Friday, December 16, 2016

Ho Ho Ho Giveaway - Guest Post - Christine Rimmer - A Bravo for Christmas


Welcome back to my tribute to Harlequin Holiday tales. Christine Rimmer is here today with her guest post about her Christmas Tree. She's also sponsoring a giveaway of a signed copy of her 2015 holiday novel. Details Below
This is the last post of my Ho Ho Ho Harlequin Holiday Extravaganza I hope you enjoyed all the special guest posts from the Harlequin authors.
Have a Very Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year!!


WHEN DARIUS BRAVO WANTS SOMETHING…

…he usually gets it. And the powerhouse CEO has wanted Ava Malloy since he was a Justice Creek High senior. Darius is already adored by one Malloy: Ava's spirited daughter. Helping Sylvie and her local Blueberry troop build dollhouses for needy kids is a worthy cause that's bringing him closer to the widowed single mom. Imagine his surprise when the usually unapproachable Ava starts flirting and making her romantic intentions crystal clear!

With one condition.

A holiday fling with the man Ava has always found irresistibly attractive is a thrilling way to ring in the New Year. She can't promise Darius the future—one devastating heartbreak in a lifetime is enough. But Ava underestimates his staying power. And what about her own secret heart's desire? A Bravo under the mistletoe and in her arms forever!





Christine is giving away one signed copy of
Carter Bravo's Christmas Bride
US ONLY
Please use the Rafflecopter form to enter
Thanks Christine
Good Luck!!


Oh, Christmas Tree…

Merry Christmas, everyone. 

I just have to say it.  I love my Christmas tree.  It’s a fake pre-lit tree that I bought a decade ago, my first—and so far, only—fake tree. 

You see, in my family growing up, we had rules about Christmas trees.  In my family, we went out and chopped down our trees and then we brought them home and stood them in water and wrapped them in lights, shiny balls, keepsake ornaments and lots of glittery tinsel. In my family, every tree we brought home was “the best we ever had.”  Those trees were so beautiful.  For about a week.  And they smelled so piney—at first. But too soon the evergreen scent faded and the needles would start to fall….

So yes, I was born into a “real tree” family.  But secretly, I always wanted a fake one with the lights already on it.  And about a decade ago, I finally bought my first fake tree.  I loved it then.  I love it now.  The lights are mostly not working anymore. Don’t care.  I pile on strings of lights and it looks great.  The branches started to sag a few years back.  No prob. I sling-tie them to the trunk when they get droopy. 

I prop that puppy up, wrap it in strings of clear lights, circle it with shiny bead garland and hang it with several decades’ worth of ornament treasures.  And it looks just as good after New Years as it does on December 1.  It is, truly, the best tree I ever had.

How about you?  Are you in the real tree camp?  Or do you love having the same tree to put up every year? 







Today's Gonereading item is:
New Items!!
Click HERE for the buy page









--> a Rafflecopter giveaway

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36 comments:

  1. Ho-ho-ho! Love your Harlequin Holiday Extravaganza, Deb! Thanks for inviting me. And a happy Christmas, beautiful Hanukkah and glorious New Year to all of you.

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    1. Chris you are so welcome. I LOVE it too! ;-)
      smooch!!

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  2. Merry Christmas!!
    We have a fake tree. Is like a real one, but not sure all of the animals interest in it, could be a disaster. :)

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    1. I would, not is, sorry for the typos!

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    2. Angel, my animals love the tree, fake or real. Doesn't matter. But I must agree, there is something so special about the real ones. XOXO!

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    3. Hi Angel mine is fake too I had a cat in the past and a dog currently and neither was interested in the tree. Thank heavens ;-)

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  3. Merry Christmas! Have a wonderful holiday. Thanks for your beautiful features and giveaways.

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    1. Have a wonderful hoiday, traveler! XOXO!

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    2. You are welcome Traveler, Merry Christmas to you too!!!
      xo

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  4. Love your tree also. Like you grew up with the real tree, was sick every Christmas day. Finally woke up to needing fake to live. We got the fake and used for years, but haven't put one up for last few years because we didn't have room, had a cat, and gone over holiday.daw655 (at)hotmail (dot)com

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    1. Anonymous, thank you! Allergic to a real tree?! Not fun. I hear you re the cats. They love to climb them, fake or real. Merry Christmas!

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    2. Oh i bet I'd have that problem now because I have terrible allergies! didn't even consider that LOL

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  5. Thanks for this! We do a fake tree because it's up for so long!

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    1. girlygirl, yes! The longer the tree is up, the more it needs to be fake! :D XOXO!

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    2. Yes Girlygirl I like mine up for about three weeks from the first weed in December through New Years, Good Point!

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  6. Oh, I love Christine's stories! I do prefer the ease of an artificial tree, and make do with a scented candle or two! Thanks for the chance to win!

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    1. holdenj, thank you!! I love a nice pine-scented candle. And they also have those cinnamon-scented pinecones. Wonderful. :) XOXO!

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  7. Christine, your tree is gorgeous. We're in the "cut-it-yourself-real-tree" camp. Over the years we've had mixed results. Sometimes the needles start falling the same day we put the tree up and other years the trees are hardier. I think I love real trees best because they connect me to the first folks who brought greens indoors in honor of the days beginning to get longer. In the dark of winter when there is snow on the ground, having something green indoors reminds me that the seasons will always turn again, which is a hopeful thought. XOXO

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    1. Nola! Beautifully put. Now you actually have me wanting a real tree again.... Merry Christmas! XOXOX!

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    2. Nola that was wonderful, thanks for sharing!

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  8. The fake or real tree issue has always been a mild thing in our family though I know for others its a big deal. I've had both over the years and we've even compromised by having a fake tree with a real wreath. Your tree is lovely. :)

    Oh, and doesn't the story sound sweet. I'm a sucker for a guy courting a gal with children.

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    1. Sophia, I must admit my family members weren't TOO hard on me when I switched to fake. I have two fake wreaths I love, one on each door. Every year the hubster tries to talk me into a real one. Maybe. One of these holiday seasons... ;-) As for the book, yep. The hero, Darius, is the greatest guy. The heroine's always seen him as the hot player who never settled down. Really weakens her resistance to him when he turns out to be so great with kids.

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    2. It's always been a fake tree for me no real ones since I was a young girl. Thanks for sharing your fake/real story Sophia Rose!

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  9. We copped our trees down as well when I was young, it was always so much fun but so much work but it was what always started our holiday season and I love those memories! Thanks for sharing this and great guest post!

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  10. Kindlemom, me too on the "real tree" memories. I treasure them, too. And thank you! XOXO!

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    1. Thanks Kindlemom for sharing some special holiday memories with us!

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  11. We had live trees growing up but now its fake trees that decorate our homes. They still look good, although I loved that pine tree scent.

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    1. Kathryn, must agree. You can't beat that wonderful smell! XOXO!

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  12. LOL totally laughing on that. I got my first fake tree last year. And maybe guessed wrong on size. That sucker is HUGE and ended up staying up all year because I had no idea what to do with it. lol

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    1. Anna! LOL! I sometimes feel like just leaving mine up--but not because it's so big. I'm very particular about the lights and the decorations and it takes me forever to get it just right and then I think, why mess with perfection? Why NOT leave it up all year?!?

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    2. Oh Anna I love that story but I bet your cats loved it! LOL

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    1. Seems like the trends Beth, however I did read that tree farms are doing a bang up business too!

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    2. Beth, welcome to the "dark" side. Mwahaha! Especially my fake tree, as none of the lights work. LOL. Deb, yay! for the real tree farms. May the Force be with them. XOXO!

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