A Christmas story for you from my chair

11/24/2017

This is the first post of a fabulous Christmas blog hop you can follow for the next month. Thirty e-books to be gifted and a $150 gift card too!

I love the way the year winds up down under. School holidays, Christmas parties, family visits, and then the Christmas tree goes up and brightly wrapped presents pile up beneath it.
Long walks on the beach are taken as the weather warms up and the ocean entices for swimming.

It is coming up to that time of the year again...can you believe the festive season is upon us and we are already writing Christmas posts?

Australian readers will know exactly what I am thinking about when I imagine the heat of Christmas day, the cicadas chirping in the hot still air, and the welcome sound of the summer surf breaking on the beach. The beach on the left is where my featured book is set...Black Rock Beach.
I am blessed in that we live by the ocean, and it's like being on holidays all year round. But the Christmas break is special here in my town. Holidaymakers arrive, and the mood is happy.

How do we spend Christmas day? We’ll get up very early, always ham and eggs for breakfast, and then we do the Santa Claus presents with the grandchildren. It's a special one this year as we have a new baby grandson, Charlie.

Then we’ll go for a lovely walk on the beach (if it’s not too hot!) followed by a swim. We’ll come home to a cold lunch of fresh prawns, (shrimps for the US readers) oysters, and good old Aussie Pavlova and fruit!

We’ll lie around for the afternoon, relaxing and reading our new Christmas books, probably with chilled champagne close by.

What do you love to do best at Christmas? Where do you spend the day?
Comment below to go in the draw for an e-copy of Diamond Sky.... the third book in the Porter Sisters series where another another Christmas day is celebrated at the end of the story.
The Porter Sisters

My featured Christmas book is Christmas with the Boss It is a feel good story that will leave you with a smile!

A couple of years ago a friend told me about a ghostly encounter she had in a house not far from where I live and it fired my imagination. I combined her experience with a Christmas visitor to the lovely Black Rock Beach beach down the hill from our house and Christmas with the Boss was born!
You can find ithere on Kindle, Nook, iTunes and Kobo

Now don't forget to increase your chance of winning, leave a comment below, and also enter via the rafflecopter below! If you tweet and share you get even more entries!
Winners of the e-books and the $150 gift card will be announced on Christmas Eve.
What a great present! What are you waiting for?

a Rafflecopter giveaway

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You can follow the whole blog hop .....here:
The next blog post in the Christmas hop will be live tomorrow, for another chance to comment and win:
Here is Ann B Harrison's blog post and giveaway.
Christmas blog

88 Comments

Susanne

11/24/2017 08:56:15 pm

Looking forward to this blog hop!

Melissa

11/24/2017 09:06:54 pm

How amazing. This would be a wonderful prize

Debra

11/24/2017 10:55:26 pm

Can’t wait for the Blog Hop! Great prizes.

Elizabeth Ellen Carter link

11/25/2017 12:06:50 am

Great fun, Annie!

Shirley link

11/25/2017 06:44:14 am

Lovely post. I love hearing about how others spend Christmas.

Jody Horn Watkins

11/25/2017 09:29:48 am

I look forward to following along! :)

Carla Caruso link

11/25/2017 10:45:57 am

I love the idea of the Black Rock Beach setting!

Jo'Anne Griffiths link

11/25/2017 03:55:29 pm

We usually spend Christmas Day at home, due to my elderly parents living nearby needing assistance and companionship. Maybe in a few years we'll move nearer the seaside, and enjoy a 'prawnie-pavlova' Christmas 😉😄

Sabrina Templin

11/26/2017 07:14:43 am

I love sending cards and decorating the tree :D

Suzanne Cass

11/26/2017 02:47:45 pm

Hi Annie, loving this blog hop

Gloria Van Mosseveld

11/26/2017 06:45:23 pm

What a lovely idea Annie. I'm new to all this. Fun! My happy Christmas is to be with my kids and these days, grandkids. Our Christmas is elongated with a Dutch Christmas early Dec, then whatever and whoever can make it Christmas Eve, Christmas Day, Boxing Day and on it goes .....

Veronica link

11/26/2017 06:50:18 pm

What a great idea. I’m looking forward to following along.

Tracie

11/26/2017 07:16:14 pm

Thank you for wonderful reads and a great opportunity

Mary Preston

11/26/2017 07:32:37 pm

I would like to experience a snowy Christmas at least once. It's usually sweltering here.

Rose

11/26/2017 07:39:38 pm

Christmas Day will include opening presents and a walk to the park with the family. It will be cool but I don’t think we will have snow this year!

Janelle Van Bommel

11/26/2017 07:42:45 pm

What I would love to do is have a fabulous Christmas with my 3 sons grandson and daughter in law here at my home.. It has been over 14 years since the eldest 2 have come home for Christmas because of their careers.My grandson has only had 1 christmas with his uncles and to me that is sad,it makes me sad . 28th is also a sad time as I lost my eldest sister in 2003 so f did not celebrate christmas for many years until my grandson came along.

