And as my Christmas gift for you, a free ebook of your choice from my website. Use code: Christmas2024.

Dragon lover under 8 years old

This could be the hardest one to find, but here are some dragon ideas for those younger dragon lovers.

*Tea for Dragons–this fun book has kids wondering what they’d serve a dragon if it came for tea.

*Dragon Warmies–This blue dragon is unique as far as stuffed animals go. It can be warmed up or work as an ice pack. It also has a soothing lavender scent added.

*Dragon Blanket–Who doesn’t love to cuddle up in a warm blanket? It’s even better when it encourages you to be more than meets the eye!

*Dragon t-shirt–Even the youngest dragon lovers dream of being a dragon rider. This t-shirt inspires the dream.

Dragon lover ages 8-12

As your child grows, so does their ability to enjoy books and toys. This age group has a few more fun things that someone even older may enjoy as well.

*I have several books that a child this age will love. Dragon’s Future introduces the next generation to dragon riders, while The Myth Coast Adventures trilogy shows everyday kids interacting with mythical creatures including dragons, unicorn, Bigfoot, brownies, and fairies.

*Dragon plushies are a hit with this age group. Tee Turtle has multiple ones to choose from. I picked the black one and the reversible one that goes from dragon to unicorn.

* All ages love cuddling up in a blanket. This one adds a hood and showcases a beautiful dragon.

*By 8 years old, children can start to enjoy crafts. These paper dragons are a wonderful way to encourage their creativitiy.

*Another way to encourage your child’s creativity is with action figures. This dragon will inspire stories. If you don’t like the lava dragon, there are other options available as well.

Dragon lovers over 12 years old

This age group includes not only your kids but you as well. The books are young adult, and the other ideas are more fragile.

*Four Stars over Ardatz: Sovereigns is an epic fantasy with dragons. The first six books follow Hest, a young stable hand who’d rather be with horses than humans, but when a marvelous stallion walks into his stable, he’s taken as squire to the captain of the royal guard of the neighboring kingdom. When he rescues a baby dragon, his life takes a drastic change. Books 7 and 8 follow the original dragon king of Muintir. An addicting series.

*While you read, you’ll want something to warm you up. Some tea or coffee will work. Then you’ll need something to put it in. This fun mug shares with the world your love of dragons and books.

*Even older kids and adults will like this dragon action figure. There are six different kinds to choose from.

*Curling up with a good book means a comfy blanket as well. This dragon one will be sure to please.

*As you grow older, you can handle these gorgeous acrylic dragons, and appreciate the gems that are inside of them. I have four or five. A student bought a ton and then thought of me and allowed me to have my pick! They’re pretty, and if you don’t want a full dragon, you can ask for a key chain, and she may be able to accommodate you.

Sweet romance lovers

Do you have someone who loves sweet romance? Maybe your mom? What do you get her? Here are a few ideas.

*These two books are sweet romance with a twist. They each retell a Bible story but in a unique different setting. Instead of the King James language, we have a medieval servant who longs for someone to recognize her. The other is set in a slight steampunk setting. Think Howl’s Moving Castle or Castle in the Sky.

*Like those over 12, a romance lover will enjoy a mug of something hot. This one will encourage her to realize that she’s enough.

*Chocolate’s another great hit! Chocolove is one of my favorites. I can pick it up in my local market. You may be able to. If not, check out their site to find a store near you. One of the fun things about Chocolove is they have poems inside the wrapper. My latest, Ruby chocolate, had a Shakespeare sonnet.

Sunset Bay, Charleston, Oregon

If Christmas shopping isn’t hectic enough, try shopping with everyone you are going to shop for there with you. Our youngest wondered how it work out. We explained it was possible because we had done it before when the kids were younger. It was fun to watch him think through who he wanted to purchase for and how to go about doing so with the money he had. He spent his paycheck and the money from grandma and grandpa for Christmas on presents. My husband and I also pitched in to help him out. In the end, he had bought gifts that would mean something to the recipient.

Christmas morning dawned with the usual excitement. Before breakfast, my husband and I wrapped gifts and put them under the tree. When I woke up our thirteen year old, he commented, “That’s a change. The parents wake the kid up on Christmas morning!” After breakfast, I helped him wrap his gifts. Then his older brother wrapped the one gift for our youngest. The joy of watching as people unwrapped what had been bought or made with care filled the room.

When all was said and done, my youngest came to me and quoted words from the Christmas play he had performed. The scene portrayed two modern day kids with a Bible time shepherd boy. The shepherd boy tries to understand the world the kids come from. He doesn’t understand how they can have so much and there can be people who have nothing. My son’s character then sang a song called Snowfall by local playwright, Neal Davis. The song tells how the homeless sit outside on a step longing for what happens inside through the window.

