Winter’s Warmth: Why Christmas is My Favorite Time of Year
When I think of the holidays, what most would consider a cold, dreary time accompanied by sleet and snow, the first word that comes to my mind is warmth.
The warmth of my Grandma’s rustic brick fireplace.
The warmth of the home cooked food spread out on her dining room table.
The warmth of the close family and friends who have come to eat turkey, dressing, vegetables and cornbread, followed by several slices of cake, pie, or whatever else has been prepared for dessert.
The warmth of our laughter around the bonfire afterwards, where we make s’mores and watch the moon, that great white ball in the sky, as it slowly ascends over the darkness.
The warmth of my family’s embrace: Parents. Grandparents. Aunts. Uncles and Cousins alike.
The warmth of kindness. The warmth of compassion. The warmth of love.
Those crazy, hectic, over-scheduled days from Thanksgiving to New Year’s. When sleep is scarce but family is plenty, are the precious gems that make the last quarter of the year the best of them all.
Despite the winter chill, that warmth I am speaking of. The warmth of family. The warmth of kindness. The warmth of love. That warmth burns brighter than any summer sun, spring fever or desert flame.
You can see it.
You can feel it.
Just look around at the Christmas lights and trees. Listen to the holiday music about Santa and Rudolph and Frosty. Feel the joy, the laughter, the bliss of embracing the Christmas spirit.
Because Christmas is love. Christmas is compassion, kindness, and charity. But most importantly, Christmas is family.
For these reasons among others, the holidays are my favorite time of year to write. It was the start of winter, between Thanksgiving and Christmas, when I started writing my first novel about a pair of teenagers in Savannah, Georgia, who fall in love amid the throes of danger and deception. Their love is young, yet pure, which is what the warmth of Christmas is all about. It is what this great big world is all about.
Falling in love. Expanding that love in the form of precious little ones. And then watching that love reciprocate from generation to generation.
I have yet to have the good fortune of falling in love. But when I meet him one day, every year, he will be the greatest Christmas gift of all. Because I want to have that family with my husband.
The one that stuffs stockings with goodies and bakes Christmas cookies in the oven. The family that makes s’mores and tells stories outside in the moonlight by the bonfire. The family that laughs. The family that shares. The family that loves.
So when you’re watching Ralphie this Christmas Eve and wondering if Santa will bring him that Red Ryder BB gun, snuggle close to someone you love. Hold the ones who are most dear to you and remember those who are not with us anymore. Because the best part of winter is the warmth inside of us all.
Jungle Eyes
by Lindsay Marie Miller
ebook
Published November 20th 2015 by Smashwords Edition
ISBN139781311898678
In the spring of 1899, Henry Rochester boards a ship on the docks of New York Harbor and sets sail across the Atlantic. Desperately seeking freedom and adventure, Henry fails to anticipate the violent ocean storm that will destroy the ship, murder his fellow comrades, and leave him stranded on a deserted island. However, Henry is not alone in paradise, as a beautiful young woman, named Elaine, acquaints him with the enchanting, yet evil nature of the jungle. As the two quarrel, reconcile, and bond, love blossoms between them like an exotic wildflower. But when the tide turns, bringing an unescapable wave of danger with it, Henry and Elaine must face the callous brutality of the uninvited.
Author Bio:
Lindsay Marie Miller was born and raised in Tallahassee, FL, where she graduated from high school as Valedictorian. Afterwards, Lindsay attended Florida State University and graduated Summa Cum Laude with an English Literature major, Psychology minor, and Specialized Studies in Markets and Institutions. Lindsay is the author of the romance novels: Jungle Eyes, Me & Mr. Jones, and Emerald Green. Jungle Eyes is the beginning of a new romantic action/adventure trilogy. Emerald Green is the first installment in a four-part series of Young Adult romantic thrillers. And the New Adult romantic thriller, Me & Mr. Jones, will be accompanied by a sequel. In her free time, Lindsay enjoys singing, playing the piano and guitar, and writing songs. The author resides in her hometown of Tallahassee, FL, where she is currently working on her next novel.
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