This post is part of Long and Short Reviews’ Winter Blogfest. Leave a comment for a chance to win a $10 Amazon gift card.
Holidays by Hayden West
I have to say, I love the holidays. The foods, the festive lights, the family. Laughter and good times. I grew up in Wisconsin and our winters were definitely white. We were out in the country and getting our tree was one of my favorite traditions.
There were years where my dad would drive the tractor and pull a wagon so we could also pick up more wood for the fireplace. I loved sitting up with him as I watched the tractor power through the high snow.
Mom would have made hot cocoa and put it in a thermos for us to drink when we (well me…) got cold.
After using the chainsaw to cut then we’d loaded up the wagon with more wood for splitting we would set off deeper into the forest, on foot now. Dad would bring the chainsaw and mom would have the warm drink. My older brother would bring a shovel and I usually dragged the tub.
Our family never knew if we would simply cut one down or, if we were going to be digging it up so we would be able to replant it come spring.
Have to admit, I wasn’t much in the way of helping from now on because…well, physical labor wasn’t fun for me at that age. So if it was cut, I would drag back the empty container. Of course, if there was a hill, I would sit in the tub and have my brother push me so I could slid down then hill and we’d do that for a while.
Eventually, we would get back to the house with either the cut tree or the dug up one. Dad would set it up inside and then we would unload the wood to be cut and stacked later.
Christmas tree decorating would come later that night after dinner. We’d have a large fire, popcorn (both for stringing and for eating), hot cocoa or cider and depending on how the weather outside was, mom may have made donuts.
Memories I hold dear and while I’m not in that state anymore, nor do I get live trees or even cut ones from a forest, the scents, smells and unforgettable family time isn’t something I will ever forget.
Happy holidays!
Hayden West
Secrets refuse to stay buried.
Pulled in for an op he never wanted, Michael Little knows it won’t be a hardship to pretend interest in his target. What does prove difficult is knowing that when it’s over, he’ll have to walk away.
Radek Dionne has busted his ass to keep his name away from the shady dealings his family is involved in. Used to people wanting him either for those connections or due to him being a player in the NHL, he keeps to himself. Until one night when he meets someone who gets to him on a level he’s never expected.
But family has a way of showing up when you least want them to and his is no exception. Secrets are exposed and loyalties tested. Will they be together by Christmas, or has this last secret ruined any chance of a happy ever after?
Hayden West lives in the Pacific Northwest, enjoys being outdoors to hike and explore the beauty, and hanging out with friends when not working on the next novella to be released.
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Buy the book at Pride Publishing.
I didn’t grow up in Wisconsin, but I visited often in the northwoods as a child. I remember how quiet the woods would be with fresh snow, and how noisy a squirrel would sound jumping around. I had use of a runner sled and got thoroughly and happily soaked going down my grandmother’s hill. Thanks for sharing your memories!
Those are some wonderful times to have. Thank you for sharing yours as well. I remember also building snow forts in snow that was deeper than I was tall. Good times.
This sounds like such a fun tradition.
It was a lot of fun, especially when I got old enough to drive the tractor!
What wonderful memories!
There are times I miss being a child.
We had a hill behind our house. We would build igloos where the snow had drifted into the hill. I’m sure someone today would say it’s not safe but we sure had fun with it back in the wild 1970s. ⛄️
Yes, I know the things we did would be frowned upon today as well. However, it made us stronger. I loved the snow forts/igloos we made.
I grew up in New Jersey. We always had a fresh tree but my father and I would go select one from a local charity or church selling them. The first Christmas after my husband and I got married, we lived in Northern New England and thought cutting down our first Christmas tree would be fun and memorable. It really was being outside in the snow and smelling the needles but the humorous part for a Jersey girl was not realizing how tall the trees were in the woods. I loved Christmas trees and wanted the tallest one that would reach the sky. My husband thought that was a beautiful thought but had to talk some sense into me to fit our first apartment’s living room!
I love this. I’ve always loved the tall trees. A few times we would also decorate the ivy that my mom had which was huge and went from one side of the house to the other, arborlike.
Not sure why, but my replies to your comments weren’t approved. I apologize for that, I appreciate all the comments.
Winner of this gc from Amazon is: Colleen C
Please either email me at authorhaydenwest@hotmail.com or message me on facebook to provide the email I can send the gift card to.
Thank you and happy holidays to all.
Thank you so much!!! Email sent!