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Book The Christmas Concierge

    Book Details:
  • Author : Beth Kendrick
  • Publisher : Tule Publishing
  • Release : 2022-10-05
  • ISBN : 1957748966
  • Pages : 181 pages

Download or read book The Christmas Concierge written by Beth Kendrick and published by Tule Publishing. This book was released on 2022-10-05 with total page 181 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Christmas concierge Holiday Smith, known as “the Wish Granter,” procures impossible-to-find gifts for her elite clients. But after years of granting everyone’s wishes but her own, she promises her family that this year she’ll finally make it home for Christmas. Just one tiny glitch: a favorite elderly client begs Holiday to set up her grown granddaughter on a blind date with her old high school crush, tech-world escapee Alex Sappier…who’s somewhere off the coast of Maine. Famously private, Alex flatly refuses a date with an old classmate he doesn’t even remember. And there’s nothing this beautiful stranger can do to persuade him. Unless…she’d be willing to cast her wish-making magic on his own Christmas family crisis? Holiday has less than a week to rescue Alex’s family’s Christmas, arrange a Grinch-defying Christmas Eve blind date, and get herself home before a blizzard closes the roads—or worse, before they give in to the growing attraction between them. As Holiday teams up with exactly the right man at exactly the wrong time, can she find a way to make her own wish for love come true this Christmas?

Book The Christmas List

    Book Details:
  • Author : Richard Paul Evans
  • Publisher : Simon and Schuster
  • Release : 2009-10-06
  • ISBN : 9781439154052
  • Pages : 368 pages

Download or read book The Christmas List written by Richard Paul Evans and published by Simon and Schuster. This book was released on 2009-10-06 with total page 368 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: A heartwarming and inspirational Christmas novel in the tradition of The Christmas Box, Grace, The Gift, and Finding Noel. The New York Times bestselling author of The Christmas Box and The Walk series returns with a holiday novel of hope, love, and redemption. Dear Reader, When I was in seventh grade, my English teacher, Mrs. Johnson, gave our class the intriguing (if somewhat macabre) assignment of writing our own obituaries. Oddly, I don't remember much of what I wrote about my life, but I do remember how I died: in first place on the final lap of the Daytona 500. At the time, I hadn't considered writing as an occupation, a field with a remarkably low on-the-job casualty rate. What intrigues me most about Mrs. Johnson's assignment is the opportunity she gave us to confront our own legacy. How do we want to be remembered? That question has motivated our species since the beginning of time: from building pyramids to putting our names on skyscrapers. As I began to write this book, I had two objectives: First, I wanted to explore what could happen if someone read their obituary before they died and saw, firsthand, what the world really thought of them. Their legacy. Second, I wanted to write a Christmas story of true redemption. One of my family's holiday traditions is to see a local production of Charles Dickens's A Christmas Carol. I don't know how many times I've seen it (perhaps a dozen), but it still thrills me to see the change that comes over Ebenezer Scrooge as he transforms from a dull, tight-fisted miser into a penitent, "giddy-as-aschoolboy" man with love in his heart. I always leave the show with a smile on my face and a resolve to be a better person. That's what I wanted to share with you, my dear readers, this Christmas -- a holiday tale to warm your season, your homes, and your hearts. Merry Christmas

Book The Christmas Pearl

    Book Details:
  • Author : Dorothea Benton Frank
  • Publisher : Simon and Schuster
  • Release : 2014-10-23
  • ISBN : 1471140148
  • Pages : 195 pages

Download or read book The Christmas Pearl written by Dorothea Benton Frank and published by Simon and Schuster. This book was released on 2014-10-23 with total page 195 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: A Christmas treat from the bestselling author of The Hurricane Sisters Theodora is the matriarch of a family that has grown apart. While she's finally managed to get them all together in South Carolina to celebrate Christmas, this is shaping up to be nothing like the extravagant, homey holidays of her childhood. All they do is argue. What happened to the days when Christmas meant tables groaning with home-cooked goodies, over-the-top decorations, and long chats in front of the fire with Pearl, her grandmother's beloved housekeeper and closest confidante? Luckily for Theodora, a special someone who heard her plea for help arrives, with pockets full of enough magic and common sense to make Theodora's Christmas the love-filled miracle it's meant to be. Full of warmth, magic and charm, The Christmas Pearl is an uplifting tale of one family coming together to learn the true meaning of Christmas.

