Saturday, December 18, 2010

What's Up the Street For Next Week?

O Christmas Tree! O Christmas Tree! Well, things are looking more and more festive in almost every corner of the country. Here at The Writers Alley, things are as merry and bright. In celebration of the Holiday season, we have some special treats for you this week – but first of all, let’s talk about GIVEAWAYS!!!


Two to be specific.

Carole is the winner of Melanie Dickerson’s book, The Healer’s Apprentice. Email me at pepperbasham(at)yahoo(dot)com with your snail mail. Congrats.


The winner of Hillary Manton Lodge’s book, Simply Sara, is Carman. Send your snail mail to Sarah Forgrave at forgravebooks(at)gmail(dot)com. Congratulations to you too.

Now for this week’s giveaway, we have a lovely Christmas surprise to give away. Leave your favorite Christmas tradition, memory, or book for your chance to win James Calvin Schaap’s book Finding Christmas.

Up this week:

Pepper, Sherrinda, Mary, Casey, Krista will share one of their own favorite Christmas memories, movies, or book scenes this week. Come join the fun and festivities as The Alley gets ready to celebrate the birth of Christ.

What are the top Christmas movies?
Chicago Tribune gives this list for the top 10.

10. Love Actually (go figure)
9.  Elf
8. The Muppet Christmas Carol
7. White Christmas
6. Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer
5. Miracle on 34th Street (1947)
4. The Santa Claus (1994)
3. It's a Wonderful Life (I'm shocked it's not #1)
2. How the Grinch Stole Christmas (animated)
1. A Christmas Story

27 comments:

Sherrinda Ketchersid said...

One of my new favorites is The Holiday with Jude Law. He's rather dreamy in this one. White Christmas will always rank high for me!

Anonymous said...

Oh yes I love The Holiday. I think it's one of Jude Law's best films and Muppet Christmas Carol. I also like While You Were Sleeping and Father Xmas by Raymond Briggs. HAPPY CHRISTMAS :O)

Laura S. said...

Those are excellent Christmas movies listed! I love every movie on the list. The animated Grinch (w/ Boris Karloff) is my #1 favorite Christmas movie though. :)

Carman said...

Yay! (Assuming I'm the right Carman.) I can't wait to read this! Thank you for hosting the giveaway. :)

Casey said...

Oh, I love the picture at the top. I was going to ask if that was your house, but...I think young kids running about the house, it wouldn't be possible. *wink*

I do love It's A Wonderful Life and White Christmas. Always around the first snow fall, I get the "itch" to watch them. :)

Pepper said...

Ooo, Sherrinda - Just watched The Holiday a couple of nights ago. Whew...
And White Christmas - Bing Crosby can just melt snow with his voice, can't he? Wowzers

Pepper said...

Madeleine,
While You Were Sleeping - Oh my, I forgot about that one. LOVE it! Actually I love most of Sandra Bullocks movies. Gonna have to pull that one out to watch soon.

Pepper said...

Laura,
I watch the Grinch every year. The one with Jim Cary was funny, but it can't beat the animated version.

Pepper said...

Carman,
YES! IT'S YOU!! Send me your snail mail. K?

Pepper said...

Oh yeah, Case -
If ONLY my house looked like that.
Sigh
Someday- maybe (cough) I'm not exactly the neat freak anyway, but add 5 kids to my lack of organizational skills and you get...well...my house :-)

Linda Henderson said...

One of my favorite holiday books is Shirley, Goodness & Mercy by Debbie Macomber. I also enjoyed the Lifetime movie based on her Mrs. Miracle book.

seriousreader at live dot com

rbooth43 said...

I love all the Christmas Movies..I love the Mrs. Miracle Lifetime Movie. I also love to read Children's Christmas books to my grandson., our special time together.
rbooth43(at)yahoo(dot)com

Carman said...

Thanks! I am really excited. :)

I sent you my info!

MaDonna Maurer said...

That is a good list...
This is sad, I'm not sure I've seen The Holiday. I need to check that one out.
My favorite this year is A Charlie Brown Christmas.

Linda Kish said...

I love to watch all of the Hallmark channel Christmas movies every year.

lkish77123 at gmail dot com

Jo said...

My favorite Christmas movie is "Miracle on 34th Street".

Blessings,
Jo
ladijo40(at)aol(dot)com

apple blossom said...

I'd love to win James Calvin Schaap’s book Finding Christmas

We love making goodies and giving them away to others

ABreading4fun [at] gmail [dot] com

The Crazy Cat Lady said...

My favorite Christmas tradition is putting up the Christmas tree with our kids while hubby sits in the rocker and sleeps. Afterwards, we always watch The Grinch. Love it! Thanks for the chance to win :)

kjv1611as at gmail dot com

Jennifer said...

I love all those Christmas movies. I love The Grinch also!

Thanks for the chance to win.

Jennifer
jmschwindt at cox dot net

MaureenT said...

I have an old early 1900's The Night Before Christmas...we share it each year with the young Grandchildren.

alekee02[at]yahoo[dot]com

Annette W. said...

I was just reading about this collection of Christmas stories and do want to read it this year or next Christmas! derekannette at gmail dot com

Kelly Massman said...

Our tradition is to eat Sheperd's Pie at Christmas-time to keep it simple and more to the meaning of real Christmas!
thanks!
kmassmanATgmailDOTcom

Charleydog said...

My favorite Christmas video is not actually a movie, but Dean Martin singing Christmas songs. What a voice!

karenk said...

i like the book...the christmas shoes...and the song that goes w/ it.

karenk
kmkuka at yahoo dot com

Charlotte Kay said...

Our favorite Christmas tradition for the past several years is attending a Christmas Eve service on the beach in Florida!
The service begins with watching the sun set and ends with a candlelight service!
How blessed we have been to enjoy this!

I thank you for a chance to win this book:)

Charlotte chakasa58 at gmail dot com

Patsy said...

This sounds great. Would love to read it. Thanks for the giveaway.
plhouston(at)bellsouth(dot)net

Nancye said...

One of my favorite Christmas memories was when I was really, really young----maybe about 3 years old. I remember seeing a present that was bigger than me! Of course I had to try to pick it up and I almost fell over! Inside that box was a life-size baby doll with shiny red hair! My beautiful Baby Chrissy! I played with that doll for years and years! I still have her today and I smile thinking about all of the fun times I have had with her over the years.

nancyecdavis AT bellsouth DOT net