Thank you, Meredith, for inviting me to share in your Christmas celebration this month! I love Christmas and everything that pertains to it. I also love Jane Austen’s writings and everything that pertains to it. So for me to write some short stories that invited us to Pemberley to see Mr. and Mrs. Darcy as they celebrated their first Christmas was a natural thing for me.
I began writing Pemberley Celebrations when I was posting my stories online. I had just finished my first story, Assumed Engagement, and wanted to write a sequel, but I knew it would take a little more research.Christmas was approaching, and I thought it would be fun to post some Christmas stories. That idea then morphed into one in which I would write a story for each holiday, posting it a week or two before the particular celebration: New Years, Valentine’s Day, Easter, May Day, All Hallows Eve, and the birth of their baby. I added some others for the book when I published it last year, including Mid-Summers Eve and Michaelmas.
But let’s get back to Christmas. I thought I would relate to you some of my experiences with Christmasand share how they ended up in the book. I actually have three Christmas stories in the book. And the first one deals with something that happened to us one Christmas that was very difficult to go through.
My mother-in-law died on Christmasmorning several years ago. Our son was only three. She had cancer, but we were not expecting the call that morning. In fact, we were all supposed to go out to their house.
It was difficult as we all gathered together later that day. We had presents to open (including for her), but no one really wanted to open them. But out of the mouths of babes, my niece suddenly proclaimed, “Grandma got the best Christmas present of all! She is in Heaven!”
Despite that reassurance, Christmases were difficult for the next few years. I would get teary-eyed when I began to hear Christmas music and at first we didn’t even want to put up Christmas decorations. But fortunately, with each passing year it became easier.
In Pemberley Celebrations Elizabeth discovers that Christmas had not been joyously celebrated at Pemberley for many years because Mr. Darcy’s mother had died on Christmas Day. Fortunately for Darcy and Georgiana, Elizabeth decides to put the Christmas joy back into their lives.
That story also contains something that is near and dear to my heart – decorating for Christmas and crafting.
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| A Folded Star Ornament (just like Darcy makes in PC) |
I decided that Pemberley was going to have a Christmas tree. Now I know that the Christmas tree did not become a tradition in England until later in the Victorian era. So how did I justify that? Well, the late Mr. Darcy had traveled to Germany and seen the tradition there. He liked it so much, he decided to bring that tradition home to Pemberley. The tree had been set up each year, but after Mrs. Darcy died, her husband did not wish for it to be anywhere he could see it, he was so distraught. When he died, the servants still put up the tree, but Darcy only endured it for Georgiana’s sake. Elizabeth’s presence at Pemberley restored the joy that had been gone for so many years!
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| A painted jingle bell |
As I have made ornaments for my trees throughout the years, I began a tradition for the Darcys where they also make their own ornaments. Yes, I twisted Mr. Darcy’s arm and insisted that he make an ornament, as well as the more enthusiastic Elizabeth and Georgiana.
To me, the joy of Christmas is family, and Christmas carols, and a Nativity scene, and the Christmas Eve service at our church. That is one of my favorite services of the whole year as we read the Christmas story, sing carols, and hold up small candles as we sing, “Silent Night.” I am all anticipation just thinking about it! These you will find in the stories, as well.
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| A folded fabric ball |
And one more thing – getting back to Jane Austen. Our regional JASNA society is having a Jane Austen birthday tea party on her birthday, December 16. I’m going with two of my Austen friends to hear Sandy Lerner, the Chawton House Library Trustee share. She is also the author of the book, Second Impressions, a sequel to P&P (written under the pen name of Ava Farmer). Really looking forward to what may become a new tradition!
I hope you all have a very Merry Christmas. And if you don’t have any traditions, it’s not too late to begin some.
GIVEAWAY TIME!!! Author Kara Louise is generously offering to give away ONE BEAUTIFUL copy of Pemberley Celebrations (paperback) to one of my readers!
Since Kara shared with us something she enjoys making/creating for the holidays, we ask YOU to SHARE something that you take pleasure in MAKING/CREATING.
- To save your inbox from unwanted spam, please leave your email address with an [at] instead of @.
- (You could also leave a Twitter handle or Facebook username instead).
- This giveaway is open to residents in the US. Thank you, Kara!
- This giveaway ends December 27th.
What do I love to make around the holidays? COOKIES! We love to make several varieties of cookies every Christmas!
One of my favorites is this recipe for NUTMEG LOGS passed down from my grandma.
Thanks to the internet, I found the recipe for it online, in case anyone wanted it! 🙂
I love baking Vanillekipferl – Vanilla crescents – at christmas time. It´s typial for Austria – here´s a recipe:
http://www.theworldwidegourmet.com/recipes/vanillekipferl-vanilla-crescents-2/
I have done ornaments like the fabric ball a few years back- – I sould try that again some time!
Thanks for the interesting post, Kara!
I´m not entering the giveaway as I´m not in the US.
I’ve GOT to try this!
Oh please do, Angie – and tell me how you like them!