Book Christmas Gifts and a Winter Kiss

Download or read book Christmas Gifts and a Winter Kiss written by Beth Kendrick and published by Tule Publishing. This book was released on 2022-10-11 with total page 709 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Be whisked away to charming new destinations while you rediscover the magic of the holiday season with these four sweet, standalone Christmas and winter romances. The Christmas Concierge by Beth Kendrick Christmas concierge Holiday Smith, known as “the Wish Granter,” procures impossible-to-find gifts for her elite clients. When Holiday agrees to set up her favorite client’s granddaughter on a blind date with the famously private Alex Sappier, Holiday will need to pull out all the stops if she’s going to make it home in time for Christmas. As Holiday teams up with the right man at the wrong time, can she find a way to make her own wish for love come true this Christmas? Home Sweet Christmas by Charlee James When big-city pastry chef Kayla Hunter returns home to help with Hollybrook’s Christmas Eve Spectacular, she’s disappointed to learn that her grandparents are selling The Candy Manor, a charming Victorian mansion that housed them and their chocolate business. They’ve also left her in charge of holiday preparations with Dominick Rowe, Hollybrook’s distractingly-handsome new lawyer. But Kayla’s grandparents have a plan up their sleeves—have they stirred up too much trouble this time, or will Kayla and Dominick’s opposing hearts melt with holiday magic? A Santa Fe Christmas by Cecelia Guzman Evie Hernandez gave up her dream job to help with Mama Irene’s, the family business. Balancing her modernization plans while respecting generations of traditions isn’t easy, especially with her nosy, loving family offering unsolicited advice. That’s never more true than when she meets Alex Ortiz, who’s in Santa Fe to do business with Mama Irene’s. But Alex has a deadline to keep and a business to get back to—plus, Evie will hate him when she learns why he’s really there. Can the magic of a Santa Fe Christmas help these two find their way? Love on the Winter Steppes by Paris Wynters When workaholic marketing consultant Qara Whitaker’s grandmother asks that she accompany her on a birthday trip to Mongolia to visit their family, Qara can’t say no. A chance meeting with Benjamin Lacoy, an author looking for inspiration, leads to them playing tourists. Sparks fly and Ben is feeling far more than inspiration, yet each time he and Qara get close, she’s distracted by work. Opposites clearly attract, but can they learn to balance work with love in order to build a future together?

Book Concierge Christmas Notebook

Download or read book Concierge Christmas Notebook written by Asmir Press and published by . This book was released on 2021-12-16 with total page 100 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Create your own journal/Notebook or buy for mom, daughter, son, sister, etc. Ideal Christmas Gift or Stocking Stuffer. Blank lined, Christmas Cover, 100 pages, 6"x9"

Book Christmas in Paris

    Book Details:
  • Author : Anita Hughes
  • Publisher : Macmillan
  • Release : 2016-10-04
  • ISBN : 1250105501
  • Pages : 289 pages

Download or read book Christmas in Paris written by Anita Hughes and published by Macmillan. This book was released on 2016-10-04 with total page 289 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Isabel Lawson was supposed to be visiting the Christmas tree in the Place de la Concorde, and eating escargots and macaroons with her new husband on their honeymoon. But a week before the wedding, she called it off. Neil suddenly decided to take over his grandparents' farm. Isabel, an ambitious Philadelphia financial analyst, wasn't ready to trade her briefcase for a pair of rubber boots and a saddle. Using their honeymoon tickets for herself would give her a chance to clear her head-- until she locks herself out on the balcony in the middle of winter. Thankfully her neighbor Alec, a French children's illustrator, comes to her rescue. He too is nursing a broken heart for the holidays ...

