A family affair from start to finish is a great way to describe the book Cole Family Christmas. The book is a true, tender, and wholly unforgettable tale of a coal miner’s family that has been passed down from generation to generation.
Hazel Cole Kendle related this story of a very special family Christmas from her childhood to her granddaughter-in-law and co-author, Jennifer Liu Bryan. Hazel was one of nine Cole children raised in the small mining community of Benham, Kentucky, in the Appalachian Mountains. Hazel states, “It was my sister Ruble, our family’s storyteller, who passed down to me the story of a magical Christmas when things didn’t go quite as planned… yet that Christmas become one of my family’s most beloved and memorable holidays. I, in turn, told this story to my children, who then told it to their own children.”
The tale follows a special Christmas when the Cole children are allowed to ask Santa for gifts from the Sears catalogue wish book. An unlikely snowstorm set the stage for a holiday in which gifts are given and received that no one could have predicted.
The book was released in September 2008. It is 74 pages long. I had no idea when I decided to do this giveaway that she was from Kentucky. That is where we have mainly lived the past 10 years as I finished high school, college, and met my husband. So, what a great scene for me as I read the book. The book is a great Christmas traditional book that each family can read together every year. It is really cutely illustrated! I picture a fire going and reading this to my little girl and soon to be baby this Christmas with some hot cocoa! Can’t wait to share it with them!
For more information about the book, visit the book’s site HERE.
Feeling Lucky? Enter to win a copy of Cole Family Christmas. It’s free to enter. Just leave a comment on one of your favorite holiday traditions. You have until 11:59 CST on Sunday, October 19th to enter. A winner will be selected by random number generator, announced on the blog Monday, October 20th, and notified by email. The winner will have 48 hours to respond with their mailing address or an alternate will be drawn.
For an extra entry, blog about this giveaway then leave us a comment with the link.
PLEASE remember to leave an email address when commenting so that we have a way to contact you should you be the lucky winner. This info will not be used for any other reason.
Good Luck!
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Thank you for having this! My favorite holiday tradition is having Christmas Eve and my house every year. It is so much fun to have all my family and friends together. Thank you!
tatertot374@sbcglobal.net
we have a birthday cake n sing happy birthday dear Jesus….so the kids dont forget Jesus is the reason for the season :>
we say a thank you for a blessing before we open each gift
having a birthday cake for Jesus is something we do each year Mrs.Mommyyatgmail.com
the family gets together and eats.
Each Christmas Eve my family and I hop in the car and drive around and look at the outside holiday decorations in all the neighborhoods. We award “prizes” for the most beautiful, most creative, most tackiest and so forth. Rain or snow we make sure to drive around and check out the decorations.
Thank you for a wonderful giveaway!
HunnyV “at” Optonline “dot” net
Our whole family goes to the Chicken Dinner restaurant at Knott’s Berry Farm every year. The line is a mile long, but goes fast, and we have the best conversation, waiting our turn, and then some more while enjoying a big, delicious dinner. Afterwards, we stroll through the shops and see the decorations. It really gets us into the holiday spirit!
rcroix@sbcglobal.net
We love to get together with our church and go Christmas caroling to some of the elder families in the church. Afterwards, we’ll go to someone’s house and have hot chocolate, cider, and other yummy goodies.
rhonda(dot)parker(at)dgs(dot)ca(dot)gov
I love driving around looking at all the holiday decorations. We usually do this as a family on Christmas Eve and it is fun to hear the children excitedly talking about what they are anticipating.
ldsmom2201 at yahoo dot com
http://juanshappywife.blogspot.com
http:// homeschoolunitstudies.blogspot.com
We always have gotten Christmas pj’s and now my mom still buys for us and the grandkids. We open them on Christmas Eve and wear them to mom’s on Christmas morning!
Melissa
sgtsgirl@bellsouth.net
we loooove Christmas so there are many but the kids like setting up the nativity ahead and having the characters get closer as the day nears and it continues til epiphany when the wisemen arrive!
gsadvm@yahoo.com
We still string popcorn and cranberries for our tree while drinking hot cocoa fireside.
After Christmas, we string the popcorn garland outside for our feathered friends.
This book is on my current hafta have list!
Baking xmas cookies and planning my christmas day menu!
One of our favorite holiday traditions is lighting the candles on the advent wreath. This tradition wouldn’t be complete without my dad’s homemade eggnog!
My granddaughter leaves cookies for Santa, and Bubble gum for the reindeers.
