I’m ready, more than ready. I put the last ribbon and bow on a package today.
For a couple of weeks, I did wrapping marathons on the weekend with Christmas movies keeping me in the spirit as I turned the One More Room into a disaster, cleaned it up, created the next disaster and so on.
Done now!
None under the tree as BW and I agree Milo would drag them out and tear them up. It’s his first Christmas with us. Never worry about Atticus in this area, but Milo’s a different story.
Since it’s a lot, we put the tree up, did the decorations right after Thanksgiving. If I’m going to that much trouble, I want to enjoy it awhile! And today, the Solstice, I’m enjoying it all a lot.
Last weekend was the cooking baking marathon. Lots of help, with Kayla in charge, and J.R. Along with Colt joining in. At this point, I’m more consultant, and the put cookies in the oven, take them out, wash bowls girl. I did make the sugar cookie dough the evening before, stuck it in the extra fridge to chill. Otherwise, all dough made by the younger generation.
Later, Jason, Kat and Griffin arrived, as did Morgan, one of our foundation staff. And they brought Chipotle! No cooking required.
Lord knows we baked our hearts out. Double batch of chocolate chip—the crowd fave—snickerdoodles, peanut butter blossoms, candy cane cookies. All taste-tested, of course.
Success!
Before long, we were down to the sugar cookies, which means rolling out, choices of cookie cutters, and painting. Kat, the artist, mixed the evpaporated milk and food coloring, so lots of choices there.
The cookie painters take this activity seriously!
We end with a bevy of pretty, fun, delicious cookies, which will be divvied up and sent home with anyone who wants. No one refuses.
In a few days, the family will come and gather, and happy chaos will reign. I’ll have snacks—including deviled eggs another crowd fave—champagne for the big kids, and plenty to keep energy up while we tear into stockings and presents.
A salad bar, lasagna, the Italian bread I baked and froze a couple weeks ago for Christmas dinner, then an ice cream bar for dessert. And, of course, cookies.
The day will be a blur of fun and surprises, and when it’s done, we’ll all crawl into our beds.
Kayla and JR leave the next morning for some holiday time with his family. Whoever’s left and wants to can come for a pancake breakfast the next morning.
Thanksgiving may be the turkey and the feast, but around here, Christmas is no weak sister on the food scale.
Laura and I wish you all the happiest of holidays however and whenever you celebrate. And light, peace and hope on this, the longest night.
Nora
I am crying 😢😭 and grateful for your share
I am alone this holidays so its nice to read about your n yours 💞 Thank you Nora
Happy Christmas Happy Solstice With love, Nikki 🩷✨🪅🎄💌💫❣️
Happy Christmas Nikki!
They look so good! I wish I had the talent to bake like that ! Oh, and the patience !!!
Merry Christmas to you and your loved ones. And a Happy Happy New Year
Happy holidays to you and your wonderful family!
Merry Christmas. You sound super organized! I guess you have a large kitchen for you all to bake together. Sounds like fun!
Merry Christmas to you and Laura and your families. Thank you both for all your hard work throughout the year to keep us in reading material!! Thank you for sharing your holiday with us.
Wow! You’ve certainly earned a good rest! That was a marathon of preparation! I’m sure everyone left full!!
Happy Holidays and Blessed Season’s Greeting from our family to yours.
Merry Christmas! Thank you so much for doing what you do. Your characters have become friends to me over the years. Peace and plenty to you and yours!
Have a Very Merry Christmas Nora and family and Laura and family!
We,also, have a new pup this year and for the first time ever, I had to cage the tree. 2 daughters, 2 cats, 5 dogs, and 3 grandchildren over 40 years of Christmas in our own home and now I have to cage the tree. Good thi g, she’s cute.
Nora,
I love your tree and the way you’ve decorated your home. Thank you for sharing it with us. Those cookies sound wonderful.
Merry Christmas and a very Happy New Year.
I want to say thank you for all the books you’ve written and the ones still to be written. Appreciate all of your efforts.
Oh my! I thought I had a snowman ⛄️ problem! I just can’t help it. Partner those with the cute gnomes, and I am in the holiday spirit!
Many blessings to all of you.
Nora thank you so much for sharing your creativity with us. Especially for my son, he has always has reading comprehension issues. But not when it comes to your stories. He is engaged and we chat about it when he is finished. I ordered the last release from the In Death series, he hasn’t read it….because you signed it. So we will have an extra copy. Thanks again for all you create and share, he loves the “droids”
Erry Christmas to you & your family
Hope you have a blessed and Merry Christmas 🎁
Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year, to you and yours! I love making cookies around the holidays. I’ll be making my cutouts tomorrow.
Merry Christmas to you and yours, to Laura and her family. Thank you for all the wonderful books you write.
