My Favorite Christmassy Things Giveaway

Beth VogtChristmas, Giveaway, Life 57 Comments

 

One of the fun holiday traditions I’ve enjoyed in recent years is taking part in giveaways with author-friends.

And so … welcome to the My Favorite Christmassy Things Giveaway, which was organized by my dear friend and fellow author Cathy West, who lives in Bermuda. My husband and I visited her family several years ago and it was one of our most special vacations ever!

Today, I’m interrupting my blogging vacation to share about my favorite Christmas decoration. But first, to set up the story …

When my son Josh was 17, he went on a high school mission trip to Israel and my husband and I went along as chaperones. One of my goals was to purchase an olive wood Nativity set for me and Rob. I also wanted to buy one for each of our three children so they could have a Nativity made in Bethlehem when they established their own homes.

Well, six weeks before we left for Israel, I found out I was pregnant with our fourth child! Our caboose kiddo, Christa, was quite a surprise from God, arriving when our other children were 17, 13 1/2 and 12 1/2. Her birthdate? Christmas Eve — but of course I didn’t know that when I was struggling with morning sickness.

I’ve always been thankful we found out about our unexpected blessing before our planned trip to Israel in 2000 because I came back with not four Nativity sets, but five: one for me and Rob, and one for each of our four children.

Do you have a favorite Christmas decoration? Share in a comment below for a chance to win an extra prize from me: the olive wood Christmas ornament pictured below. 

 

Be sure to stop by my other friend’s blogs in the My Favorite Christmassy Things Giveaway:

Dec 10: Catherine West – Welcome to My Favorite Christmassy Things

Dec 10: Cynthia Ruchti – My Favorite Christmas Tree

Dec 11:  Tamara Leigh – My Favorite Christmas Carol

Dec 12: Lauren K. Denton – My Favorite Christmas Disaster

Dec 13: Ronie Kendig – My Favorite Christmas Movie

Dec 14: Jody Hedlund – My Favorite Christmas Food

Dec 15: Elizabeth Byler Younts – My Favorite Christmas Ornament

Dec 16: Beth K. Vogt – My Favorite Christmas Decoration

Dec 17: Rachel Linden – My Favorite Christmas Service

Dec 18: Courtney Walsh – My Favorite Christmas Memory

Dec 19: Rachel Hauck – My Favorite Christmas Book

Dec 20: Susan Meissner – My Favorite Christmas Vacation

Dec 21: Catherine J. West – My Favorite Christmas Gift

Enter by midnight on 12/21/18 USA Eastern time! Winners will be drawn on 12/22/18 and posted on Catherine West’s site. And please note that the giveaway is open to U.S. participants only.

Major Prizes:

1st: All 12 Print Novels
2nd: $50 Amazon gift card and $20 Starbucks Gift Card
3rd: $50 Amazon gift card

 

Join in MY FAVORITE CHRISTMASSY THINGS Giveaway! 12 Books. 12 Writers. 12 Favorite Things. Start at @cathwest's blog and join the fun with daily giveaways and entry to the Grand Prize!… Share on X MY FAVORITE CHRISTMASSY THINGS #GIVEAWAY: A planned trip to Israel, an unexpected pregnancy, and a favorite #Christmas decoration. https://buff.ly/2L84d1S Share on X

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Comments 57

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  4. What a meaningful story about your nativity set! My favorite decorations are the Christmas cards I receive from friends and family – I display them on bookcases, tables, shelves, or however many spaces are needed. 🙂

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      Erin: I treasure the cards I receive, too, especially since we were a military family for many years and those friendships are special gifts — reminders of treasured times.

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  5. One of my favorites would be candle holders to clip on the tree, brought back from Germany by some good friends of ours. Enjoyed your story!

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      Andrew: I understand. Christmas can be a mixture of bitter and sweet. We are on our way home for Savannah, where we just spent a few days with our daughter and son-in-love. They moved to Savannah at the beginning of the summer, and so they won’t be “home” for Christmas. Our visit to GA meant a few days of laughter and love and making some new memories — and leaving Christmas gifts with them. Choosing to be content with the new and not grieve what won’t be on Christmas morning. We haven’t “lost” them — they are just embracing their future and their dreams.

