Sunny, Arianna and Molly are having three very different but equally terrible Christmases. Sunny is a newlywed with two new stepkids who want nothing to do with her; Arianna is newly divorced and hates having to send her daughter off to spend the holiday with her dad; for Molly, nothing is new, but her job at the post office is getting very, very old.
The whole Christmas season has been a bust all around. But Sunny and Arianna have a wild idea: What if they had a Christmas do-over in January? February? On Saint Patrick’s Day?
Christmas all year long—what could that look like? As these three determined women chase the perfect holiday through twelve months of cooking disasters, over-the-top festivity, and lots of laughter and tears, they’ll discover perfection is way overrated.
Molly was pooped and her feet hurt. The last thing she wanted was to go out. But when Arianna had called, she was insistent that Molly go out to dinner with her and her new friend Sunny.
“You can rest your feet at Horse and Cow,” she’d said.
So here they were, in the popular pub that had been part of downtown Bremerton for seventy years. It was small and noisy but offered plenty of atmosphere, displaying all kinds of submarine memorabilia as a tribute to the city’s naval history. And it served the best burgers in town.
With her blond hair and happy smile, Sunny was well named. Molly was instantly charmed.
And felt old next to these two, especially when Sunny talked about doing a repeat of Christmas with a party in January. “It would be so much fun,” she enthused.
“And so much work,” Molly said. This all sounded like a pain in the posterior to the bushed postal worker.
“Not necessarily. If we all pitched in,” Sunny argued.
“Of if we went somewhere,” said Arianna. “Like up to the mountains.”
A whole day driving up to the mountains, wandering around in the cold. “You two have fun. I don’t ski.”
“Me, neither,” said Sunny, “but I like to go inner tubing.”
“I’d probably fall off,” Molly said, and Arianna frowned in disapproval over her lack of enthusiasm. “Plus, it would take hours just getting there.”
“But your granddaughter would love it,” said Arianna.
“Paisley’d love going to a movie, too. And I can sit through that.” Their hamburgers arrived, and Molly dug into hers.
“What if we went somewhere nearby?” Sunny said. She snapped her fingers. “Ice-skating!”
“There’s no rink here,” said Arianna.
“There is in Edmonds. We catch the Kingston Ferry, and it’s only a quick ride away. I bet Sophie would love it.”
“So would Paisley,” said Arianna, looking at Molly.
“I wouldn’t have to skate, would I?” Molly asked.
“You can take pictures,” Arianna told her.
“I could do that,” Molly said.
And, after her holiday slacking, her daughter would be thrilled to see her doing more activities with Paisley. Maybe Ava would come, too.
“It would be a great Christmas do-over,” Sunny said, and chomped on a French fry.
“I’m all about trying again,” said Arianna. “I need some holiday happiness. I have a whole year worth of misery to make up for.”
“This could be a good start,” Sunny said.
“Maybe it will be enough to hold me through February,” Arianna said and frowned. “That’s going to be a fun month, with Valentine’s Day to look forward to.”
Sunny turned thoughtful. “What if you had something else to look forward to?”
“Christmas in February?” Molly joked. Oh, no. She could tell by their expressions that the other two were taking her seriously.
“Oh, yes!” Sunny enthused. “Let’s leave our trees up and decorate them for V-Day.”
“Heck, let’s leave them up in March and decorate them with shamrocks,” said Arianna.
“Let’s hire leprechauns to come clean our houses and bring us energy drinks,” Molly said. These two were getting out of control.
“What if you could do Christmas all year?” Arianna mused. She turned to Molly. “I know how people treat you at the post office during the holidays. Wouldn’t it be nice to enjoy that holiday cheer without the stress of the Christmas rush?”
Actually, it would. But she didn’t need twelve months of it, did she?
“Christmas all year long—my step-kids would love it!” Sunny exclaimed. “What if we did something different around the twenty-fifth of every month to celebrate Christmas?”
It sounded like work to Molly.
“I’m so in,” Arianna said. “This last year has been miserable, and I’ve had enough of that. I want to make my life worth living again.”
“A new one is waiting,” said Sunny, who was obviously an optimist. “And I’m determined to spread the love to my in-laws.”
“I could stand to rediscover my joy,” Molly admitted. “But all year long?”
“Why not? It would give us something to look forward to every month,” said Sunny.
“A new year of new beginnings,” Arianna added with a smile.
“I’m all about that,” Sunny said. “No matter what life throws at us we can keep our stockings hung and fill our lives with good stuff.”
“Keep up our trees and our spirits,” chimed in Arianna. She looked expectantly at Molly.
It all sounded great, but Molly still hesitated. “Umm.”
“No grumpy postal patrons involved. Good times with your granddaughter,” Arianna said. Then she added the kicker. “You can make up for falling asleep during her winter program.”
“Okay, I’m in,” Molly relented. Maybe, if she had a whole year, she could even find time to make those bonbons with Paisley.
“All right! Here’s to twelve months of Christmas,” Sunny said, raising her glass of beer.
Arianna raised her glass also. “Twelve months of Christmas. Better attitudes, better times, cookies, presents …”
“And a partridge in a pear tree,” Molly finished and raised her glass of Pepsi as well. She had to be out of her mind to let these two talk her into this.
But maybe she needed something fun to look forward to every month. Maybe she could rediscover the enthusiasm she’d once felt for the holidays. For life. She’d fallen into a rut. It was way past time to crawl out. She only hoped she’d have the energy.
After Arianna dropped her off, she texted Mia.
Molly: You will not believe what your daughter has just suckered me into.
Mia: Neighborhood block party?
Molly: Worse! Christmas all year long.
Mia: Sounds charming. Ho, ho, ho.
