New Christmas Books Added to My TBR Pile

Books, books, and more books. That is the story of my life. I have hundreds of unread ones, yet I still want more. Can anyone else relate? Here are two recent additions to my To Be Read Pile.

After Ruby inherits her father's conveyance business, she discovers an old sleigh in a barn. Thinking she can build her business by offering rides during the long winter season, she spruces up the sleigh. However, somebody in town is unhappy, and Ruby's business falls prey to mishaps such as broken traces, ill horses, and avalanches.

Quinton falls into Ruby's life when he hires her sleigh to take his fiancée for a ride in the winter wonderland of Snowflake, Colorado. But when Ruby won't convey them across a frozen lake, his fiancée kicks up a fuss and leaves him cold.

Can Ruby and Quinton figure out who is trying to ruin her business? And will working together show them the warmth of love and the kindness of their Heavenly Father?

Purchase from your favorite retailer. 

A stunning folktale about the Nativity, set on a chilly night in Bethlehem.

“Wake up, wake up, birds!” croaks Raven one December night. “A child is born!” Each bird longs to bring a gift to the newborn baby in the manger. Nightingale sings a sweet song; Rooster caws a special call; Stork plucks her feathers to make a pillow. “I have nothing to give,” thinks little Robin. But as the night grows colder, the fire keeping the stable warm burns lower and lower. Maybe even a tiny bird has her own way to show her love for the newborn Prince of Peace… 

Illustrated in lush blues and golds, The Birds of Christmas invites children to join the flock gathering around the manger. This beautiful book is an unforgettable reminder of the wonder of Christmas and the priceless gift of compassion.

Pre-order from your favorite retailer.

Christmas... in the News: Shriners Children's Hospital Philadelphia Christmas in July, Gaylord Hotel's ICE! Returns & The History of Christmas Magic in Cleveland

 

Welcome to this edition of Christmas... in the news. This is a review of Christmas articles and news over the last week.

Hard to believe another week has passed. Christmas is only 151 days away! By this time next week, we will be in August. 

This week, we start Christmas... in the news in Philadelphia, where Santa Claus cruised down Broad Street to visit patients at Shriner's Children's Hospital. Check out 10Philadelphia's article and video about the event here.

Then comes the exciting news that Gaylord Hotels' Christmas attraction, ICE!, is returning to six resorts across the nation. Breaking Travel News has more details here. Have you ever been? 

News 5 Cleveland shares the touching story of Ron Newell, who started at Halle's Department Store back in 1956, designing their elaborate window displays, including the ones the store would unveil for the holidays. Now, at 95, they report the Korean War veteran is still active in the local theater. Read more about Ron here. 

That's it for today. See you again next week!

Reminder: Looking to Review Your Christmas Products in 2025!

 

Photo credit: freepik

Having just spoken today with a book publicist reminded me that there are still open slots for this year's review calendar. As someone who has been reviewing products since 2007--and a HUGE Christmas lover--I am looking to help you spread the word about your seasonal book, family-friendly movie, home decorating, or cooking/baking products.

Here is a short list of what I'm most interested in, but I'm open to other inquiries:

Books

• Picture books
• Chapter books
• Clean romance novellas

Movies

• Animated 
• Drama
• Clean romance
• Clean comedy

Decor and Storage Items

• Cottagecore
• Modern farmhouse
• Traditional
• Country/Rustic
• Indoor and outdoor
• Holiday storage products

Cooking/Baking

• Supplies--specialty pots, pans, utensils, cookie cutters, aprons, tools, etc.
• Ingredients
• Cookbooks

If you would like me to help spread the word, please contact me at ccmal(at)charter(dot)net, replacing at and dot with the appropriate symbols. Please put "Christmas Product Review" in the subject line of your email. 

Below are the stats from personal social media accounts as of July 24, 2025. Books might be cross-posted to The Book Connection or The Children's and Teens' Book Connection, so I am including that information as well.

Facebook friends 2.9K
Author page followers 609
Twitter/X followers 3,627
LinkedIn Connections 2,201
Instagram followers 1,548

Pinterest followers 229

Goodreads Friends - 791

The Book Connection - Average Monthly Visits 166,902

The Children's and Teens' Book Connection - Average Monthly Visits 218

Christmas Year Round blog - Average Monthly Visits 3,398

Christmas...in the News: Christmas Movie Stars in Small Southern Town, Christmas in July Toy Run & Christmas in July Fundraiser at Pier 59

 

Welcome to this edition of Christmas... in the news. This is a review of Christmas articles and news over the last week. 

Happy Sunday! Hope you are having a great weekend. It's time for another edition of Christmas... in the news. How are you enjoying them so far? We have some touching stories this week. 

Southern Living is talking about Christmas movie stars' plans to spend July 25 - 27 in Dahlonega, Georgia, for the ticketed event, "Christmas in a Small Town." According to the article, Dahlonega has been the location for at least three Christmas movies. Find out more details here. 

