crystals, empty jars, and candles.

This isn’t going to be a long list of cool things, though. If you want physical gift suggestions, check out Instagram. I am getting nothing but gift suggestions on there right now. 

No, this year I only have two gift suggestions. And the great thing is, they’re both guaranteed to fit anyone. 

Time

There is nothing in this world that will matter more to the people you love than spending time with them. Not even a blanket with all the words to their favorite book will take the place of time.

So get creative with your time together. Here are some things I’m doing. 

Reading in bed with the darling husband.

Watching holiday movies together.

Taking Oliver on long walks to see all the decorations. 

Going to coffee with my best friends.

Helping my grandmother decorate her house. 

Making one of those fancy spread boards for holiday meals. 

I carve out as much family and friend time as possible. I do this by putting all business writing on hold for the last two weeks of the year. I keep holiday meals on the less stressful side so I’m spending less time in the kitchen. Using my crock pot a lot. I finished all my gift shopping before Black Friday. I also dramatically decreased the gifts I bought and asked for.

Take a look at your time, and see what you can cut back on to make space for family and friend time. 

Experiences

Nice things are nice, but experiences are better. So instead of buying things, consider planning experiences. They don’t have to be expensive. Here again, are some fun suggestions.

Go to a local museum. 

Plan a potluck craft day with friends. Get everyone to bring some craft supplies. One person brings glue, one brings scrapbook paper, that sort of thing.

Do a holiday book swap. I bet you have some books around that you don’t care for anymore, and your friends probably have the same. Get together with some coffee and tea, and swap books. 

If you haven’t finished your shopping, grab some friends who are also still shopping and go together. Even better, gather at someone’s house with your laptops, take out food and do some online shopping.

My local plant shop has a make-your-own succulent bar. It’s always a good time. Check around and see what fun events you have around you. Something you always say you’re going to do, but never seem to have the time. 

Give this gift to yourself, too

For an introvert like me, time alone is a vital part of self-care. And as much as I love time with my family and friends, I have to give myself time alone as well.

So, I’m taking myself on solo coffee dates. I’m making sure to prioritize mediation time. I’m reading alone by my little electric fire. I’m making tea and having it with no one. 

My point here is this. Things are nice, I’m not trying to shame anyone who asks for physical things. I for sure asked for physical things. But don’t focus so much on those. Give your loved ones, and yourself as well, the gifts of time and experience. Those are the gifts you’ll all treasure the most. 

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Make Space For Your Joy

This won’t be a long post today. It’s Black Friday and we all have things to do. You might be shopping today. You might be working today. You might be cleaning up after a massive family event from yesterday and gearing up for about seven more before the New Year.

Today I’m decorating the house for Yule and Christmas. I’m wrapping gifts, writing cards and baking cookies. My goal for the next month is to spread as much holiday joy for my friends and family members (especially the furry ones) as I can. 

But I need to remember, and you need to remember, that we matter too. 

We deserve to enjoy the holidays. 

We deserve to have fun and play like children. 

We deserve to find magic this time of year. 

We deserve to say no to anything we don’t want to do.

We deserve joy. 

And I’m telling you right now that no one is going to make space for your joy if you don’t make it. No one’s going to clear your calendar. No one is going to make time for you if you don’t make time for yourself.

I’m not saying that the people who love you are slacking. I’m saying that what counts as joy for us isn’t always obvious. It is up to us to spoil ourselves. To make our joy happen. 

So please, tell me what you’re doing today to make space for joy. I’m drinking a peppermint mocha latte while I read A Christmas Carol on my couch. What about you? 

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Your 2022 holiday reminder

You know what time it is. It’s November 11th and I’m willing to bet that at least one person reading this has already had a mental breakdown over the holidays. Well, I am here to tell you that it doesn’t have to be that way. The holidays are meant to be enjoyed, not suffered through. 

I have for you today a list of holiday dos and don’ts. These are the same ones that I go by, though I usually need a reminder around this time of year. Really, I do this for myself as much as for all of you. Because it’s so easy to get caught up in all the expectations of this time of year and forget that the point is to have fun. The point is that we just spent another eleven months dealing with inflation, family-breaking politics and scary world changes. We get one month out of the damned year to commit ourselves to joy, and so help me we’re going to take it!

