Happy December!
I don’t know about you, but I feel like this year has zoomed past. I think maybe it’s because we were getting back to all the busy here and there of pre-covid days. I’m glad to be out and about again, but I’m also glad that pieces of our lives have slowed some in ways that I think will be permanent.
Our house is all decorated for Christmas. Every year, we get out the tree the day after Thanksgiving and deck the halls. Now that my boys are older, they do a lot of it on their own and I love seeing what ornaments they choose to hang and which they leave in the tub for another year.
When do you deck your halls?
Winners this Week
Jaycee Weaver’s October winner was Lilly!
Merrillee Whren’s winner was Ruthie H!
Specials this Week
Not Until Christmas Morning by Valerie M Bodden is 99c through today!
Reader Gathering
Did you know Inspy Romance hosts a Christian Romance Reader Gathering group on Facebook? Meghann Whistler is our host this week, so come on over… but don’t forget to answer the questions for admittance!
StoryChats @ InspyRomance
Story Chats releases an all-new episode every Friday. This week on Episode 100, Elizabeth, Valerie, and Narelle talked with Mollie Rushmeyer about her new book, The Bookshop of Secrets. You won’t want to miss it!
Listen to our fun show on your favorite podcasting app, through the player on our podcast tab, or watch us on YouTube! Wherever you listen or watch, please be sure to hit subscribe so you don’t miss an episode!
Last Week on Inspy Romance
On Monday, Teresa Tysinger invited us to a cozy Christmas.
On Tuesday, Carolyn Miller talked about ending a series.
On Wednesday, Jaycee Weaver talked about Christmas destinations.
On Thursday, Liwen Ho shared four things to love about Christmas romance.
On Friday, Tabitha Bouldin shared a new release.
On Saturday, Laurie Larsen had two winter giveaways.
Next Week on Inspy Romance
Monday: Narelle Atkins
Tuesday: Heather Gray
Wednesday: Tara Grace Ericson
Thursday: Toni Shiloh
Friday: Elizabeth Maddrey
Saturday: Shannon Taylor Vannatter
New Releases
December 2022
Blind Date with the Hero by Tara Grace Ericson
Roadtrip for Two (Roadtrip Romance 2) by Amy R Anguish
Refining Josie (Independence Islands 30) by Carolyn Miller
A Sea Glass Christmas (Sea Glass Inn 5) by Julie Carobini
November 2022
Trust Me With Your Heart, Cowboy (Cavanagh Cowboys 6) by Valerie Comer
Muskoka Christmas by Carolyn Miller
Within the Storm (Seasons of Faith 3) by Milla Holt
Puppy Love and Christmas Cookies (Happiness in Hallburg 3) by Merrillee Whren
Her Christmas Redemption by Toni Shiloh
A complete list of Inspy Romance books by our authors is always available on our BOOKS tab. Find our audiobooks and our thank-you gifts for newsletter subscribers there as well!
Elizabeth Maddrey is a semi-reformed computer geek and homeschooling mother of two who lives in the suburbs of Washington D.C. When she isn’t writing, Elizabeth is a voracious consumer of books. She loves to write about Christians who struggle through their lives, dealing with sin and receiving God’s grace on their way to their own romantic happily ever after.
