December 2022 Newsletter

November Reflections Last month was an exciting time at the bookshop! On Nov. 9, I welcomed folks to “A Grand Bookish Christmas,” which served as the bookshop’s official grand opening & Christmas open house day.

Thank you to all who came out and supported! I enjoyed visiting with you, giving you the first look at new Christmas books & merchandise, holding our first drawings for a bookshop gift basket & gift certificate, and sharing refreshments with you. What a fun day! So many of you spoke encouraging words and offered your prayers for me & my business, and I am truly touched by this support & thoughtfulness. I thank God for this sweet, special community of ours! I want to return this kindness as often as I can, so I planned a few simple thank you moments for November. These included offering a 10% discount to our veterans & active military throughout the month and sharing hot apple cider & maple cookies with customers during Thanksgiving week. The bookshop was closed Thanksgiving Day; we celebrated with family and praised God for His many blessings. I hope you enjoyed the holiday with your loved ones and took time to thank God for His work in your own life. At the end of the month, the bookshop held its first sale for Black Friday and Small Business Saturday, and we said a final goodbye to Fall. Now, we’re in full Christmas mode!

Book of the Month Every month, I intend to highlight one book as the bookshop’s Book of the Month. For October, it was The Prayer Box by Lisa Wingate. In November, the focus was on Growing S low by Jennifer Dukes Lee. I’m so glad that several of you let me know that you enjoyed these two great books.

For December, I’m highlighting Christmas Jars by Jason F. Wright. This N ew York Times bestseller has sold nearly 1,000,000 copies across all formats, and a movie based on the book was released in 2019. In this fictional novella, we meet Hope Jensen, an aspiring journalist who sets out to discover the secret behind the money-filled glass jars that are being left anonymously on doorsteps for folks in need. When her investigation leads her to the truth, what will she decide to do with it? It’s an easy, heartwarming read about love, forgiveness, & compassion; a perfect combination for the busy yet meaningful Christmas season. And it’s impact doesn’t end on the page; this story has prompted many to start their own Christmas jar tradition. I hope you’ll join me in reading this book!

New in the Bookshop

DaySpring stationary - garden flags - decorative kitchen towels - 2023 calendars -undated planners - a variety of new books - Christian t-shirts, caps, & jewelry

Book Trivia A book makes a great Christmas gift; it’s the gift you can open again and again! In fact, did you know that in Iceland it is customary to exchange books on Christmas Eve? Booksellers there call it jólabókaflóð (pronounced yo-la-bok-a-flot) or the “Christmas book flood.”

Looking Ahead As you plan for Christmas, I hope you’ll drop by the bookshop in your hunt to find those perfect gifts for friends & family. We have Christian books, Bibles, devotionals, children’s books, Bible studies, fiction & nonfiction books, and bookish accessories. Additionally, we carry greeting cards & stationary, calendars & planners, journals, garden flags, caps, t-shirts & jewelry, and home decor items. There’s something for everyone in the bookshop!

The bookshop will be open on Christmas Eve, and I hope you’ll stop by that Saturday and join us for hot chocolate & candy canes. If you need a last minute gift or stocking stuffer, you can grab it while you’re here!