A Cocktail & Conversation With TBTB Crew -- Holiday Traditions

Every other Thursday (errrr Friday this week) here at the Broke & The Bookish is  A Cocktail & Conversation time. One of the TBTB members will pose a question to 2-3 of the other members of TB&TB crew about books, life, music, etc and then they'll answer and we can converse about it. So grab a cocktail & cozy up for some conversation. It's 5 o'clock somewhere, friends. 


This week, in keeping with our Holiday Shenanigans theme, for Cocktail & Conversation time we want to know what are your holiday traditions?

Tahleen's Traditions

I just got married last year, so this will only be my second year of married life, as well as my "new" Christmas. So far, I've got a couple of traditions that we have been doing for both years. The first is not really "Christmas" really, but it happens to fall around this time: a Beaujolais Nouveau party! This was something a friend of ours wanted to do but needed a host, so my hubby and I offered our place. Basically, it's an excuse to get together and drink this particular kind of wine that comes out once a year, which I can get behind, honestly. Other traditions include getting and decorating our tree, of course, and spending time with family. I'm hoping to host Christmas Eve dinner for my parents and in-laws, too!

Jana's Traditions

I'm a crazy Christmas person, and I'm not even kidding. My own traditions include binging on Christmas in anyway possible. I decorate, I bake, I read, I watch, I listen to anything and everything Christmas! I always watch The Santa Claus on Christmas Eve, I buy a few new movies and CDs and books, and I spend my December sitting by my Christmas tree. Some family traditions include going into Salt Lake City to see the lights on the LDS temple grounds. We always go to The Cheesecake Factory for dinner beforehand. Yum! We also go out to eat on Christmas Eve with my dad's parents, and host a very elaborate Christmas dinner with my mom's parents. We drive around town on Christmas Eve to see the lights on all the homes. We spend all Christmas Day opening presents, and like to take as long as possible. We also have little traditions like baking the same cookies, collecting nativity scenes, and signing in the church choir.

Lori's Traditions

This year is mine and Zach's third Christmas together and we have this bad habit tradition of not being able to wait to give each other presents.  So we start doling our each other's presents as they come in.  I think that this helps make the holiday last a bit longer, plus we get to see each other enjoy the gift immediately (we still go to our respective families for the holiday).  With my family, we have several traditions--we start listening to Christmas music on the way home from Thanksgiving dinner, I wear a red shirt and jeans while my mom takes a picture of me hanging up an ornament, we go to my grandparents' on Christmas Eve and all go to church together then go to the park and look at the lights display, then we open presents on Christmas morning, snack on a variety of appetizers (and complain about how we fill up on appetizers instead of the good food), and eat a late but enormous lunch.  Lastly, I saw Gone With the Wind for the first time on Christmas when I was 13, so I always try to watch it on Christmas.

Julia's Traditions

Making the pirogi, being awesome.

The Christmas season for me is just so full of magic and wonder and family. I love everything that it brings: hot cocoa, my birthday, Christmas movies, the annual watching of Love Actually. But when I think of Christmas traditions, it all starts on Christmas Eve. My sister, parents and myself get ready for mass at 4pm. We've been going to the overflow mass at my grade school since I can remember. The overflow mass means that they have two masses going on at once, one in the church and one in the gym. The gym one has guitar group music and classic carols scattered throughout mass. I usually get their super early along with my dad to save our seats. The new tradition now is for my dad to complain we left too early again when we arrive and there are three people there! During mass my sister and I harmonize to the carols getting pumped up for the night ahead. 

Afterwords we would go to my mom's parents house for dinner, but since my grandparents have passed, we host it at my parent's house. I don a Santa apron and commence in the annual "see how much smoke I can fill the house with" aka cooking the pirogi. Shrimp, chicken and wine along with the pirogi are our traditional meal, with maybe some other foods that I am forgetting.  We then exchange gifts, which recently has included a white elephant gift exchange. Everyone brings a $25 gift and we pick numbers to see what order we pick/steal them. One year we did a Wii bowling tournament and when you got a strike, you got to pick a gift. It took a surprisingly long time for everyone to get their one strike!

