My New Holiday Traditions

 CLICK ON THE SNOWFLAKE TO OPEN THE DOOR!

HAPPY HOLIDAYS FROM CAT GRANT

My New Holiday Traditions

The holidays have been much different in my house since my husband passed away in 2009. The first couple of years after being widowed were … well, pretty dismal. But I’ve since learned that Christmas is about what’s in your heart,  rather than what goes on around you. So I’ve set myself to keeping busy writing during this potentially difficult time, as well as starting some new holiday traditions of my own.

My living room isn’t that big, so I usually put up this cute little table-top tree. (Actually, I keep it up year-round, and just turn on the lights after Thanksgiving!) Yes, that’s King Kong at the top, batting away airplanes. There’s also a Captain Picard ornament, and a King Moonracer ornament (from the American holiday TV special Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer) down at the bottom. Every year I try to add one more geek-related ornament. It puts a smile on my face when I’m sitting on the couch writing or watching TV.

The last couple of years my good friend and fellow author EM Lynley’s been driving down to spend the holidays with me. She’s a much better cook than I am, so I buy the food and she cooks it for us. Last Christmas we had an amazing roast chicken with homemade stuffing and sautéed carrots with olives. Oh, and the best pinot noir ever – Cherry Pie pinot from California. If you get the chance to try this wine, jump at it. It’s so delicious, we had an extra glass for dessert!

Here’s the link to the stuffing recipe:

http://allrecipes.com/recipe/awesome-sausage-apple-and-cranberry-stuffing/

We substituted raisin pumpernickel bread for the white bread, pork sausage for the turkey sausage and doubled up on the apples. It turned out great! In fact, we had so much left over, we ate the rest for breakfast the next morning.

Afterwards, we curled up on the couch watching The Nightmare Before Christmas until we conked out. Pretty fun holiday, huh?

This year, however, will be a bit different – and more joyous – now that I have someone new to share it with. EM’s coming to cook, but this time she’ll be feeding me, her, my girlfriend Tyrrell, her three roommates and her mom. It’ll be a tight squeeze in my small apartment, but I can’t wait to have an honest-to-God holiday party again.  J

And here’s the Christmas gift that keeps giving year-round – my sweet little boy Timothy, holding my robe and slippers hostage.

~~~~~~~~~

Cat Grant lives by the sea in beautiful Monterey, California with one persnickety feline and way too many books and DVDs. Her new m/m Christmas/wedding novella, Fearless, is now available from Riptide Publishing. 

 Here’s Cat’s various hideouts on the Internet:

 Website: http://www.catgrant.com
Twitter: https://twitter.com/CatGrant2009
Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/cat.grant?ref=profile
Goodreads: http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/1912055.Cat_Grant
Amazon Author Page: http://www.amazon.com/Cat-Grant/e/B003ASUGUS/ref=ntt_athr_dp_pel_pop_1
You can contact her directly at: cat@catgrant.com

Advent Calendar Giveaway!

Leave a comment below for a chance to win a copy of Cat’s novel, Fearless

The BONUS BUMPER PRIZE QUESTION (don’t answer this – just save them up for Christmas Eve.)

18. fill in the blanks

Frosty the Snowman was a _____ happy soul

I saw Mommy kissing _____ _____

On the first day of Christmas, my ____ ____ gave to me

Oh the weather outside is _________

Rudolph, the red-nosed reindeer had a very _____ nose

Good King Wenceslas looked out, on the feast of _______

I’m dreaming of a _____ Christmas

Sleigh bells ring, are you _________

You better watch out, you better ___ ___