Book A Magical New York Christmas

Download or read book A Magical New York Christmas written by Anita Hughes and published by St. Martin's Griffin. This book was released on 2021-09-28 with total page 240 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: "There’s plenty to love in this sparkling Christmas rom-com."—Publishers Weekly A magical holiday love story set at the glamorous Plaza Hotel in New York City. It’s Christmas week when 26-year-old Sabrina Post knocks on the door of the Vanderbilt suite at the Plaza Hotel in New York City, ready to accept the ghostwriting position for the memoir of Grayson Westcott—a famous art dealer. A struggling journalist, Sabrina can't believe her luck: a paycheck and six nights in her own suite at the Plaza. She feels like Eloise, the heroine from her favorite children’s books. To make the job even more exciting, Grayson recounts how he worked as a butler at the Plaza sixty years ago for none other than the author of the Eloise books, Kay Thompson. What promises to be a perfect week is complicated when Sabrina meets Ian Wentworth, a handsome British visitor, at the hotel bar. When Ian assumes Sabrina is another wealthy guest at the hotel, she doesn’t correct him —a decision she doesn’t regret after learning that Ian is a member of the British aristocracy. But, things are not what they seem. The truth is: Ian is not a wealthy lord; he’s actually the personal secretary of Lord Spencer Braxton. As the week unfolds, will Sabrina and Ian learn the truth about one another? Filled with the magic that can only be found at the Plaza Hotel during the holidays, and revealing facts about the author of the Eloise books, Anita Hughes's A Magical New York Christmas is both a holiday treat and a heartwarming story that reminds us that falling in love is the greatest miracle of all.

Book An Island Christmas

Download or read book An Island Christmas written by Nancy Thayer and published by . This book was released on 2014 with total page 225 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: "As the calendar counts down to Christmas, Felicia heads to Nantucket to marry the love of her life, Archie. The twinkling lights that beckon from every window, the snow dusting the beautiful streets, the gorgeous red and white satin dress -- every detail is picture-perfect for a dream wedding. The only problem is, this is not Felicia's dream. Happier hiking in shorts than tending to hearth and home like her more traditional sister Lauren, Felicia has only agreed to a lavish winter wedding to make her mother Jilly happy. And while Jilly is thrilled her daughter's found love, she still has reservations about the brawny, bumbling Archie -- especially when Jilly learns that he and Felicia plan to move far away to California after the wedding. To help take her mind off the impending move, Jilly's husband George brings home a charming but mischievous cat named Jock. But when Lauren shows up with high-spirited kids and plenty of judgments in tow, not even Jock's furry antics can keep the already-high family tensions from skyrocketing. Just when it seems like this family is fated to wake up on Christmas morning to stockings full of coal, a holiday surprise brings them together for a very merry celebration"--

Book Miracle On 5th Avenue  From Manhattan with Love  Book 3

Download or read book Miracle On 5th Avenue From Manhattan with Love Book 3 written by Sarah Morgan and published by HarperCollins UK. This book was released on 2016-10-20 with total page 341 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Get your copy of Sarah Morgan’s new Christmas novel Snowed in for Christmas now! Praise for Sarah Morgan: ‘Christmas isn't Christmas without a Sarah Morgan novel to inhale, and she’s knocked it out of the heart-warming, uplifting park again’ Laura Jane Williams

Book Knitivity

    Book Details:
  • Author : Fiona Goble
  • Publisher : Andrews McMeel Publishing
  • Release : 2011-10-11
  • ISBN : 1449420370
  • Pages : 181 pages

Download or read book Knitivity written by Fiona Goble and published by Andrews McMeel Publishing. This book was released on 2011-10-11 with total page 181 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: A novel way to decorate for the holidays--instructions for a handknit nativity scene complete with 16 dolls and a foldout manger so that you can display your creations. Inside Knitivity: Create Your Own Christmas Scene, you'll find a wonderful way to celebrate the true meaning of Christmas by creating a handknit nativity scene complete with Mary, Joseph, baby Jesus, an angel and star, the three wise men and their gifts, the shepherds and their sheep, and the ox and ass. Also included is a cardboard pullout featuring a crib you can cut out and construct, as well as a three-sided manger backdrop for your nativity scene.

