When I think of Christmas and holiday celebrations, two contradictory scenes immediately spring to mind. They couldn’t be more different, but they’re equally delightful.

The festive gathering. Work parties, family celebrations, holiday concerts, neighborhood round-robins, and annual get-togethers fill my calendar! Who doesn’t anticipate these events where we gather with fellow merry-makers beneath bright lights with Mariah Carey and Frank Sinatra playlists providing background music? A game or two adds to the fun, along with plenty of drinks to lubricate the conversation. I enjoy getting dolled up in a goofy Christmas sweater or my favorite dark green wrap dress. A holiday cocktail sets the tone, shall we toast the event with mulled wine or champagne? My book club loves Dirty Snowballs, a yummy slush of equal parts coffee liqueur, vodka, dark creme de cacao, and cream. Sometimes there’s a gift exchange (White Elephants are the best, right?). And there’s always food–fancy desserts like Yule Logs, assorted cookies and candies, savory appetizers, and platters with cheese and sausages abound! Nothing screams holiday cheer like the image of friends and families together around a glittering tree! It’s the cameo moment of every Target ad and Hallmark movie! A festive gathering involves all of these ingredients: loved ones, decorations, drinks, food, music, and fun! But there’s another iconic image equally prevalent in the Christmas shows and advertisements…

The peaceful moment. The days are short and the temperatures plummet. Someone’s lit a candle, the glow of the fireplace reflects against the Christmas tree. The wind blows outside, or maybe snowflakes gently drift from the sky to settle on the ground. Birds flit around the feeders and a cat or two blinks at them lazily from where they’ve draped across the back of the couch. In this image I’m curled up in comfy sweats, maybe with a soft blanket on my lap. Steam from hot chocolate or tea curls above my mug. I smell the pine needles, I hear the stillness, I feel the calm and in the midst of this cozy moment, I open my book to savor the season for reading! Is there a time of year more perfectly suited to losing oneself in a good read–especially a cozy holiday-themed mystery? And all the better if that book lures me in with a fun cover and a punny title, like Slay Bells Ring by Nancy Robards Thompson . Murder and Christmas go together like peace and goodwill toward men in A Santa Stabbing by Geri Krotow or Murder Below the Mistletoe by Kaz Delaney. A classic peaceful moment includes a warm quiet spot, some twinkling lights, a hot drink, softness, and a Christmas read.

It wouldn’t feel like Christmas without the party and the solitude. The combination at this time of year makes the season even sweeter! 


About the Author

Melissa Westemeier grew up around the edge of nerd culture, but marriage and motherhood with three sons immersed her in it. She’s fluent in Marvel, DC, Dr. Who, Star Wars, Godzilla, and more thanks to their influence. Her fiction work includes rom-com and a trilogy loosely based on her experience tending bar on the Wolf River in Wisconsin. She’s thrilled to realize her childhood dream of writing murder mysteries. Her books blend her humor and appreciation for nerd culture while tackling serious themes and unpacking the puzzle of whodunnit (and how and why!). In her spare time, Melissa needs to be outside or near a window. Her passions include hiking, swimming, biking, reading, and fantasizing about her next vacation destination.

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