From Chico, California, comes a holiday story that will warm your heart. Action News Now reported on the 9th Annual Christmas in July Toy Run. Despite the hot temperatures, the Sierra Steel Harley-Davidson team raised funds to help ensure happy holidays for local foster families. You can read all about it here. 

Then we move across the country for a story out of Vincent, Alabama. The 16th annual Christmas in July fundraiser to benefit the Alabama Institute for Deaf and Blind was held on Saturday, July 19 at Pier 59 on Logan Martin Lake. With live music, a live auction, a raffle and more, it sounds like a great time. It was inspired to support the owner of Pier 59's efforts to buy gifts for those at AIDB. Read more about this wonderful event here. 

Seems like a ton of people enjoy celebrating Christmas in July. I sure do! See you next week. 

Christmas in July Crafting Supply Sales

 

If you are following our monthly tips for preparing for Christmas, you will remember that one of July's tasks was to take advantage of Christmas in July sales. Another was purchasing DIY/crafting project supplies. 

Here are some current craft suppliers running sales right now. Keep in mind, these prices and stock of these items can run out at any time.

Herrschners

Many moons ago, before the girls were born, I used to needlepoint and cross-stitch regularly. That's how I learned of Herrschners. In addition to their regular promotions, Herrschners has a Christmas in July sale running now. You can see their inventory here.

Michaels

This craft store has a bunch of sales going on right now, including on Christmas trees. They are also offering 25% off on regularly priced items with a special Christmas in July code. Check Michaels out here.  

Hobby Lobby

Hobby Lobby is embracing fall a bit early by offering sales on fall items. But the sale ends today, so you only have a little bit of time. Through midnight on July 20, they are also offering free shipping on orders of $50 or more. There might be more details on that, so make sure you check out Hobby Lobby's website here.

Artists & Craftsman Supply

Over at Artists & Craftsman Supply, they are celebrating their 40th anniversary by offering savings on shipping costs. They are also running an Overstock Summer Spree Sale. Check it all out here.

The Make It Work blog shared links to a variety of craft retailers. Who knows what other sales you will discover? You can find this article by visiting them here.

Three Things to Do in July to Prepare for Christmas

How are we already past the halfway point in the year? Christmas is in 165 days!

For the first time in a couple of years, I didn't buy a Christmas ornament when we visited The Christmas Shop and General Store in Manteo on vacation. Luckily, I can always purchase online if something inspires me. Buying myself a couple of early birthday gifts made me feel more thrifty. 

How are you doing with following our to-do list to prepare you for Christmas? 

Here are the recommended steps to take in July:

Take advantage of Christmas in July sales

Photo credit freepik

Once an odd gimmick, so many stores, online retailers, and even local artisans take advantage of Christmas in July these days. You can't forget Amazon Prime Days, which just happened last week. I bought myself an early birthday gift--a new Kindle Fire. Our town, like many others, has a local Farm and Artisan Market. We visited two while on vacation and picked up some nice handcrafted gifts. 

Buy any DIY project supplies

Photo credit freepik

On June's list, you decided on your DIY projects and handcrafted gifts for family and friends. Now, it's time to buy those supplies. If you haven't been crafting all year long, August is a great time to get started crafting. Take advantage of early sales to find what you need. 

Put together your Christmas Reading List with classics and 2025 new book releases

So many seasonal titles hit the shelves in the fall, and the best way to create a buzz for them is to make them available for pre-order, like I'll Be Home for Christmas by Jenny Bayliss. Some Christmas titles have already hit the market. I added some backlist titles to my Kindle recently. You can check them out here. What are some seasonal titles you're looking forward to this year?

Following these seven months of helpful tips, you can make the holidays less stressful. See you next month!

Christmas...in the News: Third Three Wise Men Hallmark Christmas Movie, Pittsburgh Launches its Official Christmas Tree Search & QVC Launches 'Christmas in July'

 

Welcome to this edition of Christmas... in the news. This is a review of Christmas articles and news over the last week. 

Hope you enjoyed the last couple of weeks. We just came back from the Outer Banks: my favorite beachy place. Now that we are past the halfway mark to Christmas, the weekly news is more plentiful. Here are some of the latest tidbits:

In a People exclusive, it was announced that Hallmark Channel is working on a third installment in the popular Three Wise Men series. Though the movie has no title yet, the film is in production this summer with a planned airing later this year. You can read more here!

The city of Pittsburgh has launched its search for its official Christmas tree. WPXI reported on Saturday that the city officials are looking for a tree that is at least 40 feet high. You can read more here. 

KTLA5 announced four days ago that QVC launched a star-studded 'Christmas in July' event that will run through the end of the month. You can read about it here. This last one begs the question: Have you or anyone you know ordered from QVC? Honestly, can't say I ever have, but I think Jim Shore, who created the nativity scene that sits in our family room, sells products through them. 

That's it for this week. Look fora  post tomorrow about things to do in July to prepare for Christmas.