“Inside we share presents and gifts we don’t need.
We always want more, but we don’t call it greed.
We sing happy carols and thank God above,
forgetting that those without homes need our love
As the snow falls.”

My thirteen year old came up to me with a grin on his face saying, “We don’t want more, because we’re satisfied, and we don’t call it greed.” He was right. We were satisfied. He had given of what he had for others and felt the joy of giving.

Hopefully, you too have felt that joy. If you haven’t it is never too late. Think of one person you can give something to. It doesn’t have to be much or even cost much, as long as the person knows you thought of him or her.

As the bell’s final toll echoed through the village, the brothers reached the source of what pulled them along. A white spire stretched toward the gray sky. The wooden church doors shut out the cold air but allowed the sounds of singing to filter through them. The two men without a word walked up the front steps, pulled open the door, and slid into the back row. The wooden pews felt luxurious after what they had been through.

The carol ended, and the preacher stood.

“We welcome you to our Christmas Eve service. Tonight, I would like to share some words from a friend of mine.”

The audience sat in silence, other than a cough here or there or a baby fussing, as the pastor shared heart-wrenching words of a poem. The brothers nodded. Images of fallen comrades flashed before them—some reaching up through the bloody mess they lay in, while others stared sightlessly at them. The haunted look in their eyes deepened as the pastor continued reading:

Then from each black, accursed mouth
The cannon thundered in the South,
And with the sound
The carols drowned
Of peace on earth, good-will to men!

It was as if an earthquake rent
The hearth-stones of a continent,
And made forlorn
The households born
Of peace on earth, good-will to men!

The brothers hid their despair by bowing their dark haired heads, but the visions moved ever faster. Was there no hope? Even here in rural America so close to home? Had they fought all for naught?

The preacher paused until every eye looked up at him. As if echoing the brothers’ thoughts, the pastor continued.

And in despair I bowed my head;
“There is no peace on earth,” I said:
“For hate is strong,
And mocks the song
Of peace on earth, good-will to men!”

Then pealed the bells more loud and deep:
“God is not dead; nor doth he sleep!
The Wrong shall fail,
The Right prevail,
With peace on earth, good-will to men!”

Another pause followed these triumphant words. “What brings my friend peace, brethren? It is the same thing that can bring peace to you. Our God has felt your pain. He lost His only Son, just like many of you whose sons have died in this terrible war. God’s Son died, but not in some senseless act of violence or a heroic deed of war. No, He died in your place to bring you peace. Will you accept His offer?”

The brothers hazard a glance at each other. They nodded. The words rang true and pulled at their heartstrings just as the bell had drawn them to the church. They could go home now. They had peace not just peace in their land but peace with God. Despite the ravages of war, they would be fine. Life would always have the scars of war. They wouldn’t forget their fallen comrades, but they could move on. Peace would come.

(This is a work of fiction. The song, I Heard the Bells on Christmas Day, was written after the author‘s son was seriously wounded in the Civil War. The two brothers are based on my ancestors. William and John Maher enlisted in the 7^th Regiment NY heavy artillery during the Civil War. They both mustered out and returned home to New York state after the war. A special thanks goes out to all those families who have given of their sons, brothers, boyfriends, or husbands to serve in the military and for those who are currently serving.)

“Dad, will you sing Oh, Holy Night?” Mom asked.

“I don’t know.”

“Please, Gramps?” We pleaded.

“I don’t know the words.”

That was what Mom was waiting for. She produced from behind her back a cookie tin. “Here, Dad,” she said as she handed it to him.

With curiosity, he took it and opened it. Inside were several slips of typed paper. Gramps’ deep hearty laughed followed. Mom had typed up the words. Never again could he have the excuse that he didn’t know the words. He sang it every Christmas after that until 1999. In April of 2000, Gramps took his singing voice to go sing for Jesus in heaven. Every Christmas since when I hear Oh, Holy Night, I think of him. The first ten years or so after, I would break down and cry at least once in the season when I heard the song.

I thought I was past that stage until tonight. As I was at the art gallery, a man came in with one of the artists. As he waited for her, he sat down and began to sing, Oh, Holy Night. I paused in my steps and listened, a wistful look on my face. What a joy to hear a grandfatherly man singing Gramps Pat’s song.

What about you? Do you have any special song for the holidays? Any song you have to hear before it’s the season? Let me know in the comments.