The next day we do Christmas morning with my parents. We are allowed to peek inside stockings, but no gifts until my sister gets her lazy butt out of bed. Then we head to my dad's side for dinner at 2. Ham, pies, a myriad of veggies, homemade cookies and chocolates, my grandma does it all! We all gather in the basement for dinner where I and my now 30 through 18 year old cousins sit at the kids table. Ours is the best table because we don't have to yell to be heard over my uncles and father, and we are closer to the fake 60s fireplace that actually gives off heat. Among the cousins we have started to do a Secret Santa exchange. We picked names at Thanksgiving. Last year I got my cousin, a book lover, two books in the series he is reading. Clearly, we always have stuff to talk about. :)

Last but not least, in the years since my grandma died, my mom, sister, sometimes dad and I will go see a movie Christmas day's evening. It's a new tradition just for us. Thus concludes my two family filled days of love and traditions. I actually can't wait for them to expand and adapt as I go about my life. I am actually considering getting this book, which will chronicle Christmas' for 20 years. That would take me to 47! 

Anyway, after that wall of text, what are your traditions? Lay 'em on us! And it doesn't have to be Christmas. Any winter holiday will do! 

Holiday Shenanigans - Favorite Books To Read During the Holidays

Julia's Favorites:

 

Christmas is my favorite time of the year and I start to taper my book habits from the dystopia that usually permeates Fall into super sappy and lovey-dovey romances. I don't have one that I read yearly or anything, but I seek out ones with "Christmas" or other seasonal word in the title. I haven't yet read any this season, but my favorite from last year was A Kiss for Midwinter by Courtney Milan.

In a more traditional sense, I love children's Christmas stories. Some favorites that I remember from my childhood that I can't wait to pass on are, The Littlest Angel by Charles Tazewell, a series of popup books that were about Christmas carols, and of course 'Twas the Night Before Christmas.

Tahleen's Favorites:

 

I have a couple of books I try to read at some point during the holiday season, though maybe not every year. The first is Jostein Gaarder's The Christmas Mystery, which after reading about it years and years ago, I finally found at a used book store in Wales when I was studying abroad. It works perfectly as an Advent calendar, since each chapter is actually part of a story found in an Advent calendar. It is about the true meaning of Christmas, dealing specifically with the birth of Christ.

On a lighter note, the best book to read at Christmas IMHO is Dave Barry's The Shepherd, the Angel, and Walter the Christmas Miracle Dog. It's funny, nostalgic, and has a dog. Plus it's a super fast read and has pictures from the 1960s sprinkled in there.

Jamie's Favorites:

Two recent YA holiday themed books that I liked are Dash & Lily's Book of Dares and Let It Snow. Dash & Lily was a really fun book that I could see myself reading every couple of years. Let It Snow is 3 novellas and it's been a few years since I've read it so I'm definitely going to again. I remember them being cute and fun!

Some classic favorites are Little Women and How The Grinch Stole Christmas. Little Women is just the perfect book to cozy up with during the season and How the Grinch Stole Christmas was my favorite as a child -- I plan to read it to my kids if I have them some day!

If you are wanting a laugh and feeling a little snarky, pick up David Sedaris' Holidays on Ice. I didn't love all of the stories but some of them were hilarious!

Jana's Favorites:

 

I really love Snowed Over by Angie Stanton. It's a new adult romance all about two people getting stranded in an abandoned cabin during a blizzard. It's very sweet, and quite a cozy, sexy story.

I'm seconding Jamie's Let it Snow, because it is my all-time favorite. I'm trying to get to it again this year, but we'll see.

I also love The Unlikely romance of Kate Bjorkman by Louise Plummer. It is an adorable YA, and you really need to check it out.

Lori's Favorites:

I don't do a whole lot of themed reading around the holidays, but there are a few books from childhood that I just can't help going back to!  The first is Trinka Hakes Noble's Apple Tree Christmas.  These two girls love this tree in their yard and then there is a horrible winter storm and the tree is damaged, then there is a happy ending.

Next up is A Little House Christmas:  Holiday Stories from the Little House Books by Laura Ingalls Wilder.  I love these short little quaint stories about Christmas.  They make me want to live in a cabin.  And then I remember that I am most definitely a warm-weather person.

My mom and I also love The Crippled Lamb by Max Lucado.  It gives a good message about how you aren't perfect, but you should offer what you can and it might just turn out to be the perfect thing.

My last favorite is A Wish for Wings that Work by Berkeley Breathed.  It's just a quirky, fun, happy story about Opus, a penguin who wishes he could fly.

What books have you read that are holiday themed? (I, Jamie, am dying for a good Christmas/winter romance!!). What are some of your classic favorite holiday themed reads? Do you gravitate to any certain genres or types of books during the holidays? I know that some people gravitate towards lighter books or romances. 

