CHRISTMAS BOOK: I Need Christmas by Carol Ann Kauffman

 

 

After a depressing year of sadness, loneliness, and self-doubt, 

successful civil engineer and former All-American basketball star 

Elizabeth (Betsy) Curry returns home to Oakville, Ohio, for the 

Christmas holidays a depressed and broken women. 

Reeling from her bitter divorce from the handsome, charming, but 

morally-bankrupt Tommy DeMalio, her college sweetheart and first 

big love who left her after two years of what she thought was a 

good marriage for a stripper he met at an office bachelor party for 

her co-worker, Betsy feels lost and empty. 

Not exactly anticipating the happy holiday with her family and their 

multitude of joyful Christmas customs and long-time storybook-like 

traditions, she knows she needs them in order to heal. 

Once comfortable at home and feeling somewhat better about 

herself, Tommy shows up and claims he wants a reconciliation, 

throwing her back into the self-destructive cycle of doubt, hostility, 

and suspision she is trying so hard to escape.

She discovers her father has set her up with his protégé at work, 

the tall, handsome, athletic red-haired Patrick, who, try as hard as 

she can, she can’t find a single thing she doesn’t like about him.

So, what’s the problem? Betsy feels it’s too soon for her to love 

again. How can she love anyone again when she doesn’t like 

herself or what she’s become since the break-up. Also, she fears 

she will hurt the sweet, gentle Patrick.

Will the love, joy, and goodwill of the holiday season coupled with 

the many long-time holiday customs and Curry family traditions 

help Betsy to find herself again? Will she be strong enough to lift 

herself out of her self-induced prison so that she can take another 

chance on love ? 

What others are saying about I Need Christmas:

5.0 out of 5 starsAnother nice fireside read

December 8, 2015

“I Need Christmas” is book two of the “Oakville Family Christmas” anthology and keeps to the spirit of the series 

nicely. Being surrounded by family isn’t always the picture of a Norma Rockwell painting. Far too often it’s the exact 

opposite. But in Betsy Curry’s case it could not be more the reality. Betsy is recovering from a marriage that was at

 best a nice arrangement for her husband, who by the way, abruptly returns wanting another try (with ulterior motives).

 Having been done with him and comfortably surrounded by a loving family, Betsy is having none of his nonsense. 

Enter mystery man, Patrick. What will happen next? Find out by getting your copy of “I Need Christmas.”

5.0 out of 5 starsSweet Read!

January 22, 2016

This was a very sweet and heartwarming story. It's short, and a wonderful story to read just before you go to sleep, 

as it's just the right length and will give you warm and fuzzy dreams. I thoroughly enjoyed it and want to read more 

by Ms Kauffman.

4.0 out of 5 starsSet in Great Midwest, Ohio

December 14, 2015

I just finished your book, "I Need Christmas," and found this to be a heartwarming story of family and traditions.

Set in Great Midwest, Ohio, the story takes you back to still present, albeit distant, small town America, the cutting 

of the family Christmas Tree, and of course, the tree trimming party!Recently divorced Betsy, is home for holidays 

and desperate to gain some feeling of normality. Can Christmas do that? With all of the commercial/retail marketing, 

constant pressure to shop, to spend, to buy! Or is the magic of the season enough? Can one finder her rudder? 

And a new Beau? Read this wonderful short story and find out!

4.0 out of 5 stars... Christmas at the Curry house and things couldn't be better, unless you're Betsy Curry

December 23, 2015

It's Christmas at the Curry house and things couldn't be better, unless you're Betsy Curry. Her no-good husband 

dumped her for a stripper and she hasn't gotten over the pain of his betrayal. Just as she settles into the comfort 

and traditions of her family and starts a potential romance with a guy her parents tried to hook her up with sets in, 

her ex shows up looking for reconciliation and then to start trouble. This is a really good story and I enjoyed getting 

to know some of the other characters that were mentioned in the other books of this series.

