Christmas/Holiday Traditions Around the World!
Fun things about Christmas/Holiday traditions. Take for instance, the Land Down Under, because, well, someday I want to visit there, just probably not at Christmas. The English and Irish predominately settled Australia so it stands to reason their traditions reflect those countries. Here’s a few of of their Christmas Traditions.
Aussie’s decorate their homes with ferns, palm leaves and evergreens along with 
blooming flowers of Christmas Bush and Christmas Bell Flower. It’s summer time in December down under, when most of the United States is looking forward to big flakes and blankets of snow for a white Christmas.
Carols by Candlelight is one of the popular events in Australia. People come together under the stars at night to light candles and sing Christmas carols. Seems to me, it’s not far from our own tradition of Christmas carolers. I just can’t imagine Christmas/holiday without snow, that’s why I live in Colorado. Hehe!
Christmas Day is when families and close friends gather from all over Australia for a holiday midday dinner. Some enjoy a traditional British Christmas dinner of roast turkey or ham and rich plum pudding doused in brandy and set on fire before it is brought to the table. Other families head for the backyard barbie to grill their Christmas dinner, maybe shrimp, in the sunshine or go to the beach and enjoy a picnic of cold turkey or ham and a salad. To the delight of children, Father Christmas in shorts may appear to greet children at the beach on Christmas/holiday! If you can’t have snow, that’s the way to celebrate Christmas.
Because I am of Swedish descent, let’s take a peek at Christmas Traditions in Sweden where in December the days are quite short, the nights long and the ground is usually snow covered. The Christmas/holiday season begins at church on the first Sunday of Advent, which is the fourth Sunday before Christmas. Children use an Advent calendar to keep track of the first day of December until Christmas, just like some of ours do. Each morning, they open a flap in the calendar’s Christmas scene to see the charming picture behind it. This year, I have a Victorian Advent calendar on my computer and enjoy a surprise behind each door daily.
The festivities in Sweden really begin with St. Lucia’s Day, December 13th, a 
celebration of the patron saint of light. A Christmas market held in the old medieval section of Stockholm is where you can find handmade toys, ornaments, and candy. Sounds fun, doesn’t it? Some people write a special verse to accompany the gift and even seal the package with colorful sealing wax. I have enough trouble with scotch tape and wrapping paper, I can’t imagine what would happen with hot sealing wax. Not a pretty sight, I’m sure. A Christmas tree is selected by the whole family just a day or two before Christmas and decorated, while the delightful aroma of gingerbread cookies in the shape of hearts, stars, or other festive shapes waft through to house. Christmas 
Eve is when the main feast is eaten. Presents might be brought by Santa 
(Jultomten) or by gnomes/elves named Tomte or Nissar. Many families set out a sheaf of grain on a pole for hungry birds. My hubby and I always put out special treats for the wild birds in our Aspen grove on Christmas.
As for my family, we put up the tree, Christmas decorations inside and out, the weekend after Thanksgiving. Or try to. No it’s not a real tree, only because I’m allergic. <sigh> We watch Christmas movies throughout December and make candy such as Divinity, Fantasy Fudge and Beaver Dams. What are 
Beaver Dams, you ask. Well, take a package of butterscotch chips, melt them in a double boiler, stir in half-package of crispy Chow Mein Noodles and one half can of cocktail peanuts. Spoon the concoction onto foil in small mounds and let set. They look like beaver dams hence the name. YUMMY.
This year I’m going, to once again, try my hand at gingerbread cookies. Its become a Christmas Tradition of sorts, an make my family cringe. Why you ask? I haven’t had a lot of luck in previous years getting a good tasting cookie. But last year, thanks to a great recipe, not only did they turn out, but it’s become a beloved tradition now. Goes great with hot chocolate and marshmallows. LOL
Speaking of things that go good with hot chocolate. A heartwarming holiday tale, fits the bill! I’ve got just the one for you AND it’s on sale #99cents. A WITCH’S HOLIDAY WEDDING. A small town paranormal romance/mystery paired with hope of wildlife rescue, second chances, the magic of family & friends make this a must read. Check out my other paranormal romance/mysteries here!
