Animal Mischief During the Holidays

With five animals, there is never a dull moment around here... especially around the holidays. Here are some shots that I captured this year. 

Both Travis and Dwight tried to see if I would be okay with them hopping into the tree.

Annoyed Travis waiting for me to put away the fall decorations so we could open the box with Christmas decorations. 

Travis reminding me that the balcony tree is not up yet. 

Dwight wondering why the garland isn't on the railings yet. 

Theo scolding Travis for being in the way.

Travis and Dwight thinking maybe this would be a good spot to hide from Theo. 

Travis hiding under the tree in the bonus room.

Travis contemplating a nibble on that extension cord. 

Theo poking his nose out from under the table during Christmas dinner. 

Looking to Review Your Christmas Products in 2025!

 

Photo credit: freepik

Being a lover of all things Christmas and as someone who has been reviewing products since 2007, 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 and pans, utensils, cookie cutters, aprons, tools, etc.
• Ingredients
• Cookbooks

If you would like me to help spread the word, please reach out to 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 January 14, 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 2.3K
Author page followers 590
Twitter/X followers 3,570
LinkedIn Connections 2,190
Instagram followers 1,444

Pinterest followers 228

Goodreads Friends - 789

The Book Connection - Average Monthly Visits 16,673

The Children's and Teens' Book Connection - Average Monthly Visits 265

Christmas Year Round blog - Average Monthly Visits 1,096

Christmas Books on My Kindle

Here is a list of some of the Christmas books on my Kindle. Have you read any of these? What were your thoughts on the ones you read?

Three Things to Do in January to Prepare for Next Christmas

Though you probably don't want to think about Christmas 2025 for a few months, preparing a little bit at at time can make the holiday season less stressful. Here are three things you can do this month to prepare for next Christmas.

Photo credit: starline on Freepik.com

Take advantage of after-Christmas sales to stock up on non-perishable supplies

While I don't consider myself a bargain shopper--at least not in the way my mother-in-law could hunt down amazing bargains on just about anything--it's still a great idea to stalk bargain bins at your local and online stores for supplies at discounted prices. I picked up new Christmas bows for the banister and tissue paper for 30% off from Joann Fabrics last week. Our local grocery store has gift tags, bags, and wrapping paper 50% off. Even our local CVS has marked down Christmas merchandise to make way for Valentine's Day inventory. 

Photo credit: Freepik.com 

Donate unused Christmas decor & throw away broken pieces

Maybe you've already tucked your Christmas decorations away for the year. For those that haven't, before you pack everything up for another year, take stock of what you own for Christmas decor and donate what no longer fits your style. In the way back section under the stairs, I have four stocking holders that I just loved when I bought them. They haven't seen the light of day for at least seven years because they were replaced by ones that better suit my current style. They are still in great condition, so they will make it to the donation bin. 

If you've been holding onto broken decor that you might glue back together one day, decor that is missing a few bulbs that are too frustrating to replace, or snow globes that have long since dried up, it's time to get rid of them, recycle them, or upcycle them. Even it's just to make room for new items, you won't be shuffling around them any longer.

Photo credit: Freepik.com 

Inventory and organize craft supplies

If you are one of those talented people who can create homemade gifts, your supply inventory must be pretty low by now. Take stock of what you have, so you'll know what you need for next Christmas. Maybe you will want to start some type of digital or paper inventory management system. And if you've never taken the time to organize your craft supplies so it's easy to see what you have on hand, here is an excellent article from Project Home DIY about how to organize your supplies after the holidays. 

With these three steps, you will be on your way to a holiday season of less stress and more time for to do what you love. 

Christmas Short Story Collection Review: The Christmas Stories of Louisa May Alcott

 

Journey back in time with children's Christmas stories of old from beloved author Louisa May Alcott. The Christmas Stories of Louisa May Alcott have been compiled by Dreamscape Media and are performed by an award-winning narrator.

Let me say, though I know the work of Louisa May Alcott, I didn't recall that she wrote so many Christmas stories. Yet, here they are, compiled in one delightful audio collection for middle graders on up. Some of my favorites from this collection are:

• "Bertie's Box,"
• "A Hospital Christmas,"
• "A Christmas Turkey," and
• "A Merry Christmas."

With audio books, the narrator can make it or break it for me. This narrator did an amazing job!

If you are a fan of Little Women, Louisa May Alcott, or classic children's literature, you will want to listen to this charming collection.

Release Date: October 1, 2013

Publisher: Dreamscape Media
Unabridged Audiobook

I downloaded a copy of this book from Chirp. This review contains my honest opinions, which I have not been compensated for in any way.

Devotional Review: Jesus Listens for Advent & Christmas by Sarah Young

 

If you are looking for a beautifully illustrated, meaningful devotional for Advent and Christmas, Jesus Listens for Advent & Christmas by Sarah Young needs to be on your list. 

Including excerpts from Jesus Listens® and Jesus Calling, this heartwarming devotional is filled with prayers, reflections, and Bible verses. At the end of the 40 days, which runs from December 1st - January 6th, the reader will find blank, lined pages to write down their Christmas prayers.

