Guest Post At The Christmas Spirit

My good Friend Michelle of The Christmas Spirit, and tons of other blogs, asked me to come by and talk about some of my favorite Christmas Cards, Edward Gorey fans will love my choices.  Please come on by and check it out.

Merry Christmas!

I Wanted To Wish You All, A Very Merry Christmas.  May It Be Filled With Love, Laughter, and Joy.

Favorite Fictional Character --- The Grinch

There is nothing more rewarding than a redemption story, especially one that happens during Christmas.  When a character starts off grumpy or even flat out mean, when they hate Christmas and all it stands for, there is always a chance that they can change in time to understand the true meaning of Christmas.  One such character, who does make the transformation, just happens to be one of my favorites.  So with no further ado, I would like to present you with The Grinch.

I lived for this TV special to come on when I was a kid.  I don't think there was a year, at least a year when I had any choice in the matter, that I didn't plop myself in front of the TV and enjoy every second of The Grinch's attempt to destroy Christmas.  As a kid, I'm not sure I fully understood the reason why he hated Christmas so much.  All I saw was someone who was mean and nasty steal presents, Christmas trees, wreaths, and even all the food from the poor people of Whoville.

I don't think I got that he was so bitter and mean, because he was lonely.  At least that's the way I've come to understand it now.  It's the explanation I give to my son when he asks me why The Grinch acts the way he does.  The poor guy has no family or friends to celebrate with.  He has nobody to share the warmth and joy that Christmas brings to the rest of us every year.  All he knows is that he hates is with all his heart and he wants it to go away.

But it's through that attempt to annihilate Christmas that The Grinch comes to understand the meaning of that special day.  Once he has successfully gotten away with all their decorations, toys, and all the food for the feast, he discovers something he never thought would happen.  Christmas isn't about all those things, and the people of Whoville prove that to him.  They still wake up on Christmas morning and because they are all together they still start to celebrate.  They rejoice in the meaning of that day and being together.  Because of that, The Grinch is forced to rethink the whole thing, both mentally and emotionally.  He comes to understand what makes Christmas so special.

It's because of his story that I never let the trappings of the season get to me.  In the years that I've been poor and could barely afford a tree or a few presents, I remember what the season is really about.  It's about family and friends and the things that makes Christmas special.  It's not about the material things.  As long as I can remember The Grinch's lesson, I will always enjoy Christmas to the fullest.

Favorite Fictional Character --- Aaron (The Little Drummer Boy)

Come they told me, pa rum pum pum pum

A new born King to see, pa rum pum pum pum 

Our finest gifts we bring, pa rum pum pum pum 

To lay before the King, pa rum pum pum pum, 

rum pum pum pum, rum pum pum pum,

So to honor Him, pa rum pum pum pum, 

When we come.  

Little Baby, pa rum pum pum pum

I am a poor boy too, pa rum pum pum pum

I have no gift to bring, pa rum pum pum pum

That's fit to give the King, pa rum pum pum pum,

rum pum pum pum, rum pum pum pum, 

Shall I play for you, pa rum pum pum pum, 

On my drum?

Mary nodded, pa rum pum pum pum

The ox and lamb kept time, pa rum pum pum pum

I played my drum for Hi, pa rum pum pum pum

I played my best for Him, pa rum pum pum pum, 

rum pum pum pum, rum pum pum pum

Then He smiled at me, pa rum pum pum pum,

Me and my drum.

One of the few Christmas specials I never seemed to get into as a kid, was The Little Drummer Boy.  I'm not sure why, maybe because there was no Santa Claus or a red-nosed reindeer.  There was no talking snow man or and pretty Christmas trees.  There just wasn't enough excitement for me.  Now that I'm an adult, this is one that I look forward to every year.  Aaron and his story make me realize that it's not just about the flash and pretty things that makes Christmas special, it's that warm feeling you have when you think about those that you love and the story of that first Christmas night.

