Fiction Vixen is pleased to welcome author Carolyn Crane today.
Happy Holidays, everybody!! I hope you’re enjoying yourselves and not too stressed out. And Fiction Vixen gang, thanks SO much for having me over today!!
As you see, I’m breaking out the eggnog and there are plenty exclamation points to go around!! Ho ho ho!!!
Ahem. I have photos to share! The first is a favorite of mine. Not so much a favorite of the rest of the family. You have to guess which of the three sisters is me.
If I recall, I didn’t want my picture taken with Santa that year. I felt I was too old, and then proceeded to demonstrate just what a mature young lady I was. I have a vivid memory of this whole scene. Especially Santa’s strangely shiny hair. Also, I would kill to have that outfit again!
Here is my family. My mom was a third grade teacher and an amazing seamstress (and knitter), and she would make all kinds of outfits for us, often matching like this. I remember these skirts were really satiny and made noise when you walked and I have no doubt I teased my sisters mercilessly about their ties. Those little pins my mom and my sister are wearing were crocheted by Mom. I don’t know quite how she did it all. Recently Mom confessed that she found Christmas horribly stressful because it is “a mother’s holiday,” meaning the mother has to do everything. Both my younger sisters have kids now and they seemed to agree. I have no kids and even I find Christmas greatly stressful.
Fast forward. Here is Mr. Crane with our Christmas tree last year. Why, you may wonder, is he wearing a plastic bag over one of his hands and why does he hold a bottle of habanero Tabasco sauce in the other hand? And looking so annoyed? Because it’s the annual ritual of coating the bottom branches of the holiday tree with Tabasco sauce so that the cats don’t chew on it and get sick, of course! Because they totally chew on it otherwise. Or at least, our naughty orange boy does. I just love this picture though, because of the look on Mr. Crane’s face. Ah, kitties.
Hey, I hope everybody has a safe and wonderful holiday full of love and friends and yummy food—and good book full of yummy heroes!
Warmly,
Carolyn Crane
Carolyn Crane is the author of the Disillusionists trilogy and assorted novellas, and also writes erotic romance as Annika Martin. She lives in Minneapolis with her husband and two cats, and works a day job as a freelance writer. During rare moments when she’s not at her computer, she can be found reading in bed, running, or helping animals.
Visit Carolyn Crane:
Website :: Twitter :: Blog :: Facebook
Happy Holidays, everybody!! I hope you’re enjoying yourselves and not too stressed out. And Fiction Vixen gang, thanks SO much for having me over today!!
Everyone who comments and uses the Promo Simple widget below between Dec. 17 – Jan. 1 on blogcation posts will be entered to win a $50 gift card to the online book retailer of their choice. Come back every day! Open to all.
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Habanero Tabasco…even just for treating trees, your dad’s still gutsier than I’d be. Love the photos!
Thanks for sharing the photos. I love seeing all the girls in the matching skirts. Too precious.
Had not heard of using Tabasco sauce before. Will have to wait til next year now. Thanks for sharing your photos.
Carolyn–Did you lose your crocheted pin? I’m sure you had one, too, as the oldest. Those photos are great. Thanks for sharing. Merry Christmas.
Those photos are great. I love the matching skirts.
Great photos!
Ha! Nice ritual, never thought of that!
Those pictures were great. Thanks for sharing your family history with us. Your mother is totally right about Christmas being a “mother’s holiday” but in my opinion they all are — and since I’m Jewish and my husband is not, I get to do everything for ALL the holidays — from Passover to Christmas, from Easter to Rosh Hashanah. Lucky me!
Love the pics. My mom is a seamstress, too, and used to make clothes for us when we were kids.
Great pics!! Thanks for sharing!
Merry Christmas thank you for the great giveaway.
Love the pics!
Great idea of coating the branches with Tabasco sauce. I had never heard of this before (but I don’t generally bother with a tree because I don’t have children but do have 2 dogs & 2 cats, lol.
I have to tell my friend about the tobasco sauce. She was just complaining that she couldn’t get her cat out of her tree. It ‘s a great idea!
Thanks for sharing.
Loved the pictures of your family! Happy holidays.
mlawson17 at hotmail dot com
Lol, love the plaid ties!
Awesome pictures!
We put the “cat bait” ornaments on the bottom of the tree… that way, when the cats get frisky, they don’t make off with a nice or fancy ornaments. Only those ornaments that can take a beating get placed near the bottom. 
The Coating of the Tree makes me think of the Sriracha Christmas tree The Oatmeal has… http://theoatmeal.com/blog/christmas_tree
Great post! Too cute.
Thanks for sharing! I like the sewing and knitting myself.