I love December. It feels so different than all the other months. I get plenty of joy from seeing how excited my hot Spanish wife gets when December rolls around.
I love that big smile on her face as she decorates the tree. I love to see her eyes light up when her favorite Christmas songs come on the radio. I get even more joy when she sings along—I could listen to her all night.
But one of my favorite parts of the holiday season is watching movies with her. Cuddled up on the couch with a blanket, we typically watch five or six Hallmark Christmas movies a week on television, plus maybe a favorite or two from our DVD collection. It’s easy since we have the exact same taste in books and movies. Romance, baby! The joy of Christmas is something special, but I’m lucky enough to also have the joy of marriage and the joy of having the most amazing woman in my life.
What brings you joy? Do you do anything special to celebrate the holidays? Leave a comment for your chance to win a copy of my Christmas romantic comedy, Kiss Me in the Snow. plus twenty-nine other books AND a $150 gift card. Winners will be announced on Christmas Eve. Increase your chances of winning by entering via the Rafflecopter HERE. For a list of all the authors participating and for more chances to enter, go here: http://bit.ly/2A4bbkK. Good luck and Merry Christmas!
I love to put on my BBC DVD of The Nativity. The re telling of the Christmas story (with the realistic reaction of Joseph to Mary’s pregnancy) always reminds me of what the season is truly about.
That’s great, Lesley! Wishing you a wonderful Christmas.
Love the look of your book! It wouldn’t be Christmas at my house without watching ‘National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation’ at least once. And I really must get around to watching the original ‘Miracle on 34th Street’ – feel like I’m the only person in the world who hasn’t watched it yet!
Carla! Now you’ve got me in the mood to watch National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation! LOL. I can’t even recall the last time we watched it—it’s been so many years. Well, I need to work it in the schedule this month, for sure. Happy Holidays to you!
I love December too. I have to agree it does feel different. There is an excitement in the air.
Yes! Love that excitement in the air. 🙂
I love to bake sugar cookies and watch the Christmas Hallmark movies.
What a coincidence. I love to watch Christmas Hallmark movies and EAT sugar cookies! Yum yum yum yum. 🙂
We always have a Christmas Eve buffet and watch a movie together.
That sounds amazing, Lori. Have fun.
Being with my family is always great but the holidays always brings about a different energy and it makes it even better! And tamales don’t hurt either LOL
Tamales! Yeah, they don’t hurt at all. LOL.
I love romantic comedy! Christmas with my man will be just the two of us, laid back and couple focused. The pool, a cocktail or two and a platter of cold meats, salads and tropical fruits. From the gorgeous east coast of Queensland Australia I wish you and yours a wonderful Christmas. Thanks to the Coastal Christmas Blog Hop for introducing us!
Hi Allison! Sounds like you are going to have an amazing Christmas! Laid back is the way to go, for sure. You’ve got the perfect plan in place to avoid stress and just have fun. Wishing you the best. 🙂
We like to watch It’s A Wonderful Life with hot cocoa, popcorn and pizza.
LOVE this! We’ll be right over. 😉
I like all those things and reading. Your books and blog is so entertaining. Merry Christmas!
Thanks so much, Lisa! Merry Christmas to you as well! 🙂
I started a tradition of decorating gingerbread cookies with my own children and now my grandchildren. The kids get a huge kick out of personalizing their cookies. I love your books, they always make me smile.
That sounds like a lot of fun with the cookies, Teresa. And that makes me SO happy that my books make you smile. 🙂
I love to watch feel good Christmas movies and read Rich Amooi all year long but especially at Christmas. I will be working this Christmas and am happy to be able to do as many patients do not get visitors. Merry Christmas!
Awww. That’s very sweet of you, Pam. Merry Christmas to you as well. 🙂
I absolutely LOVE reading your books. they are so funny and written with a good pace to allow the reader to enjoy. Thanks
Yay, Jen! Thanks so much. Hang in there for the next one. Almost here! 🙂
I love Christmas!!! Not the presents, but the true meaning of Christmas. Being with family and friends, and watching kids open their gifts. Watching Christmas movies on TV. Driving around looking at the Christmas lights. There always seems to be a excitement in the air. I love celebrating the birth of Christ, the real reason for the season.
Hi Dianna! We love looking at the Christmas lights, too! There is a neighborhood near us that goes crazy with the lights on every house and in every yard. I’ll be posting a video soon to show you. Have a very Merry Christmas. 🙂
I love to go to our church’s Christmas Eve candlelight service with my hubby every year!
That’s wonderful, April. Wishing you a very, Merry Christmas!
Hi Rich! Great post. I have loved the three books I’ve read of yours and have about three more on my TBR list, downloaded on Kindle. Looks like I have some catching up to do! I love that my husband watches romantic comedies with me all through the year. I love that he can’t wait to listen to Christmas music on the radio the day after Halloween, but my rule is that when I’m in the car, he can’t play them till the day after Thanksgiving. He mostly complies! Merry Christmas!
Hi Laurie! Thanks so much for reading me! Yes, you have some catching up to do! 🙂 Your hubby sounds like my honey. She can listen to Christmas music all-year-long. LOL. I don’t mind. Her joy gives me joy. Merry Christmas!