Next week My Favorite Things About Christmas. What Christmas or holiday traditions do and your family observe during the month of December? I look forward to hearing from you. I’d love for you to tell me about your traditions in the comments!
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A Witch’s Holiday Wedding #99cents #MFRWHooks
Happy Holidays! #MFRWHooks presents a heartwarming Holiday tale. A Witch’s Holiday Wedding. AND THE E-BOOK IS ON SALE FOR 99 CENTS! WooHoo! You’re not going be believe what happens during the holidays in Lobster Cove in A Witch’s Holiday Wedding, my paranormal romance/mystery. Also available on audiobook!
A small town paranormal romance/mystery. Torn in too many directions, with a covert military mission thrown in, will Pepper and Lathen make it to the alter? Join the #fantasy#adventure, download a copy today!
Pull up a chair, grab a drink of your choice from the cooler. Take your choice of a Chocolate Chip or Pumpkin, or Peanut Butter cookies from the plate, and let’s find out a little about A Witch’s Holiday Wedding. part of A Witch Journey and Lobster Cove Series. All books can be read as stand alone. Go ahead you know you want to grab a copy and join the #magical #fantasy, #adventure today! You’ll be so glad you did.
What is A Witch’s Holiday Wedding all about?
Elemental witch, Pepper McKay and former Navy SEAL, Lathen Quartz have built Lobster Cove Wildlife Rescue and Rehabilitation Center on enchanted McKay land. During a romantic interlude on Halloween night, Pepper happily agrees to become Lathen’s wife. What better day than Winter Solstice for their wedding in a town that loves celebrations and Christmas. However, planning a wedding and operating their wildlife center takes a toll on both Pepper and Lathen.
When the couple takes a much-needed break for Thanksgiving with family in Colorado, a Maine snowstorm fills the center with injured wildlife. Lathen finds himself drawn into a covert military mission, while trying to deal with issues concerning friends and family. Pepper wants to cancel the wedding. Is she having second thoughts? Will the nosy McKay ghosts, Lathen’s werewolf pack, Pepper’s parents, and her best friend help or hinder the wedding and holiday plans?
Sneak peek between the pages of A Witch’s Holiday Wedding:
After she set her glass down, Lathen brushed a couple strands of hair out of her eyes and searched her face. “Are you all right?”
“I’m tired, my wedding is in a couple weeks, I have ghosts fighting over who is going to do what. Guests that have no idea the place is haunted and… Your family and pack, my parents, Gwen… To top it all off, the head of my clan, who is a ghost, is sitting in front of me wanting to know who is coming to the wedding and whether the ghosts will be outed. How could I possibly be all right?”
“When you put it that way.” Lathen chuckled. “It sounds just a bit… I don’t know…crazy?” His right eyebrow winged up. She saw mischief sparkle in his eyes. “We could still elope,” he offered.
“No sir. Not after all the trouble—Not on me watch.” Ghost Aidan shook his head so vehemently his upper torso blurred.
Available from: Available at: Amazon, Kobo, Barnes & Noble, audible, and other online retailers!
Pssst… While you’re here, don’t forget to check out my paranormal romance/mysteries click here.
This is a blog hop! Visit all the Book Hooks from #MFRWHooks – Your next GREAT read is waiting!
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Posted in Authors' Secrets Blog and tagged #MFRWHooks, A Witch's Holiday Wedding, Christmas, fantasy, ghosts, Heartwarming tale, Holiday, Paranormal Romance/Mystery, Shapeshifters, Tena Stetler, Witches by Tena Stetler with 5 comments.
Halloween Spirit Search – Forty Three Days Left
Halloween only Forty-Three days left! Can you believe it? Toil and Trouble continue their search for the Halloween Spirit. What do you think of the Halloween count down calendar?? I’ve something a bit different for you this year count down to Halloween with a quest for the Halloween Spirit.