When the movie first starts, Aaron is a hurt and angry young man.  Angry at the world for taking his parents away from him, but most of all angry at the entire human race for being responsible.  The only friends he has are the three animals that follow him around.  Baabaa, Samson, and Joshua, the sheep, donkey and camel who dance and play to the beat of Aaron's drum.

When he is kidnapped by a desert nomad to be apart of his traveling show, Aaron goes along with it but quickly loses his temper and tried to run off.  It's through a chance encounter with the three kings that sets Aaron up for an eye opening and life changing experience.  He learns to love and trust again.  He learns that through love, all things are possible.  

Aaron is one of those characters that sticks with me, especially during the Christmas season.  His ability to change into someone he wants to be, is both reassuring and touching to watch. 

This is a clip from the movie, when Aaron is about to play for the baby Jesus.

This is Linda Eder, singing one of my favorite versions of the song itself.

Favorite Ficitonal Character --- Tangerine Bear

Have I ever mentioned how much I love Christmas.  I'm pretty sure I have, but just in case, I'll say it again.  Christmas is my favorite part of the year for so many reasons that I will fill up a few blog posts just naming them.  One of my favorite aspects though are all of the great characters that have been created to tell the story of Christmas.  That's why every December I highlight some of my favorite Christmas characters, characters that make the holiday season that much better.

From the get go, Tangerine Bear has a life that isn't what it was supposed to be.  The poor guys smile got sewed upside down, so when he was placed on the department stores shelves during the Christmas season, nobody bought him to take him home.  He was left all alone of the shelf, even after Christmas had come and gone.  To add insult to injury, he was thrown in a bin and taken to secondhand store, to languish away. 

Once there Tangerine makes a few friends with other toys that are waiting for homes as well.  They are friends that he quickly grows to love.  He even grows to care about the store's owner, Mr. Winkle, who really cares about the treasures in his store and would like nothing more to find them a good home.  Because of that Mr. Winkle puts Tangerine in the window  That's actually how Tangerine got his color and his name, the sun faded him to a peculiar color of tangerine, once his friends noticed that, the name kinda stuck.

As the new Christmas season comes to pass, one customer decides he wants to buy Tangerine.  He seems like a good man, so Tangerine gets really excited that he may actually get a home for Christmas.  Mr. Winkle though refuses to sell the guy the bear.  The customer just wanted Tangerine as a collectors item, it seems teddy bears with upside down smiles, may be worth some money.  Mr. Winkle decides that Tangerine deserves a real home, not to sit in a display case all by himself.

At first Tangerine doesn't know what to think, he just lost his chance for a home.  But events quickly come to pass that makes Tangerine rethink the whole concept of home.  Maybe he has been home this whole time.  He is surrounded by friends who love and support him.  What more do you need to be home.

What I love about this story is the whole idea of creating your own home.  Surrounding yourself with friends and starting your own family.  That home is the place you feel comfortable, loved, and protected.  It's not about the building, it's about those that you surround yourself with.

Happy Haulidays!

The great people at Chronicle Books are hosting their Happy Haulidays giveaway once again this year.  For those of you who don't know what that is, it's this great opportunity for one blogger and one of their commenters to win $500 dollars worth of books.  This year they have added in another winner as well, the winning blogger will get to pick their favorite charity to win $500 dollars in books as well.  It's such a great thing that they are doing, now I just need to keep my fingers crossed.

If I win, the charity I chose is Positive Directions.  It's a local charity that assists clients with HIV/AIDS obtain housing, transportation, food, and a varied list of other services.  They also do a great job with HIV/AIDS prevention outreach.  Every year they give out holiday boxes with not only food but other items, such as books.

Not to the fun part, picking the books.  After selecting the books I wanted, the grand total was $494.25.

