‘Tis the Season: embracing the magic

It was about this time almost ten years ago that my mother-in-law gave me my first Christmas romance novel, Silver Bells by Luanne Rice. I inhaled it, getting lost in the magical descriptions of wintry nights, Christmas tree lots, renewed hope in love, and New York City at Christmas time. Little did my mother-in-law know at the time that she had created a tradition for me:

to read a Christmas novel every December.

This is actually something I look forward to with as much enthusiasm and barely reined-in excitement as a child waiting to tear into gifts on Christmas morning. The benefit I have over that child is that I can begin my Christmas novel reading much sooner than December 25. In fact, this year I began reading Christmas romances in November. 🙂

I cherish the opportunity to jump into a cozy world, filled with the joys and anticipation of Christmas time that as an adult seem to have faded over the years. Sometimes facing harsh and unsettling circumstances can place a veil over the magic of Christmas time, displaying a crueler and more frightening image than what we saw as children.

I have found that the Christmas novels I bring into my home help remove that veil, allowing the light of the season to shine. It makes this time of year seem more hopeful, more possible to find joy again. And I do, caught in the pages of these books. My hope is that you, too, may face this Christmas season with a renewed sense of joy and hopeful anticipation of the possibility of good things. May you, like a child, open your arms to embrace the wonder of the season, and if it helps, read a cozy Christmas novel while you’re at it. 🙂