Happy Sunday! It’s the last weekend in October, and I’m now thinking about getting organized for Christmas. We don’t celebrate Thanksgiving in Australia. November is when our stores switch into full-on Christmas celebration mode. Black Friday shopping is now a big thing in Australia (I’d rather we celebrated Thanksgiving than have Black Friday, but anyway…). Black Friday is rivalling our traditional Boxing Day (December 26) after Christmas sales for retail sales revenue. We usually decorate our Christmas tree in November. When do you start preparing for Christmas?
Winners this Week
If you’re a winner, you should have received an email from the author in charge of the giveaway. If not, please email us at: prizes at inspyromance dot com.
Julie Carobini’s winner is Lily!
Merrillee Whren’s winner is Joannie Sico!
Congratulations!
Specials this Week
Hometown Holidays Heartstrings boxed set by Emily Dana Botrous will be 99c (US & UK) today.
Reader Gathering
Have you visited Inspy Romance’s Christian Romance Reader Gathering group on Facebook lately? Come on over… but don’t forget to answer the questions for admittance!
StoryChats @ InspyRomance
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Last Week on Inspy Romance
On Monday, Robin Merrill shared A Year of Books
On Tuesday, Erin Stevenson invited us to Meet Carol James
On Wednesday, Merrillee Whren talked about World Pizza Makers Day
On Thursday, Deb Kastner discussed The Best Laid Plans
On Friday, Carolyn Miller shared It’s Beginning to Look Like a Lot of Christmas… (& a sale!)
On Saturday, Laura Ashwood talked about Living Gratefully
Next Week on Inspy Romance
Monday: Meghann Whistler
Tuesday: Tara Grace Ericson
Wednesday: Robin Merrill
Thursday: Teresa Tysinger
Friday: Heather Gray
Saturday: Narelle Atkins
New Releases
October 2023
Once Upon a Starry Night (collection) by Laura Ashwood, Valerie Comer, Jan Thompson, and 9 others
More Than Enough by Jaycee Weaver
Sinclair Sisters Trilogy: The Complete Series by Jaycee Weaver
Amid the Ashes (Seasons of Faith 4) by Milla Holt
Mama Dated Santa by Amy R. Anguish
Marry Christmas by Jaycee Weaver, Teresa Tysinger, and 2 others
November 2023
A Jilted Bride for the Cowboy (Sweet River Ranch 2) by Valerie Comer
Muskoka Holiday Morsels by Carolyn Miller
Not Until The End (Hope Springs 10) by Valerie M. Bodden
Puppy Love and Christmas Joy (Happiness in Hallburg 4) by Merrillee Whren
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!
A fun loving Aussie girl at heart, Narelle Atkins was born and raised on the beautiful northern beaches in Sydney, Australia. She has settled in Canberra with her husband and children. A lifelong romance reader, she found the perfect genre to write when she discovered inspirational romance. Narelle's contemporary stories of faith and romance are set in Australia and international locations.
Oh wow I guess I haven’t received an email yet hahaha. It’s been a while since I won an award for the blog.
Unless it’s another Lilly with just a one L 🤔
Happy Sunday!
Happy Sunday Narelle and everyone!
I know what you mean about black Friday, it’s the same in the UK now. Some shops are running month long ‘Black Friday’ sales throughout November. Which makes no sense!
I need to start doing some planning for Christmas, making lists etc. However early I start I always seem to be in a rush at the end!
We usually begin decorating for Christmas the day after Thanksgiving. That being said, in our current house the downstairs has all the “public” spaces and is deck out for Fall. We have no room for a tree downstairs. Upstairs is an open bedroom suite that is also my office, workout space, coffee bar etc… I’m considering putting up our small artificial tree next weekend upstairs. Fall will remain downstairs until after Thanksgiving.
Happy Sunday! We usually put up our 1st tree the day after Thanksgiving. That happens starting after a gathered family’s Thanksgiving breakfast with my son’s family (5), my daughter, my husband, and me (8 total). Then I finish up with decorating that tree before we all gather again for the first official Christmas movie (usually Elf) on the Friday after Thanksgiving.
But the prep starts way before that with shopping year around. My husbsnd tests and stresses the lights on the first tree (it’s pre-lit). My daughter will come to our house and help make cookies. The second tree will go up in the couple of weeks after Thanksgiving depending how the calendar falls. Just talking about it is getting me
excited…
Sorry this is long. Have a great week everyone. ❤
I’ve already started Christmas shopping, and I’ll be buying more this week. I usually start decorating the day after Thanksgiving, which is November 23 this year.
Congratulations :)
Preparing starts in December of the previous year and decorating in December of the current year. Enjoy!
I noticed that some people on one side of the playground that’s over the road from me has their Christmas Lights up. will be interesting to see if it was only on last night to check (or if they are the house that does Halloween here not that many do).
Here in South Australia the Christmas season starts after the Adelaide Christmas Pageant which is On Saturday. I have started Christmas Shopping as I tend to do it year round although with moving it was delayed. But do have a few things bought and will get more in all the cyber sales. I normally put decorations up around the end of November early Dec. The tree takes longer as Libby likes it to take lots of naps
I start my Christmas decorating the day after Thanksgiving, which is the way my family has always done it.
Congratulations to this weeks winners. Thank you for sharing. God bless you. Have a great week everyone.
Hi Lilly, yes, we have another Lily who’s the winner, lol. Thanks for commenting. 😊
Hi Ruthie, I’m so glad we don’t have month long sales! That’s too much. Boxing Day sales sometimes creep into January and include end of season clearance. I can relate to the last minute rush despite good intentions, lol. Thanks for commenting. 😊
Hi Kimberly, Your fall decorations sound fun, and it can be hard to fit everything in. Thanks for commenting. 😊
Hi Bonnie, Christmas decorating is exciting! I used to shop year round, until I kept forgetting what I’d bought and where I’d hidden it from my children, lol. Enjoy Thanksgiving :)
Hi Trudy, You’re way more organized than me. I need to start thinking about shopping. Thanks for commenting. 😊
:)
Hi Dianne, I find Christmas, and the end of the year, creeps up on me. The decorating usually happens here when all our schedules coordinate to be home together. Thanks for commenting. 😊
Hi Jenny, Christmas lights usually appear around here in December. The Christmas pageant sounds fun. Our tree is tricky, too, with Miss Daisy occasionally getting into mischief and pulling down decorations. Thanks for commenting. :)
Hi Jessica, Your family tradition sounds fun. Thanks for commenting. 😊
Hi Debra, you’re welcome. Enjoy your week. :)
Hahaha ok that’s funny!