The Christmas House
A verified Amazon review-The Christmas House is the embodiment of the Christmas Spirit. Magical, wondrous, full of the warmth generated by the company of family and friends during good times and hard. This book hits you with a healthy dose of reality, but it also takes you on a fantastical journey filled with hope and joy, grace and forgiveness. If you don't examine it too closely, but just let the words transport you on a trip that will engage your emotions and give you cause to ponder what can be real, what may be true - if "close your eyes" and open your heart, this book will bring it all to life and make you believe. I found this book engaging from the first chapter, it kept drawing me in, pulling me into the world of the house and those who live there, as well as those individuals who visit once every year at Christmas. This story is not without tragedy, but it is also infused with the glorious strength and bright light that the human spirit is capable of producing, with a little divine help and the steadfast support of the people who love you. I stayed up until the wee hours of the morning, wanting to see what happened next, anxious to find out what happened to the characters in the book I had grown to care about. The story surrounds your senses and brings the sights and smells, the many textures of Christmas to your heart, as it lifts your spirit up and makes you wonder...This podcast offers the first four chapters of the novel. The entire audio book will not be available on Amazon until Thanksgiving 2022. More episodes (chapters) will be added in the future.
The Christmas House
Chapter Twenty-One- Thanksgiving Alone
Thanksgiving Day
148 Festive Lane
Lake Forest, IL
6:00 p.m.
It was exactly one year to the day that a gas leak explosion leveled the house on this site, killing five very special people. Michael spent most of the year building a new structure on the foundation of the magical old house. Unfortunately, the decorations that Michael and Arianna accumulated over the years were also destroyed in the fire. Michael purchased just a few items to signify his undying faith in the magic of Christmas.
Having moved out of his apartment and into the house a few weeks prior, Michael became depressed and weary from last year's memories. Visiting the cemetery early this morning, he was overwhelmed with sadness, recalling the family and friends he lost so tragically. He no longer blamed himself for the accident but still felt guilty to be alive when all he loved was gone.