Dear Nora, if only I could express how much I love your stories♥️. You and I have been together since “Irish Thoroughbred” I’ve bought all your books since then but started to slow down since I turned 73!! I have your latest The Mirror and looking forward to reading it. I wanted to thank you for all the hours I’ve spent reading the very best books of all time🎄♥️. Merry Christmas to you and yours and may God continue to bless you richly🙏🏻. Diana
Holy cow, deviled eggs! My all-time fave. I’m going to be starting my two batches of fudge in about 10 minutes. I might even make Krumkaka for the first time in a while. Merry Christmas to all of you.
Merry Christmas and Best Wishes for a Happy and Healthy 2025! 🎅🏻🥂
Thank you for sharing your traditions and celebrations. Merry Christmas and all the best in 2025!
PS…the Mirror is my Christmas holiday read and I can’t wait to start it 🙂
Happy and merry to you, Laura, and your families! Thank you for all you do to bring me great joy from your work, all year long.
Cheers!
Stephanie
#professionalromancefan
I hope Nora that you and BW and the family have a wonderful MerryChristmas and a very Happy New Year!! Thanks for all the great books !Also wish Laura and her family Merry Christmas and Happy New Year also!🎆🎆🎆🎆🎆🎆🎆🎄🎄🎄☃️☃️☃️❄️❄️❄️🎄🎄🎄
Your decorations are beautiful! Merry Christmas to you and your family!
I love that you share with us your holiday traditions and I love love love your decorations. Happy holidays to you, Laura and your families. May you have a merry and bright holiday season. Bright blessings to you all.
Merry Christmas Nora and family. Looks to be a festive time. You have the best cookie baking team and decorators.
Merry Christmas to Laura and her family.
Merry Christmas to two of my favorite people whom I only know from afar but in the age of social media consider friends. Wishing you both, your families and the cheerful posters in this thread happy holidays!
Happy holidays to you & your family, Laura & her family too .
Your cookie baking sounds like fun and laughs plus great tastes. Always glad to hear what’s going on in your life. Have a Merry Christmas’s with your family. I will also enjoy my family. 🎅🏻🎅🏻🎅🏻🎄🎄🎄
Merry Christmas to you both and your families.
I love the winter solstice, because it means starting tomorrow the sun will set a little later every day. Happy holiday to all!
All the very best wishes for a happy and healthy holiday! Creating memories is the absolute best part!!
Merry Christmas and happy new year for all of you from Puerto Rico.
I love the green color of the room with the peace sign. I think it looks like the same color that I painted my bedroom, it’s a soothing color. I was going to ask you if Nora was a shortened version of Honora because it’s the name of several Irish relatives, but then I found an article that said your name was Eleanor.
I hope you and your family have a wonderful Christmas holiday, also the same for Laura.
Have a happy holiday and New Year.
Wishing you & yours all the joys of the Holiday Season!! But surrounded by your family it sounds like you are already there!!
Thank you for the years of wonderful reading adventures! And heres to many, many more!!
That all sounds like wonderful family and friends time. It all sounds delicious too. Thank you for sharing and Merry Christmas to you and your family. Thank you for all the hard work you do to keep your fans enjoying all your great books (new and old ones).
Happy Holidays! Great photos, thank you for sharing your family with us. It’s so amazing, how much the kids have grown. Safe travels and much joy to all.
Merry Christmas to you and to Laura!
And a huge thank you for entertaining me throughout the year!
Beautiful. Joyful. We appreciate you sharing. Have a lovely rest of the year. 💕🎄🎁🍷🕯️❄️💗😊
Love all the stockings! I think my fav may be the one with the big candy cane, but they all look great!
Merry Christmas, everyone & “God Bless Us, Everyone!”
The merriest of holidays to you and Laura. Thank you for sharing a glimpse of your holiday preparations. I spent Friday decorating cookies with my four-year-old granddaughter. Such fun! Got the last present wrapped today as it only got delivered this weekend. Have a happy new year. I am looking forward to reading more of your stories this year.
Merry Christmas to you and your family. Your chaos sounds like our chaos , and I’d have it no other way. 🎄☃️🎄
Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!!!!
Wishing for all, the most wonderful blessings of the season. Merry Christmas!
Wow, talk about a busy schedule and then add in the books you write. You are amazing. Have a great Christmas and hopefully you can get a bit of rest and relaxation before you go full throttle for the New Year.
I am looking forward to all you new releases next year.
Once again have a very Merry and Blessed Christmas and a Happy New Year!
Hope all the family have a great Christmas and a safe and Happy New Year.
Looks and sounds like it was a wonderful time! Great pictures! Thanks for sharing with us! Glad you all had a wonderful holiday season!