Deck The Halls with Holiday Stories

Two years ago, my mother the librarian decided that it would be "fun" to give me a stack of Christmas themed books for Christmas. But, because she has access to the donation box, the book sale, and library discards, last year the "stack" became a "box" and this year the box came before Christmas. End result: I now have a collection of over 30 holiday books spanning all genres of romance.

I'm making it a mini-tradition to get out my holiday books on Dec. 1, decorate for Christmas and settle in for a month of holiday reads. But, since undertaking this immersion in red and green books, I've discovered something important: Not all holiday stories are created equal.

So let's take a look at who's been naughty, who's been nice, and how your holiday book can hit Santa's best seller list. (All examples are taken from actual stories in my collection, but I'm giving the naughty stories the gift of anonymity. You can give the nice stories as a gift by clicking the link to Amazon).

Naughty: Just stick a holiday theme in an otherwise okay story.

The holiday details should feel real, and the plot should feel natural, not contrived.

Bad example #1: Non-seasonal mainstory. Gratitous Holiday epilogue. Feels forced, like a bad editorial/agent suggestion to sell the story.

Bad example #2: Plot has absolutely no tie to the holiday, and in fact, feels like it should be set around Valentine's day. Christmas seems stuck in, and forces the characters to act in ways they otherwise wouldn't.

Think about how your characters would relate to the holiday. Give them a motivation for their actions--don't just randomly seperate them from the their family or give them scads of extra time--why isn't he/she wrapping/shopping/baking/attending parties? If the holiday only appears in the Prologue/Epilogue--why? Make it significant in some way.
Nice: Use the holiday as the jumping off point for your story.

A great example of this is "The Two Marys" by Katherine Hall Page in "Mistletoe and Mayhem"--the holiday has to do with why the MC is in the setting and has a bit to do with the plot, but the plot is orginal and inventive. Likewise, Suzanne Brockmann's "It came upon a Midnight Clear," uses the holidays as a plot point, and a nice framing device, but the meat of the story stands alone. The "Behind The Red Doors" collection is another example where the holidays play a role, but the stories have depth beyond a holiday theme.

Naughty: Recycle the same tired themes.

Baby on doorstep Christmas morning? Yawn. Stranded by snow? Snooze. Hero as Scrooge? Returning to hometown? Rags to Riches? Done. Done. Done.

Bad example #3: MC have just met. They hate each other on site. She's scrooge, he's the Grinch. Stranded by snow. She gets wet/cold. Hero has to warm her up. Cue mad passionate love and declaration of everlasting love and devotion 24 hours later.

Bad example #4: MC have just met. He's scrooge, she's tiny tim. He's about to crush her financially. The holiday spirit (and no other motivation) moves him to offer her help, she's showered with money/gifts, all financial problems solved, he's a better person, she's able to keep doing good works with all his money.

Nice: Put a new spin on old themes.

Baby on the doorstep? Cliche when your young, sexy MC discovers the baby, gets help from the other MC, and everyone has a happy Christmas. But what if the baby is left in a barn with a bunch of goats? And the baby is discovered by a 47 year old virgin? And the baby's actual mother is a complex character with a mystery of her own? This spin works beautifully in "The Two Marys."

Trapped together in the snow? Return to Hometown? Both are cliche, but "Baby It's Cold Outside" by Donna Kauffmann in "Jingle Bell Rock," works for several reasons: the characters have a convincing backstory--their sexual tension is created by more than just circumstances, and the story keeps moving fast with great little details that set the story apart.

Home for the holiday? Fall in love with old friend? Cliche, but "Mistletoe and Holly"by Liz Ireland in "This Christmas," puts a fun spin on an old theme--MC returns home but nothing's as it is every other year--this juxtaposition really makes the story. Backstory puts a neat spin on the old friend theme, and the characters make this one a winner.

Bottom line: If you're going to use a cliche, everything else has to be fresh--put unexpected characters in the situation, give them unique motivation for being there, make the characters so compelling that the reader doesn't notice the cliche.

Naughty: Suspend Reality on account of the holiday.

Less than 24 hours from first meeting to happily ever-after, complete with proposal/wedding? Not going to fit that under most trees. Gaping plot holes explained with "holiday magic"? Holiday cheer can do wonderful things, but it can't: catch a bad guy, produce a baby out of thin air for your MC to discover, transform your MC into a completely different person.

Nice: Use holiday magic in unexpected ways.

"The Secret Life of Mrs. Claus" by Carly Alexander is the best example of this. The holiday magic is in the Mrs. Claus costume which makes each wearer lucky. What makes this work is: the heroine/hero pairing is one that would have worked without the magic, the characters still make choices/actions on their own, and the characters act in consistent ways. The reader is willing to believe that holiday magic helped bring two people together because you believe that they belong together--instead of believing that holiday magic made them belong to each other.

If you're going to use a little magic, go all out. "The Twelve Frogs of Christmas" by Judi McCoy in "Mistletoe and Mayhem" is another believable pairing, and the heroine/hero have enough of a backstory to add realism, but the frogs are just pure fun--the perfect kind of holiday magic.

I love how Susan Donovan gives a fabulous spin on the 24-hours to love tale in "Turning Up the Heat," in "Jingle Bell Rock"--you get magic and realism in a two-for-one special.

Naughty: Drink too much eggnog before sitting down to write.

NYT Bestsellers, Santa's looking straight at YOU. If your readers have come to expect edgy, fast-paced, well-plotted books from you, don't bake cookies instead of editing your entry.

Bad Example #5: NYT Bestseller. Known for fast-paced, complex plots. Christmas story is loaded with info-dumping, poor character development, and predictable plot.

Bad Example #6 NYT Bestseller. Known for compelling stories and intriguing plots. Christmas story is almost entirely backstory.

Bad Example #7 NYT Bestseller. Known for fun chick-lit voice. Christmas story: Tense problems are so bad, story is almost unreadable by a reader who's loved her other works. Voice keeps changing.

Nice: Put as much effort into a holiday story as you would any other piece of work with your name on it.

There are several authors whom I won't read after reading their holiday stories, but several others who's backlist I can't wait to explore. Don't assume that your readers will forgive you, or that the holiday wrapping forgives your mistakes.

Kudos to Lori Foster in "He Sees You When You're Sleeping" in "Jingle Bell Rock" for giving readers a classic Lori Foster tale--rich characters, alpha male, great banter, hot love scenes.

"Out on a Limb" in "Mistletoe and Mayhem" by Christie Ridgway has me chomping at the bit to read more of this bestseller--I discovered her in this book, and wow--what a find. Great characters, excellent dialog and an inventive plot.
Naughty or Nice? Do you like holiday stories? What's your favorite holiday book? Have you been disapointed by holiday books by your favorite author(s)? Have you ever written a holiday story? Any plans to do so? What do you think makes a great holiday story?