Yesterday - 29th September - is known in the book trade as "Super Thursday" this is because three times as many books are released than would normally be released in an average week - due to Christmas! For a book to get into the Christmas Bestseller Chart it needs to be out now so that sales can build up. So, almost 500 books (in all formats) are being published in UK and Ireland. There will be a second group of books released two weeks after this first release - on 13th October.
It's a very important time if you have a new book for sale - last year nine hardback books that had been released on Super Thursday took more than £1M through the tills during the twelve weeks leading up to Christmas.
I do love books and a book or two are my favourite Christmas presents - I also like giving books as presents for Christmas and try to find the most beautiful books to give as presents. I know Kindles and ipads are the most convenient way of reading a book but (and I say this as a person who has neither) a traditional book is by far the best present because of its beauty. Cookery books that I sit and read through as much for the photographs as for the recipes just wouldn't have the same impact for me.
I always buy my daughters at least one book each as one of their Christmas presents and sometimes more! It's just so hard picking out just one.
I have had a quick trawl of the new cookery books that went onsale yesterday on Amazon and found the following:
Home Cooking Made Easy by Lorraine Pascale
Jamie's Great Britain by Jamie Oliver
Short and Sweet by Dan Lepard
The Primrose Bakery Book by Martha Swift and Lisa Thomas
Made in Sicily by Giorgio Locatelli
Then I had a look at other books relating to Christmas and found hundreds!! The following list are just a few:
The Oxford Book of Christmas Stories
Night Before Christmas (Children's Book)
An Irish Country Christmas
Twelve Days of Christmas
Father Christmas Needs a Wee (Children's)
Letters from Father Christmas (Children's book and one that I have previously bought and it is lovely)
All I Want For Christmas
The Best Christmas Present in the World (Children's book and again one that I have already - lovely)
Last Christmas (Good Christmassy story about a woman who blogs)
The Xmas Factor
Happy reading to you all - hope you find a good book in your stocking and also that you find a good book to give as a Christmas present this year.
Friday 30 September 2011
Saturday 24 September 2011
The True Meaning of Christmas
As a timely reminder of what Christmas is really about I found a leaflet that my youngest daughter had brought home from school several years ago. The leaflet was entitled "The True Meaning of Christmas" and had been prepared by Woodlands Junior School in Kent.
The story within the leaflet is entitled "Teach the Children" - this is it:
I just finished the household chores for the night and was preparing to go to bed, when I heard a noise in the front of the house. I opened the door to the front room and to my surprise, Santa himself stepped out from behind the Christmas tree. He placed his finger over his mouth so I would not cry out.
"What are you doing?" I started to ask. The words choked up in my throat, and I saw he had tears in his eyes. His usual jolly manner was gone. Gone ws the eager, boisterous character we all know.
He then answered me with a simple statement.
"TEACH THE CHILDREN"
I was puzzled; what did he mean? He guessed my question, and with one quick movement pulled a miniature toy bag from behind the tree.
As I stood puzzled, Santa said,
"Teach the children! Teach them the old meaning of Christmas. The meaning that now-a-days Christmas has forgotten."
Santa then reached in his bag and pulled out a Fir Tree and placed it in front of the fire place. "Teach the children that the pure green colour of the stately fir tree remains green all year round, representing the everlasting hope of mankind, all the needles point heavenward, making it a symbol of man's thoughts turning toward heaven."
He again reached into his bag and pulled out a brilliant Star.
"Teach the children that the star was the heavenly sign of promises long ago. God promised a Saviour for the world, and the star was the sign of fulfillment of His promise."
He then reached into his bag and pulled out a Candle.
"Teach the children that the candle symbolises that Christ is the light of the world, and when we see this great light we are reminded of Jesus who fills our lives with light."
Once again he reached into his bag and removed a Wreath and placed it on the tree.
"Teach the children that the wreath symbolises the real nature of love. Real love never ceases, like God's love which has no beginning or end."
He then pulled from his bag an ornament of Himself.
"Teach the children that I, Santa Claus symbolise the generosity and kindness we feel during the month of December."
He then brought out a Holly Leaf.
"Teach the children that the holly plant represents immortality. It represents the crown of thorns worn by our Saviour. The red holly represents the blood shed by Him."
Next he pulled from his bag a Gift and said,
"Teach the children that God so loved the world that He gave us His only Son ...We thank God for his very special gift."
"Teach the children that the wise men bowed before the Holy Baby and gave Him gifts of gold, frankincense and myrrh. We should always give gifts in the same spirit of the wise men."
Santa then reached in his bag and pulled out a Sugar Cane and hung it on the tree.
"Teach the children that the sugar cane represents the shepherd's crook. The crook on the staff helps to bring back lost sheep to the flock."
He reached in again and pulled out an Angel
"Teach the children that it was the angels that announced the glorious news of the Saviour's birth. The angels sang "Glory to God in the highest, on earth peace and good will toward men."