Molly: I ho, ho, hope I survive it!
This was
going to be an interesting year.
Sheila Roberts
Before launching her author career, Sheila Roberts owned a singing telegram company, wrote music and played in a band. Now Sheila is the USA Today bestselling author of more than 50 novels, including ON STRIKE FOR CHRISTMAS, which was made into a Lifetime Network movie. Also adapted for the small screen, Sheila’s THE NINE LIVES OF CHRISTMAS is a perennial Hallmark channel favorite, and CHRISTMAS ON CANDY CANE LANE debuted on The Great American Family Channel in December. The author has sold more than three million copies of her novels. A cancer survivor, she is a sunny extrovert who loves to entertain her girlfriends and readers at author events and visit with book clubs. Sheila resides in Washington state with her husband, not far from where THE TWELVE MONTHS OF CHRISTMAS takes place. For more information about Sheila, visit www.sheilasplace.com.
Sheila’s author Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/funwithsheila
Sheila’s
Instagram author page: https://www.instagram.com/sheilarobertswriter/
Sheila’s TikTok page https://www.tiktok.com/@sheilarobertswriter
Sheila’s
BookBub page: https://www.bookbub.com/authors/sheila-roberts
Sheila’s
Goodreads page: https://www.goodreads.com/sheilaroberts
I can’t wait to read!! Love her books! I would love to celebrate every month if it was low keyed!
ReplyDeleteI usually start reading holiday romances around either September or October. I have read a couple of Sheila's books and I absolutely loved them!!!
ReplyDeleteWould love to read! Thanks for the chance!
ReplyDeleteI read Christmas books mostly in the fall and even after Christmas. I don't think I would celebrate every month, because it would take away from the specialness of the actual holiday. I love all of Sheila's books, but the Christmas ones are always my favorite.
ReplyDeleteI enjoy Christmas books more when the weather turns cooler, September….
ReplyDeleteI love Sheila’s sense of humor and close family bonds/ties.
I enjoyed her story, The Road To Christmas from last winter.
I’m relatively new to her books but slowly acquiring her past work.
Thank you for the terrific post. Unfortunately, I have not seen any of the films based on Ms Roberts books. I read Christmas books frequently during a year. I need the uplifting feelings that generally come from Christmas stories. At one point in my life, I kept the Christmas tree up into the spring. Then it became an Easter tree. I simply wanted to have that feeling in my life then.
ReplyDeleteNow that it's finally cooler I can get into Christmas stories and Sheila is such a fun author this would be a great start to the season.
ReplyDeleteI would not want to celebrate all year long. It sounds like it would be exhausting, and it would take away the specialness of the celebration. Have not read any of her books yet. I read Christmas books when I am in the mood, not just during Christmas.
ReplyDeleteI don't think I have the energy to celebrate every month. I read holiday books all year long, but I start reading more in the fall.
ReplyDeleteI love Christmas books all year long
ReplyDeleteI usually begin reading Christmas books in September and October. I love all of Sheila’s books and her sense of humor. I’m the first one in the hold list at my library to read “the Twelve Months of Christmas.”
ReplyDeleteLove her books. And I read Christmas books all year long. This sounds like a great fun thing to do all year. Maybe every 25thyou have a party and the big party in December. Can wait to read how they do it.
ReplyDeleteI can't wait! I love Sheila Roberts' books and look forward to her Christmas offerings. I can understand Molly's exhaustion after the holidays. I have had several family members who worked or still work for the Post Office. Christmas is brutal. I could do Christmas each month. When the children were little we usually found something to make special every month. We do a St. Patrick's Day family dinner and have an Octoberfest family gathering now. We can't get everyone back in town most times, but we try. It would be fun to leave the tree up and change decorations. I don't think it would be too difficult to find something to celebrate every month.
ReplyDeleteHello from Michigan! I’m a grandma of 6 and great grandma to a new baby boy. I enjoy reading Christmas books all year .. plus watching Christmas movies all year, too! I haven’t gotten opportunity to read any of her books, but, I love Sheila’s movie: Christmas on Candy Cane Lane. I’ve also seen The Nine Lives of Christmas. If I win I’ll share with my 3 daughters. Even though I love the Christmas holiday the best, I think celebrating once a year is all I can afford! Every month would put me in the poor house, where one foot is already. Thanks for the chance! XO
ReplyDeleteDon’t know why it says anonymous..I’m Carol S. From Michigan. .
ReplyDeleteGot it, Carol. Thanks!
DeleteI love Christmas books and read them all year long. I look forward to Shelia's books every year.
ReplyDeleteI've read several of Sheila's books. I love reading Christmas books all year long.
ReplyDeleteLove Sheilas books have read most! Would love to celebrate everyday and leave my tree up if had room! Love Christmas books yesr round! Im retired due to health reasons so helps keep me occupied. :)
ReplyDeleteYou know I love me some holiday stories! Nine Lives of Christmas is one of my all time favorite Hallmark movies! Love the premise of this book! I would celebrate with a new international holiday dish each month!
ReplyDeleteI love reading Christmas books all year round.
ReplyDeleteI really enjoy Christmas stories. I start in mid-November and read nothing but Christmas books until January.
ReplyDeleteI love Christmas books all year! I start Christmas shopping the day after Christmas..lol. As far as celebrating, we have a large family, so birthdays are a monthly event.
ReplyDeleteIn my life i feel we all forget the true feelings during the month of December, i feel if we celebrated each month the same time like they did in the book, it would give us all the happy feelings we once felt. Even if for a short a time.
ReplyDeleteYes i have read Shelia Roberts book and enjoy all her books.
I am a christmas reading person all year long. If i run out of books, i reread them and get those happy feelings i get while reading them.