Non-Fiction:

This Is NPR by various authors

Ramayana by Sanjay Patel

Smart on Crime by Kamala D. Harris

The Anatomy of the Sea by Dr. David Ponsonby and Professor Georges Dussart

Cookbooks: 

Grilled Cheese by Marlena Spieler

Macaroni & Cheese by Marlena Spieler

The Big Book of Breakfast by Maryana Vollstedt

The Big Book of Casseroles by Maryana Vollstedt

The Big Book of Soups and Stews by Maryana Vollstedt

Photography:

Microworlds

Bird by Andrew Zuckerman

Creature by Andrew Zuckerman

The Life & Love of Trees by Lewis Blackwell

Fiction: 

A Time To Run by Barbara Boxer

Blind Trust by Barbara Boxer

The Conductor by Laetitia Devernay

Journals:

Birch Forest Flexi Journal

Christmas Spirit Reading Challenge

My good friend Michelle from The True Book Addict  has a great Christmas blog as well.  The Christmas Spirit is a wonderful year round blog that highlights what I love about Christmas.  Every year she hosts a Christmas reading challenge and I'm happy to sign up once again.

I'll be signing up for The Christmas Tree Level (5 or 6 books) plus the other two side challenges, one about movies and one about kids books.  If you are interested, go on to the sign up post to do just that.

Here are the details in her own words:

• challenge will run from Monday, November 21, 2011 through Friday, January 6, 2011 (Twelfth Night or Epiphany).
• cross over with other challenges is totally permitted AND encouraged!
• These must be Christmas novels, books about Christmas lore, a book of Christmas short stories or poems, books about Christmas crafts, and for the first time...a children's Christmas books level!
• visit this POST for a list of new Christmas books for 2011.  Two books I highly recommend for this season that I have read and reviewed...The Christmas Village by Melissa Ann Goodwin and The Reindeer Keeper by Barbara Briggs Ward (click the titles to read my reviews).

• Levels:

            --Candy Cane:  read 1 book
            --Mistletoe:  read 2-4 books
            --Christmas Tree:  read 5 or 6 books (this is the fanatic level...LOL!)

          Additional levels:

            --Fa La La La Films:  watch a bunch or a few Christmas movies...it's up to you!

            --Visions of Sugar Plums:  read books with your children this season and share what you read

          *the additional levels are optional, you still must complete one of the main reading levels above the most important rule?  Have fun!!!

• I will have a review linky posted as a page the day the challenge starts.  You will find it at the top of the right sidebar.
• Sign up in the linky below (link to your post with your reading list...you can change up your list during the challenge...I just want to be able to stop by to welcome you and see what you plan to read).

Michelle's Favorite Fictional Character --- Ebenezer Scrooge

I'm pleased to telll you that the one of my favorite people of all time is here to let you know one of her favorite Christmas characters of all time.  Michelle of The True Book Addict and my favorite Christmas blog, The Christmas Spirit, is one of my best blogger friends, one I could never do without.  She is a generous, giving individual and I feel blessed by knowing her.  If you are not familiar with either blog, I would entreat you to go say hi and stay around for a while.  Right now she is celebrating Christmas in July and this post will link you to all that she is doing to celebrate the fact that Christmas is almost here.

I was so pleased that Ryan asked me to guest post for his Favorite Fictional Character feature today.  In honor of Christmas in July and the month long event I have going on at my Christmas blog, The Christmas Spirit, I give you....Scrooge

Ahhh Scrooge...how I love thee.  You may ask how I can love such a miserable curmudgeon.  Well, I love him in the beginning when he is completely obnoxious and mean because it makes his complete transformation at the end all the more wonderful...the total contrast of it.  The character of Scrooge shows us that there is hope.  That even the most horrible of persons can change.  When any of us starts feeling bad about ourselves...that we have done something wrong or we may not have been as kind as we could have... we should remember Scrooge and take comfort in the fact that if it's possible for Scrooge, one of the most despicable characters ever written, to become a good person than it is, in fact, possible for us.

A few of my favorite Scrooges from film and television:

Scrooge (1970) -- Albert Finney

A Christmas Carol (1951) -- Alastair Sim 

A Christmas Carol (1999) -- Patrick Stewart

Of course, these are not the only Scrooges over the years, but they are my favorites!