As I’ve grown, family and friends have stayed the mainstay for the holidays. Last year, I wanted to have a relaxing Thanksgiving. So I talked with each of my kids as to what made Thanksgiving for them. We came up with a list of foods and I fixed them. When we went to sit down, the boys were upset. I tried to figure out the frustration and found that it wasn’t food that made the holiday but people coming over. Fortunately for us, my parents and our oldest son and his girlfriend showed up early for dessert and were there while we had our meal.

The first of the series will be on sale Black Friday through Cyber Monday.

It was this strong basis of family and friends that I drew from when I wrote the Dragon Courage series. I wanted to give my kids a taste of normalcy and put it in a different place. The interactions of the characters throughout the series come from interactions I’ve had with my own kids and my own family. The scenes around the dinner table are straight from my own dinner table. The toddler complaining while mom fixes a meal is exactly what happened with my young ones. Only at meal time did they need mom. They were fine until I walked into the kitchen. Then they were clinging to my legs. It’s rather difficult to fix a meal with a two and a three year old attached to either leg.

So, as you go about your holiday season this year. Remember your family and friends. Spend time with them. Make memories that will last. Play a game together, read them a book, watch a fun movie together. Whatever you do, enjoy them. If you were like me growing up and your family is miles away, find friends or others who need family and be their family. There is always someone who needs some family.

Our family has had a fascination with theater since my husband and I were in high school. We spent our honeymoon at the Oregon Shakespeare Festival. Each year or so we would return to see a play or two. Eventually we introduced the kids to Shakespeare. By the time our youngest was old enough to join the family for a play, he had been counting down the days to seeing it. He has been bitten by the bug and has been involved in local theater for the last two years and has participated in three plays. He has been rehearsing for his fourth one coming up this weeke

As a teacher, I have gone through several classes on teaching students about literature. My favorite genre is fantasy. One thing I learned is that the main ingredient for a fantasy tale is magic. As children we can believe in the possibility of magic. We look for it in every nook and corner. As we grow older, we lose that sense of wonder. We may gain a little of it at Christmas, but for the rest of the year, we are tugged down into the humdrum of life. This week I have had the privilege of watching some real life magic.

Our family has had a fascination with theater since my husband and I were in high school. We spent our honeymoon at the Oregon Shakespeare Festival. Each year or so we would return to see a play or two. Eventually we introduced the kids to Shakespeare. By the time our youngest was old enough to join the family for a play, he had been counting down the days to seeing it. He has been bitten by the bug and has been involved in local theater for the last two years and has participated in three plays. He has been rehearsing for his fourth one coming up this weekend.

As I sat this week in the sometimes darkened sometimes fully lit theater, I began to make some connections. As the curtain is closed and the lights dim, suddenly, adults are transported to a point where they can believe in magic again. The lights come up, and the curtain opens. At that moment we are taken on a journey through time and space to a place the playwright has created and planned. Magic happens.

This magic though is created with much hard work. That work begins many weeks or years earlier when the writer sits down and pens the words to the play. Later, tryouts are held. Once the group of people have been chosen, the real work begins. Each member of the cast must learn his or her parts. That isn’t the full work, though. There’s blocking and character development. The stage crew has the job of creating believable scenery and props. Once all of that is together, then it’s time for lights and tech. They add an extra dimension to what’s happening on stage. When opening night comes, and the curtain opens, all the hard work is rewarded, and  magic takes place. The real magic is that dead words on a page come to life as the actors portray them.

As the holidays come, you may have an opportunity to see some magic. As you do, revel in it and enjoy. Then thank those who made it happen. They spent hours on end to give you an hour or two of magic and entertainment.nd.

As I sat this week in the sometimes darkened sometimes fully lit theater, I began to make some connections. As the curtain is closed and the lights dim, suddenly, adults are transported to a point where they can believe in magic again. The lights come up, and the curtain opens. At that moment we are taken on a journey through time and space to a place the playwright has created and planned. Magic happens.

This magic though is created with much hard work. That work begins many weeks or years earlier when the writer sits down and pens the words to the play. Later, tryouts are held. Once the group of people have been chosen, the real work begins. Each member of the cast must learn his or her parts. That isn’t the full work, though. There’s blocking and character development. The stage crew has the job of creating believable scenery and props. Once all of that is together, then it’s time for lights and tech. They add an extra dimension to what’s happening on stage. When opening night comes, and the curtain opens, all the hard work is rewarded, and  magic takes place. The real magic is that dead words on a page come to life as the actors portray them.

As the holidays come, you may have an opportunity to see some magic. As you do, revel in it and enjoy. Then thank those who made it happen. They spent hours on end to give you an hour or two of magic and entertainment.