“You’re Never Too Old to Believe in Christmas Wishes.” - Kristin Parson, a quote from the movie A Christmas Melody!
We have here at the Bookmobile a cookbook called The Cozy Christmas Cookbook, Mouthwatering Food to Enjoy During Your Favorite Holiday Films, by Holly Carpenter. I just shared an opening quote from the book and now I am going to share a couple of recipes just to get your mouth watering for more and maybe it will inspire you to come check out this sweet little book.
Let’s make Barb’s Famous Hot Chocolate
3 cups favorite milk
¼ cup granulated sugar
2 tbsp cocoa powder
1 cup semisweet chocolate chips
1 tsp pure vanilla extract
Whipped cream, for serving
Add the milk to a small saucepan and bring it to a simmer over medium heat. Whisk in the sugar and cocoa powder until smooth.
Stir in the chocolate chips and vanilla extract until melted and well combined. Then remove the mixture from the heat.
Divide the cocoa into mugs, top each with whipped cream, and enjoy while hot.
Marie’s Christmas Tree Pizzas
1 (12-ounce) frozen puff pastry sheet
1 large tree-shaped cookie cutter
4 tbsp favorite pizza sauce
4 ½ ounces grated mozzarella cheese
2 pepperoni snack sticks, sliced into tiny pepperoni
1 medium green pepper, sliced into small strips
Thaw and unfold the puff pastry. Use your cookie cutter to cut out as many trees as you can from the dough and spread them evenly over a baking sheet (or two) lined with baking paper.
Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Create your mini pizzas by topping each tree with pizza sauce, cheese and a smattering of green peppers and pepperoni.
Bake the pizzas for 10 minutes or until the pastry is puffed and golden brown, and serve them immediately.
How about giving these two easy recipes a try? Serve on trays while you cozy up and watch Wish for Christmas, which is available for you to check out at the library.
We have your traditional Night Before Christmas books to read to your little ones as you tuck them into bed during this festive season, but how about taking a look at My Best Friend is a Reindeer, with touch and feel on every page? I don’t know of any toddler who wouldn’t want to listen to this sweet little story.
Also one to consider is The Little Christmas Tree by Thomas Meyer. This darling book is about Alex, the smallest tree at Christmas tree school. Kurt is the biggest tree and doesn’t miss a chance to brag about it to Alex. Along the way Alex meets a family of rabbits, and he begins to wonder if it’s what’s inside of us that counts? It’s a sweet story that will touch your heart. I know your little one will want to listen to this one more than once this season!
For those Taylor Swift fans we have The 13 Days of Swiftness, A Christmas Celebration for Fans by Tiffany Garland. It chronicles the Eras Tour and some of Taylor’s favorite Christmas things.
And please don’t forget our Elf on the Shelf. He is always a Christmas pleaser. You just never know where he will turn up or what kind of Christmas mischief he will be making.
So see folks we’ve got something for everyone in your family. Just stop by and browse our shelves for all things Christmas.
Okay, now onto books!
I just finished reading Lies He Told Me by James Patterson. My goodness, my goodness people I read it in less than 3 days. It will grab you from page one and won’t turn you loose until page 367. “She’s In Love— With A Liar.” Marcie and David Bowers live in Hemingway Grove, Ill. David owns a local pub and Marcie practices family law. While celebrating their wedding anniversary on a historical bridge where the two met, a car comes careening on the bridge and crashes down into the river. David jumps in to save the stranger while Marcie holds her breath for the safety of her husband. So when David becomes an overnight hero all forms of strange things start happening to their family. Who is stalking this cookie cutter family and what do they want? Or exactly who do they want? Who really is David Bowers? Does Marcie know him at all? After all, wouldn’t a wife know the difference between her loving husband and father and a cold-blooded assassin? This one is absolutely riveting. I couldn’t put it down because I had to know the truth. It was definitely not how I had it figured. I hope I have you intrigued.
For fans of Danielle Steel, she has a new thriller called Triangle. It involves Amanda Delanoe who runs an art gallery and Olivier Saint Alvin a publisher. She reconnects with and old flame Tom Quinlan who has come to Paris to write a thriller. Well Amanda is in for a thriller of her own. She discovers that Olivier is married and then she starts receiving threatening phone calls late at night. Someone breaks into her apartment. She begins to realize she is in danger, but from whom? Is it a stranger, an old love or maybe a new love? This one is good people please give it a read if suspense is up your alley.
Lauren in the Limelight by Miriam Landis. This is a juvenile fiction novel about Lauren and her two best friends who take ballet class together. They are in 6th grade and are trying to figure out who they are and where they fit in. They love class although they each have struggles trying to achieve their dream of being a ballerina one day. Unexpectedly a new girl shows up to class. They have seen her around school the last week or so but haven’t really talked to her. But when she begins to dance and show the teacher what she knows about ballet, the three friends are amazed. How can she be so advanced? She’s their age after all. Lauren and her friends must then decide how to handle this. Will it be with jealousy or competitiveness? Or will they welcome this new ballerina who has insecurities of her own? I hope you will read this new juvenile novel available at the library. It may say juvenile on the spine label but believe me it has lessons to teach us at any age. Don’t we all need to be a better friend? Can’t we all find room for a new friend in our lives? I think so!
Please check out the Christmas movie The Noel Diary. It’s based on the book by bestselling author Richard Paul Evans. It is about Jake Turner, a guy who returns home to Connecticut during Christmas to settle his mother’s estate. While he is home, he discovers a mysterious diary that may hold the secrets to his past. So he takes a journey with Rachel the daughter of his nanny Noel and together they go searching not only for his estranged father but for the answers they both deserve. This one folks just may give you that Holly Jolly feeling you need this season. Just remember the book and audio is also available at the library.
Here is an easy Christmas craft by Kathryn from Do it on a Dime. I love watching her videos and what she creates. She mostly uses items from the Dollar Tree, so that’s where you will find everything to make this Christmas Swag.
You will need: 3 small artificial trees (at Dollar Tree for $1.25 each)
Hot glue
Twine or Jute String
Pine scented sticks
Christmas Ribbon or ribbon of choice
Christmas ornaments or any Christmas décor (all available at Dollar Tree)
Open your boxes with the trees. Spread out and flatten completely. Lay all three trees together facing the same way. Using twine or jute wrap around the base of all three trees and tie tightly. Next hot glue ornaments, ribbon or any kind of Christmas decoration you would like. Next tie ribbon to the end where you attached all three trees. Now tuck in the scented pine sticks to create that fresh cut tree scent. Lastly turn upside down and hang from a favorite place in your home where you can enjoy all season long.
I’m now going to include a recipe for one of your furry friends:
Christmas Cookies for Kitty also found in The Cozy Christmas Movie Cookbook
1 cup tuna
2 cups flour
1 egg
4 tsps dried catnip
½ cup 2 percent milk
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees and line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Drain the can of tuna completely then combine all of the ingredients in a large bowl.
Drop the cookies by the tablespoon onto the prepared baking sheet and bake them for 8-10 minutes until firm (they won’t brown). Let them cool completely before serving to your kitty.
Our sweet furry friends need some special love this season too. And if you don’t have pets, how about making up a batch of these for a friend or neighbor who does?
“A person who believes in Santa is a fundamentally good person. It means they believe in hope.” - Ashley Harrison, a quote from Dashing Through the Snow.
Please check out the Raleigh County Public Library’s website at rcplwv.org for all Holiday closings.
Merry Christmas Everyone!
The Bookmobile Lady