Book The Best Detectives Murder Mysteries for Christmas Holidays

Download or read book The Best Detectives Murder Mysteries for Christmas Holidays written by Edgar Allan Poe and published by e-artnow. This book was released on 2021-05-07 with total page 8437 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: This meticulously edited and unique collection includes the greatest mystery cases for Christmas time and winter holidays: Agatha Christie: The Mysterious Affair at Styles The Murder on the Links The Kidnapped Prime Minister The Million Dollar Bond Robbery The Secret Adversary R. Austin Freeman: Dr. Thorndyke's Cases The Adventures of Dr. Thorndyke Dr. Thorndyke's Casebook Arthur Conan Doyle: The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes The Memoirs of Sherlock Holmes A Study in Scarlet The Sign of Four The Hound of the Baskervilles The Valley of Fear A. E. W. Mason: At the Villa Rose The Affair at the Semiramis Hotel Mary Roberts Rinehart: The Circular Staircase The Amazing Adventures of Letitia Carberry Tish – The Chronicle of Her Escapades and Excursions More Tish Edgar Allan Poe: The Murders in the Rue Morgue The Mystery of Marie Rogêt The Purloined Letter Charles Dickens: Hunted Down Wilkie Collins: The Moonstone The Woman in White The Haunted Hotel Robert Barr: The Triumph of Eugéne Valmont Jennie Baxter, Journalist The Adventures of Sherlaw Kombs The Adventure of the Second Swag E. W. Hornung: The Amateur Cracksman The Black Mask; or, Raffles: Further Adventures A Thief in the Night Mr. Justice Raffles John Kendrick Bangs: Mrs. Raffles R. Holmes & Co Melville Davisson Post: The Sleuth of St. James's Square Edgar Wallace: The Four Just Men The Clue of the Twisted Candle Victor L. Whitechurch: The Canon in Residence Anna Katharine Green: The Leavenworth Case A Strange Disappearance The Mystery of the Hasty Arrow That Affair Next Door Lost Man's Lane The Circular Study G. K. Chesterton: The Innocence of Father Brown The Wisdom of Father Brown The Donnington Affair Ellis Parker Butler: Philo Gubb Correspondence-School Detective Maurice Leblanc: Arsene Lupin The Extraordinary Adventures of Arsene Lupin Mabel & Paul Thorne: The Sheridan Road Mystery Marion Harvey: The Mystery of the Hidden Room Grace Livingston Hill: The Mystery of Mary

Book Famous Detectives On Christmas Duty   Ultimate Murder Mysteries for Holidays

Download or read book Famous Detectives On Christmas Duty Ultimate Murder Mysteries for Holidays written by Charles Dickens and published by Good Press. This book was released on 2023-12-15 with total page 9594 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Famous Detectives On Christmas Duty - Ultimate Murder Mysteries for Holidays is an eclectic anthology that weaves together the yuletide spirit with the intrigue and suspense of detective fiction. This collection showcases a variety of literary styles, from the gothic and macabre of Edgar Allan Poe to the sophisticated puzzles crafted by Agatha Christie. The anthology stands out for its unique juxtaposition of the festive season against the backdrop of mystery and crime, exploring themes of justice, redemption, and human nature across different historical periods and locales. The diversity and literary significance of these works make this collection a compelling read for enthusiasts of both holiday fiction and detective stories. The contributing authors and editors are titans of the literary world, each having left an indelible mark on the genre of detective fiction. The likes of Charles Dickens and Arthur Conan Doyle have shaped the foundational narratives and archetypal characters that define the genre, while authors such as Melville Davisson Post and Victor L. Whitechurch have contributed with their unique voices and innovative storytelling techniques. This collection aligns with and celebrates the rich tradition of detective fiction, offering a panoramic view of its evolution through the lens of the Christmas season. The varied backgrounds of these authors provide a rich tapestry of cultural and historical perspectives, enriching the anthologys thematic depth. This anthology offers readers a unique opportunity to explore a wide array of detective narratives set against the festive yet eerie backdrop of Christmas. It is an invitation to delve into the complex interplay of light and shadow, joy and mystery that these stories encapsulate. With its diverse range of voices and styles, Famous Detectives On Christmas Duty is not just a celebration of holiday mystery but a testament to the enduring appeal of detective fiction. Readers will find themselves returning to this collection year after year, discovering new layers and insights within its pages. It is an essential addition to the library of anyone passionate about crime fiction, the cultural significance of holidays, or the study of literary movements.

