Book Vending Machine

I scored pretty good from Santa this year. Three CS Lewis books, a one-hundred-year-old book on rural England, and a pair of socks. Hey. Don't judge me. They were Smart Wools. So guess I won't be standing in the ol' return line this week.

And if you lived in Germany, you wouldn't have to either, because instead you could simply stop at a vending machine.

Here's the dealio . . . book retailer Hugendubel teamed up with Bastei Lübbe (a German trade publisher) and came up with a brilliant idea. All you do is bring your unwanted gift to their vending machine, pop it in, then choose from one of seven bestselling titles and voila! You get a book that you want instead of some stupid brick of fruitcake from your great-aunt-once-removed.

Win. Win.

Did you get anything under the tree this year that you'd like to trade-in for a book?

Wise Words for Christmas

Santa sure knows how to shop.
Here's what I found in my Christmas stocking this morning . . .

“It would seem that Our Lord finds our desires not too strong, but too weak. We are half-hearted creatures, fooling about with drink and sex and ambition when infinite joy is offered us, like an ignorant child who wants to go on making mud pies in a slum because he cannot imagine what is meant by the offer of a holiday at the sea. We are far too easily pleased.”

~ C. S. Lewis, The Weight of Glory

Merry Christmas Everyone!

The Author Behind 'God Rest Ye Merry, Gentlemen'

Today I'm featuring my number one Christmas carol because . . . well . . . it's Christmas Eve and I can. So there.

I don't actually know who the author of God Rest Ye Merry, Gentlemen is. No one does, really. It's believed to have been written more than 500 years ago. That's old. So instead of featuring the for-real author of this song, here are a few fun facts about it.

This is the only song mentioned in Charles Dickens' A Christmas Carol. Because of its singularity, it is -- for all intents and purposes -- the Christmas carol of the title.

Speaking of titles, let's talk about the comma, shall we? It's not between Ye and Merry, where many grammar rookies place it. The comma goes between Merry and Gentlemen. I know, right? What the heck?

The heck is that words change meanings over the centuries. Rest may have meant "to keep" and merry meant "strong" or "mighty" (such as in Robin Hood's "merry" men). Keeping that in mind, the title is not about happy fellows being urged to rest, which is what we might think today. The title may, in fact, be seen as a reassurance that God will keep these men safe and strong through Christ because Christ has been born on Christmas Day. Savvy?

But more important than pondering the placement of a punctuation mark is pondering the meaning of the words. Think on this stanza (circa 1760) today and tomorrow as you celebrate Jesus's birthday:

God rest you merry, Gentlemen

Let nothing you dismay

For Jesus Christ our Saviour

Was born upon this Day

To save poor souls from Satan's power

Which long time had gone astray

Which brings tidings of comfort and joy.

The Author Behind 'O Little Town of Bethlehem'

Phillips Brooks

Phillips Brooks, an American rector at the Church of the Holy Trinity in Philadelphia, visited the Holy Land in 1865. He did all the usual schlocky tourist things: bought a tee-shirt that said 'I was Here' with an X in the middle of Israel, purchased one of those stupid tiny silver spoons to hang on a rack, and yes, wrote, stamped, and mailed at least twenty-five postcards.

None of that will be remembered, though. What was immortalized by his visit was a simple horseback ride from Jerusalem to Bethlehem on Christmas Eve. He wrote about that experience three years later, the words of which are found in a song he put together for his church's children's choir. He never expected anything to come of it, other than music for that particular service. But in 1874, the song was published in Huntington's Sunday School hymn book, The Church Porch.

And the rest really is history.

Jolabokaflod

post by Michelle Griep

There are no spelling errors in today's title. It's not a silly, made-up word, nor am I whacked out on eggnog and candy canes. Okay, so I admit to a bit of a sugar high from all the cookies around my house, and there was a rogue doughnut I ate yesterday. But no. Jólabókaflóð is a real deal and you know it's true because it's on Wikipedia.

So, what is it? Jolabokaflod is the Christmas Book Flood in Iceland. It begins with the bókatíðindi, a catalogue that lists the titles of all the books for purchase in Iceland during the Christmas season. 80-90% of all books come out in Iceland during this period because that's when sales are highest. Why? Because Icelanders don't give stupid toasters or light-up ties as gifts. They give books. Most people spend Christmas Eve reading instead of fighting with relatives.

Now there's a concept.

The tradition dates back to WWII. Strict currency restrictions limited the amount of imported gifts brought into Iceland. However, restrictions in imported paper weren't as constrictive. So what do you do if you've got a lot of paper and not much else? Either make paper planes or books. Books won. The tradition stuck.

So this Christmas I propose we all go Icelandic with our gift giving. Besides, if you give out books that you'd like to read yourself, you can always borrow them later, eh?

How Would Jane Austen Celebrate Christmas?

post by Michelle Griep

Moi with author JULIE KLASSEN.

