way sms: Festive Fun - Day 15

Linn B Halton is the author featured in today's Festive Fun Author Advent

Christmas Fun!

What is your favourite Christmas Carol/festive song?

Oh Come All Ye Faithful, sung in Latin. My mother was born into the Catholic faith and her three brothers were altar boys. She knew the entire carol in Latin and would sing it at Christmas. She died in 2009, but it will always be my favourite because of the memories attached to it. Happy Christmas Mum, I know you’ll be with us around the table!

What is your favourite festive film/book or both?

Love Actually – I first saw it on Christmas eve a few years’ ago. Since then I have watched it dozens of times, not just because it’s a feel-good film, but because the music is brilliant too. It’s a film you can watch all year round but also has a Christmas theme. Of course I love some of the old black and white classics too -It’s A Wonderful Life, Miracle on 34^th Street and Holiday Inn. My husband and I usually have a ‘Christmas film day’ when we cosy up and sit and watch nothing but festive films!

Tree – Real or Artificial? Why?

Real, every time and it has to be a blue spruce! It reminds me of when our two sons were young. When they were very small we never let on it was Christmas eve, they would go to bed thinking Christmas was coming – but not tomorrow! They would get a good night’s sleep and Father Christmas would decorate the house, put up the tree and bring the presents. When they came downstairs the next morning, we always took a photo of them standing on the stairs and looking over, across into the living room. The lookon their faces was magical.

As they grew it became a ritual to put up the tree and trimmings on Christmas eve. It was the start of our Christmas. My husband (being a Christmas nut) would buy the biggest tree he could find and worry about the practical things later. We have lots of funny stories about driving home with hands out of the window holding the tree on the roof of the car. You couldn’t do that nowadays of course! One year it was so huge we had to cut three feet off the top before dragging it into the house. It was hard to anchor, even in a large bucket with house bricks wedged in. The boys and I had just finished putting on the trimmings when it fell over! We had to start all over again…but it’s a memory we’ll never forget.

Bucks Fizz or Mulled Wine or other?

Both! Bucks Fizz with breakfast to start the day in style. Mulled wine early evening when the lights are twinkling on the tree and its dark outside. Never been into eggnog – when I was young the adults used to drink it with lemonade and with a maraschino cherry on a stick. I always hated the smell. I think it was because I thought it looked like custard!

It’s a time to count our many blessings as we spend time with loved ones, gifting to our favourite charities to remember those who aren’t so lucky and hoping it snows (but just a dusting). This time last year (left) I was in France, having a Christmas break with my husband. This year it’s going to be playing with grandchildren!

It’s a major Christmas for me this year for many reasons, not least because another grandson has joined our family and will be two months’ old! And this time last year I had one published book, by the time we hit Christmas I will have four, with the fifth – Never Alone -formally launching on 16 January 2013!

It’s an exciting time for new authors – with so many people unwrapping e-readers this year it’s a great time to be writing. There’s no better time of the year to cozy up with a book and escape into a story …

Happy holidays everyone and a big hug to Dizzy C – loved meeting you at the Festival of Romance!