Those sound awesome!!! Thanks for the recipe, Katrin! 🙂
I love baking during the holidays. I make pumpkin bread, chocolate pizza, decorated sugar cookies, you name it. I’m baking all of December. I also like to make at least 1 new ornament every year. My tree is 99% handmade ornaments to I like to continue adding each year.
rbquilter AT gmail.com
I love holiday baking and cooking! There are some recipes that my mom and I only bring out in the month of December, kinda makes them extra special!
How nice to have so many handmade ornaments! 🙂
I’m not very crafty or or good in the kitchen, but I enjoy baking a variety of simple cookies and fudge for neighbors and friends. I make oatmeal-raisin cookies, peanut butter blossoms, sugar cookies and chocolate fudge.
I have read Darcy’s Voyage, but I look forward to reading these other books by Kara Louise. Enjoyable post!
sophiarose1816 at gmail dot com
I’ve loved everything I’ve read by Kara Louise, I still have a few more to track down and read, but I’m sure I’ll love them too!
I enjoy Kara’s books! Please enter me in the contest.
I wish I made more things – I just end up eating them all, but there is a paint your own pottery place not too far from here where I’d like to go more often – it’s a great stress reliever!
oohh! We have a place like that here! I wish I was better at it, though! Everything I make looks like it was painted by an elementary school student!
I’ve read some of the stories in Pemberley Celebrations and I’d love to read them all! Thanks for the giveaway.
I’m not really festive or crafty – I leave that to my mom and sister in law. My job at our gatherings is usually to take all the photos and keep the little kids out of everyone’s way. I enjoy capturing all the happy moments for everyone.
Each story is unique and special. I love them all! Taking pictures is great, I wish I remembered to do it more, so many times I forget to take pictures of events!
Since I wanted to enjoy being with my children and not in the kitchen, I prepared breakfast a day ahead – egg casserole and homemade breads. Even though they are n o adults, they still expect and eagerly anticipate this breakfast whenever they are home. And, it doesn’t have to be on Christmas!
I love Christmas brunch! When I was little I wanted breakfast to be over in less than 5 minutes, now I love that we take time to enjoy a leisurely meal of scones, eggs, and fruit! LOL! I’m sure your kids love the tradition of eating egg casserole for breakfast!
I love reading about everyone’s traditions at Christmas. When I wrote this up for Meredith and sent it to her, I had not made this year’s ornaments. I finally got to work on them and posted a picture of them at my blog, http://www.karalouise.net. I bought about 20 metal cookie cutters last year after Christmas and knew I wanted to use them somehow, but didn’t exactly know until Saturday afternoon. If you’re curious about what I did, I included both a picture and brief instructions.
Thanks again, Meredith, for inviting me!
Good post however I was wanting to know if you could write a litte more on
this subject? I’d be very thankful if you could elaborate a little bit more. Thanks!
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Kara, you are a new author for me! I’m looking forward to reading your work..esp Pemberly Celebrations, it sounds like so much fun! And yes, I’m going to try your Nutmeg Logs! Thanks for a chance to win 🙂
I really enjoy making divinity and other traditional southern dishes during the holidays and I love doing crafts with my young son because of course everything he makes is a masterpiece to Mommy. Thanks for the wonderful Janeish giveaway! Perfect Christmas reading!
Courtney
Stiletto Storytime
stilettostorytime at gmail dot com
Every year I get together with family and make some sort of food item to give as a gift. One year my mother, cousin and I made 20 dozen cookies to split up. Another year we made specialty mustards. Even though we go to a lot of trouble to make them the gifts are not always appreciated. Last year I planned the gift out pretty far in advance. I grew tomatoes and peppers and canned them with onions, I soaked beans and canned those with Chili seasonings and I even made pasta to add to the gift. I thought it was a great “meal in a bag” but my mother-in-law didn’t quite understand that it was a Chili themed gift bag and regifted it back to me for my birthday. This year, I am going to skip on the food and make custom body scrubs. Who doesn’t like a good foot scrub?
Haha! I love how you had to twist Mr. Darcy’s arm to make an ornament! 😉 Wonderful post, Kara! I think I have every one of your books, so no need to enter me in the giveaway. JASNA in Phoenix is having a tea on Jane’s birthday too.
I loved my Oma’s Christmas decorated sugar cookies. They were so delicious and they were so pretty. I keep practicing and practicing but I just can’t get the icing done the way she did.
Felicia
I not real crafty or or baker but I love decorating my house and tree with all the decorations we’ve collected over the years. It always brings back wonderful memories. I also love making our Christmas cards with favorites of my kids.
Kendal
@kstegmann
I always bake gifts for the holidays…usually a mix of breads…given as gifts..used to make candy for my grandfathers every Christmas..I love to craft too..
Stephanie
I don’t make much but sometimes I make cookies for Christmas and last year I found a printout for making cardboard dreidels for Hanukkah.
crystal_dark[at]att[dot]net
I’m going to make some peach cobblers for this Christmas. That looks like a good recipe, I’ll have to try it.
marlenebreakfield(at)yahoo(dot)com
I love all the books by Kara Louise. She is such a good writer and I enjoyed her post. She is quite crafty too isn’t she! I want to try the recipe for the nutmeg logs. I’m sorry you lost your mother- in- law on Christmas morning. That had to be very difficult for all but did so love what your niece said. Perfect!