What do historical author nerds do for Christmas entertainment? Go to a Jane Austen luncheon, of course, complete with books, Regency gowns, plenty of food, and of course a Jane Austen silhouette cake for dessert. Mmm. Mmm. Mmm. But it wasn't just all calories and book buying. I learned a ton of stuff about Regency Christmas traditions, and you're in luck because I'll save you the trouble of an expanding waist band or shrinking wallet by sharing the info . . .

CHRISTMAS CAROLING

Caroling wasn't the sweet Go-Tell-It-On-The-Mountain harmonious event. It usually ended in a riot. Singers would gather near a church or town square. So would peddlers, who sold sheet music so everyone could join in singing. That's not all they sold, though. We're talking booze here, folks. And excessive drinking leads to excessive brawling. Sure, not every caroler was out for a sailor-of-a-good time. There were those who went door to door, but only to homes with a candle in the window. Otherwise you'd get the boot.

It was carrot cake, BTW.

HOUSE GUESTS

Entertaining back in this era wasn't just a party and then goodbye guests. Nope. Friends and family usually stayed at your house at the very least for the entire twelve days of Christmas, but most often started partying way back on Dec. 6th. It was difficult to travel in the Regency period, so when you made the effort to go somewhere, you stayed a long time.

CHRISTMAS DINNER

Goose was the meat of choice, but not many had an oven large enough to roast one because those puppies--or fowl--are big. So orders were put in at the baker who would "cook your goose."

I didn't wear a Regency gown but I did
clean up nice.

DECORATIONS

Don't worry if you don't have your house decorated yet. Regency folks didn't put up their greenery until December 24th . . . and it was greenery. They brought the outside inside, and they didn't overdo it, either. Just a mantle piece or table decor, and maybe some on the front posts of the house or possibly the bannister. Big, fancy decor didn't start coming in until the Victorian era.

12th NIGHT

This was the big celebration, bigger than Christmas Eve or Christmas Day. If gifts were given, this was the day to pass them out. This was also the night all your decorations would be taken down and burned, because if you didn't, a goblin might get you.

This year I'm not even remotely ready for Christmas but I'm not sweating it too much. It's not like I've got a houseful of guests staying for nearly two weeks.

Word Game Gift Ideas

Christmas shopping. Traffic jams. Screaming kids at the mall. Angry slap fights in the aisles at Walmart. Yeah . . . gotta love it. Or not. If you're of the latter persuasion, we are kindred spirits, and I'm here to help you accomplish gift buying without killing anyone (or yourself). Here are my top 3 picks for super fun word games that make great presents and great entertainment . . .

Word Around

This one is so easy to play, it's almost ridiculously hard. All you do is read a word. The tricky part is that everyone playing is reading the same word and whoever shouts it out first wins the card. Oh yeah, did I mention the word is in a circle so that you don't know which letter is the beginning? Big fun!

Quiddler

Want to sharpen your spelling skills while increasing your vocabulary and critical thinking? This is the game for you! All you do is use all the letters in your hand of cards to form a word, leaving one card to discard. But of course there's a ticking time bomb -- the other players are trying to do the same thing before you.

Tapple

A little pandemonium is good, especially amongst family and friends. Tapple is a "Hot Potato" kind of slap a letter to guess a word without saying a repeat. Example? Say the category is candy. You might slap the letter S and shout Skittles, the person next to you slaps the K and yells Kit-Kat, the next person can't think of a darn thing and loses that round. It's pretty fast-paced and fun.

These games are all family friendly and simple to learn, so kids can play them too. Have yourself a merrier Christmas by doing some of your shopping online instead of stressing at the mall.

Who Can Understand These Things?

Servant King

virgin birth

mercy

grace

salvation

atonement

redemption

Human God

Pick one item on the list. Just one. 

Ponder it until you have an explanation.

Good thing you've got eternity to do so.

Happy Birthday Hero

Most heroes are too good to be true. I like to dress mine in unpredictability. Someone who’s not necessarily safe to be around but always has his loved one’s best interests at heart and will put his head on the chopping block to save them if need be. This reminding you of anyone? 

The same could be said for Jesus. I hope readers make that connection, subconsciously at least. Heroes are not always what we expect them to look like on the outside.

As you swig back the ol' egg nog and stagger around on a sugar high, don't forget to take a moment to remember the hero that the celebration is all about. 

What's the Big Deal About Christmas?

Okay, so the wise men part is totally Hollywood, but give the whole thing a chance and see if your eyes don't water at least a little...even if you are a stoic Viking.

What Do You Know?

It's the big show tomorrow. Christmas Day. Are you ready?
I'm not talking presents, or pickled herring, or planning a seating arrangement that won't beget a Maury Povich style knock-down drag-out yo-mama kind of fight between the relatives.
I'm talking about your heart. Where's it at in relationship to the Creator of the Universe? Because honestly, nothing else matters.

"Be still and know that I am God."

Psalm 46:10

Make it a priority to take some time out today and tomorrow to be still. Know Him. He's everything He says He is.

