Good afternoon, it’s time for tea!

Walked into a craft or home decor store recently? Did you see holiday items? Some stores have already started getting ready for the Christmas season, and it’s that time for “Christmas in July” sales! (Did you know we’re actually have one of those sales in Gazette665’s store?)

So – though it’s nearly 100 degrees outside, let’s join the trend and talk about Christmas at this July tea. Chilled wassail, anyone? 

When did you decide to write With Gladness: A Christmas Story Collection? 

July 3, 2016. While driving home from Colorado through the blazing hot deserts of the American Southwest. My writer’s brain needed something to think about and I started plotting short stories. Through that summer I got more inspiration and the manuscript came together, got edited, and went off to the printers in time for a late autumn book release.

Have you been somewhere “odd” and come up with an exciting new idea? 

What’s your Christmas decorating style?

I’m fond of what I like to call “Colonial Williamsburg” style and have found ways to adapt it to make it my own style. Basically, it involves lots of greenery, pine cones or seed pods, winter fruit, pretty ribbon, and lots of simple, unique decorating techniques. I like to add floral red roses which isn’t exactly historical, but it’s pretty.

Lots and lots of wreaths! One for the office door and others hanging on the walls. I even have wreaths decorated with the photographs of Civil War commanders.

I like to add historical flair to my decorating with nods to the past or traditions of holiday decorations from long ago and am always on the look out for new ideas to incorporate into my evolving style.

Do you have a Christmas decorating style? Any historical nuances? 

Do you have a favorite historical Christmas tradition?

Hmm… Do historic recipes count? I love trying new recipes from the past and try to bake something authentic for a Civil War Christmas event in December.

I’m not sure that I have a specific Christmas tradition from history that is a “must” every year. I do love playing (and trying to sing) carols and learning about their history, which inspired the blog series You’re Singing History. And sometimes I read a Christmas selection from a classic literature book written in the 19th Century. You have three guesses on the title…

Any favorite history-inspired holiday traditions at your house?

Let’s chat in the comments, and don’t forget to send in some conversation questions for next tea! The theme will be Virginia history and travel…

Your Historian,

Miss Sarah