Thanks again to Ryan for having me today.  If you're up for some Christmas in July fun, stop over at The Christmas Spirit and join in the festivities.  Hope to see you there!

Mailbox Monday for 12/26/10 (The Christmas Edition)

Mailbox Monday is a weekly meme created by Marcia at The Printed Page and is being hosted all this month by Lady Q at Let Them Read Books

I was so happy when i got my blogger Secret Santa package late last week.  My partner was Pam who lives in Elizabethtown, PA and she did a wonderful job.  She doesn't have a blog for me to link, otherwise I would have.  She got me paperbacks of both  The White Gryphon by Mercedes Lackey and Stolen by Kelley Armstrong.  She also gave me a Charlie Brown & Snoopy teacup and a Snoopy bookmark.

When I got my Christmas card from my friend Pablo, he sent $10 in it so I went straight to the book store to buy something.  I ended up with a paperback of Royal Flush by Rhys Bowen, plus I bought a paperback of Finding The Way edited by Mercedes Lackey.

I won a paperback of The Conqueror's Shadow and an ARC of The Warlord's Legacy, both by Ari Marmell.

My good friend, Michelle of The True Book Addict sent me this wonderful trade paperback of SciFi Christmas stories, Christmas Stars edited by David G. Hartwell.

2 Christmas Challenge Recaps

This year, once again, I participated in two Christmas/Holiday reading challenges.  I did both the Holiday Reading Challenge 2010 hosted by Nely of All About {n} and The Christmas Spirit Reading Challenge hosted by Michelle of The Christmas Spirit.  The goal for both challenges was to read 5 books, I ended up with 6.

Wishin' and Hopin' by Wally Lamb
Secrets of a Christmas Box by Steven Hornby
Deck the Halls by Mary Higgins Clark & Carol Higgins Clark
Santa Cruise by Mary Higgins Clark & Carol Higgins Clark
Charles Dicken's A Christmas Carol: A Pop-Up Book by Chuck Fischer
Dashing Through the Snow by Mary Higgins Clark & Carol Higgins Clark

Merry Christmas

I want to wish you all a very merry Christmas and a blessed New Year.  May the day be filled with laughter, love, and all the joy you could ever want.

Favorite Fictional Character --- Misfit Toys

If you can't tell by know I'm a sucker for anyone labeled a misfit.  There is something about them that touches me and brings me back to the awkward stages of my childhood.  They are me in a way, the part of me that never grew out of those moments.  So who better than the inhabitants of The Island of Misfit Toys to be the focus of this weeks post.

What could be worse for a toy, other than to be unloved and not played with.  When you are made for a very specific purpose only to have that purpose taken away from you, it would be devastating.  i think it's a miracle these toys didn't come out of the process bitter or angry.  Instead all they want to do is be loved by a child and to bring that same child joy and happiness.  To be totally honest about it though, I'm not sure there was one toy on the island that I wouldn't have loved to own.  Some of them are so unique and different that I would have felt really cool to be able to play with them. 

Who wouldn't want a squirt gun that shoots Jelly?  Anyone can have a water gun, but who else on your block would have been able to squirt you in the face with grape jelly.  Besides, can you imagine how cool making a peanut butter and jelly sandwich would have been with that thing.

The boat that sank instead of floating would have been really handy in the bathtub.  I always sank my boats anyway but would have to hold them down.  I used to love dunking my head under the water and using my G.I. Joes to explore sunken ships at the bottom of the ocean.  It would have been a lot easier to have a boat that just stayed down there.  I'm not sure what was wrong with the sailboat on the island, but I would have played with that as well.

For some reason the ostrich riding cowboy always reminded me of a movie version of The Swiss Family Robinson.  It would have been cool to race my friends toys with him.  If they started to get too far ahead of him, the ostrich could trip them with it's long legs. 