Gifts for Writers

Freedom
Free up the ol' schedule to give said writer some actual butt in chair time. Be creative. Offer to make a meal or do some yard work or something.

Encouragement
Rejections are like suffering repeated kidney punches. Simple validation via a note (how the writer's words have been important to you) is the gift that keeps giving because this is one present that won't get returned.

Shout Out
Post a review on Amazon or Goodreads for one of the author's books.

Natural Writer's Block Remedies
That'd be java and chocolate...preferably dark.

Create Space
When writer's block hits, sometimes the physical act of writing words on paper with a pen gets the juices flowing. Did you catch that? Journal. Pen. Yeah.

Piece of Quiet
Writers need to get away to a cozy place to write...even if that place is just a closet with a desk shoved into it. Candles are a good idea.

My Gift to You

Find a few minutes today to sit down with the hot drink of your choice and watch this amazing rendition of "O Come, O Come, Emmanuel." 

(and no, I'm not Mormon, but they sure did a great job with this presentation)

Want To Watch a Christmas Movie?

I found yet another fantastic web site for you to visit. It's called Lemon.ly. They do all kinds of fun flow charts like this one. You can even sign up for them to send one weekly to your inbox here.

A Griep Family Christmas

You Still Haven't Fill-in-the-Blank?

It's that holiday time of year. You know, the ol' get together with friends and family scene...and the inevitable, "How's your writing going?"

On the surface, it's an innocent enough question. And don't get me wrong. I'm not dissing the genuine interest of others about my writing journey. In fact, it shows care and concern from my loved ones. So why do those 4 simple words wallop me like a jab to the kidneys?

Because I, like every other writer on the face of planet earth, know what's coming after that question is answered. It's always followed by another...

You still haven't been published?

You still haven't heard from Publisher X?

You still haven't finished that book?

You still haven't gotten an agent?

You still haven't made it to the NY Times Bestseller list?

The definition of insanity (according to Albert Einstein)  is doing the same thing over and over again and expecting the same results. You know those questions are coming, so this year, writers, let's be proactive.

Share an interesting bit of research you've uncovered.

An engaging tidbit of information oftentimes turns the conversation onto a whole new direction. And who knows...you just may have found someone who can add to your knowledge base on that particular subject.

Prepare a fun and snappy comeback.

You don't have to feel defeated because you "still haven't." Lighten up the situation with a quippy reply. Don't just grin and bear it. Yuk it up.

Flip it.

No, not your finger. Flip the question back to the questioner. Be honest and admit you haven't whatever-they-asked, then ask them if they've accomplished one of their goals yet. Only use this tactic, however, if you really care, otherwise you're going to come off as a sour-grapes connoisseur.

Remember, 'tis the season to be jolly, not crabby. Instead of cringing in the corner at the next holiday gathering, go out there and have fun!

Stop the Merry-go-Round...I Want to Get Off!

How do you de-stress during the holiday season? Here are some of my favorite ways...

Doin' the Hustle Bustle

Sounds like a new dance move, eh? Nope. It's the I-need-to-shop-bake-party-entertain-and-how-will-I-ever-find-time-to-write syndrome. It's a virus that lays up pretty much every writer I know during the Christmas season. And to make matters worse, the ol' drink lots of fluids and get plenty of rest doesn't work for this one.

Finding time to work on a manuscript is tricky when life takes on warp-speed at holiday time. My solution? Cut yourself some slack. Live a little. Be present with your loved ones, not off in some story world in your head. Your ideas will still be there after December 25th.

But that doesn't mean you should stop writing altogether.

Hold on. I hear you. "But you just said put to put my pen away until after Christmas Day!" Not really. I merely suggest you set aside your WIP for a short while. You can be present with those you love and write at the same time. How?

Hand write out a Christmas card.
For years we've used those photo cards (which I still love). They're so easy! Slap a pre-printed greeting into an envelope and voila. Finito. How about this year, though, you write something on the back? Something for them to ponder. Something you love about them written in a creative way. Put those writing skills to use.

The gift of story.
How about write a Christmas story, print it out on super-cool paper, and roll it up like a scroll.  Toss that in a basket with a mug and some coffee or tea, and then cross that person's name off your gift list. And if you really want to add a personal touch, put that person into the story. What a treat for someone to snuggle up on a cold day with a hot drink and a wintry tale.

Become a Psalmist.
Christmas is all about the birth of the Savior of all mankind, Jesus. It's His birthday, so why not pen some prose to the King of Kings, listing his attributes, thanking Him for leaving heaven to come to this hovel just for you. Write a prayer to the one you love most, and if he's not at the top of your list of loved ones, then talk to me at michellegriep@gmaildotcom.

The Real Reason for the Season

I can think of no better words to post for Christmas than this:

He was pierced for our rebellion,

crushed for our sins.

He was beaten so we could be whole.

He was whipped so we could be healed.

Isaiah 53:5

Happy Birthday Jesus!