very warm Christmas take
931117
Nice story about the value of relationships.  A feel good story well told. Not usually the type of book I read, but it is good for the soul.  I feel better.
4756444
Family favorite - great way to relax and to experience the magic of Christmas any time of year. Music is fun and fabulous, too!  Anyone in need of refreshment?
2102449
First in the McCray Family series about dogs; it's a cute, warm Christmas story for animal lovers. (And a 2009 Hallmark Hall of Fame movie.)

My Take
Oh, this was just so sweet. This was a great family with wonderful values. And tremendous patience.

Some of the sentences were a bit amateurish, but the overall effect was very uplifting. Do pay attention to the prologue as the story is all about Jake/Christmas; I don't feel that Kincaid brought this connection together very well. I didn't catch on until I went back to look over my notes to write this review.

My one annoyance with this story is Kincaid's reason for dad not wanting Todd to get the dog. It's been forty frickin' years!! And no dog can live as long as a human.

There was a huge chunk spent on relating a McCray family tradition that went back to George's grandfather and snow removal. When I read the bit at the back about Kincaid's writing this story, it makes more sense why this is in here; he needed to make the story longer and that's pretty much about all it does. Sure, it is a warm tale and it certainly got me hungry, but it's just here for filler, just like the prologue.

I did appreciate dad's patience at the shelter as Todd carefully "interviewed" each dog. Very sweet and I could wish this acceptance occurred in more families.

That family dinner cracked me up. Dad really put his foot in it and the kids got him back but good. Although, dad did have his own bit of revenge that went down well.

By the time we finally get to the point of the story, it unfolds nicely, and you wish it would just keep going. It's this part that makes the ending all the more emotional. God knows I was crying.

The Story
The local shelter is promoting a Christmas dog program which allows people to temporarily adopt a dog for the Christmas holidays. And it's something that Todd just has his heart set on. It's something his dad is equally set against. He wants nothing more to do with dogs. He's had too many bad experiences with loss and doesn't want to go through it again.

Todd and Mary Ann do manage to get him to agree, and it's events after this that are the real heart of this story.

The Characters
Jake is a big, older, very well-trained black Lab who just comes and goes as he pleases. Tucker was the dog who died while McCray was in Vietnam. Good Charlie is the dog in Vietnam who saved McCray's life. Ruthie is a pregnant dachshund.

George McCray is a fourth generation farmer in Kansas and not a fast thinker. He's happy with his life, although he's got some trauma leftover from Vietnam. Mary Ann McCray is his wife, and she teaches English at the high school. Twenty-year-old Todd is the youngest of their five kids and he's mentally disabled. And I just love the McCrays' approach with Todd. It's just so perfect that I want to cry.

"...the Midwest testing site for the Todd Paint Company."

Hannah is their daughter and recently divorced with no children. Jonathan is the oldest, a finish carpenter married to his high school sweetheart, with three boys. Ryan is the second oldest with a quiet nature. Thomas is the third oldest and just as cheeky as the rest.

Hayley Donaldson is in charge at the Cherokee County Animal Shelter. Hank is their 80-year-old neighbor who works a dairy farm; Jean is his wife.

Brenda Lewis is a newscaster for Channel 5.

The Cover
The cover is very heartwarming with a big red barn with outbuildings all lit up with bright orange-yellow lights surrounded by naked trees and a fir and snow piled everywhere. That time of day when it's turning to night and the sky is that pretty bluish purple. Front and in our face is Christmas himself with his head cocked and a questioning look on the black Lab's face. I liked the vertical trim of snowflakes going up the sides.

The title is all about A Dog Named Christmas and the changes he incites.
3379448
This is a light weight little Christmas story.  That doesn't mean it's not good, because it truly is a sweet, fun and really nice little story for this holiday season.

When Riley Stetson sets out to visit her besty Claire in  Shifter grove she didn't plan on a mid winter swim in the lake during a blizzard unfortunately sometimes mother nature has other ideas.  a car leaving the road and sliding down a cliff into a frozen lake was definitely not something Blitz Frost ever expected to see happen, but there it was.  Disturbing his alone time as his alter self a reindeer.

But he can't let the person in the car die when it breaks through the ice.  Thus he grabs on very luck Riley just as the car starts to submerge.  That however, is not the least of the complications for Blitz.  Not only does mother nature have havoc on her menu so does mother fate as she presents Blitz with his true mate in the form of one Riley Stetson.  It makes for some really interesting Christmas Magic.