No, it’s never to early for All Hallows Eve! Halloween is my favorite time of year. Cooler weather, sight and sound of colorful leaves falling or crunching under foot. The smell of fall in the air, pumpkins and pumpkin flavored everything!! Love it! Also Halloween is the only day you can be anyone or anything you want and no one will say a word. Don’t forget it’s the day the veil between the living and the dead is the thinnest! What will you be this Halloween? Taco our parrot will be a witch and Mystic our chow dog will be Wonder Woman. Check back in the coming weeks to see them in their costumes!
Well, September continues to break heat records here in Colorado with a sweltering 90 degrees as we continue the annual Halloween countdown. I am confident things cool off soon. Keep the faith! To help me this year are skeletons, Toil (Unicorn) and Trouble (dragon) they are in search of the Halloween Spirit. This week they enlisted Wyoming dragon to help. They discovered the computer screen and on it was a picture of Mystic looking for the Halloween Spirit out the front door. Unfortunately, neither the computer nor Mystic had any clue to where the Halloween Spirit could be found. Darn it! So the search continues.
Their friend, Dave (Skeleton), from Texas (thank you Jessica) is unpacking the Halloween Village to get his friends Mort and Buster, his pup, to help in the search this week. They searched every box of Halloween items and came up empty. He has to get a correct calendar or learn to count better. Forty-three days Dave!
Each week, on Friday, there will be new pictures of where Toil and Trouble are searching and how Dave is helping. In the month of October beside their search for the Halloween Spirit, Toil, Trouble and Dave will help me list the most haunted cities in America. A visit to haunted places in Colorado, my own stomping ground, Spooktacular tips to keep your pet safe this Halloween season. Do you suffer from Samhainopobia? I’ll tell you later. These are just to name a few. Please check back!
Only forty-three days days until Halloween! Bwwwaaaaaaaaaa!!!!
Plus a Halloween themed book from my collection will be featured each week: You do know I write paranormal romance/mystery. Right? This week, we are talking about vampires! What’s Halloween without vampires and things that go bump in the night? A Vampire’s Unlikely Alliance is on sale for a limited time – only 99¢!. So hurry grab your copy and join the #fantasy #adventure! You won’t believe what happens at Glacier National Park, and Australia to induce a trip to Ireland.
A little about A Vampire’s Unlikely Alliance: On Sale for 99¢
Stefan is a Native American vampire, former assassin for the Vampire Council. In a twist of fate, he now DJ’s the midnight shift for a small radio station in Whitefish, Montana, on the edge of Glacier National Park where his secret is safe until…
Born in Ireland, Brandy now works as a park ranger and trail guide in the park. During a full moon, Stefan and Brandy’s paths cross in a near physical collision on a trail. Their attraction is immediate and undeniable, almost as if fate demanded it.
Their union was foretold long ago in Irish folk tales where vampires and gryphons, warlocks and demons, witches and faeries must work together for the good of man and magic kind. Is a trip to Ireland the key to unraveling secrets and returning the magic? And even more importantly, will their love survive the trip?
A sneak peek between the pages of A Vampire’s Unlikely Alliance!
Brandy slept in Stefan’s arms while he watched the lace curtains flutter as the ocean breeze, heavy with brine, wafted through the window, open just a crack. A white mist swirled into the quiet room through the opening. It grew thicker and began to take shape settling into the antique rocking chair in the far corner of their cozy room. A man with long flowing hair the color of straw, dressed in jeans and a shimmering multicolored sweater, now sat in the rocking chair, left boot propped over on his right knee, watching Stefan with genuine interest.
Stefan’s body stiffened, his fangs pierced his gums as he shifted Brandy to a more secure position, though he sensed no threat. Too many stories around the fire?
Undisturbed, the apparition’s lips twitched. “So you’re the súmair fala that stole our Brandy’s heart. An interesting turn of events this is.” He mused nodding his head toward the window and pointing his finger toward Stefan, then to the outside. As quickly as he’d appeared, he was gone, leaving only a light mist floating across the floor.
