Both in their eighties, Dodie and Wilson Binder celebrate every Christmas as if it were their last. This year, their grandson Micah is planning to ask his girlfriend, Katie, to marry him so they can celebrate with the whole family. But things go very wrong when she says, "no." Now they are stuck. Too many people, too much snow, and too little room should be a recipe for disaster. But sometimes too much is just enough. Especially when it's Christmas.
My thoughts: This is an unbelievably delightful read. Unless you’ve been around a large family, you might find some of the scenes unrealistic – yet they are not. Or if you’re from a rather dysfunctional family like Katie is, you might find the Binder clan a bit fairytale unreal – but they aren’t.
As the Binder family and all the inlaws gather in Grandma and Grandpa Binder’s little cottage way up North, layers of sweetness, tenderness, joviality, joyfulness, playfulness, and lots of other things begin to emerge as the “normal” ebb and flow of Christmas at the Binders.
Bits and pieces remind me of Christmases past at my parents. And of Christmases with my own children. And then of Christmases with my grown children and grandchildren. But the Binders take it to yet another layer of loving interaction and caring.
Without giving away too much of the story, sufficie it to say that Grandpa Binder gives them a little scare and that takes the family to another layer of cooperation and caring.
This is a must read Christmas novella. Be sure you find a copy somewhere. You may want to get it early in the season so you have time to share it with someone else.
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a Rafflecopter giveaway Meet the Author: Cynthia Ruchti tells stories "hemmed in hope." She's the award-winning author of sixteen books and a frequent speaker for women's ministry events. She serves as the Professional Relations Liaison for American Christian Fiction Writers, where she helps retailers, libraries, and book clubs connect with the authors and books they love. She lives with her husband in Central Wisconsin.
DISCLOSURE: I received a complimentary copy to facilitate this review from the Litfuse Publicity Group. Opinions are my own. I was not compensated for this review.
I remember my dad taking me out on a sled each Christmas Eve. He is now really old and having lots of health issues. But I love that we have that sweet memory.
ReplyDeleteThose memories mean so much, don't they, Sonja?
ReplyDeleteIt just didn't feel like Christmas until we'd been to Midnight Mass. That was when the real wonder of Christmas began.
ReplyDeleteI remember when I was about five or six, getting up Christmas morning. The tree lights were brightly glowing. It was still pretty dark or maybe the curtains were closed. What is so surprising is I don't remember what I got, but there under the tree I saw my little brother's new rocking horse. It was so beautiful with the lights reflecting against it. I was very happy for my brother.
ReplyDeleteWhen we were growing up, Dad always read the Christmas story from Luke to us on Christmas Eve. He was a dairy farmer, so on Christmas morning we always had to wait to open gifts: the milking had to be done and Dad had to eat breakfast first. Sometimes it was so hard to wait, especially when we were young!
ReplyDeleteI always looked forward to the Candlelight Christmas Eve Service.
ReplyDeleteI always remember the Christmas my sister and I got a new bike. My dad hadnt worked much at all that year, so it was a real sacrifice for my parents.
ReplyDeletemarypopmom (at) yahoo (dot) com
Merry