Christmas Memories

Oh, my! I get to be a guest on Hannah’s blog. Thank you so much for having me over. Let me start by introducing myself. My name is Anne Hope, and I’m here to talk about that famous holiday looming just up ahead. No, I don’t mean Thanksgiving. I’m talking about Christmas.

I must admit, I have a great fondness for Christmas. Not the over-congested stores, the desperate shoppers, the mad rush to find that perfect, last-minute gift. Not the snow-dusted trees, though they can be a lovely sight. Not even the numerous family get-togethers that are usually customary around this time of year. What I love is what this holiday represents—love, togetherness, hope.

When I was a kid, Christmas was a magical time. The air itself seemed to tinkle with possibilities. Everything was fresh and new and sprinkled with a mystical energy that made my skin hum. But as I grew, I lost touch with that. Christmas became another chore, another holiday I needed to survive. Like that old miser Scrooge, spouting the famous words, bah, humbug, I forgot what this holiday was meant to inspire.

Then, a few years ago—just a day after Christmas—my son was born, and I remembered. Hope and love flooded my veins. The world suddenly sizzled with promise. Since then, I have seen Christmas through my children’s eyes. I feel their anticipation, experience their happiness as the holiday draws near, feed off their energy. Christmas songs lift my spirits and give flight to my imagination.

It seems only fitting that my debut novel, Where Dreams Are Made, should be set at Christmastime. My hero, Daniel, is a scarred, reclusive toymaker, living a lonely existence on a quiet island. He, too, has forgotten what it feels like to have hope and experience joy. It takes the heroine, Jenny, to open his eyes to the possibilities. Jenny’s childlike innocence sparks something deep inside him, teaches him that each and every one of us can infuse our lives with a small dose of magic, should we choose.

So, in the coming weeks, as the stores begin to bustle and the tinsel begins to fly, please try to remember what this holiday meant to you as a child. Remember the excitement, the thrill and the enchantment. And if you happen to be in the mood for an emotional, romantic read, curl up in front of the fireplace with a copy of Where Dreams Are Made. I deeply hope Jenny and Daniel’s story warms your heart the way it did mine.

Where Dreams Are Made is available at Samhain Publishing and at all major bookstores, including Amazon, Barnes & Noble, Borders and Chapters. For more information, please visit me at www.annehope.com.

Thanks again, Hannah, and Happy Holidays everyone!