The bird that swims instead of flies would have come in handy in the tub too.  I would have been able to use him as a way for the G.I. Joes to get to the sunken boats.  He would have been really cool to put in a fish tank as well.

Some of them are just so cute it would have been nice to have them around to cheer me up.  The blue teddy bear with wings is adorable and I could imagine myself as a kid making up a story around it.  It would have been an angel bear sent down from Heaven to comfort me when I was sick.  The spotted elephant is just plain cute as is the dolly, even though her misfit status is never explained.

I'll even take the two clowns on the island.  Charlie in the Box is just cool.  If I'm going to own a clown that jumps out of a box, I want it to be called something other than Jack.  Jack is just a boring name in general, Charlie has a little more character.  Even the clown nesting dolls that end with a windup mouse would be welcome in my home.

While we are at it, send me the plane that can't fly, the two wooden soldiers with no faces, the scooter, the toy car, the fire engine, the train with square wheels, the rocking dog, the cat/dog looking thing on the box, and all those other toys in the background.  I'm sure there would be millions of boys and girls who would cherish them.

Julie London Does Christmas (Plus Guest Post News)

Julie London is still probably one of my favorite singers and actresses of all time.  She was gorgeous and had one of those voices that seduced you from the get go.  I thought I would share some of my favorite Christmas songs that she made all her own.  On a side note, speaking of Christmas music, I have a guest post over at The Christmas Spirit talking about some of my favorite Christmas songs that don't get the radio play they deserve.  So please stop by and tell Michelle hi.

First up is "Warm December".  It was the first Christmas song I ever heard from her and it almost made me wish I was straight.

"I've Got My Love To Keep Me Warm" is normally done in an uptempo style that sounds more fun than sexy.  When Julie London does it, it's slow, seductive, and sexy!

On her version of "I'd Like You For Christmas" she manages to make it both seductive and sad at the same time.  There is such a forlorn quality to her voice on this one that it's thought provoking, thoughts that are dictated by my mood.

Mitten Mirth

Once upon a time, not so long ago, the Winter Olympics were held in Vancouver, Canada. Ray and Joanne watched enthralled as skiers hurtled down mountains, snowboarders leaped and twirled, and skaters danced on ice. Joanne commented to Ray, "I love those red mittens everyone is wearing. They are so cute." Indeed, the Maple leaf gloves were the hot commodity in Vancouver. Oprah managed to give some away to an audience.

Ray, chatting with a distributor in Canada, said to Joy, "We're enjoying your Olympics and my wife loves those mittens." Joy said, "I'll try to get her a pair." Ray said, "That's not necessary," but Joy insisted and persisted. However, the kingdom was bare and alas, no mittens were to be found. We exchanged "Thanks, anyway" emails and thought nothing more about it.

Winter changed to spring which lasted one day in Texas. Then summer temperatures prevailed and Joanne floated in the pool, thoughts of winter, snow, and mittens - all a vague memory. There's always one final heat blast in September, and then one cool night rain that ends pool season. Nippy air, sweatshirt weather, and crisp brown leaves drifted and clogged the pool drain. Frost on the pumpkin, the north wind blew, and Christmas lights were strung.

Ray arrived home from work on December 14th (a warm balmy day) with a yellow padded envelope from Canada. "What to my wondering eyes should appear, but"... MITTENS. Red Olympic mittens with the maple leaf logo. So warm, so soft, such a surprise and treat.

Joy had persisted and when new mittens were issued for the Christmas season, she thought of me - that crazy American who shared in Canada's Olympic glory and admired the bright warm gloves. I was overwhelmed by her generosity, and now await a blizzard.

Thus, our tale ends. A thoughtful present, global friendship (well, okay Texas/Canada), and the spirit of giving and receiving.

Thanks & Merry Christmas

Dashing Through The Snow by Mary Higgins Clark & Carol Higgins Clark

Synopsis:

Just as a group of coworkers win a $180 million dollar lottery on the eve of the first annual Festival of Joy in the village of Branscombe, New Hampshire, one of them goes missing.  Nobody knows if it's foul play or if he bought the second winning ticket and doesn't want to admit it.