We love to drive around looking at decorations! That’s our favorite. Decorating the tree is right up there too though.
lizzauski@hotmail.com
We love making snow angels and snow peoples with cucumbers for eyes and a carrot for the nose and best of all berries for the mouth! Best pictures ever are the kids laughing it up with their snowy friends. : )))
leahita[at]gmail[dot]com
In Christmas Eve all the family get together in one house and we eat and share stories. Its a great time for all fo us.
Thanks
liahec@yahoo.com
My favorite holiday tradition is sitting around as a family on Christmas Eve and reading the Christmas Story out of Luke.
staceface81@gmail.com
Decorating the tree and looking at every ornament.
ktgonyea at gmail.com
My favorite Christmas tradition is going to a nearby park to see the Christmas lights they put up every year. I can remember going every year when I was a kid, and I continue this tradition with my own son. We love it.
Thanks
amcd76@yahoo.com
Putting up the Christmas tree the day before Thanksgiving. I would love to win this, my husband is from Kentucky. rkcombs4@yahoo.com
we put our tree up the day after thanksgiving. we decorate with decorations we bought when on vacation or that have some sentimental value for us. The night before christmas always meant giving the boys a gift of new pj’s so they can wake up christmas morning ready for some great pictures.
Formal victorian Xmas Eve dinner with family. Early gift exchange.
We open presents on Christmas Eve with my husband’s family and on Christmas day with my family!
lizzauski@hotmail.com
We love to set up the christmas tree the day after thanksgiving. Great giveaway, thanks!
Blogged ya:
http://mommyland512.blogspot.com/2008/10/cole-family-christmas-book-giveaway-at.html
Thanks again! hellomary018 at yahoo dot com
Has to be the classic of decorating the Christmas tree for us! thanks, justicecw@hotmail.com
My family eats gumbo every Christmas. It’s one of my favorite traditions.
Our holiday tradition is going to pick out our own tree, putting on Holiday music, and decorating while drinking hot coco or spiced cidar. Thanks for the giveaway!
On Christmas Eve, we would call each other and say “Christmas Eve Gift!” If you got the other person first, they had to give you a “Christmas Eve Gift”. We never actually gave any gifts. It was all about trying to be sneaky and see who would call the earliest.
kittaykat1@yahoo.com
We bake cookies & this traditional fruit bread that my grandma made.
On Christmas Eve while we’re out looking at lights in the neighborhood, Santa comes and leaves new pj’s and a movie for the kiddos.
It is the only gift they are allowed to open early. :)
As a child on Chrismas eve my mom and dad always let me choose one gift from my relatives to open. Then the next morning we’d open the rest. I thought this was a great tradition because as a child it is just so hard to wait. Thanks for the chance. This looks like a wonderful book.
thanksgiving day at dinner we exchange names and say why we are thankful for that person this year.
One of my fave holiday traditions is baking cookies and sharing them with family and friends.
Baking and sharing cookies is my favorite tradition.
One of my favourite holiday traditions is toasting almonds on Christmas Eve. I’m not sure why it started, or who started it, but I remember every year we would skin the almonds by pouring boiling water over them, leaving them for a while and then pouring cold water on them. Then we would split them and toast them in the oven in a very low oven! It made the house smell heavenly!
We lightly salt the almonds and mix them with some chubby raisins; a really yummy Christmas treat that all of my kids do now for their kids!
Thanks
nancyrobster@gmail.com
I blogged about your giveaway here: savingmoneyworksforme.blogspot.com
I forgot to post my e-mail: guardyourhonor@yahoo.com
Decorating the house and baking hundreds of cookies for the holiday and waiting for my grandkids to come and visit! Thanks for a great giveaway!
Opening the fun, stocking gifts first!
theyyyguy@yahoo.com
we bake and decorate sugar cokies
Making a gingerbread house on Christmas Eve is a really fun tradition for us!
doot65{at}comcast[dot]net
Elizabeth
On the very top of the Christmas stocking peeking out unwrapped a story book of lifesavers.3 generations so far.
Reading “The Night Before Christmas” on Christmas Eve.
One of my favorite things to do is ride around with my girls and look at all of the beautiful lights. Christmas is just the best time of the year. Thank you!!
We can only open 1 gift Christmas eve – the rest must be on Christmas Day!
we always have a ton of decorations in the yard, blow up santas and halloween things. its fun. I left my santa up until june one year, and my bank begged me to take it down LOL
I haven't had a good Christmas in years. For unknown reasons my parents both keep their distance. It is my favorite holiday & it's really a downer having to spend it alone. This year is the second Christmas I will be celebrating with my boyfriend, the first of us living together. Since it's my favorite holiday & I haven't had a good one in years, he has vowed to make this one the very best. No traditions yet, but I can't wait for us to begin making our very own traditions together. I keep telling him it's not about the presents, it's about getting together & spending time with the family.
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