The winner of Chicken Soup for the Soul: Devotional Stories for Tough Times -Donna Lagone! Please send me an email with your address. Merry Christmas : )

Today, we’ll continue our topic of keeping Christmas simple, while holding on to favorite traditions. Gift giving. Sometimes a joy, sometimes a major headache. I’m weary of department stores and eager to find gifts with more meaning. Do you have a friend or family member who loves flowers? Purchase a lovely arrangement from a local nursery. Or a festive plant that keeps on giving. Someone who loves to feed the birds? Find creative birdseed ornaments at a lawn and garden shop or order from catalogs online. Places like Gardeners Supply have sweet holiday themed ornaments made from bird seed. Nothing like decorating the outside while feeding our feathered friends.

Any new ideas for gifts for writers?

Send me your original ideas on simple gift giving. Your comment will enter you in a drawing for Donita K. Paul’s book: Two Tickets to the Christmas Ball (hardcover). 

Welcome to my Christmas Corner. I do hope you will find time to write, submit and polish your craft this season. But I know Christmas is on everyone’s minds and in our conversations and plans. So let’s talk about it as we head towards December. We all want our Christmas to be special. It doesn’t always turn out that way. Now is the time to figure out what works and what doesn’t (from past experience) and to simplify.  Another wonderful word – SIMPLIFY!  I’m making lists, to-do and not to do. Some things I’ll change. Other things I refuse to change.

Like Christmas Cards. Love writing and sending them. Love receiving them. Emails don’t cut it. Opening the mailbox and finding it full of personal Christmas greetings still feels magical. 

As you plan for the holiday this year, what is one tradition you refuse to give up?

Update: The deadline for comments to win the Chicken Soup for the Soul book is December 1st. So you still have time to add your comment to Awesome Alley. Next week we’ll talk about Christmas gifts with a new giveaway, in the spirit of Christmas!

A thank you to the lovely ladies at Scotia United Methodist Church! I had the honor of being their speaker at a recent Woman’s Group meeting, sharing my writing journey and introducing my new story in Chicken Soup for the Soul: Devotional Stories for Tough Times. An enjoyable evening discussing writing and the power of words, both written and spoken. I passed out index cards at the close of the meeting, which they willingly filled out – with names of friends going through tough times. And the commitment to share words of comfort and hope to them this week. This photo only shows a portion of the group, sorry ladies – I forgot my camera that night! We had over 20 women, a wonderful turnout.

What is your story for Awesome Alley? 

Did you have an article accepted this week?

A call back from an agent?

Maybe you finally got up the nerve to actually submit to a magazine or newspaper. Whatever good news you have, please do share it with us. First, the writing news. Then, if you want to share a goal you’ve achieved, go ahead!

AND – if I receive comments from at least 20 individuals, I will compile the names and randomly choose a winner for a free copy of the Chicken Soup Devotional book. So refer your friends to Lovely Lane! (please leave your email in comment so I may contact you if you win)