Fortunately for them the amateur sleuth and lottery winner, Alvirah Meehan and private eye Regan Reilly along with their families were already planning on attending the festival.  They set out to find out what happened to Duncan (the missing coworker) and to find out who really did buy that 2nd winning ticket before things get to far out of control.

I'm going to be the first to admit that I'm a junkie for this series now.  Once again this mother/daughter duo have proven to me that I really need to try their separate books.  This was another fun light hearted mystery that allows the heroes to not only have fun but lend a helping hand to some deserving individuals.

This will be a rather short review because once again I really can't go into too many details without giving away a lot of the story itself.  What I will say is that this is a fun romp of financial swindling, hidden identities, and love, though be it love that isn't always on a smooth track.  This is the 5th book in the series so now I just need to get a hold of the 2nd and 3rd books.  I probably won't be able to get to them this year but they are definitely on my list for next year.

Favorite Fictional Character --- Gus (From The Ref)

I have a whole ritual around wrapping Christmas presents.  I make sure that I'm the only one in the house or at the minimum the only one awake.  I gather up all the supplies and get them organized (sort of).  I collect all the food and drink I will need and then I pop in the first movie that I will watch while I'm wrapping.  "The Ref" with Dennis Leary is that first movie and I never stop laughing.

One of the many things about this movie that keeps me laughing for hours is the character of Gus, which is played by Dennis Leary.  Gus is cat burglar who through some unfortunate luck during his last job (cat piss in the face, falling through a trap door, and getting bit by a Rottweiler), ends up taking the wrong couple hostage on Christmas Eve.

The couple he takes hostage are bickering, fighting, and constantly putting each other down.  They are going to a marriage counselor but it's obviously not working.  They have a juvenile delinquent for a kid, one that is too smart and way too bored for his own good.  When the rest of the family shows up, the story gets really good.

When Gus first takes them hostage, they get on his nerves and he's constantly yelling and threatening them with bodily violence.  Of course both the hostages and the viewers know that Gus really isn't the kind of guy to fulfill those threats but he doesn't seem to like them all that much.  As the movies progresses Gus turns into the family counselor.  He helps them work out there issues and by the end of the movie the family is helping him escape. 

For me Gus is that antihero.  He's the guy you don't want to like because he's a criminal and doesn't think of anyone but himself.  But as you get to know him, you discover a depth of personality you werent' expecting.  He can in fact be quite gentle and caring and even unselfish at times.  With that being said though, he is still crass, obnoxious, and way too fond of yelling at people.  He's just a fun character to watch develop throughout the movie and I'm grateful to the actor for playing him as well as he did.

I found the entire movie on YouTube but it's broken up into way too many parts for me to embed.  I'm going to embed the first two videos though because it will give you a good sense of who the characters are.  I'm warning you though that it will be addictive.

Charles Dicken's A Christmas Carol: A Pop-Up Book by Chuck Fischer

Synopsis:

Six beautifully crafted pop-up images bring the story of A Christmas Carol to life.  Each image is accompanied by a illustrated booklet, the first of which is an introduction to both Charles Dickens and the story.  The remaining five contain the full text of the story.

Last year I reviewed A Christmas Carol, which I had read for the very first time.  Because of that, this will not be a review of the story itself.  Instead this will be a rather subjective review of the way the story is told through the pages of this absolutely illustrated book.

The first image is this gorgeous view of the city street as Scrooge is leaving his offices for the day.  There is a lamplighter up on a ladder as he is lighting the lanterns for the night.  People are walking down the street as they are going home and the warmth that provides.  The church tower is just hitting 5 o'clock and life is bustling in the city.

