Since it’s Christmas week, I’m in a reflective mood. Christmas brings with it a lot of joy—but also some sadness. I look back to the Christmases of my childhood with such fond memories of my grandparents. The holidays make me miss them more than normal.
My dad’s mom would make chicken and dumplings every year for Christmas dinner and I remember being a toddler, sitting on the counter and “helping.”
That same grandma and I would pour over the Sears Christmas Catalog every year and we’d circle the things we liked. It was always such fun—and inevitably at least one of my circled items would end up underneath her tree with my name on it.
My other grandmother—my only living grandparent—just turned 96 a few weeks ago. She’s had a remarkable life, and still continues to be a source of wisdom and inspiration for our family. Over the past few years, she’s endured the tragic death of her husband—my grandpa—in a car accident. Last January, her home burned to the ground—and she rebuilt. She’d barely moved in when she fell and broke her hip. But again, she overcame and now she is back home again—and we are all looking forward to another Christmas in her house.
A few years ago, soon after Grandpa died, I got the chance to write my one and only historical—Sweet Southern Christmas, one of two novellas in the book Love Finds You at Home for Christmas.
Writing a historical was challenging, but I chose to do it as a gift to my grandmother—she was still grieving (as we all were). I based the main characters in Sweet Southern Christmas on my grandparents and wove some real stories of their meeting and courtship into the fictional novella.
The result was what will always be my favorite of my books. I consulted with Grandma to get the details right—she was a WOW (woman ordnance worker) during World War II—and I wanted to tell a story that was true to her experience. I also got to hear stories about my grandfather that I’d never heard before, and she so enjoyed being able to go on those trips down memory lane.
As I go out now and speak to book clubs and library groups, I am often asked which book I’ve written is my favorite—and although I always liken that to choosing a favorite child, I always confess that Love Finds You at Home for Christmas will always be my favorite.
If you haven’t read it, here’s the opening:
June 1943
Ruby McFadden aspired to be a lot of things, but a pig farmer wasn’t one of them.
“I’m not going.” She heaved her suitcase out of the back end of her brother’s 1939 Ford De Luxe and set it on the ground with a thud. She and Wade had been arguing outside of her dorm at Harding College for the past fifteen minutes, and as far as she could tell, it was a draw.
Wade sighed. “Come on, R.J., don’t be like this. You know Papa only wants what’s best for you.”
His use of her despised childhood nickname did little to improve her mood, nor did the mention of their papa, whose master plan for Ruby’s summer included raising pigs.
“In three months I’ll start my last year of college. Everyone in the world seems to realize that I’m an adult—except for my family,” Ruby said. “Y’all act like I’m still a little girl.”
Wade leaned against the De Luxe and crossed his arms. “It isn’t like that. We’re just worried about you and want you home with us for the summer.”
“Girls my age are married with babies of their own. Look at cousin Lucille. And I don’t even have to tell you how many boys from my class are overseas right now.” With the country at war, Ruby sometimes felt like she attended an all-girls college.
Even though it released in 2013, there are still copies available on Amazon and CBD—and it’s also available in e-book format.
If you’re looking for a cozy Christmastime read, I hope you’ll check it out. The contemporary story in the book, Small-Town Christmas is by Gwen Ford Faulkenberry, a fellow Arkansan and a fabulous author.
And since this is my last post here for 2015, I hope you have a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year! See you in 2016!
Annalisa Daughety writes contemporary fiction set in historic locations, including the Walk in the Park series, Love Finds You in Charm, Ohio, and A Wedding to Remember in Charleston, South Carolina. She lives in Arkansas and is hard at work on her next book.
What a beautiful gift you’ve given your grandmother, Annalisa. She sounds like an amazing woman.
Wishing you and your family peace and joy in the New Year.
I bet it was so awesome to sit and listen to your grandma’s stories. We only appreciate such things (mostly) as adults when it’s sometimes too late. Now some of her precious memories are in print, and you can share them with so many others.
It’s so wonderful that you could write this book. I wish I’d picked both of my grandmother’s brains more and written down the things they’d told me.
Wonderful story, Annalisa. I remember spending a lot of time with the Sears and Penneys’ catalog as a kid, too! Guess it was our version of the internet. I am impressed that you switched to historical for your grandma. It’s not an easy thing to do, but how meaningful that must have been to both of you.
I want to read this story, Annalisa. I love childhood memories and yes, I remember that Sears catalog. :-) Merry Christmas!
When I was a child, we had the Simpson-Sears catalog here in Canada. Later it became just “Sears” as it still is. I used to hand the Christmas catalog to my kids with highliners: pink for my daughter and blue for my son. My daughter thought about what she was highlining, so I knew she’d really like any of the gifts she’d marked. My son highlined a good percentage of the toy section the first few years until he figured out it really wasn’t helping him get the gifts he wanted!
Wonderful memories for you, Annalisa. I never knew my dad’s parents (he barely remembered his own father, who died when he was 7) and barely remember my maternal grandfather. My grandmother lived to 93 and knew both my children, so I have many fond memories with her. My own parents are gone now, too, so the stories I have now are the only ones I’ll get. I’m glad you were able to use your grandmother’s stories in such a precious way.
Annalisa…I have read your book Sweet Southern Christmas and thoroughly enjoyed it. Your grandmother sounds like such a joy. You are so blessed to still have her in your life. How wonderful that you can spend Christmas in her home. I also remember the Christmas Wish Books that both Sears and JC Penney put out at the holidays. My grandson is 14 and I can still remember looking at them with him. I want to wish you and your family a very Merry Christmas and a Happy and Blessed New Year.
Ah yes, the Sears catalog! I remember looking through that as a kid & dreaming of having whatever I wanted out of it :-) What a wonderful treasure you have in your Grandma, Annalisa!
Praying you and yours have a blessed Christmas, may the light of Christ shine in your hearts throughout the New Year!
Thanks, Trixi! Hope you have a wonderful Christmas!
Thanks, Jill! Merry Christmas!
That is so true, Ginger! I am so glad I was able to preserve some of her stories for future generations!
Thanks, Kimberly! Merry Christmas!
Lee, I’d forgotten about the JCPenneys catalog! I used to love that one, too. (especially when I was out of the toy stage and wanted clothes). Such fun memories. :)
Thanks! I hope you have a wonderful Christmas!
Valerie, I know I’m blessed to have those memories! I’m very thankful I was able to write a fictionalized version of my grandparents’ story. I hope you have a wonderful Christmas and Happy New Year!
Thank you, Nancy! I hope you have a great Christmas!!
Trixi, it was always the highlight of the fall! When it came out I would sit for hours and look through it. :) Merry Christmas!