Kim thorne

11/26/2017 11:04:14 pm

Sounds like a lovely blog make it sound like your actually there and can't wait for the book.

Lori R

11/26/2017 11:59:31 pm

This looks like fun.

Kathleen O

11/27/2017 12:18:54 am

I usually spend Christmas at home and then on Boxing Day, my brother's and nieces and nephews get together..

Robbie Bauldree

11/27/2017 02:16:49 am

I will be spending the day at home with my family

Robyn K

11/27/2017 04:59:48 am

My husband and I spend Christmas morning visiting family, then spend the rest of the day enjoying each other's company. Thank you for this chance.

sandy haber

11/27/2017 05:05:21 am

Usually go to a movie with friends, then out for Chinese food.

Michelle Bauer

11/27/2017 05:34:53 am

Hard to believe Tis' the Season to prepare for Christmas Holidays!!! Already...not quite ready for the snow though (in Buffalo, New York). Love the family get togethers &watching everyone open their gifts...

MERRY CHRISTMAS & HAPPY HOLIDAYS TO ALL!!!

Darlene Comeaux

11/27/2017 06:12:58 am

Spend Christmas with grandchildren.

Cindy Hamilton

11/27/2017 08:33:36 am

Woderful! Happy Holidays

Rhonda P.

11/27/2017 09:12:37 pm

I love to spend tome with the family. This year I get to meet my 8 year granddaughter for the first and celebrate with her. I like to help in the preparation of the dinner and tamales.

Stephanie Lambeth

11/27/2017 11:45:33 pm

Sounds like fun!

11/27/2017 11:49:07 pm

I like to spend the day with family.

Deborah D

11/28/2017 12:02:58 am

Everyone to be healthy and happy.

May

11/28/2017 12:51:27 am

Thanks for the wonderful contest!

11/28/2017 01:06:26 am

Thanks for everything and keep up the great work.

Jennifer Cowan

11/28/2017 01:59:44 am

Happy Holidays! My son & I spend Christmas morning at my sister's house. We have a really small family, so we do Christmas morning there, have brunch, then go home for awhile. We come back later for Christmas dinner at my parents house. They live next door to my sister. We do this EVERY year!

kim charlton

11/28/2017 02:14:53 am

Thanks for this awesome Christmas giveaway!!

Kelly Rodriguez

11/28/2017 02:16:16 am

Amazing giveaway

Laurie Gommermann

11/28/2017 08:01:09 am

Ghostly encounters and the spirit of Christmas sounds like a great duo!

Kathy Davis

11/28/2017 08:04:49 am

Tis the season to be jolly! Happy holidays!

Richard Brandt

11/28/2017 10:06:10 am

We live on the Alabama Gulf Coast so it's not quite the same...milder weather than most of this country I'm sure, but we're still likely to spend most of it indoors unwrapping presents, stuffing our faces, and watching movies. (I prefer to spend part of ANY day watching movies.)

Renaye

11/28/2017 01:42:34 pm

I love baking st Christmas and sharinf with neighbors, co-workers, and friends. We spend the day playing in the snow near South Lake Tahoe.

Maria Malaveci

11/28/2017 10:46:31 pm

Thanks so much for the chance!

11/29/2017 12:49:04 am

It's now on the countdown till Christmas.

Lindsey

11/30/2017 01:09:06 pm

My favorite part of Christmas? The peaceful, snowy days with family.

12/1/2017 12:03:45 am

Happy and Safe Holiday Season!

Glenda

12/2/2017 06:04:28 pm

This looks like fun!

Star link

12/2/2017 06:44:47 pm

This sounds like a wonderful and leisurely way to spend Christmas Day. With us it is all the kids ripping into their gifts while the adults had their Christmas giving the night before. To be able to walk along the waters edge would be lovely.

Eliza Olsen

12/2/2017 07:26:48 pm

Wishing you and yours a Happy Holiday Season!

Lesley Walsh

12/2/2017 08:08:16 pm

What do I like to do best at Christmas? Get together and spend quality time with family.

Pamela Pond

12/2/2017 08:24:17 pm

Christmas Day in our house starts early. We start by taking the ham from the oven where it has cooked overnight. Then we finish up the rest of our dinner before the grandkids arrive. That way we can spend all day with them. We play games and of course we watch them open gifts. Having family around is so important to us. Our oldest son was born on Christmas Day. Unfortunately he passed away in 2012 from a blood clot in his heart. So we celebrate Christmas with a measure of sadness for his loss. Having his children around helps us to be greatful for the time we had him with us.

Penny Mooney

12/2/2017 10:02:02 pm

It is hard for me to believe it is Christmas time again. I have started playing Christmas songs to get into the season. The Christmas books have helped too. Thank you for being apart of this awesome giveaway.

jessie

12/3/2017 03:29:52 am

Such a wonderful idea for the blog. Happy Christmas!

