Wednesday, December 6, 2017

Writing Wednesday: Do You Write about Holiday Traditions?

I've been reading holiday romances this month, some of which refer to family traditions. You know, the Feast of the Seven Fishes, or midnight Mass on Christmas Eve. Lighting the menorah. The seven nights of Hanukah, with dinner at a different relative's home each night. The White Elephant gift exchange. Secret Santa.  Sleigh Rides. The Holiday Stroll down a small town's Main Street, where the local shops have sidewalk booths and hand out cocoa and cookies. (My town actually does that last one so I know what it feels like in real life. That author didn't.)

The books "refer" to them, but don't write about them in detail.

Is that because the authors themselves don't partake in those traditions?

Is it fiction for the author, too?

Last Christmas season, one of my reads was by Peggy Jaeger, A KISS UNDER THE CHRISTMAS LIGHTS, where the family's holiday traditions include having a booth at the church Christmas fair. She wrote lovingly and in detail about the heroine participating in it - and she also wrote realistically, so the reader felt like they were at the fair too, with all the sights and smells and noise.

Which is better?

Personally, I go for the "show me" every time. I love Christmas and experiencing it vicariously through fiction is one of the reasons to READ Christmas stories in the first place. I missed my town's Christmas stroll this year because I had to work late and then when my husband finally got home from his trip to California he took me out for a late dinner in a neighboring town (their stroll isn't until this coming weekend.) But I've lived and worked at that stroll for the last eleven years. I could write about it.

A big holiday tradition in my family is traditional English Plum Pudding. The recipe came from England with my great, great, great grandmother in 1901. We still get together each year in the fall for a weekend of pudding making and antique shopping - and then each of us takes home the tied puddings to ferment until the holidays when we light them on fire and make wishes... Someday maybe I'll write about that in a story, but not sure anyone would believe it anyway...


What holiday traditions do you have? Would you write about them or have you already?

What makes a holiday story "real" to you?

Happy Writing to all, and Happy Holidays!



17 comments:

  1. So I have to tell you I cried a little when I read your reference!!! As an author - you know this, too! - we want our readers to experience, to feel, to SEE what we are writing almost as if they are watching a movie. I agree with you that too many times I question if the author really did what they wrote about . i.e. they write about shooting a gun but they have no idea of what the recoil feels like or how loud it is. I agree with you, also, that I like the "show Me" how it feels, smells, looks.
    As always, my dear, your posts get me thinking!!! Love it. Happy Holidays.

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    1. Oh, Peggy, didn't mean to make you tear up! But in all honesty, you did an excellent job of "making it real" for me, not some rose-colored version of what a Christmas fair "should" be. And I loved that book and that loud, messy, loving family and their holiday traditions.

      Happy Holiday!

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  2. I'm at a distinct disadvantage here, since I'm Jewish and don't participate in Christmas traditions (obviously), although it's a lovely time of year. Therefore, I don't write Christmas books, because as you say, if it's not authentic, it really doesn't work IMO. Some of the books I write have Jewish characters and I may write one that incorporates Chanukah traditions (making fried oreos is one of my favorites) at some point, although I'm not sure.

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    1. You should do it! I just read a fabulous ARC with a Muslim heroine who dates both a Jewish boy and a Christian boy, with first person POV seeing the different traditions through her eyes. It was really interesting and well done (still need to write review...)

      I apologize for making the post itself Christmas-centric. I started off meaning it to be holidays in general, but got caught up in it all.

      Happy Chanukah, Jennifer!

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    2. Jennifer, I just went back and updated the post a bit because you're right - not everyone celebrates Christmas. Thanks for calling me out on it. :-)

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  3. Katie you should definitely put the plum pudding tradition in a story. When I was young we lived in a small French town & the only other foreigners were an English family. We traded holidays--Halloween and Guy Fawkes Day, 4th of July & an English Christmas. Still my favorite.

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    1. That's great that you have those memories! I've found that the only people who "like" plum pudding are the ones who grew up with it. Luckily my husband's dad was an Irish immigrant and my neighbor grew up in Manchester so we've got a lot of plum pudding eaters around here.
      Happy Holidays!

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  4. Excellent point. I like to infuse some of my holiday traditions in the books I write, and I enjoy reading about other people's traditions. Great post!

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    1. I love reading about traditions - when they feel real, like I said earlier.

      Happy Holidays, Alicia!

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  5. You make some great points, Katie. Nice shout out to Peggy...and well deserved. I love Christmas romance stories.

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    1. Thanks! I'm a huge fan of Peggy's writing.

      Happy Holiday Season!

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  6. I'm totally with Peg...it's all about what we as authors evoke in our readers !!! Great post, KatieO xoxo

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  7. Great post as always Katie! I haven't written about holiday traditions...yet. I do enjoy a good story set around the holidays: it seems like the opportunity to evoke some poignant emotions!

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    1. Emotions indeed. And don't get me wrong - all these holiday stories are full of strong emotions and holiday expectations and great family drama - those are all great reasons to set a story around holiday time. My issue was if you're going to use a "tradition" you damn well better know all about it. The word "tradition" evokes some kind of tribal knowledge and if you're faking it, it tends to be obvious.

      But the emotions are all there.

      Happy Holidays, Claire!

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  8. One of the reasons people get so wrapped up in it all is because of their individual traditions. Those traditions make the holiday "right" and when they are missing, we feel like the holiday is "not right." Growing up we had a lot of them...it was Christmas until my grandmother came to visit and stay with us. On Christmas eve we always got to open one present. It was always some bit of clothing to wear to Midnight Mass, or pajamas for after. There was always a Whitman's Sampler under the tree, and my mother always got the first chocolate from that box. I've had to build my own traditions as my kids grow up, and now as a single mom again. One of the "traditions" is to hit the town's parade. Held at 5 p.m. on the second Saturday of the month, it is a wonder to behold. I'm in Colorado, so it is always cold, although sometimes "cold" only means in the 40's. Our first year in this town, it was 10 degrees that night with snow on the ground. We wore our snow suits! And on Christmas day there is a tradition of nothing but Christmas music, no television or Internet/computer. We enjoy each other's company, eat delicious foods, read books, and take naps. It is the only day of the year with guaranteed down time. Except for me, I'm cooking! Happy Holidays, Katie!

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