Blinking his eyes, Stefan slowly looked around the room. What the hell was that? I wasn’t asleep so it couldn’t be a dream. Stealthily, he slid out of bed without disturbing Brandy. He yanked on jeans, pulled an ivory cable knit sweater over his head, and grabbed his boots as he padded silently down the stairs out of the house. The storm had passed, leaving a light dusting of snow covering the ground. Behind the light mist, a nearly full moon hung among the twinkling stars across the frosty dark sky. For a moment, he stilled listening as the waves crashed against the shore off in the distance.
See you back here next Friday! You won’t believe where Toil and Trouble wound up. Dave with his friends are always searching, will they come up with leads? Until then enjoy the warm weather, fall is coming bringing with it Halloween Spirit! Yippee!! Now all we have to do is find it! While you’re here, check out my other paranormal romance mysteries.
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Posted in My Say What Blog and tagged A Vampire's Unlikely Alliance, Buster, Dave, fantasy, Halloween Spirit, Mort, Paranormal Romance/Mystery, Tena Stetler, Toil, Trouble, Vampire, Witches by Tena Stetler with comments disabled.
A Vampire’s Unlikely Alliance by Tena Stetler #MFRWHooks
Yippee!! #MFRWHooks presents a fall read A Vampire’s Unlikely Alliance, my paranormal romance/mystery. WooHoo! Not what you’ve come to expect from a Vampire Tale! Join Stefan and Brandy for an #exciting #romantic fantasy, #mystery where magic may save the day. But will it be too late? Join the #fantasy#adventure, download a copy today!
Pull up a chair and get comfy, grab a drink of your choice from the cooler, a Chocolate Chip or Peanut Butter cookie from the plate, and let’s find out a little about A Vampire’s Unlikely Alliance. second book in A Demon’s Witch Series. All books can be read as stand alone.
What is A Vampire’s Unlikely Alliance all about?
Stefan is a Native American vampire, former assassin for the Vampire Council. In a twist of fate, he now DJ’s the midnight shift for a small radio station in Whitefish, Montana, on the edge of Glacier National Park where his secret is safe until…
Born in Ireland, Brandy now works as a park ranger and trail guide in the park. During a full moon, Stefan and Brandy’s paths cross in a near physical collision on a trail. Their attraction is immediate and undeniable, almost as if fate demanded it.
Their union was foretold long ago in Irish folk tales where vampires and gryphons, warlocks and demons, witches and faeries must work together for the good of man and magic kind. Is a trip to Ireland the key to unraveling secrets and returning the magic? And even more importantly, will their love survive the trip?
Sneak peek between the pages of A Vampire’s Unlikely Alliance:
The sun slid behind the mountains,
setting the azure sky ablaze in hues of red, orange, yellow, and pink. Then red shifted to purple and dusk faded to darkness as he jogged toward the trails. She stood leaning against the rock where he had started his run last night. He’d tried to convince himself to stay away, but in the end, the urge was too strong.
In a whisper of movement, he was at her side with his hand on the rock just above her shoulder. “Waiting for someone? Brandy, is it?” The scent of warm, perfumed female skin wafted over him as he leaned into her.
“It took you long enough, Mr. Talltree.” Her full lips formed a slight pout as she lifted her chin and tilted her face up to meet his. “Nice to see you again.”
There was no hesitation or apprehension in her lovely features as he moved closer, placing his other hand next to her left shoulder, effectively pinning her against the rock. He wanted to wrap his arms around her lithe, warm body and brush his lips over her sexy pout. But he thought better of it, not wanting to scare her off…not yet.
“Yes, it is.” He let his gaze wander leisurely up and down her luscious body. “Didn’t your mother warn you about the dangers of stalking a stranger at night in the park alone?”
Available from Universal Link, Amazon Amazon UK , Amazon AU, itunes, Walmart.com and Barnes & Noble
Pssst… While you’re here, don’t forget to check out my paranormal romance/mysteries click here.
This is a blog hop! Visit all the Book Hooks from #MFRWHooks – Your next GREAT read is waiting!
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Posted in My Say What Blog and tagged #MFRWHooks, A Vampire's Unlikely Alliance, fantasy, ghosts, Paranormal Romance/Mystery, Shapeshifters, Tena Stetler, Vampire by Tena Stetler with 4 comments.
