By Christina Romeril
If you’re anything like me you can’t wait for the holidays! There was a long-standing rule in my home that didn’t allow any travel to beachy destinations during the months of November and December because these were my 55 days to devote, whole-heartedly to Christmas! And then, this year, I broke the rule!!! Hubby and I headed to Mexico to visit family on October 30 and didn’t return until November 21. I’m not saying it was a mistake, I loved the time with family and a hot climate is my happy place, but it just didn’t feel like Christmas.
There were Christmas trees and decorations. We went shopping for festive crafting supplies. My granddaughter even made beautiful snowflakes that she hung from the ceiling. But for me 87F does not equate to holiday cheer. Now, don’t despair if you live somewhere warm and feel like me, (if you love warmth + holidays, just ignore the first part of this blog), or if you don’t celebrate Christmas—pick and choose from my suggestions.
To create a cozy environment find yourself some things that have a soft texture. Knitted and fleece blankets, soft slippers, festive pillows, and holiday sweaters will all help (skip the sweaters in the tropics). Even in a warm climate a cozy fleece blanket to lay on, a festive t-shirt, and velvety soft open toe slippers will give you all the holiday feels.
Next, decorate. Snow globes, garland, cute Santas, Christmas trees—whether six inches or six feet—will help create that yuletide cheer. If you don’t celebrate Christmas, try pinecones, paper snowflakes (the fancy kind), small pinelike trees minus the ornaments, winter snow globes—you get the idea.
Create a playlist of holiday favorites or find a radio station that plays holiday tunes in December and let music fill your soul. Drink holiday beverages, hot or cold. Eggnog, hot chocolate, festive lattes, cranberry cocktails. I’ve been rocking the Merry Berry Bublé (sparkling water) with a splash of orange juice. Burn a candle that evokes Christmas for you. My go to scents, are sugar cookie, snickerdoodle, vanilla, and crushed candy cane, but you find what works for you. Closing the curtains and turning on a lamp can dial up the cozy factor, too.
Now that you’ve got your cozy spot all set up, let’s talk books. I have a whole list of cozy holiday reads that get reread every few years. These include: John Grisham’s, Skipping Christmas, Joanne Flukes, Plum Pudding Murder, Anne Perry’s, Christmas Mysteries: A Christmas Guest and A Christmas Secret, Agatha Christie’s, Hercule Poirot’s Christmas.
There is no way I can list every single Christmas mystery or romcom that I love, or am looking forward to reading in this blog post. Please know there are so many others out there. But here are a few of my favorites that will help give all the Christmassy vibes, in no particular order. Ally Carter’s, The Most Wonderful Crime of the Year, any Laura Levine Christmas cozy mystery, Vicky Delany’s, Year Round Christmas Mystery series, Ellie Alexander’s, A Cup of Holiday Fear, Libby Klein’s, Silent Nights are Murder, Leah Dobrinska’s, Together With You, Jacqueline Frost’s, Christmas Tree Farm Mystery series, and of course, yours truly’s, A Christmas Candy Killing and A Nutcracker Nightmare.
I’ll just leave you with a few more Christmassy book ideas: Liz Ireland’s, Mrs. Claus Mystery series, Tonya Kappes, Holly Homicide, Mindy Quigley’s, Sleep in Heavenly Pizza, Debra Sennefelder’s, A Corpse Among the Carolers, Maria DiRico’s, It’s Beginning to Look a Lot Like Murder, and Rosalie Spielman’s, Home for the Homicides.
If you’re struggling to get that festive feeling, I hope this has been helpful. A great-big-happy holidays from me to you!
ABOUT CHRISTINA
Christina Romeril is the author of A CHRISTMAS CANDY KILLING, her debut novel and the first in the Killer Chocolate Mystery series. The series is set in Montana at the foot of the Rocky Mountains, one of her favorite places to visit.
The debut author loves to plot murders, especially by poisoning. When she’s not plotting how to kill one of her characters she’s coming up with ways to dispose of the body. Since writing her debut novel her husband’s friends have been regularly checking on his well-being.
Christina also loves to read, eat chocolates, and travel when she’s not in her she shed writing. She grew up in Southern Ontario and spent most of her summers in Muskoka swimming, boating, and generally getting into mischief. She’s lived on both coasts of Canada and has a love of being near the water and close to a forest. Thus, it makes perfect sense that she moved to the prairies of Southern Alberta over twenty years ago.
During the warmer months you’ll find her escaping to nearby Waterton Lakes National Park with her cooler stocked full of chocolate and pastries. Occasionally, she will even set out on one of the many hiking trails and hope she doesn’t run into a hungry bear.
Christina is a member of Sisters in Crime and enjoys interacting on social media. Be sure to like her Facebook page and follow her on Instagram and Twitter for upcoming book releases, special events, and more!