Hi! Couldn’t sleep due to lung congestion, so I get to be the first to comment :-) Normally I start decorating for Christmas the day after Thanksgiving. However, this year my normal housekeeper and I crossed wires, so she couldn’t clean before Thanksgiving. So my hubby and I cleaned. He cleaned stuff that hadn’t been cleaned in years :-) So, the day after Thanksgiving we were both worn out. Then we thought it was just the dust from all the cleaning that got his sinuses clogged up, but it was more than that because by the Mon after Thanksgiving, I started having post-nasal drip, and have been dripping and coughing and no energy ever since. My hubby got the outdoor lights up last weekend, thankfully, and I finally dug out my Christmas table cloths and other linens today. We always like to wait on a tree until closer to Christmas (and often can use something from our yard). Since we’re going to my niece’s next weekend to celebrate early, we probably won’t worry about a tree until after we get back from that trip. I do hope to have the energy to get my nativity sets arranged this next week. We have been listening to Christmas music. I am NOT the kind that starts decoration even before Halloween :-)
Its been a process this year. I put the little Christmas village up Saturday a week ago. the Wreath and a few things on last Sunday. I put the tree up a few days ago without the decorations and tied it down so Libby could get use to it. Ironically she didn’t go near it. Tonight I start putting up decorations and she wants to climb it. hopefully it will be still standing when I get up. I have decided less is best this year. The ones I got when overseas are on. and the ones from friends. but the top branches are not as full as some times and I think its fine like it is.
Happy Second Advent Elizabeth and friends! This German American embraces her German Christmas traditions. Saturday after Thanksgiving, I change my placemats. My first decoration is the Advent Wreath with four red candles. I also change the front door decor with a fresh evergreen wreath. In the granddaughters’ play room Santa Village with Christmas teddy bears, plus holiday story books have made an appearance. My tabletop 4 foot Christmas tree will move this week from the basement family room to in front of the window in the living room. Easy moves but still festive. Happy December!
I usually have great intentions of getting the tree up and decor out right after Thanksgiving but then struggle to get it done. This year I did it a weekend in early November and love having the extra time with it! I also started my Christmas themed reading at that time. :)
I always do the day after Thanksgiving. Any sooner and it detracts from Thanksgiving for me. If I put it off til later, it may not get done at all!! lol!!
Hope you’re feeling better soon!
I miss having live trees, but we have too many allergies.
Cats are so amusing. They know there’s no point until the ornaments are on!
Love this! I tried to do advent decor and switch to Christmas with the church calendar one year and it did not fly with my family.
Yay for more time with decorating up!
That’s kind of like us. I don’t want it earlier, but if we wait too much longer I’ll just let it be.
Happy sunday to you all. I too feel like this year has just zoomed by. Normally we do the day after Christmas. But this year, I have been so busy, gotta slow that part down, I will be putting up decorations this week.
I hope you can slow down and rest and enjoy decorating!
Happy Sunday to you! We have an advent wreath and light candles each Sunday but haven’t got any other decorations yet – I’m kind of dreading getting the tree up as I know my youngest will be trying to grab everything! We have family coming next week end so I need to do something by then at least.
Trees and littles is hard! Fun, but hard :)
I usually start decorating about December first. This year that meant hanging the front door wreath, running fairy lights through the fake evergreen bough and pine cones on the above-window shelf in the LR, and changing my message blocks to read: Emmanuel God with us.
We make a production of cutting down Christmas trees from the forest with our son’s family, and we’ll be doing that next Saturday, the tenth. After we find the perfect two trees, we’ll find a spot for a campfire to roast some hotdogs and have a picnic lunch outdoors! Last year it was around -20º Celsius. It is only supposed to be around -3 next Saturday, and the 10yo grandgirl thinks that is practically balmy!
That sounds fun! I want to come along :)
already decorated
Happy second Sunday of Advent. We do not have anything up. I am not sure if we are going to decorate or not. My Mom is under Hospice care and is declining. We are trusting in the Lord. Taking it one minute at a time. Congratulations to this weeks winners. Thank you for sharing. God bless you.
Oh, that’s so hard no matter the time of year but harder I think at Christmas. Hugs.
Plenty of time to get here! Your boys will love it!
last year I got a smaller tree which looks just as good but its easier to have a little higher. The year before when it was just up with nothing on I got photos of Libby starting to climb it. She hasn’t been as bad this year so far I think due to it being a bit higher on a small end table. I think Val has her tree tie from the ceiling or wall. (Not sure what Miss Daisy is like must ask Narelle).