My guest today is the wonderful Denise Rossetti who writes for Ellora’s Cave, Avon Red and Berkley. Her most recent release, an anthology from Avon Red called A Red Hot New Year, is currently fogging up the screen of my palm reader. I can also highly recommend her hot fantasy titles from Ellora’s Cave.
Denise is talking about Christmas today and taking it to the extreme, or rather she wants to know about your extreme Christmases. She’s also giving away a signed copy of A Red Hot New Year to one lucky person.
All you need to do to go into the draw is post your comment. (Don’t forget to check back in the comments section the following day to see if you’re the winner.)
I’m such a Down Under girl, I can’t imagine a winter Christmas – but I love hearing about them! My Beloved and I had a light, snowy Christmas in London, years ago, BC (Before Children). That was fun, but since then, my festive seasons have been all about heat and humidity, with an afternoon thunderstorm thrown in for good measure. So, let’s see, an Aussie Christmas, hmm…
Lunches of seafood and champagne and cold ham and mangoes and stone fruit and pavlova for dessert, the kids having spitting contests with watermelon seeds, lifesavers on the beach (now that’s yummy!), going to the fireworks by the river, the carol service, the Queen’s message on TV. I’m a terrible cook, but an expert eater. Luckily, everyone else in the family is brilliant at it, including My Beloved. He tries a different glaze on the ham each time and he takes enormous delight in watching his mum and his sisters trying to identify the ingredients. On the other hand, it took years for us to convince my mother that hot roast turkey and ham and plum pud and all the trimmings weren’t necessary in temps over 80F. (Nice though they may be – burp!) She’s much more relaxed these days!
Boxing Day is for sprawling on the floor to watch the cricket and scoff leftovers – unless, of course, you prefer a swim followed by an afternoon nap. It’s tough, but someone’s got to do it. *smile*
Thinking back, I know I lost some of the chrissy sparkle once I grew up. No more of that feverish anticipation, that wonderful glow. And then we had kids of our own. We bought a tree for our son’s first Christmas and we haven’t looked back. (Artificial, BTW – I’m no housewife and definitely no gardener.) Every year, I muscled the pair of them into position in front of the tree, ignoring the whines of “Aaaaw, Muuuum!”, and took a photo. Every year. So now I have the most wonderful record of their development. The first pic in the series is of a chubby baby rolling around under the tree, all wide-eyed, the most recent is of two beautiful young people, their heads higher than the star on the top. Gosh, now I’m all choked up. *sniffle*
And every holiday season, I remember how fortunate I am and I give thanks. Take care of yourselves and your loved ones. If you’re going to drive, drive carefully! I hope your holiday season is full to the brim with love and joy and laughter. Many blessings to each of you and your families.
Tell me about the most EXTREME Christmas you’ve had – extremely hot or extremely cold – or… extremely anything at all! Extremely wicked, for instance. heh heh
And you have a second chance to win a signed copy of A RED HOT NEW YEAR. Visit my website – for all the details of my New Year Scavenger Hunt. It closes midnight New Year’s Eve – of course! Duh!
If you’d like to know more about Denise and her books visit her website, blog or MySpace.
Related posts:
December 20th, 2007 at 8:18 pm · Link
Tina, my friend! A very Merry Christmas to you and yours!
If there’s one thing that’s come through clearly in this blog, it’s that it’s the loved ones around you that really matter at Christmas time and the loving kindness of strangers.
Suzanne, your post really bears that out. The memory of that Christmas generosity is still precious to you. I’m so glad you’ve passed on that gift of love on to someone else.
There are so many worthy causes around and some of them have websites where you can buy a practical, helpful gift for those in need – like a goat, or literacy classes, or vegetable seedlings. Even a bag of manure! You get a card describing the gift and then you send it to the recipient. Everyone wins! And it’s NOT charity, it’s help!
For my newsletter – http://groups.yahoo.com/group/deniserossetti/ – shameless plug again
I bought a *Safe Refuge* from Oxfam Unwrapped. Go have a look –
http://www.oxfamunwrapped.com.au/Product.php?productid=97
It’s eye-opening.
Perhaps you could do something similar, wherever you are?
December 20th, 2007 at 8:20 pm · Link
Sorry, didn’t explain properly. Duh! You choose a recipient for the card and they get to see the gift you bought on their behalf, while the folk who really need it get the chicken or the clean water well or whatever.
December 20th, 2007 at 8:23 pm · Link
Do you think you might have bear-ish blood, Terry?
You sound like you’re about to go into hibernation over there. Add in some hot chocolate and/or mulled wine and it sounds pretty darned fine to me!
December 20th, 2007 at 8:26 pm · Link
Denise – no, we’re fine in Auckland. The earthquake was quite a distance away from us. Luckily, it’s been mainly property damage but it’s the biggest quake we’ve had here for two decades.
Funny, you call it the shaky isles but although I’ve lived in NZ for most of my life I’ve never experienced an earthquake.
And yes, it is beautiful. As much as I love travelling it’s always good to arrive back home.
Ah, good news on the dream front then. Obviously there’s some very twisted plots circling inside my head!
December 20th, 2007 at 8:28 pm · Link
I had to laugh about the hot dinners in 40 degree heat. We always used to have a hot meal and I think that’s what my hubby’s mother prefers, but we all put our foot down. None of us wanted to prepare turkeys and hams in all the heat! It’s strictly BBQ for us these days, definitely with lots of seafood. Hubby and his brothers are off on their annual trip to get fresh oysters tomorrow!
Tina – hi! It’s great to hear from you. BTW – I sold that ruby story. Thanks to you for the help!!!
December 20th, 2007 at 8:33 pm · Link
Eric – LOL about the red. Good to hear that red shoes are acceptable though
Suzanne – that’s such a wonderful tradition to teach your children! There are always people that can use our help.
Terry – I hear you about the ice. We had snow a couple of times while we were living in London. It’s fun to play in snow for a little while but there’s nothing worse than trying to slog through snow that’s dirty and has turned to ice.
December 20th, 2007 at 8:35 pm · Link
Sandie, my dear, you slipped under the radar! Mea culpa! I was very tired last night. (All that hot sex in the forest. Does it to a gal.)
What a beautiful story about your dad. And what delightful memories you and your siblings must have of him.
December 20th, 2007 at 9:06 pm · Link
just wanted to pop in and let you know that this is one book i’m looking for
December 20th, 2007 at 9:37 pm · Link
Thanks Pam! It came out 27 November, so should be easy enough to find in the States, I hope. You did mean A Red Hot New Year?
And you can get it as an ebook too. Yeehah!
December 20th, 2007 at 11:05 pm · Link
I live in TX and it’s warm today. Probably in the 70s. But it’s going to get colder when Christmas Day comes.
December 21st, 2007 at 12:04 am · Link
Hi there, Amelia! Hope you have a wonderful Christmas!
December 21st, 2007 at 12:12 am · Link
DA WINNER!
Thank you so much for blogging today! I’ve had so much fun, chatting with you all, hearing about every possible variation of Christmas weather.
But the best part? Reading about your precious memories and your loved ones. That’s been lovely.
Tada!!!!! SANDIE!!!!!
Come on down, Sandie. Email me at deniserossetti at gmail.com with your snail mail.
Shelley, many many thanks for letting me play in your sandpit. You’re a doll.
And everyone, all the blessings you could wish for this Christmas and New Year. Merry Christmas to the extreme!
hugs
Denise