Book By the Way  I Love You

Download or read book By the Way I Love You written by Ama Vitam and published by AuthorHouse. This book was released on 2014-06-23 with total page 199 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Within these pages you will find a series of stories, that detail my escape from my past abusive life, and truths that tell of incredible tales of synchronicity. In addition you will find: Insight into my intuition and whispers from my soul. Tales of heartwarming guidance from the Universe (my Higher Power). Stories of my Karmic adventuresliving out my good deeds and bad deeds from previous lives, and trusting the very idea that you reap what you sow. Lessons on the deep discoveries about myself and life, on this place we call Earth. Stories of Trust, Letting Go, and surrendering to a Higher Power. This is the story of a complete transformationthe rebirth of myself as a deeply spiritual person. My book details the circumstances and events that speak of my journey to the deepest depths of my soula soul that has carried many patterns of behaviours, including parts of me that have been carried forward from lifetime to lifetime. In this lifetime, in this existence, I was given the opportunity to extinguish those behavioursput them to rest, conquer and defeat them for evermore. The purpose of this book is simply to share my journey with you, my beautiful children, and all those who want to change their lives, but just dont know where to start. It is a sharing of my triumphal journey to love and happiness, but most importantly for me, to freedom, the freedom of my soul to live in my Truth. This is what I feel inside my soul every day. I found the courage to take the leap.

Book Concierge

    Book Details:
  • Author : Stella Barcelona
  • Publisher : Barcelona Books
  • Release : 2017-09-26
  • ISBN : 9780996018531
  • Pages : pages

Download or read book Concierge written by Stella Barcelona and published by Barcelona Books. This book was released on 2017-09-26 with total page pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: The Concierge delivers anything...for a price. A provider in the underworld of human trafficking, the Concierge fills deviant orders of an exclusive clientele with inventory collected from people who live on the streets. As client requests are delivered, a personal obsession with New Orleans artist Andi Hutchenson festers...until the predator's quest is possession. Andi Hutchenson lives in a world of fear-fueled shadows. Two and a half years ago, Andi was kidnapped, tortured, and left for dead. Since then, crippling fear has ruled her life. Round the clock security enables her to leave her French Quarter home to paint the world around her, but Andi's past is about to collide with her lonely present. Gabe Hernandez believes his client is safe...but she isn't. Protecting Andi is a given, but Black Raven Agent Gabe Hernandez is captivated by her and wants to entice her back to the land of the living. Yet with each tug on the lifeline he offers, Gabe is pulled deeper into Andi's world, where the dividing line between imagined horrors and real-life demons is whisper thin.

Book Everything Sad Is Untrue

Download or read book Everything Sad Is Untrue written by Daniel Nayeri and published by Chronicle Books. This book was released on 2020-08-25 with total page 372 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: A National Indie Bestseller An NPR Best Book of the Year A New York Times Best Book of the Year An Amazon Best Book of the Year A Booklist Editors' Choice A BookPage Best Book of the Year A NECBA Windows & Mirrors Selection A Publishers Weekly Best Book of the Year A Wall Street Journal Best Book of the Year A Today.com Best of the Year PRAISE "A modern masterpiece." —The New York Times Book Review "Supple, sparkling and original." —The Wall Street Journal "Mesmerizing." —TODAY.com "This book could change the world." —BookPage "Like nothing else you've read or ever will read." —Linda Sue Park "It hooks you right from the opening line." —NPR SEVEN STARRED REVIEWS ★ "A modern epic." —Kirkus Reviews, starred review ★ "A rare treasure of a book." —Publishers Weekly, starred review ★ "A story that soars." —The Bulletin, starred review ★ "At once beautiful and painful." —School Library Journal, starred review ★ "Raises the literary bar in children's lit." —Booklist, starred review ★ "Poignant and powerful." —Foreword Reviews, starred review ★ "One of the most extraordinary books of the year." —BookPage, starred review A sprawling, evocative, and groundbreaking autobiographical novel told in the unforgettable and hilarious voice of a young Iranian refugee. It is a powerfully layered novel that poses the questions: Who owns the truth? Who speaks it? Who believes it? "A patchwork story is the shame of the refugee," Nayeri writes early in the novel. In an Oklahoman middle school, Khosrou (whom everyone calls Daniel) stands in front of a skeptical audience of classmates, telling the tales of his family's history, stretching back years, decades, and centuries. At the core is Daniel's story of how they became refugees—starting with his mother's vocal embrace of Christianity in a country that made such a thing a capital offense, and continuing through their midnight flight from the secret police, bribing their way onto a plane-to-anywhere. Anywhere becomes the sad, cement refugee camps of Italy, and then finally asylum in the U.S. Implementing a distinct literary style and challenging western narrative structures, Nayeri deftly weaves through stories of the long and beautiful history of his family in Iran, adding a richness of ancient tales and Persian folklore. Like Scheherazade of One Thousand and One Nights in a hostile classroom, Daniel spins a tale to save his own life: to stake his claim to the truth. EVERYTHING SAD IS UNTRUE (a true story) is a tale of heartbreak and resilience and urges readers to speak their truth and be heard.