5.0 out of 5 starsHoping for a Christmas miracle

December 19, 2015

This is a story set in Great Midwest and brings forth all the beautiful traditions of Christmas - the Christmas tree, 

the party, family and holidays. Betsy, who was recently divorced, is hoping Christmas would bring some normality 

to her life and is hoping the magic of the season would rub on her somehow. When she meets Patrick, things 

change. Will Betsy get her own Christmas miracle? Read this sweet story to find out!

4.0 out of 5 starsHeartwarming Anytime

January 7, 2016

Betsy Curry needs all the comfort and security of being with her family this Christmas after she divorced her cheating 

husband. What she's not sure she needs is their help in finding a boyfriend! this story is a realistic peek into the home 

of a loving family during the days leading up to Christmas. Kaufman's knack for heartwarming storytelling shines 

through.

This book is part of a series written for Books To Go Now. All three books follow the Curry Family at Christmas, but each is

told through a different family member's point of view. It was such an experience to write! I hope you will love reading it

as we did writing it. 

An Oakville Family Christmas (3 book series)

Kindle Edition

by Giulietta M. Spudich (Author) , Carol Ann Kauffman (Author) , Alison Jean Ash (Author)

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CHRISTMAS ACTIVITY: Reindeer Gift Bag

 If you don't have candy canes, we used to use handprints cut out of white paper as the reindeers antlers when we made them in school. 

Also, some years we used a red sticker or circle cut from red paper as a nose when funds were low but excitement was high.

References:

Pinterest

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CHRISTMAS ACTIVITIES: Paper Plate Christmas Trees

These can be as simple or elaborate as you want. We did them in school with wrapped peppermint candies and yarn pompoms. We also did them with glass beads and lace and glitter. They were all so cute and festive. Having someone to help with the glitter contains the mess. Also, the younger the child, the larger the embellishments should be because of safety reasons. I DO have photos of our gorgeous creations, somewhere...in a box...in the basement...marked "School."

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BOOKS: The Cat Collier Mystery Series by Carol Ann Kauffman

 One day Mary Catherine 'Cat' Collier, obituary writer for the Heaton Valley Herald and part-time sleuth, is called to the penthouse apartment of the city’s most influential lawyer, old Detrick Bittmor. He had a personal assignment for her involving a mysterious young man who sits on a park bench every day at noon and stares up at his penthouse apartmentp. Bittmor thinks this man could possibly be his son from a love affair with a beautiful New York lawyer long ago. His son, and only heir. And old man Bittmor isn't getting any younger.

This is how the Cat Collier MysteryShort StorySeries begins. 

These are relatively short, easy to read monthly stories about a small town woman's journey from a wide-eyed, cloud-loving, doughnut-loving, happy young woman from a small town in Ohio to a big city detective and then back again. 

I have January through July published as ebooks for kindle on Amazon now. January Black Ice, February White Lies, and March Blues are available as paperbacks. And I am eagerly awaiting the audiobook for January Black Ice now. Any day now. Soon.  

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CHRISTMAS ACTIVITIES: Nutcrackers

 These  clop art Nutcrackers would make cute place e card for Christmas. Or they could be uses to decorate. If you are looking for something bigger, this next project will help you produce giant results!

References:

Pinterest

Art Projects for Kids

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SCHEDULE: December 14-18, 2020

 Mon., December 14 -  CHRISTMAS ACTIVITY:

Nutcrackers,

Big and Small

Tues., December 15 - BOOKS:

The Cat Collier Mystery Short Story Series

by Carol Ann Kauffman

Wed., December 16 - CHRISTMAS ACTIVITY:

Paper Plate Christmas Trees

Thurs., December 17 - CHRISTMAS ACTIVITY:

Reindeer Gift Bags

Fri., December 18 - CHRISTMAS BOOK: 

I Need Christmas

by Carol Ann Kauffman

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