I love Christmas because it is the only time my three adult children are together during the year. I am greatful for them. I got sick and spent 5 days in the hospital in Colorado, I live in Massachusetts. Without my asking they relayed me home, each taking a turn driving me home, I was on oxygen. I had alone time with each of them. It has been a long time since I had alone time with them.
I love Christmas because I bake over 600 cookies for my friends, they love them and look forward to them
Merry Christmas
Glad you have that special time with your kids, Deborah. I’m sure that’s very special. I’m sure those cookies are special, too. 600! Wow! Merry Christmas. 🙂
I love the Christmas season because I always take time off to be with my grandkids and to knit and watch movies. I love romantic comedies, which is why I love your books. The romantic movies and books give me peace and takes me away from all the hustle and bustle of an unsure world. I appreciate your talent and am glad to have met you and your beautiful wife. I am happy for people like you who still have love in their hearts!
Thanks so much, Tandala! That’s so sweet of you. I agree with you about romantic movies and books being the great escape. I like to escape every week. Merry Christmas! 🙂
I really feel the magic of Christmas when I’m doing our holiday cooking. The tastes and smells of baking trigger so many happy holiday memories!
Oooh. I love the smell of something baking in the oven. It is THE BEST!
I also love to watch Hallmark Christmas movies. I also love to hear Christmas songs on the radio, on Pandora. On you tube, etc. I love planning Christmas dinner. But mostly I love wishing my friends and family Merry Christmas!
That’s so sweet, Patti. Merry Christmas!
I love relaxing and spending time with my family and friends over the holidays and a snowy Christmas.
Sounds wonderful, Jess! Wishing you a Merry Christmas.
As the years roll by (and my age increases) I find that the less hoopla around the holidays, the better. Our sons are grown, out on their own, although they are quite content to remain single. So, we have no grandchildren but do have 2 grand-dogs.
I, for one, am thankful for the multitude of Christmas movies that start airing on Thanksgiving day. They help me to forget about the coming tasks of making multiple batches of fudge (nearly 40 lbs. worth one year). They also keep my mind from dwelling on the loss of parents and loved ones.
When those holiday movies are repeats, I still sit snuggled on the couch, but am reading “holiday” books on my iPad and Kindle. I love the holidays even though my husbands idea of decorating is to pull down a window shade – with a photo of a decorated tree on it – on Christmas Eve, and to make it disappear the day after New Year’s. Our house is too big for one person to decorate for the holidays.
40 pounds of fudge! Wow! Enjoy the movies and your grand-dogs, Alice.
I love the carols and other Christmas songs, the Jamaican rum cake I make lots of at this time of year, the pretty lights and decorations.
Jamaican rum cake! Okay, I’m going to have to look that one up. Sounds yummy. 🙂
Well, the goodies, definitely. See’s candy specifically.
Happy Holidays!
Candy works for me, too. 🙂 Happy Holidays!
My favorite part of the holidays is just being with family and friends. Nothing brings me greater joy.
Love this, Peggy! Have a wonderful holiday season!
As a magician, I have a lot of holiday shows in the month of December. So I help many families celebrate this time of year! The young, old and everyone in between. I take great delight in unfurling the magic of the season in my show. From company holiday parties, breakfasts with Santa and family gatherings each audience rekindles their own sense of wonder and I feel incredibly lucky that I can make that happen for them. To share with someone, in the middle of this crazy month, a smile and a laugh that is a great joy.
Sounds like so much fun, Julie!
I love to watch my children and grandchildren open their presents and then just spending time with them!
That’s great, Brenda. Have fun! 🙂
decorate together
I enjoy decorating, too. 🙂
I love your tradition of watching movies at Christmas. They always put Ben Hur on the TV at Christmas time and my husband loves to watch that. Great post Rich.
Thanks, Suzanne! Happy Holidays to you! 🙂
The best thing about December is seeing my childen and granddaughters having fun, laughing and loving.
That’s beautiful, Janice! Have fun. 🙂
This Christmas is a very sad one for my family, my dad whom I was very close to died unexpectedly, he was an awesome dad, I told my sister I wasn’t going to decorate this Christmas and a few days later while in my back yard looking at the horses in the pasture and thinking of him (he was an old fashion cowboy) I thought… you know, this was his favorite time of the year, he loved Christmas, so I pulled my stuff from the attic and decorated in memory of him, this will be a Christmas to remember and share beautiful memories about whom in life was a beautiful man, friend and father. He always thought it was funny that my favorite Christmas movie is “How the Grinch stole Christmas” and that it’s my tradition to watch it every year 😁
Have a beautiful Christmas y’all and God bless you and your loved ones and this Christmas, give those you love extra hugs.
So sorry to hear about your dad, Irma. It sounds like he was an amazing man. Glad you decorated in memory of him! Great idea. Have fun watching the Grinch again. LOL. I haven’t seen that one in a while. Merry Christmas and Happy New Year! Hugs. 🙂
Thank you Rich, have a beautiful and blessed Christmas with your hot Spanish wife Silvi 😊
Christmas is special to us as we spend extra time with our grown children and now the next generation of grand children! Plus we bake cookies and watch as many Christmas movies as we can squeeze in.