Joann L

12/3/2017 04:37:17 am

I spend Christmas day at home with my brother. Since it is only the two of us we don't exchange Christmas gifts. The only thing different about the day is more food.

Phylis Collins

12/3/2017 06:08:46 am

Nice hop

clynsg

12/3/2017 07:12:58 am

Christmas Eve is our biggest part of the holiday, with Christmas Day reserved for relaxation and in the case of the adult children, etc, visiting with the other half of their families.

Mallory D

12/3/2017 12:31:31 pm

Really any activity that is spending time with the family, but I do love gong out and admiring the xmas lights all together :)

Andrea Stoeckel

12/4/2017 03:05:48 am

Not the best w/ consistency of daily check ins, but let’s see how I do

Jan Paessler

12/4/2017 05:28:04 pm

Just found out about this!

12/5/2017 12:09:54 am

Hope to see all my family for the holidays!

Suzannah Clark

12/5/2017 06:27:25 am

I love making Christmas cookie with a little lemon in the frosting.

Brooke Bumgardner link

12/5/2017 06:41:28 am

That sounds like the perfect way to spend Christmas Day! We have the morning chaos of kiddos opening their gifts, then like to spend the day relaxing and enjoying each others' company.

Jeanna Massman

12/5/2017 07:10:34 pm

Thanks for the giveaway! Love these authors and their books.

12/6/2017 12:55:08 am

Reading is the joy of life.

Joye I

12/8/2017 07:04:18 am

I will be visiting with family and friends and hoping for nice weather.

12/8/2017 09:29:36 am

waiting to spend time with family and friends!

Roxane

12/8/2017 02:56:28 pm

I will be at my mom's Christmas morning. We eat ham and eggs and hot chocolate. We open gifts and hang out. Then to my sister's that might. I love it. Happy Holidays

Brenda Hahn

12/10/2017 12:14:41 pm

I love spending time with my family on Christmas! We trade off between us and our children as to where it will be.... Thank you for the chance.....

Nancy Burgess

12/10/2017 02:16:54 pm

We have a big Christmas Dinner with all the family over.

Rebecca Brewster

12/10/2017 04:28:29 pm

I spend Christmas Eve with my Daddy, my 3 grown daughters, sons in la, and 5 grandchildren at my Daddy’s house. I usually spend part of Christmas Day with the grandchildren.

Debbie Martin

12/10/2017 05:54:05 pm

I love riding around and looking at the Christmas lights!

Margie Rico

12/11/2017 03:45:33 am

Thank you for the great Christmas giveaways!

Deborah Sisk

12/12/2017 10:58:34 am

I enjoyed the blog. Thanks for the chance.

Gail

12/12/2017 12:51:41 pm

My favorite part of Christmas is spending time with family - we go to my parents house first and then the in-laws afterwards. :)

Robyn

12/12/2017 01:42:44 pm

My husband and I spend Christmas Day visiting family and friends, then we come home and have a nice dinner. Thank you for this chance.

Nardia

12/12/2017 01:46:00 pm

There's something awesome about Christmas by the beach! This year we'll be back up on the Murray! Merry Christmas!!

12/12/2017 01:48:01 pm

What a fun hop!

12/12/2017 02:17:17 pm

What a great gift... thanks!

Katrina Dehart

12/12/2017 06:25:25 pm

I'll be at my mom's house with my family

12/13/2017 07:20:21 am

We walk throughout the neighborhood on Christmas Eve night and look at the yard decorations and sing Christmas carols.

Christmas Day we spend at home with family and friends dropping in throughout the day.

Laura Boon Russell

12/15/2017 07:51:53 pm

As an immigrant couple with both our families overseas, we’re lucky enough to have made good friends we can spend Christmas with, otherwise it would be unbearably lonely.

Anne

12/16/2017 12:32:19 pm

This year my sister is coming over and we'll have a nice dinner together.

Sandy Lipinski

12/17/2017 01:07:17 am

Enjoying meeting new authors and shopping.

Roobee Hinkleberry

12/17/2017 04:30:37 am

Thank you so much for the opportunity!

Karen

12/18/2017 02:47:30 pm

Love the blog hop!! The blogs are wonderful!!!

Kara Vaughan Marks

12/19/2017 04:50:20 am

I like just spending time w/ family on Christmas--this year we're having family over for a fancy brunch.

Helen Picone

12/20/2017 02:28:18 pm

I spend Christmas with family and friends

Carol

12/20/2017 06:38:21 pm

I spend Christmas working for the past 3 years.

Tena Barnes

12/22/2017 12:20:13 pm

Thank you for thd chance

Delores Bebbington

12/22/2017 02:48:01 pm

What a wonderful way to celebrate Christmas. thank you Aussie authors for the opportunity.

Nancy Luebke

12/24/2017 09:45:41 am

I love Christmastime. And I can read holiday romances and stories all year round. Hope I can find all the authors for this hop.

Rose link

4/21/2019 09:19:42 am

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In Annie's chair...