I think you will really like it.
4211834
Excellent !  A very Train take on Christmas. I have a feeling I will be listening to this long after Christmas is over.
248333
Love this DVD. Great to put you in the Christmas spirit. If you want to feel warm and snuggled at home or anywhere, this is the DVD for you.
3100549
I love this! The popping of the fire was so realistic we could almost feel the heat! I really like that you can have with or without the music if you desire!! The choice of Christmas music was again perfect!!
823071
These carols by Mr. Burt with Ms. Hutson, truly define Christmas, both in a religious way as well as in a nostalgic way. What adds to this is the sound of the Columbia Choir with the Ralph Carmichael Ensemble. The bonus track, #13, is an instrumental medley of all the preceding tracks. What an ending to a special CD. This is truly a warm Christmas trip worth taking!
2592809
Very good story, and it was wonderful how they presented a really good Christmas story that did not make fun of Christianity.  It was brought to the forefront in the right way.
2997892
A smooth voice, smooth soul and a smooth Christmas. Fortunately these are not dirge like holiday tunes but a mix of upbeat and soulful tunes to light any Christmas fire. Too bad there aren't more than 10 tunes on here as you could light a fire, pour a glass of wine and listen to Al Green sing all night. Not sure why I waited so long to get this to add to my canon of 1200 Xmas tunes. It's a soulful Christmas and Al leading the pack.
4558928
I'm a "Christmasy" kind of guy, and Mr. Christmas fits the mood of the season for me.  We have it setting on the fireplace mantle and, off and on everyday, we open a door and hear soft Christmas songs. We have the rest of the season to enjoy it;; it's a very nice addition to our Christmas Holiday.
4873474
I love this Christmas album, a great take on some old songs. This is a very talented group of people with other options if you're not into Christmas quite yet. Even if that's the case, do yourself a favor and listen to "Mary Did You Know."
428866
This is one of my favorite Halmark Christmas Movie.  There are no bad guys just caring people and fuzzy warm moments we all get to live vicariously in through this movie.  Love the female lead's Dad and Mom in this.  Ed Asner was a treat to watch.  The male lead is easy on the eyes and a hero in heart and deed
4733165
This lovely Christmas read about family and love and togetherness brings all the good bits of the festive season into a warm hug of a tale.

I liked Nicki. Shes a woman who dreamed big and continued to try, even when her dreams didn't turn out anything like shed hoped. Shes tired of failing, but still tries with all her heart at whatever tasks she sets for herself. I loved how she wanted to fix things for Atlas and Quincy, falling for them both but truly only wanting them to find each other. Shes kind and caring and bright and bubbly and the complete opposite of Quincy, but I really enjoyed how she coaxed both Quincy and Atlas out of their shells and drew them together.

Quincy is very different to Nicki. Hes a man who likes things a certain way, hates change and isn't fond of crowds or meeting new people. In fact, most of the time he prefers not to leave the house, but despite his gruff, taciturn demeanor, the fact that hes moved house and tries so hard for Atlas sake, even when he doesnt know what to do with the boy, speaks volumes. Hes a man of action rather than words and I loved seeing him slowly open up his heart to both Atlas and Nicki in this book. The progress is sometimes slow, but hes a really good man beneath all his gruffness and the way he sees Nicki for who she really is was lovely.

Then theres also adorable, quiet Atlas and fun, friendly Pops, not to mention all the charm of Marietta at Christmas time. The whole thing is irresistible with a romance that grows steadily throughout and characters that completely won my heart. Throw in the advent calendar and you're left with a delightful Christmas read thats packed with warmth and feelings of goodness. Definitely one of my favorite winter reads so far this year.

(ARC provided by the publisher via NetGalley)
2945922
This is a very pleasant jazz album, with around 50% recognizable Christmas songs. It makes a nice variety during the holiday season.

I have to give a real shout-out to this version of "Baby, It's Cold Outside". Many of the covers of this song seem rather predatory... but combining a female singer and a saxophone (for the male part) works really well! The singer's enjoyment is clear, especially in her scat singing.

This is a very musical, pleasant album to add to the holiday rotation.
306139
Great little warm and fuzzy family Christmas Story!
4516510
Pleasant Christmas time book all about sharing whatever you have with others. Left me with a warm, fuzzy feeling (just like those red mittens) making for an enjoyable read.

From this Thanksgiving to Christmastime I will only be reviewing Holiday books for your reading pleasure before drastically scaling back my reviews, so until such a time have a very, Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year!