🎅🏼 Wait ... doesn't Santa visit every family?
Nov 19, 2022 11:54 pm
"I'm going to break you into groups of three and I'd like you to share a story about your most memorable Thanksgiving dinner."
That was the challenge put to me and a group of about fifty entrepreneurs I'm in a copywriting program with. I had one minute to think of an answer before we were Zoomed into our small groups where the person with the shortest hair was to facilitate the conversation.
(I won that role by several inches!)
I called on Beth, never having spoken to her before, to tell us about her story-worthy Thanksgiving dinner. Turns out Beth, being British, has never celebrated Thanksgiving. Even though I'm Canadian, my mom and sister are American, so I have experienced the turkey coma a couple of times.
Joan, an American, was surprised by this. For a minute, I wondered how it could be possible to not know that the only country in the world that's made the fourth Thursday in November the biggest holiday of year is the United States.
And then I remembered—only because a few months ago an old friend reminded me—that I was eighteen-years-old before I learned that not everyone celebrates Christmas.
Until that age, I'd never met anyone who wasn't either Catholic, Protestant, or at very least a believer in Christmas.
The way I found out is a story that persists with my friend Joon Min and his wife Tracey, who remembered my naĂŻve gaffe and had a good laugh about it some thirty-five years after the fact.
I was hired for two months in the summer as an au pair for a family with two little boys. They were pre-school age, three and five, if memory serves. Small, energetic redheads who made me rethink my young teen dream of being a mom to six kids ... now that was naĂŻve, thank you Brady Bunch and Partridge Family!
One day, I have no idea why it came up in the summer, but the topic of Christmas was raised. Obviously, I was the one who mentioned it since the boys asked, "What's Christmas?"
According to Joon Min, who wasn't there but assures me this was the way the conversation went down based on my retelling way back when, I said,
"Christmas is when Santa brings presents to all the good little girls and boys."
"Santa never brought us presents."
Certain that the kids in this wealthy family would have gotten Christmas gifts, I argued that I was sure they did but just didn't remember, since they were so little.
Who knew they were Jewish? In fact, even if I had known, I still probably would have assumed they'd celebrate Christmas since none of the songs about Santa suggest he skips certain houses ...
That was probably the first of many cultural biases I became aware of as I began to explore life outside of small town, rural Quebec.
This line of thinking, about assumptions we make about people we don't know, has me trying to come up with some event I can toss into my romance-in-progress to create tension between my American heroine and Canadian hero ... what might they not appreciate or understand about the other's culture?
I'm curious if you have a story about a time you realized that an experience you'd always thought everyone had, wasn't universal.
Kind of like Joan and American Thanksgiving ... or Danika and Santa.
Speaking of Santa ...
With American Thanksgiving less than a week away, Christmas romances are starting to fill my New Release feed. I picked up this one, read it in one night, and highly recommend it!
NEW RELEASE!
Zach
In order to take over as CEO of my family’s billion-dollar company, my grandfather insists I play Santa Claus in our flagship store. To say it’s the worst job ever is an understatement. I can’t even pretend I want to be good at it.
Enter the merriest, cheekiest, most feisty thorn in my grumpy, workaholic side: Krista Parr. This secret shopper has no idea who I really am—at least not while I’m wearing the red suit and beard.
We immediately butt heads. But maybe the costume has softened my brain because instead of firing her, I’ve somehow persuaded Krista to teach me to be a better Santa. (Hint: she’s unlikely to succeed.)
It’s becoming alarmingly clear to me that I’ll do just about anything to spend more time with this Christmas-crazy woman. I just hope she’ll forgive me when she finds out who I really am.
Do you remember the 90s?
I sure do! I split the decade between my 20s and 30s, my dumb-ass years and my better-get-my-shit-together-since-I'm-a-mom-now years. If you've read any of my books, you know I'm a sucker for found family stories. This one delivers!
NEW RELEASE!
She's my boss, and she's a stone-cold fox.
Two months ago, I lost my boat, my cat, and—with my leg in a cast—my income. Until I can walk again, the only job I'm fit for is one few have survived.
See, my new boss has a reputation. She's grumpy, no-nonsense, and runs a tight ship. Keeping a tight rein on a movie budget requires nerves of steel. Especially when disaster strikes.
When she yells at me, all I hear is the passion in her voice. All I want in those moments is to kiss her until she can't think straight.
And then convince her that it's okay to fall in love with me.
Don't miss this slow-burn, boss-assistant, entertainment biz, 1990's office romance from USA Today bestselling author Karen Grey.
It's a book birthday celebration!
GET THIS BOOK FREE!
Brooke Baxter is living it up in the city of Chicago, not looking for love, but definitely open to it. Meeting her best friend's nemesis throws her for a loop. She wants to stay loyal to the friendship, but she also wants to explore her attraction to the man she's banned from speaking to.
Ridge Montgomery is done with women, at least for now. Meeting his employee's best friend changes his mind. The inexplicable connection he feels with Brooke doesn't make any sense. Relationship hopping is not his thing, yet here he is. Taking a risk has never felt this good.
***This story has heart, humor and lots of heat that's intended for readers who are 18 or older***
If you have time this week ...
FREE COLORING BOOK!
Get a FREE downloadable coloring book inspired by the stories in RESOLVE!
Color one or all of these scenes as you wait for the new book that's
✔️heartwarming
✔️often hilarious
✔️hot enough to light your sparklers.
Raise a crayon of kindness and settle in for some steamy coloring.
We'd love to see your colored pages! Post them online and tag us with #resolveanthology or email us at resolveanthology@gmail.com.
Thats's a wrap!
I'll be back next week with a story about my second wedding since my ninth anniversary is on November 22nd. Dave, aka Mr. Bloom, and I got married after living together for six years so my dad could fulfill one of his bucket list items ...
love & thankful stuff,
Danika
xo
PS - Don't forget to write back and let me know what cultural faux pas you've made. I might just include it in a story!