When you turn the page you are confronted by the image of Scrooge being visited by the ghost of Marley.  He is sitting in his armchair and is rather startled as Marley floats through the door trailing chains laden down by books and locked boxes.  In the background floats a grouping of forlorn phantasms as they pass by a window.  I found this image to be rather interested because the scene is bordered by a lovely marbled green and white background which shows off a gorgeous golden vine of holly berries and bells.  It's a rather lovely juxtaposition of themes.

My favorite image is the third which shows the Ghost of Christmas Past rising out of the flames of a candle.  On the second page of the image you see Scrooge floating out of his bed which is surrounded by the image of a clock.  It's a brilliant use of framing to showcase the idea of time and movement.  What I love so much though is that this page is split and when you open it open you see Scrooge as a boy sitting by himself in the school room, neglected by both friends and family.  But that's not all, when you look closer you see that there is yet another tab that allows you to turn that page and you see Scrooge attending the Fezzwig's party then the last page shows Scrooge holding a locked box ending the relationship with his girl.  This one image shows everything you could ever want to know about Scrooge's past.  It's brilliant.

The fourth image shows Scrooge walking into the room that the Ghost of Christmas Present has taken over for his banquet.  The clock on the mantle shows 1 o'clock and the fire is full and roaring.  The image of the ghost in the one I'm familiar with from the movies, a giant of a man with a full red bear and velvety green gown trimmed in white.  He is surrounded by a humongous feast of ham, turkey, roast pig, puddings, kegs, and cornucopias overflowing.  It's warm and inviting and definitely a party I want to be at.  I the middle, at the very bottom of the page is a small medallion showing the Cratchits as they sit down for dinner.

I would think you could guess what the fifth image shows us.  A cowering Scrooge is seeing his grave for the very first time.  It's a cold, snowy churchyard that is rather uninviting and not where I would want to be buried.  The Ghost of Christmas Future towers over the graveyard and Scrooge.  He is in his normal guise, a faceless, silent image of death in all his glory.

The final image is of Scrooge holding up a very happy Tiny Tim in front of the opening scene.  The golden bells and holly once again frame the image and add such a warming touch to the scene.  It's full of holiday cheer and you can't help but smile when you look at it.

I'm not normally a big fan of pop-up books but I think that's because the ones that came out as a kid, at least to me, weren't that cool.  The seemed more of a gimmick and weren't well thought out.  This book on the other hand is more of 3-Dimensional art that highlights the story rather than upstage it.  I loved this book, my son loved this book and it will be a family favorite for years to come.

Santa Cruise by Mary Higgins Clark & Carol Higgins Clark

Synopsis:

When lottery winner turned sleuth, Alvirah Meehan and her husband invited their good friends Luke and Norah Regan Reilly as well as Regan and Jack Reilly on a after Christmas cruise, they had no idea what was in store for them.

When Commodore Randolph Weed decides to use the opening launch of his restored cruise ship to gain publicity, it seemed like a no brainer.  Call it The Santa Cruise and invite those who have done good for the last year on board and you have a major piece of good publicity.  What he didn't know was that the cruise was being used for some nefarious activities that may just give his start up business a big coal black eye.

I think this is the fourth book in the series so I am jumping around quite a bit.  I mus say though that I don't feel as if I'm missing anything since so far they read like stand alone novels.  This book did cement for me the idea that these two writing together can do no wrong.  There are no visible seams in their voices and I find that their individual characters mesh so well together that I think by now they could probably write each other's books.

As in Deck the Halls, this is a fun quick mystery set on a cruise ship heading to the Caribbean from Miami.  The owner of the ship, Commodore Weed, invited various civic groups and organizations that have given back to their communities to join him on a free cruise.  The antique thieves and escape criminals on board however were not invited.  The two competing and separate group of criminals, plus those already on board helping them add a little excitement to the story, but not too much for our heroes to sniff out and solve before someone gets seriously hurt. 

As a side note, more of an observation really, just like Hercule Poirot, Jane Marple, or even Jessica Fletcher, things just seem to happen around these people.  I'm not sure I would ever really want to be friends with any of them.  I love to read about them, but think it would be a little dangerous knowing them.

