Monday, December 3, 2018

Holidays Come to Cape Cod #GIVEAWAY

By Mac Almeida from Maddie Day's Cozy Capers Book Group Mysteries.

Hey, Happy December, all! We do up the holidays just right here on Cape Cod. My little town of Westham puts up lights and greenery and everything to make things look festive despite the really short days of the season.

The bookstore, of course, creates a Christmas tree out of books with red and green covers in the front window. My friend Gin's candy store, Salty Taffy's, features candy canes big and small, plus red and white peppermint salt water taffy.

My boyfriend Tim bakes stollen and challah and all kinds of other festive breads, and offers a pull-apart Christmas tree made out of pizza dough.



City hall has a person-sized menorah in the gazebo that they light for every day of Hannukah.

Picture credit Joan Steinberg

 But the most fun are the decorated boats in the harbor for the marine Santa Parade!

Picture from Cape Cod Chamber of Commerce

Everybody turns out to see the pretty lights reflected in the dark water. Santa and his wife bring up the rear in the fireboat, and then light the tree on land.

What are your favorite holiday traditions or foods? For our Seasons Readings #giveway my author will give away a signed copy of her new Murder on Cape Cod, which releases December 18 - but you'll have to wait a couple of weeks until her box of books comes in.

Maddie Day creates the Country Store Mysteries and the Cozy Capers Book Group Mysteries. As Edith Maxwell, this Macavity- and Agatha-nominated author writes the Quaker Midwife Mysteries, the Local Foods Mysteries, and award-winning short crime fiction.

Maxwell is President of Sisters in Crime New England. She lives north of Boston with her beau and two cats, and blogs here and with the other Wicked Cozy Authors. You can find her on Facebook, twitter, Pinterest, and at her web site, edithmaxwell.com.
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72 comments:

  1. DebDecember 3, 2018 at 6:02 AM

    It must be so magical in your town at Christmas! The boat parade would be something to not miss!
    I love baking at Christmas. It just seems right, doesn't it?
    Thank you for giving away your new book! I have been waiting for it!
    [email protected]

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    Replies
    1. Edith MaxwellDecember 3, 2018 at 6:16 AM

      I love baking, too, Deb.

      Delete
  • Lily GillDecember 3, 2018 at 6:26 AM

    This sounds wonderful. Our family traditions seem to be around our tree.. we don't put traditional ornaments in it because of our cats, they think the tree is their new place to climb and sleep. I put Disney stuffed animals in the tree as ornaments. 😊 Thanks for the chance.
    lilyanngill56(at)gmail(dot)com

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    Replies
    1. Edith MaxwellDecember 3, 2018 at 6:30 AM

      Sounds like a great solution, Lily.

      Delete
  • SandyGDecember 3, 2018 at 8:30 AM

    I like potato pancakes. Making them for dinner tonight.
    sgiden at verizon(.)net

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  • Donna CaldwellDecember 3, 2018 at 8:36 AM

    I would love to read this book.

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  • Kay GarrettDecember 3, 2018 at 8:43 AM

    Since hubby and I both love to cook/bake, my favorite tradition of the holidays is making goodies from our kitchen for gifts instead of buying gifts. For one thing, then we only have to hit the crowds if and when we want to get out instead of looking for that special something for someone. By giving from our kitchen, something we love to do, I think it's a gift from the heart. Hey, look at it this way, they don't have to worry if it fits or worry with taking it back. And it's one gift that other's would love you to re-gift to them. :)

    A new tradition we started just a couple years ago was not to have the traditional big meal. Since it's just hubby and I and furbaby make three, we eat what hits us as "wouldn't that be great" that day. If the weather is nice and warm, hubby may grill us a steak or we might fix a small meal if neither of us want anything big like fixing sandwiches with chips and dip. The one thing I know we won't do is eat out. Living in a small town there are very limited places to eat. The last time we tried that we were on a waiting list for two hours and honestly the meal wasn't that grand.

    Thank you for the fabulous chance to win a copy of "Murder on Cape Cod"! Definitely on my TBR list and can't wait for the opportunity to read it.
    2clowns at arkansas dot net

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  • Joan Hi.December 3, 2018 at 8:53 AM

    Don't do traditions anymore...all the grand kids are grown, but used to decorate the tree the day after Thanksgiving every year, and then bake cookies....lots of cookies joanie13b(at)gmail(dot)com

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  • KuzlinDecember 3, 2018 at 8:57 AM

    We love to go through the nearby neighborhoods on Christmas Eve to see all the lights and decorations. Kuzlin(at)aol(dot)com

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  • KimDecember 3, 2018 at 9:31 AM

    I think my favorite holiday food is Gingerbread French Toast Casserole. I only make it once maybe twice a year, in the month of November and December.
    kvmatlock (at) gmail (dot) com

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  • Autumn TrapaniDecember 3, 2018 at 9:38 AM

    My favorite holiday food is eggnog.Also marzipan in the shape of fruits. Thanks for the opportunity to win, and Merry Christmas! aut1063(at)gmail(dot)com

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  • AmyDecember 3, 2018 at 9:42 AM

    Fond memories of making and decorating Chanukah cookies, singing songs, and playing dreidel--all watching the menorah candles burn after saying our prayers. Thank you for the chance to win a copy of Murder on Cape Cod and Happy Holidays to you and yours!
    salvatoresmom71(at)yahoo(dot)com

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  • Kathleen KendlerDecember 3, 2018 at 9:53 AM

    I like to see the decorated houses throughout town.
    kckendler at gmail dot com