I loved everything about Jesus Listens for Advent & Christmas: the format, the stunning illustrations, the carefully crafted devotions and reflections, and the choice of verses. The illustrations display the beauty of God's nature, the symbols of Christmas and the peace, love, and joy that fills the season. A gold ribbon allows the reader to easily keep track of their progress. Perfect as a gift for others or for you, Jesus Listens for Advent & Christmas will be one of the most touching gifts received. I look forward to reading this book again next Christmas.

• Publisher ‏ : ‎ Thomas Nelson (October 3, 2023)
• Language ‏ : ‎ English
• Hardcover ‏ : ‎ 176 pages
• ISBN-10 ‏ : ‎ 1400244242
• ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 978-1400244249

This is a book from my personal collection. This review contains my honest opinions, which I have not been compensated for in any way.

Christmas... in the News: Christmas Event for Hurricane Helene Survivors, New Journey for Rockefeller Center Tree & Christmas Tree Treat for Berlin Zoo Elephants

 

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

Thrilled to have you here. We just returned from Wilmington, North Carolina. Believe it or not, we had to scrape the windshield of the car this morning before running our morning errands around Wilmington. We enjoyed our stay, cold though it was, and we are back in Massachusetts and falling into our regular work schedules. 

This will be our last Christmas... in the news segment until later in the year. Even the Hallmark Channel has moved into winter-themed movies, Valentine's Day items have popped up in every store, and I'm the last hold out with outdoor holiday lights still up. At least stores are running great sales to clear out their Christmas inventory! 

But fear not! We love Christmas all twelve months of the year. So, what can you look forward to?

• Book reviews
• Movie reviews
• Favorite Christmas hymns/songs, ornaments, memories
• Christmas podcast reviews
• Monthly Christmas task lists to help you get ready for the holidays a bit at a time

And maybe even some new surprises. Feel free to share in the comments if there is something you would be interested in seeing here. 

Without further ado, let's talk Christmas... in the news!

Mark Klaus, owner of Castle Noel in Medina, Ohio, coordinated "The Promise of Christmas" event held this past Saturday for people from North Carolina who were impacted by Hurricane Helene. Klaus told Fox 8 News that he wanted to give people a break, considering all that has been going on. You can read more here. 

The tree from the Berkshires is now on its next journey. NBC New York reported that the Rockefeller Center tree came down yesterday. It is then cut up and shipped off to be milled into two-by-four and two-by-six beams before being donated to Habitat for Humanity. You can read all about it here.

Speaking of Christmas trees, elephants at the Berlin Zoo were treated with unsold Christmas trees to eat and play with. The AP spoke about it here.

So many great Christmas tidbits to share this season. Which ones were your favorites? 

Christmas... in the News: Popular Christmas Presents by Decade, PAG's "Christmas Eve in Chaos" & Case for Leaving Christmas Decorations Up Until February

 

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

How is everyone this week? Are you setting those New Year's resolutions? Are you eager to get back to your regular schedule now that the holidays are past? 

For me, I am preparing new real estate listings, finalizing an editing job, and taking a rare day off. The closer we get to spring market, the fewer of those there will be. 

It was so pleasing to find so many neat Christmas tidbits this week. InForum featured an article by C.S. Hagen that shared popular Christmas gifts by decade, starting in the 1930s. I instantly thought of Ralphie from A Christmas Story when I read about Ryder BB guns being popular during the Depression. G.I. Joe and Etch a Sketch were popular in my decade, and Barbie dolls and the Nerf Ball made the list for the 70s. Check out the article here.

The SHAW LOCAL News Network reported that the Performing Arts Guild of Mt. Morris is presenting a dessert theater titled, "Christmas in Chaos," January 10 - 12. For more details about this funny play, you can click here.

This last tidbit is definitely for someone like me, who enjoys keeping up those Christmas decorations as long as possible. CBC shared an article about the historic case for keeping Christmas decorations up until February. 

In some parts of the world, it's considered bad luck to take decorations down before January 6, the Feast of the Epiphany. However, this article states that for centuries the tradition was to keep decorations up until February 2, the Feast of the Presentation of Jesus in the Temple in Jerusalem. Interested in finding out more? Check out the article here. 

Now, off to enjoy reading and editing. Hope you have a great week!

Deals on Christmas Storage

 

Photo credit: freepik.com

Welcome to 2025! While we won't take down our Christmas decorations for a while, some like to get their house back in order right after the new year starts. Here are some places running deals on Christmas storage right now.* 

This Dream Loom storage bag is on sale right now at Amazon. Posted dimensions are 65"x15"x30" and said to fit a 9 foot tree. 

Saw these Hefty totes in our local Target the other day. You can find them on sale here.

Amazon has this set of two wreath storage bags available from Zober. I found some plaid ones at our local Joann Fabrics, which they also have online. 

Found this neat light storage bin from KBOROVER at Amazon. I've gotten by the last several years by wrapping my lights around long pieces of cardboard and then storing them in a bag or bin. 

The best Christmas storage product I ever bought was this gift wrap organizer from Joann Fabrics. It holds a crazy amount of gift wrap, tags, bows, ribbons, etc. 

When do you take down your decorations?

* These items are posted as a public service. I do not earn affiliate income if you click a link to purchase. No shade toward content creators who provide an amazing service to others. This blog is a Christmas love project, so sharing information freely follows through with my mission of spreading love and joy throughout the year. Please note that vendors can change prices and marketing strategies without notice. These sales are in effect as of the time of this post. Please check with the vendor's website to see how long they will be in effect.