Yes, this list is going to look a lot like some of my previous ones. But I become a better writer every year, so I’m going to go ahead and repeat myself anyway. It might sound prettier this year. 

Holi’do

Spend time with the people you love. I mean the people you actually love, not the ones you feel obligated to. 

Prioritize your joy. What do you love about the holidays? Do you love baking cookies, or reading holiday classics? Do those things to the fullest. Personally, I’m all about seasonal coffee and reading any holiday book that isn’t a romance novel. I also love a good holiday movie or special. So, I plan on doing those things as much as possible.

Find little things to make the holidays better. A mug that you love, a set of really pretty stickers. I’ve been all about these ambient videos recently. 

Yes, the holidays are great for big meals, events, fancy clothes, parties and all that sort of thing. But there are so many little joyous moments to enjoy as well.

Be kind to people. Actually, this should be something you do all the time. But especially during the holidays, be nice to people. You can buy someone’s coffee in line and donate to charities if you’re financially able to. Be kind to people in the service industry. Be kind to everyone you come into contact with if you can. It’s the holidays, just be nice. 

Holi’Don’t 

Don’t spend time with people who make you feel like shit. A lot of people have gotten better about this through the year, but seem to find it harder during the holidays. So if you feel like you need someone to give you permission, consider it granted. You don’t have to see anyone who is a dick to you, ever. It doesn’t matter if they’re family. If they can’t treat you well, you don’t need to be around them. 

Don’t skip your self-care just because you’re busy. And I totally understand that this time of year is busy! But if you’ve been spending this year putting good self-care habits in place, don’t wreck them now! Keep up with your yoga, daily walks, journaling, face care, meditation, alone time. Whatever it is that you do to take care of yourself, keep doing it.

Don’t overspend. Again, this one I need to hear more than anyone else. I get the desire to overspend. Especially on my pets. I swear I am such a sucker for anything holiday-themed for these spoiled ass animals. Oh, and my husband I guess. But overspending just puts you in a bad spot come January. It’s a spot I don’t want to be in again. 

Don’t let other people make you feel bad about how you celebrate. Not even me! Look, I have some strong opinions about people who put their Christmas decorations up before Black Friday. But it’s honestly none of my business. Put up your decorations whenever you want, however much or little you want. Don’t put anything up at all if you don’t want. Celebrate whatever you want to, or don’t celebrate however you want to. Whatever it is, don’t let someone else tell you what it should be. 

Don’t get hung up on the details. And yes, this is one I struggle with! I spent weeks searching for chestnuts because it just could not be Fall until I had baked some damn chestnuts. 

But there is every chance that, just like the last few years, you might not be able to get something you want or need due to serious supply chain issues. We’re going to have to make some exceptions. We’re going to have to be flexible. Because if we decide it just cannot be the holidays without this one thing, and that one thing is out of stock, we’re going to be sad for no good reason. 

Don’t think that your holiday has to look like someone else’s holiday. Right now, Instagram is my best friend and also my enemy. I am in love with this specific holiday aesthetic of red gingham and burlap on white furniture with candles and red trucks with Christmas trees and labradors. Oh, but I also love this all-natural Yule look with clean pine trees decorated with cinnamon sticks, cranberry strings and dried orange slices. 

I am not an Instagram model. If you follow me on Instagram, you know that. I will never have that perfect aesthetic, no matter how much I try.

You as well will probably not have that aesthetic that you want. Your holidays will also not look like your mother’s, your grandmother’s, or that one-in-law who is perfect and a bitch about it. Your holidays are going to look like yours. And that’s practically perfect in every way. 

And so are you. 

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It’s Christmas Eve

It’s Christmas Eve. I’m going to the day job today, but that’s alright. I help people at my day job. Not a bad way to spend the day. 

Later today there will be celebrations. We’ll have a nice dinner and open crackers. We’ll watch Elf and play games. Then we’ll go to bed early. Not because we’re eager for Santa’s arrival, but because I’ll be up bright and early to be at the day job again on Christmas Day. 

I had Yule off, so it’s not a big deal. 

There’s lots of excitement to come over the next 48 hours. Lots of fun, lots of food and wine. It really is the best time of the year.