Did someone say cookies? I’ll be right over. 😉
We do a lot of the same things as you do. We do have Christmas brunch at my Mom’s with my husband, son, my aunts and uncles. This is the third Christmas without my Dad but, Mom and I are doing our best to enjoy. Jesus is the reason for the season. Merry Christmas and a Happy healthy New Year!
Thanks so much, Susan! Merry Christmas and a healthy and Happy New Year to you, too! 🙂
Thanks for sharing your Christmas joy! December is our favorite time. We now have little grandsons to share the special moments of Christmas with!
Merry Christmas to you and your beautiful wife!
Merry Christmas, Sharon! 🙂
We try and read The Night Before Christmas on Christmas Eve and always have Cinnamon Rolls for Breakfast on Christmas Morning
Thanks your books always look so good
I LOVE that! One of my favorite treats in the world. Cinnamon rolls! Yum yum yum yum. 🙂
Yes they definitely Rock
Hi Rich!
My fav Christmas activity is gathering all three of my daughters, my mom and my 97 year old grandma together to bake cookie recipes that have been handed down for generations. I love spending time with them.
Hi Renee!
97 years old! That’s awesome. If you have a picture of all of you together baking, please send it to rich@richamooi.com. I would love to feature it on my Facebook Author page. Have a Merry Christmas!
So many favorite Christmas “traditions”…the annual cookie exchange with girlfriends I met in a Bible study group over 20 years ago, driving around the city with my family looking at everyone’s Christmas light displays, Christmas Eve candlelight service, Christmas Day with all of my crazy, fun, wild, loud, amazing Mexican family, and of course all of the Hallmark movies! It truly is the most wonderful time of the year!!!
LOL. Your family sounds like so much fun, Cris!
Ready to celebrate the end of chemo infusions. Have been watching Hallmark movies during my last year plus of bad health.
The end of Chemo is a GREAT thing to celebrate, Sue. Wishing you a happy, healthy 2018 and beyond. 🙂
I love Christmas!! It definitely feels different whenever it is the month of December and people act differently and seem more happy. My birthday is in December(four days after Christmas). I also love to watch Hallmark Christmas shows, drinking hot apple cider, hot chocolate, coffee(peppermint, candy cane flavored creamers), decorating the tree, decorations in the house, listening to Christmas music on radio and singing along with it, baking cookies, cuddles with blanket with my husband, looking at everybody else’s decorations on their house and around their house. Looking at all the lights is such a fun thing to do and spending time with the ones you love. Thank you for the chance!
Sounds like you are going to have the most amazing December! Have fun. 🙂
Hello !
I love spending time with my family on Christmas night, eating, singing, praying and reading the story of Christmas. But I think I love Christmas morning even more. We open our presents and can stay in our pyjamas, eat leftovers and watch Christmas movies ^_^
Leftovers are the best! No cooking. Just eating! LOL.
No matter what all chaos is spun around Christmas, the birth of a child, the love of family is center. I must admit, I enjoy a lot of the chaos, the music, Hallmark movies and the food. In the middle of that I try to read some Christmas stories.
Family and music and food, sprinkled with Hallmark movies and Christmas stories. It’s the perfect recipe! Have fun, Nancy!
My family always makes Christmas special. This year we are having a family carnival.
How fun! Have a Merry Christmas. 🙂
These days my daughter and I are binge-watching Hallmark Christmas movies which we are really having fun with. But a Christmas tradition in the majority of my family who celebrates Christmas is everyone getting together (even those not celebrating) on Christmas Day and opening presents. One year we start from the youngest to the eldest and the next from the eldest to the youngest.
That sounds like a lot of fun—especially ending on the eldest. How old is the eldest?
Joy is getting sucked into a Hallmark Christmas movie marathon in my PJs, with repeat mugs of traditional egg nog (with whiskey!) or hot apple cider, my kitten curled up and purring in the crook of my neck, and my sweet pup snuggled up with me. 💗
How fun, snuggling with your kitty and puppy in your PJs! Repeat mugs of eggnog with whiskey? How many times do you repeat? 🙂
Love your books! Have a very Merry Christmas!
Thanks so much, Karen! Merry Christmas!
Loved the blog
Thanks, Lisa! 🙂
My favourite Christmas ‘tradition’ is a post-lunch afternoon nap with my hubby.
I LOVE naps! Maybe I will take one right now! LOL.
We love making fudge and drinking eggnog. We also enjoy watching the movie Troy. Not really christmasy? but fun
Troy???? No way! LOL.
Family is joy at Christmas–we especially like driving around looking at the lights together, preferably with hot chocolate.
Sounds awesome, Kara. Have fun!
Family is what makes Christmas special. My hubby doesn’t enjoy the movies like I do and he just tolerate the music. He does make the best fudge though and we give it out as gifts to different people. But we’ve been married 44 years and we usually go out to dinner a couple times a month. Anyway Happy Holidays to you and yours from Madison, Indiana, USA.
44 years! That’s awesome. We are only 36 years behind you. 😉 Happy Holidays to you, too!