Suddenly, I heard a soft twinkling sound, and from his bag he pulled out a Bell.
"Teach the children that as the lost sheep are found by the sound of the bell, it should ring to guide us to God. The bell symbolises guidance and return. It reminds us that we are all precious in the eyes of God."
Santa looked back and was pleased. I saw the twinkle in his eyes as he said:
"Remember, teach the children the true meaning of Christmas and do not put me in the centre, for I am but an humble servant of the One that is, and I bow down to worship Him, our Lord, our God.
I had forgotten that I still had this leaflet but am glad that I found it again.
The story within the leaflet is entitled "Teach the Children" - this is it:
I just finished the household chores for the night and was preparing to go to bed, when I heard a noise in the front of the house. I opened the door to the front room and to my surprise, Santa himself stepped out from behind the Christmas tree. He placed his finger over his mouth so I would not cry out.
"What are you doing?" I started to ask. The words choked up in my throat, and I saw he had tears in his eyes. His usual jolly manner was gone. Gone ws the eager, boisterous character we all know.
He then answered me with a simple statement.
"TEACH THE CHILDREN"
I was puzzled; what did he mean? He guessed my question, and with one quick movement pulled a miniature toy bag from behind the tree.
As I stood puzzled, Santa said,
"Teach the children! Teach them the old meaning of Christmas. The meaning that now-a-days Christmas has forgotten."
Santa then reached in his bag and pulled out a Fir Tree and placed it in front of the fire place. "Teach the children that the pure green colour of the stately fir tree remains green all year round, representing the everlasting hope of mankind, all the needles point heavenward, making it a symbol of man's thoughts turning toward heaven."
He again reached into his bag and pulled out a brilliant Star.
"Teach the children that the star was the heavenly sign of promises long ago. God promised a Saviour for the world, and the star was the sign of fulfillment of His promise."
He then reached into his bag and pulled out a Candle.
"Teach the children that the candle symbolises that Christ is the light of the world, and when we see this great light we are reminded of Jesus who fills our lives with light."
Once again he reached into his bag and removed a Wreath and placed it on the tree.
"Teach the children that the wreath symbolises the real nature of love. Real love never ceases, like God's love which has no beginning or end."
He then pulled from his bag an ornament of Himself.
"Teach the children that I, Santa Claus symbolise the generosity and kindness we feel during the month of December."
He then brought out a Holly Leaf.
"Teach the children that the holly plant represents immortality. It represents the crown of thorns worn by our Saviour. The red holly represents the blood shed by Him."
Next he pulled from his bag a Gift and said,
"Teach the children that God so loved the world that He gave us His only Son ...We thank God for his very special gift."
"Teach the children that the wise men bowed before the Holy Baby and gave Him gifts of gold, frankincense and myrrh. We should always give gifts in the same spirit of the wise men."
Santa then reached in his bag and pulled out a Sugar Cane and hung it on the tree.
"Teach the children that the sugar cane represents the shepherd's crook. The crook on the staff helps to bring back lost sheep to the flock."
He reached in again and pulled out an Angel
"Teach the children that it was the angels that announced the glorious news of the Saviour's birth. The angels sang "Glory to God in the highest, on earth peace and good will toward men."
Suddenly, I heard a soft twinkling sound, and from his bag he pulled out a Bell.
"Teach the children that as the lost sheep are found by the sound of the bell, it should ring to guide us to God. The bell symbolises guidance and return. It reminds us that we are all precious in the eyes of God."
Santa looked back and was pleased. I saw the twinkle in his eyes as he said:
"Remember, teach the children the true meaning of Christmas and do not put me in the centre, for I am but an humble servant of the One that is, and I bow down to worship Him, our Lord, our God.
I had forgotten that I still had this leaflet but am glad that I found it again.
Wednesday 21 September 2011
Time To Start Thinking About Christmas ..............
It may only be September and true to say that I was horrified to see mince pies for sale in my local supermarket - BUT - I fully intend to be thoroughly organised this year. No more last minute dashes to buy presents, no more holding my breath wondering whether a present ordered online will arrive in time. I am reviewing my list of people to buy presents for and I'm going to make sure that overseas gifts will be despatched in good time.
So, as a start I direct you to http://www.thepinkwhisk.co.uk/ where Ruth Clemens gives instructions on how to prepare the fruit for your Christmas Cake - assuming you are making your own. Nothing too difficult, but with dried fruit being so expensive, preparing now will help to stretch out the cost of Christmas. You now have lots of time to find a design to apply to your finished cake later on.
I'll be back very soon with some more tips and suggestions.
So, as a start I direct you to http://www.thepinkwhisk.co.uk/ where Ruth Clemens gives instructions on how to prepare the fruit for your Christmas Cake - assuming you are making your own. Nothing too difficult, but with dried fruit being so expensive, preparing now will help to stretch out the cost of Christmas. You now have lots of time to find a design to apply to your finished cake later on.
I'll be back very soon with some more tips and suggestions.
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