I hope that you have a beautiful Christmas Eve and Christmas Day. I hope that your Yule was wonderful if you celebrate it. If you celebrated Hanukkah early this month, I hope that was great. I hope that your whole month was great. 

And I hope that, even if it wasn’t, you give yourself some time today and tomorrow to just enjoy life. Even if you don’t celebrate Christmas, everything is shut down so you might as well take some time for yourself.

Read a book, enjoy something indulgent, watch a movie with people you love. Don’t suffer people you don’t care for. Play with your kids, your pets, your friends, your partner, your co-workers. Make someone laugh today. Let yourself be a kid. Do what you love most, as much as you can. 

Merry Christmas. Happy New Year. Have a beautiful day. 

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Holiday Books That Aren’t Romance

Holiday books are my jam right now. But I have a problem. I don’t like romance novels, and the vast majority of holiday books are fucking romance novels.

And I’m just not down for that. 

So after spending way too much time searching online, checking out Bookstagram, and stalking my local library, I cultivated a list of holiday books that are a bit more my speed.

Sadly, none of them are what I’d call speculative horror. But at least they’re not solely about getting someone to kiss under the goddamned mistletoe. 

Santa Claws, By Rita Mae Brown and Sneaky Pie Brown

This is a cute, cozy murder mystery. I have a secret love of these kinds of books. And I’m a long-time fan of this series.

In this one, the main character Mrs. Murphy, a tiger cat, finds the body of a dead monk in a Christmas tree lot. She and her person, Harry, end up tracking down the killer just in time for Christmas.

Is the writing great? No. But it’s quaint, full of small-town charm, and includes a scene where a corgi almost takes a bite out of a dead body.

Twas the Nightshift Before Christmas by Adam Kay

This is a nonfiction holiday book about what it’s like to work in a hospital during Christmas. It’s got some moments, let me tell you. There’s death, blood, annoying upper management. And a holiday tie that goes off at literally the worst time you could possibly imagine. 

If you read This is Going To Hurt by the same author, you might have already heard some of these. Read the book, then go do something nice for a medical professional. Like, I don’t know, get your covid vaccine. 

Christmas Bells by Jennifer Chivarini

I was worried at first that this was going to be another romance novel. But the historical story of Henry Longfellow was interesting enough to encourage me to keep going.

And I’m so glad I did! 

Yes, there’s a love story between two volunteer choir teachers. But there’s also a story of a family whose father is missing overseas. And a young girl who’s accused of plagiarism. A boy accidentally sets a tree on fire. A woman whose husband has just passed on, getting through her first Christmas without him.

There’s so much going on in this book. And the way it all fits so neatly together at the end is nothing short of a Christmas miracle. 

Mr. Dickens and His Carol by Samantha Silva 

You guys, this is a premiere novel. Can you even believe that? This is her first novel! 

This holiday book is about the creation of A Christmas Carol. I thought at first it was going to be a slightly romanticized version of the truth. To be clear, no this is not the case. It is an almost totally fiction story about the creation of A Christmas Carol that includes ghosts, magic, publishing contracts, and long walks through London at night. I loved every single second of this story. And I teared up at parts.

A Christmas Carol by Charles Dickens

This is such a classic, you might be thinking. Why would I even include this on the list? Well, let me tell you why. I talk to people all the time who swear they know A Christmas Carol front and back because they’ve seen so many versions of it. But they’ve never read the actual book.

Don’t do this. Read the original. You can find it for free online. It is worth every second.

(I’ll also be joining the other Haunted MTL writers in reading this ghost story for Christmas. Starting on December 21st, check it out.)

The Best Christmas Pageant Ever by Barbara Robinson

The Herdmans were the worst kids in the history of the world.

So begins this classic tale about a family of neglected children finding the true meaning of Christmas, and reminding a few people who thought they already knew it. 

I have a few holiday books still on my list to read. I can’t vouch for them yet, but they look alright. If they’re good, they’ll probably make the cut for next year. 

Skipping Christmas by John Grisham

The Christmas Killer by Alex Pine

Christmas Cake Murders and Christmas Caramel Murders by Joann Fluke

Silent Bite by David Rosenfelt

By the way, it would be dumb of me to not mention that I wrote a Christmas book. It’s called Twelve Little Christmas Stories. Like the name would imply, it’s twelve speculative fiction holiday tales. Some are charming, some are ghoulish. All are fun. 