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      I love our Nativity — but I need to find a new place to put it. My oldest daughter bought a new house — one that fits the piano. And I always promised her the piano when she had a place for it! 🙂

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  8. We had a nativity that had a removable baby Jesus. He appeared in the manger every Christmas morning. My son was fascinated by this when he was small so when he got married three years ago I gifted it to him.

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  9. I have several Precious Moments figurines that are favorites, lighted houses,and a nativity set that belonged to my mom. Pretty much all my ornaments are my favorites! Your nativity is gorgeous!

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  11. What a beautiful nativity set! Mine is hand painted by one of my husbands aunts. I love it but my nutcracker also holds a special place in my heart. As a child I was a ballet dancer and over the years have seen the nutcracker performed at Christmastime.

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  14. We have a set of the wise men and a Mr. & Mrs. Santa that my MIL made for each of her children many years ago. This is the only surviving set. It is treasured and carefully put away each year. Our collection of nativities are also cherished.

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  15. I have been collecting angels. So one of them is my favorite. We decorate the tree in angels and white lights. Our nativity is white Porcelain with gold highlights.

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  17. I love nativity sets and angels. I have one on my tree that was given to me my first Christmas. I was in the hospital with pneumonia. It was 1950. Mom kept it safe and now I hang it each year.

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      Merry Christmas, Rel! I need to find a new location for my Nativity, as I just gave our piano to my eldest daughter since she moved into a new home. (I’d promised the piano to her for years.) 🙂

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  20. What a beautiful nativity set! I have several nativities and enjoy them all. My favorite decorations are small picture frame ornaments with a picture of a family member in each. We put them on our tree each year, and all the children check to find theirs. We’ll have 33 this year!

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  21. Beth, I loved your story , and to tell you the truth I have recently started collecting Nativity sets I have two that are music boxes that I love. One is ceramic small with just momma, daddy and babe. The other is a larger wood one with the manger,animals, and three wise men, and the star over the manger is the key to start the music. I have really enjoyed this giveaway and meeting new authors and learning about you all has been fun thank you for you time, and I hope you have a fantastic Christmas!

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  23. Your nativity sets are beautiful! The ornament you are giving away is very similar to the ones I bought for my kids this year at our local fair trade store. My favorite ornaments are ones that were either handmade or purchased by someone in my family for me. The crocheted ornaments made by my mom and the embroidered ones made by my sister are even more precious now that they are no longer with us.

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  25. I have several favorite Christmas decorations. Every year when we bring out the ornaments, there are two that I’ve had since I was a child. Such memories. And I also love putting up the Christmas village I started collecting when I got married and had my own home. Thanks for the giveaway. So many wonderful sharing stories.

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  26. My favorite Christmas decorations are two that each of my children made for me when they were in grade school. They are in their mid to late 30’s now, and the decorations are a little tattered, but they mean so very much to me. Your Nativity set is truly a beautiful thing. Thank you for the chance, Beth.

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  27. Your Nativity set is beautiful! I have a Fontanini Nativity set that my Mother gave me when I was in High School or a Freshman in College. (Mid 70’s) (She was the BEST about surprising you with things you didn’t need THEN but would TREASURE in the future!) I have to say, the Nativity has not missed a Christmas since! One year, the Baby Jesus went missing for several months but we finally found him. Each Christmas as I put my Nativity out, I’m always reminded be sure not to lose the WONDER of what took place in that hidden away place that night. I don’t ever want to lose the WONDER of the Baby born to save the world!

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  28. Wow! What a surprise! My parents have a caboose too… 19 years younger than me! And he is such a special addition to the family!
    Love the thought of having an olive wood nativity from Israel.

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  29. My favorite Christmas decoration (since I have to choose just one–which was a very hard job) is my Mom’s nativity figures of Mary, Joseph, and baby Jesus in the manger. They were one of the first nativities that she got when I was a child. I always know it is officially Christmas when we set it out.

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