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  • travelerDecember 3, 2018 at 10:48 AM

    Our traditions are having the little ones over and lighting the menorah together, playing dreidel games with gelt, eating latkes and apple cake and then giving out the gifts. Thanks for your lovely feature and giveaway.saubleb(at)gmail(dot)com

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  • NicoleDecember 3, 2018 at 10:49 AM

    Hi Mac! Your town looks lovely! At Christmas I love to bake shortbread cookies. I'm going to have to find a recipe for your pizza bread, I'm drooling over the picture. :-)
    Nicole ([email protected])

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  • Dawn MooreDecember 3, 2018 at 10:50 AM

    We have Jesus’ Birthday Cake in the morning for breakfast - so we start out the day with the focus on the babe in the manger! The girls help choose what flavor and type of cake and then help Nana make it the afternoon before!

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  • Kara MarksDecember 3, 2018 at 10:59 AM

    My favorite tradition is that I buy the grandsons Christmas jammies every year late in November/early December, so that they can wear them all month. I try to get matching, or at least coordinating, and it makes for great photos Christmas am.

    [email protected]

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  • petiteDecember 3, 2018 at 11:04 AM

    My favorite holiday food is latkes, applesauce, marble cake and for the main enjoyment roasted chicken with roasted veggies. When the family is over we tell stories and play games with the new games but giving the kids their gifts is the best. elliotbencan(at)hotmail(dot)com

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  • Taylor R. WilliamsDecember 3, 2018 at 11:12 AM

    I'd have to say the huge variety of cookies

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  • Judy TuckerDecember 3, 2018 at 11:17 AM

    Wish I had time to bake lots of goodies

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  • UnknownDecember 3, 2018 at 11:32 AM

    I make hundred of cookies and give them out to neighbors and local offices around town that i frequent - police department, dentist, starbucks, post office.
    robsnest60 {at} yahoo {dot} com

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  • SueDecember 3, 2018 at 11:55 AM

    Our biggest tradition is putting up the tree on the day after Thanksgiving---then taking all weekend to decorate.
    [email protected]

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  • Nancy SchwenknerDecember 3, 2018 at 12:32 PM

    My Mom always made Swedish Tea Ring. Yum!!

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  • Dianne CaseyDecember 3, 2018 at 12:49 PM

    Happy Holidays! One of our traditions is getting together and decorating the tree. It looks so pretty when the house is decorated for Christmas and puts us in the Christmas spirit.
    diannekc8(at)gmail(dot)com

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  • Cuddle Up with a Cozy Mystery and a DachshundDecember 3, 2018 at 1:37 PM

    I love the tree and manger scene traditions, and Santa of course when my daughter was little. Thankfully there was no elf on the shelf back then! LOL Tari H. barbie17(at)gmail(d0t)com

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  • Lynn HallsonDecember 3, 2018 at 1:41 PM

    Thanks for the giveaway. Try to make my mom’s whipped shortbread for Christmas. Happy Holidays.

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  • Mary Lynette MillerDecember 3, 2018 at 2:04 PM

    We have been getting together with my hubby's siblings on Christmas eve for many years for food, of course, and gift exchange (lady/man gifts). Started out with Grandma & grandpas grand kids, now there are great, great grandkids. Where did the time go? Thanks for the chance to win! nettiem(at)toledotel(dot)com

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  • Lori B.December 3, 2018 at 2:26 PM

    Happy Holidays! The lights look great! Thanks for a chance to win. I love looking at the lights in the neighborhoods at Christmas. [email protected]

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  • Kay BennettDecember 3, 2018 at 2:35 PM

    That all sounds so wonderful. We had so many traditions growing up. One I loved was opening one present on Christmas Eve. Now that we are all adults and do not get as many gifts, that one is gone. We still always have our Advent calendars and sometimes even still give gifts for St Nicholas day. I love the holidays so much. Thanks for a chance to win this one!! I am so excited about this series. kayt18 (at) comcast (dot) net

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  • Robin CoxonDecember 3, 2018 at 2:45 PM

    I find the magic in Christmas is in whatever you make it. Our Christmas morning is low keyed since our children are adults now. Whenever we all are up and have had a cup or two of coffee, we open our gifts then. Since both sets of grandparents have passed on, we have our usual eating schedule. Sometime later in the day we like to take a ride and see all the lights in the neighborhoods around us. I know this series will be as wonderful as your midwife series. Can't wait to get my copy. robeader53(at)yahoo(dot)com

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  • Sharon BraswellDecember 3, 2018 at 4:05 PM

    Cape Cod sounds both festive and delightful! Can't wait to read more about it! Our family usually gets together for rides through parks, towns, and local homes that are known for their Christmas decorations and lights. Some places even offer hot chocolate and cookies, so we have a lot of fun amid the oohing and awing. We are all about the goodies at Christmas , but we do have the traditional dinner as well. Some of our favorites are, Millionaire Fudge, Date Nut Balls, Martha Washington Candy,home made Reese Cup Balls, cakes and pies and oh my!! My favorite cakes are Italian Cream and Seven Layer Chocolate!! Merry Christmas and thank you!! [email protected]

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  • UnknownDecember 3, 2018 at 4:16 PM

    We spend Christmas Eve day making treats for Santa (& ourselves).
    turtle6422 at gmail dot com

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Jana Leah BDecember 3, 2018 at 4:19 PM

      Sorry that comment was from me. Not sure what I did wrong there.
      turtle6422 at gmail dot com

      Delete

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