My Top Nine (Ten?) Christmas Moments

A Merry and Bright Christmas!

I hope you have had a wonderful Christmas weekend, among family, and most importantly, focusing on the God who bestowed a wonderful gift to us in His son, Christ Jesus!

I decided to give you a top 9 Christmas moment countdown of my life (I wasn't really present for number 1 :)). Even though these are quick glimpses into my life, I can reflect on each memory and see it as potential brainstorming material for writing authentic characters, grounded themes, or believable progressions in my fiction. Because they are from my own story, I can remember the feelings, the smells, sounds, and impressions made...giving me a whole bunch of templates to choose from!

Do you find parts of yourself or your story layered within your fiction?

10. Redefined Focus: A 9 year old girl learns that Santa isn't real, and appropriately remembers it most by her dad's blaring of Jesus Is Born Today! by the Oakridge Boys.

9. Pure Child-like Joy: A 7th grader jumps up and down like a preschooler when her Christmas culminates in a Nintendo gaming system!

8. A character stepping forward from the faith line: A newly saved college student drags her dad and sisters to church on Christmas morning.

7. Love brings fullness: A couple celebrates their first Christmas together in a tiny apartment, but with lots of love and family all around.

6. Redefining goals: New parents spend their Christmas day dragging their 4 month old son from house to house, and swear that they will start their own traditions next year!

5. First impressions can be misleading: On Christmas Eve, a 15 month old boy runs through the house and shuts himself in the bathroom when a loud noise might mean that scary Santa has arrived.

4. Obstacles towards a climactic point: A soon-to-be mother of two, watches the clock strike midnight on Christmas eve/day, in a labor and delivery unit, only to be sent home a couple of hours later, with no baby yet!

White Christmas 2010

3. A perfect blend of character and motives: A family of four prepares for a cozy Christmas, with hot chocolate, Christmas movies, and two little boys who can't wait to see Santa and give him their list!

2.  Simple truths: A family of five, almost six, celebrate Christ's birth and the joy of gifts, on a very white Midwest Christmas day!

A very young couple!

1. Ultimate inspiration:  A young couple birth a special baby boy, among the rejoicing of angels and the humility of shepherds,  eventually changing the hearts of generations until the end of time.