Book Christmas Under the Veil of Mystery     Ultimate Collection for the Murder Mystery Holiday

Download or read book Christmas Under the Veil of Mystery Ultimate Collection for the Murder Mystery Holiday written by Charles Dickens and published by DigiCat. This book was released on 2023-11-10 with total page 9591 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: DigiCat presents to you a collection of the greatest mystery cases and puzzles for you to solve and relax with during Christmas and winter holidays: Agatha Christie: The Mysterious Affair at Styles The Murder on the Links The Kidnapped Prime Minister The Million Dollar Bond Robbery The Secret Adversary R. Austin Freeman: Dr. Thorndyke's Cases The Adventures of Dr. Thorndyke Dr. Thorndyke's Casebook Arthur Conan Doyle: The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes The Memoirs of Sherlock Holmes A Study in Scarlet The Sign of Four The Hound of the Baskervilles The Valley of Fear A. E. W. Mason: At the Villa Rose The Affair at the Semiramis Hotel Mary Roberts Rinehart: The Circular Staircase The Amazing Adventures of Letitia Carberry Tish – The Chronicle of Her Escapades and Excursions More Tish Edgar Allan Poe: The Murders in the Rue Morgue The Mystery of Marie Rogêt The Purloined Letter Charles Dickens: Hunted Down Wilkie Collins: The Moonstone The Woman in White The Haunted Hotel Robert Barr: The Triumph of Eugéne Valmont Jennie Baxter, Journalist The Adventures of Sherlaw Kombs The Adventure of the Second Swag E. W. Hornung: The Amateur Cracksman The Black Mask; or, Raffles: Further Adventures A Thief in the Night Mr. Justice Raffles John Kendrick Bangs: Mrs. Raffles R. Holmes & Co Melville Davisson Post: The Sleuth of St. James's Square Edgar Wallace: The Four Just Men The Clue of the Twisted Candle Victor L. Whitechurch: The Canon in Residence Anna Katharine Green: The Leavenworth Case A Strange Disappearance The Mystery of the Hasty Arrow That Affair Next Door Lost Man's Lane The Circular Study G. K. Chesterton: The Innocence of Father Brown The Wisdom of Father Brown The Donnington Affair Ellis Parker Butler: Philo Gubb Correspondence-School Detective Maurice Leblanc: Arsene Lupin The Extraordinary Adventures of Arsene Lupin Mabel & Paul Thorne: The Sheridan Road Mystery Marion Harvey: The Mystery of the Hidden Room Grace Livingston Hill: The Mystery of Mary

Book Tinsel

    Book Details:
  • Author : Hank Stuever
  • Publisher : HarperCollins
  • Release : 2009-10-14
  • ISBN : 0547427573
  • Pages : 345 pages

Download or read book Tinsel written by Hank Stuever and published by HarperCollins. This book was released on 2009-10-14 with total page 345 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: A heartfelt, hilarious look at the evolution of a half-trillion-dollar American holiday Hank Stuever turns his unerring eye for the idiosyncrasies of modern life to Frisco, Texas, a suburb at once all-American and completely itself, to tell the story of the nation’s most over-the-top celebration: Christmas. Stuever starts the narrative as so many start the Christmas season: standing in line with the people waiting to purchase flat-screen TVs on Black Friday. From there he follows three of Frisco's true holiday believers as they navigate through the Nativity and all its attendant crises. Tammie Parnell, an eternally optimistic suburban mom, is the proprietor of "Two Elves with a Twist," a company that decorates other people's big houses for Christmas. Jeff and Bridgette Trykoski own that house every town has: the one with the visible-from-space, jaw-dropping Christmas lights. And single mother Carol Cavazos just hopes that the life-affirming moments of Christmas might overcome the struggles of the rest of the year. Stuever's portraits of the happy, mega-churchy, shop-until-you-drop community in Tinsel are revealing and riotously funny, showing how our ancient rituals of celebration have survived—and succumbed to—the test of time.