Deck The Halls by Mary Higgins Clark & Carol Higgins Clark

Synopsis:

The mother/daughter team of two of Americas top mystery writers team up for the first of their Christmas series.  Regan Reilly, the young private detective who stars in Carol Higgins Clark's book and Alvirah Meehan, the lottery winner turned amateur sleuth, from the pages of Mary Higgins Clark's many books, hook up for the first time. 

When Regan's father, Luke Reilly, is kidnapped the two detectives team up to save him and his driver, Rosita Gonzalez.  With the help of Regan's mother, Norah Regan Reilly, the famous mystery writer and Jack Reilly, head of the NYPD Major Case Squad (no relation by the way) they set off to discover the identity of the kidnappers and save the victims before it's too late.

What goes together better than Christmas and a well written mystery?  I for one sure do, it combines two of my loves in life and I couldn't be happier that there are wonderful authors out there catering to that love.  Now I've never read a book by either Mary Higgins Clark or her daughter Carol Higgins Clark before, so I feel a little bad for starting with them on this book.  I feel like I skipped from 8th grade graduation straight to high school graduation.

The book itself is pretty simple, two amateur sleuths get together and with a group of friends save the day, just in the nick of time.  What's different though, other than the setting, is that these two authors blend their voices seamlessly.  There doesn't seem to be any conflict with where the story was going or any odd jumps in logic that sometimes comes with team ups.  This is a light hearted mystery that even with the suspense never takes itself too seriously which allows the read to be fun. 

Now I'm not going to go into too much detail about the story itself, other than what I put in the synopsis, but I can say that more than one character finds love in this book and to answer my opening question, the only thing that may be better than a Christmas mystery is Christmas love.

Secrets of a Christmas Box by Steven Hornby

Synopsis From Dust Jacket:

Enter the magical festive world of the Christmas 'Tree-Dwellers', as Larry, a Christmas snowman, wakes up after a long sleep in the Christmas box, to find his brother missing.

Desperate to find him before Christmas, Larry, along with his girlfriend Debbie, a newcomer Splint, and Larry's companion Tinsel, break the laws of the 'Tree-Elders' and escape down the tree and away into the house, to look for clues.

Away from the safety of the tree and in an unfamiliar world, the Dwellers stumble upon a dark and sinister secret that threatens their entire world.  Can Larry and the group make it back to the tree in time to warn the others, and finally uncover the truth behind the 'Secrets of a Christmas Box'?

I'm going to be up front with you and tell you in no uncertain terms that their is no way for me to get across how much I loved this book.  I haven't raved about a book in a while and I'm so glad I get to know.  As a life long Christmas lover who has always had a rather overactive imagination to find a book that lets me revel in one of my oldest Christmas fantasies is a treat.  As a kid I would sit by the Christmas tree making up stories and names to go along with the ornaments that hung upon it's branches.  I always imagined them coming to life and talking amongst themselves when nobody was around.  To be able to read a wonderfully written book that explores that, sent me back to my childhood.

When Larry and his friends set out upon their journey, little did they know they had a fourth companion.  I was right there, with them the whole time.  I got lost in this story and I could feel the pain and the fright as circumstances seemed to be getting out of their control and they were faced with making decisions that may not allow them to get back home.  What made the journey special for me was how "real" all of these characters seemed.  The author did a wonderful job of "humanizing" them, making them seem like they could be any of us.  It made them more likable to me and I wanted them to succeed in their quest.

I'm not going to get into a lot of the plot points because I don't want to ruin anything for you.  What I will tell you is this, if you are in the mood for a good Christmas mystery inhabited by an unusual cast of characters, this book is for you.  I was expecting a lighter story but instead I was treated to a thrilling mystery that made me wish more than anything that my Christmas ornaments would come to life.

By the way I am looking at my own ornaments a little bit more carefully.  If I notice anything odd, I'll let you know.