Holiday Shenanigans - Favorite Movies To Watch During The Holidays

Today we are chatting about our favorite movies to watch during the holidays! There's nothing I (Jamie) love more than staying in on a cold December night with our tree all lit up, some cocoa in my hand and a Christmas movie!

Tahleen's Picks:

 

I've got to watch A Christmas Story every year, even if it isn't until the 24-hour marathon on TV. But seriously, I could watch this any time of the year.

I'm also a big fan of Elf, which is an annual must-watch, and all those Rankin-Bass claymation masterpieces. Oh, and White Christmas.

Lori's Picks:

 

There are SO many great movies this time of year!  I have to watch the old versions of Rudolph, Santa Claus is Coming to Town, Frosty the Snowman, How the Grinch Stole Christmas, and The Charlie Brown Christmas.  I always try (and usually succeed) to watch The Muppets Christmas Carol and It's a Wonderful Life.  A recent favorite is The Bishop's Wife.  My mom and I also love watching the first Harry Potter movie (and sometimes wind up watching more than the first one...)

Jamie's Picks:

I watch A LOT of Christmas-y movies during the holidays but my 4 favorites that get watched EVERY YEAR are Love Actually, Elf, Home Alone and How The Grinch Stole Christmas. Watching How The Grinch Stole Christmas is even more important to me now because I used to watch it with my mom every year before she passed away in 2006.

Julia's Picks:

 

Usually what I try to do is just catch the specials as they air on TV, but the movies I go out of my way to watch yearly are The Muppet Christmas Carol and Love Actually. I've already watched Love Actually this year! But apparently I am also behind the times and there are a few Christmas Movie Classics that I have yet to see, Christmas Vacation being the main one and I guess Elf being the other. So this year those two are on my watch list. I also try to catch A Christmas Story on Christmas Eve when it is on marathon, It's a Wonderful Life, White Christmas (which I saw this year in the theater!), and any of the awesome animated movies!

Jana's Picks:

I always watch The Most Wonderful Time of the Year. It's definitely one of my favorites, because it has Henry Winkler in it! I love The Fonz, not gonna lie. I also love The Santa Claus, The Holiday, and I just watched A Princess for Christmas last night and really loved it! Can you believe I have never seen Love Actually, White Christmas, or It's a Wonderful Life? Seeing as how I am a Christmas movie connoisseur, that should change this year.

 

What about you guys? Are any of your favorites on our list? What movies are on your list of movies you love during the holiday season? We want some recs!

Top Ten Books on Our Winter TBR List

To learn more about Top Ten Tuesday or see the future topics, click here!

With this cold it already feels like it's winter already, but the season is still on its way... Here are some books we're most excited to curl up with under a blanket, with a cup of tea on the side :)

Daisy says:

Taste of Darkness by Maria V. Snyder: I just love Maria V. Snyder's books and this series is no exception! I really need to know how THINGS WILL BE FIXED! Because they need to be fixed or I will never forgive her...

The Lost Sisterhood by Anne Fortier: I LOVED Juliet and I'm so excited that she has a new book coming out!!

The Winner's Curse by Marie Rutkoski: I cannot wait to read this! And the cover is so pretty!

Side Effects May Vary by Julie Murphy: I usually don't read books dealing with disease, but this sounds so good I can't resist! I think it'll break my heart though...

Diamonds and Deceit by Leila Rasheed: I devoured Cinders and Sapphires and can't wait to read the sequel! This will make my historical fiction loving heart happy :)

Jen says:

Anna Karenina by Leo Tolstoy: I will read this book this winter. I started it a few years ago but put it down for another book...and never picked it back up.

Rose Under Fire by Elizabeth Wein: Got this from the library but was super busy the week and came in and had to return it before finishing.

Just One Year by Gayle Forman: I've been looking forward to reading this and still haven't gotten a chance to pick up a copy! I've been slacking.

The Tea Rose by Jennifer Donnelly: This is one of those books that has been sitting on my bookshelf unread for too long.

American Gods by Neil Gaiman: The only Neil Gaiman book I've read was The Graveyard Book and really want to read another one of his books.


What books are on YOUR to be read list this Winter? Have you read any of ours?

In Which Jamie Shares 2 Christmas Playlists With You - Holiday Shenanigans

Welcome to our week of holiday shenanigans posts! We will be posting fun things like gift guides, talking about the holidays and more!! Here's to getting in the holiday spirit!!


