'Tis the Season by Carol J. Post

Happy Thanksgiving/Merry Christmas!

Now that Thanksgiving is over, all the Christmas stuff is coming out, and the push is on to find that perfect gift for everyone on your list. Of course, Black Friday is the event that kicks it all off.

I confess, I’ve never done Black Friday. I hate shopping on a good day. The thought of getting out there with hundreds of other people and fighting over the last two WowWee Fingerlings on the shelf makes me break out in a cold sweat. I’m more relaxed having my teeth drilled.

Many years ago, my parents, my sister and brother-in-law, and my husband and I found a great deal on an old log cabin on twelve acres in North Carolina and went in together to purchase it. It needed a lot of work, and we spent a couple of vacations tackling projects like putting on a new metal roof. That Christmas, we decided to spend the holiday there and, instead of buying gifts for each other, each bought something for the cabin. (Hubby and I bought a large griddle and made pancakes Christmas morning.) 

When we arrived, we headed into the woods with our ax to search for a suitable Christmas tree. We quickly learned that though there were lots of evergreens, they weren’t the Christmas tree type. But that didn’t deter us. After tying our Charlie Brown tree to the rafters, because the branches were too droopy to stand up on their own, we strung popcorn and berries and made ornaments. We had no TV, but had great times sharing stories huddled around the wood-burning stove. (We hadn’t rebuilt the toppled chimney yet so couldn’t use the fireplace.)

That was the simplest Christmas I ever had but one of the most memorable. It was also the beginning of a change in my attitude toward the holiday season. At the risk of sounding like Scrooge’s long-lost sister, I spent a lot of years dreading the days leading up to Christmas, hoping I’d survive the insane schedule (and the shopping) and looking forward to when it would all be over. I often wondered where is the peace and joy that everyone sings about at Christmastime. Looking at the faces of the people around me, I knew I wasn’t alone in those thoughts.

I know, Jesus is the reason for the season. Without God’s amazing gift, there would be no Christmas. I’ve known the meaning of Christmas since I was old enough to talk. But finding my own “Silent Night” in the midst of all the hustle and bustle and taking time out to focus on what the holiday actually means hasn’t always been easy.

Over the years, I’ve gotten better. I’ve come to realize that I don’t have to say yes to every activity. Stretching myself too thin isn’t good, even when the activities are church-related. And since it’s always been a source of stress for me, I don’t shop anymore. (Gift cards and money work just fine.) I love to find simple ways to bring Christmas cheer to those around me, whether it’s offering a smile and word of encouragement to a harried young mother, or singing Christmas carols for older people who are unable to get out.

I’m still not where I want to be. I’m trying to be selective, but my schedule is filling up a little too quickly. But I’m determined to keep my focus where it should be—on the ultimate gift, given for us over 2,000 years ago.

What about you? Do you find yourself caught in a flurry of activity, unable to escape? Or have you found a way to experience peace and joy in the midst of the madness? What Christmas traditions have you found especially meaningful?

And speaking of Christmas, my book Bodyguard for Christmas releases this Saturday. I hope you'll check it out.

Someone’s after his little boy. 

She has one chance to save them both.

When his young son is nearly kidnapped, assistant district attorney Colton Gale needs a Christmas refuge—and a live-in bodyguard. Though former military police officer Jasmine McNeal fights to shield them 24/7, she refuses to get attached. But growing close to the little boy and his father might be her only shot at keeping them alive—and becoming a family beyond the holidays.

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From medical secretary to court reporter to property manager to owner of a special events decorating company, Carol's résumé reads as if she doesn't know what she wants to be when she grows up. But one thing that has remained constant through the years is her love for writing. She lives in Central Florida and writes fun and fast-paced inspirational romance and romantic suspense. Her books have received two Royal Palm Literary Awards and been nominated for an RT Reviewers’ Choice Best Book Award and two RITA® awards. Besides writing, she enjoys sailing, hiking, camping—almost anything outdoors. Her two grown daughters and grandkids live too far away for her liking, so she now pours all that nurturing into taking care of two mischievous black cats.

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