Let me know in the comments what your favorite holiday book is. I’d love to lengthen this list. 

You can support Paper Beats World on Ko-fi.

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2021 Gift Guide For Writers

I do this every year, so there’s no real need for a massive introduction. You need gift ideas for any writers in your life. I have some suggestions. Let’s get into it.

In case there isn’t anything on this list that fits your holiday shopping needs, I do this every year. Here are links to all of my previous years’ shopping guides.

2015

2016

2017

2018

2019

Gifts that cost nothing. 

I always like to start with gifts that cost nothing but time. In our world of ultra-consumerism, these are underrated. I embraced free things in a lot of ways this year.

– I foraged pine boughs, sticks, and pinecones for some one-of-a-kind decorations and ornaments. (Note, if you’re going to do this, spray your projects down with hair spray as soon as you can. I like Aqua Net, personally)

– Instead of buying wrapping paper, I’ve been using the paper that comes in my Chewy orders. This cost me nothing but a couple of bucks for the red ribbon. And these look so cute!

– I relied a lot on things we already had. Holiday-themed mugs look great on the kitchen counter. White pens work in place of gift tags. Red, green and white books set through the house. The place looks like a holiday wonderland, and I didn’t add many items at all.

Now, about the gifts. 

Time spent together is the best thing you can give someone for the holidays. Anytime, actually. I make a point of spending Yule doing two things, reading and snuggling with the darling husband. Honestly, the less time I can spend buying things, wrapping them, cleaning up, and cooking, the better. Those things are great, and I’ll never stop doing them. But I’d like to lessen them. This is a gift not only for my husband but for me as well.

As far as writer-specific gifts, I can’t suggest enough an offer to critique something they’ve written. I would personally love this gift, as it’s really hard to get sufficient beta readers. (I don’t suggest this as a gift from your spouse. Beta readers need to have a level of honesty that probably isn’t great for a relationship.)

Another great gift you can give the writer in your life is to recommend their work to others. Especially if you can request their books from a local library. Word of mouth is the best way for a book to get someone’s attention. There’s just nothing better.

Finally, a fun option, if you’re artsy, is some fan art. I’ve had a few friends do fan art for my work, and I love it every single time. Even if it’s bad. Especially if it’s bad.

Gifts that cost money dollars 

If you’ve got some cash to spend, here are some good ideas for the writers you love. As always, I’d like to remind you that none of these items are sponsored, I don’t get anything for suggesting them to you.

A journal is always a great idea. I know for a fact that I’m getting some cute ones from Archer & Olive. There are great ones on Etsy too. And handmade is always cool, even when it’s not your hands that made it. 

If you’re looking for something to give them a kick in the behind, I’d suggest The Hero’s Journal. I got a copy of this earlier this year. It wasn’t for me, but that’s just because I have a bullet journal and that fits my needs well.

The Hero’s Journal is super fun, though, and seems tailor-made for those trying to forge a creative path in life for themselves.

Did your favorite writer win Nanowrimo but lack the funds to get a winner’s shirt? What better thing could you give them than a physical reminder that they kicked their word count in the ass?

And if they didn’t win, the Nano store probably still has something drool-worthy. And the money spent there goes to help young writers. Win, win.

A gift that would be great for writers and readers is a soundtrack from something they enjoy. I love writing while listening to show soundtracks. My current favorite is the album for Wheel of Time. It just gets me in the right writing vibe. I don’t know why, but the singing in Old Tongue (which I do not understand) takes up enough of my brain to keep it from straying but not enough to distract me.

Video game soundtracks are also great for this. 

Another suggestion is a good reading light for either their desk or reading chair. I’ve been all about proper lighting during the last few years. There’s just something so cozy about a single lamp illuminating my chair like a halo. 

Finally, if your writer doesn’t already use Dabble, I’d suggest getting them a subscription. I’ve been using Dabble for a few years now, and it is just awesome. I can use it on any device, it autosaves my work. It’s just the best writing software I’ve ever used.

That is it for my list this year. If you have any handy suggestions, please feel free to leave them in the comments. And I hope you’re all having a great holiday season so far. 

If you want to support Paper Beats World, you can buy me a cup of coffee on Ko-fi.

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