I'm sorry if you hate Christmas music because this post is all about Christmas music. So much of my (Jamie's) Christmas memories involve the music -- singing loud in the backseat of the car every Christmas Eve as we drove home from my grandparents, the 24/7 Christmas radio station, Christmas concerts at school, my mom playing some of her favorite Christmas records, the Christmas music in the background while decorating the tree, the stores playing Christmas music while I shop, caroling in our neighborhood on the coldest night of the year, being appalled and secretly happy that my mother went out and bought the Hanson Christmas album, baking Christmas cookies with my stepmom and listening to her favorite country Christmas music, etc.

So to start out our Holiday Shenanigans week, I'm sharing two playlists with you --



My Indie Christmas playlist: I hate classifying music but this would be more of the indie/alternative artists and bands that I love -- more modern takes on classics and a few not typical Christmas songs. I love this playlist to death! (You can find this playlist here on Spotify! Oh and follow me (username: itsahitinsweden) if you also have Spotify! Also, you have to hover over the playlist to see the scroll bar -- there's 36 songs)

My "classics" list (90's and earlier): These are the songs that have always been in rotation in my house when I was a teenager. I will seriously never forget how much my mom played the Hanson Snowed In cd or how she was obsessed with Grandma Got Run Over by A Reindeer and we'd play that record so many times. These songs are my childhood basically. (Here's the link to this playlist)

Enjoy!! I'd love to hear some of your favorite Christmas memories involving music! Some of your favorite songs from my list and ones that I don't have on here! I have a HUUUUUGE playlist with a zillion songs Christmas songs here!

Top Ten 2014 Releases We're Dying to Read

To learn more about Top Ten Tuesday or see the future topics, click here!

It's already December! Which means it's almost 2014 and we're getting excited for the books that will be released next year! Here are some of the releases we're most excited for. We'd like to let you know that it was REALLY hard to narrow this list down to just 10. 2014 is going to be amazing!

Daisy Says:

Ruin and Rising by Leigh Bardugo: This will probably make a lot of lists, and I'm an unapologetic fangirl for this series! I NEED to know what happens next with Alina and Mal and the Darkling and STURMHOND! OMG, the wait it slowly killing me! (Jana seconds this one!)

Isla and the Happily Ever After by Stephanie Perkins: I'll be doing happy dances when this one lands in my mailbox! (Jana also seconds this one!)

Unhinged by A.G. Howard: I LOVED Splintered and I'm SO EXCITED that there'll be a sequel!

Split Second by Kasie West: Pivot Point blew me away with its awesomeness and OMG THAT ENDING! Just give Split Second to me now and noone gets hurt!

Untitled #2 in the Elemental Trilogy by Sherry Thomas: I loved, loved, LOVED The Burning Sky, it was my kind of fantasy and the romance *SWOON*! I just cannot wait to see what happens next with Iolanthe and Titus and the world they live in!

Jana Says:

Of Neptune by Anna Banks: This is the final book in the Of Poseidon trilogy, and I LOVE this series! I can't wait to see how things end. Of Triton ended in a major cliffhanger.

Infinite by Jodi Meadows: This is the final book in the Newsoul trilogy, which is an absolutely gorgeous set of books. I cannot wait to see what happens to my beloved Sam and Ana!

The Geography of You and Me by Jennifer E. Smith: I love Jennifer E. Smith, and this book just sounds adorable! Two people trapped in an elevator during a blackout, followed by a nighttime walk through Manhattan?

Second Star by Alyssa B. Sheinmel: A Peter Pan retelling! I am dying!!

Sinner by Maggie Stiefvater: This is a standalone follow-up novel to The Wolves of Mercy Falls series that is all about Cole! I am SO excited about this book. :)

Jen Reviews The Moon and More by Sarah Dessen

 

The Moon and More by Sarah Dessen

Published: Viking Juvenile, 2013
Source: Purchased myself
Rating: 3 stars

Thoughts:

Meh. That was my overall feeling while reading The Moon and More. No push to keep going but didn't want to put it down either. To me this book was average, nothing to dazzle me. Which was such a disappointment because I love Sarah Dessen novels.

The book takes place in Colby, the fictional North Carolina town Dessen fans know well. Emaline has just graduated high school and is enjoying the summer before starting college in the fall. Her and her boyfriend break up in I believe one of the first few chapters. Emaline's father who hasn't been around her whole life is suddenly in Colby for the summer. So maybe "enjoying the summer" isn't the right phrase. But she gets through it and as with all Dessen books there's a mini lesson or realization in the last few pages.

Question: do you love every book written by one of your favorite authors?

I feel kind of bad not being a fan of this book. But I couldn't connect to it like I can with her other novels.