Monday 5 October 2015

A Jane Austen Christmas By Carlo Devito Paperback Giveaway!!

With just 80 Days until Christmas, what a lovely way to get into the mood with a new book entitled  'A Jane Austen Christmas.' by Carlo Devito

If like me, you love the Christmas season and would like to know what a Christmas in the late Georgian era entailed  or how Jane may have spent her Christmases then this book may be just what you're looking for.
Unfortunately I will be unable to get a real fire place installed in time for the Yule Log tradition, however I will endeavour in my own way to bring the spirit of an Austen Christmas to my home this year, maybe starting with the 'Prince of Wales Punch'!

Blurb:

Filled with the remarkable wit and insight of one of the world's most cherished authors, A Jane Austen Christmas gives readers insight into Austen's life through little-known stories about how she and her family celebrated the treasured holiday season,

Excerpt

Being a family contented to stay within their own unit, one can only imagine the Austens honoring the traditions of the season. Jane and Cassandra had by now brought in the usual greenery. A seemingly conservative family, the Austens might have followed the tradition of the Yule log, which was still very much in the fashion those days.
“A great blazing fire was the centerpiece of a family Christmas. The Yule log was chosen on Christmas Eve. It was wrapped in hazel twigs and dragged home, to burn in the fireplace as long as possible through the Christmas season. The tradition was to keep back a piece of the Yule log to light the following year’s Yule log,” wrote historian Ben Johnson. - Carlo Devito


Prince of Wales Punch 

Three bottles of Champagne, two of Madeira, one of Hock, 
one of Curacao, one quart of Brandy, one pint of Rum, 
and two bottles of seltzer water, flavored with four pounds 
of bloom raisins, Seville oranges, lemons, white sugar candy 
and diluted with iced green tea instead of water.


Giveaway Time!!!!

What's your favourite Christmas festivity?
Leave a comment to be entered into the giveaway!

The Giveaway is open internationally!! 
1 x paperback  
Courtesy of Cider Mills Press! The Winner will be announced on 12th October 2015.
(The Winner has 48hours to claim their prize before a new winner is selected)

Good luck Everyone!!!!

16 comments:

  1. I like the carol singing best

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    1. I love the carols however my singing is much to be desired lol good luck in the giveaway!

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  2. Baking Christmas cookies, cakes and pies is my favorite thing about the holiday. I love baking and with some soft carols in the background and a warm cardigan on. I roll up my sleeves and mix flour and sugar and butter together in such a way as to create a "masterpiece" that will take centerstage during the holidays. Or in other words will sit on the coffeetable alongside the tree and cups of hot chocolate ;-)

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    1. Oh, forgot to mention: the book seems wonderful so please count me in!

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    2. Wow Kirsten after reading that I felt like it was Christmas already, Christmas sounds great at your house. You make me want to put in more effort :) good luck in the giveaway!

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  3. I love the idea of a book that focuses on Christmases for Jane Austen. So neat!

    Hmmm, I don't have any one activity that I like more than the others- family dinners, baking, writing cards, decorating, and definitely holiday reads.

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    1. Yes holiday reads indeed Sophia Rose! And now I think about it getting books for presents is as exciting as getting toys ;) good luck

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  4. I love the holiday baking of special breads and an egg casserole that is prepared ahead of time so that all can sit together and have a special Christmas morning breakfast. This tradition is treasured by my adult children. Thank you for the giveaway. I look forward to reading about a Jane Austen Christmas.

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    1. How lovely our Christmas breakfast tradition is strawberries and cream and coconut & Madeira cake :) good luck in the giveaway!

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  5. For me it is having my family get together. I have a daughter on the west coast (WA) so they only fly home at Christmas time and even tho' I fly out to visit them in the summer the whole family is not together. So we usually have Christmas Eve together as the other two children have small children of their own and want to have Christmas Day in their own homes...and I did the same when my children were small. I am looking forward to more than one Christmas JAFF story as we near the season.

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    1. Yes Sheila I hear you, we had to start having our Christmases at home as we spent half the time travelling and although it is lovely to see family it's hard on the kids not getting to play with their toys, have a great Christmas and good luck!

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  6. We have a tradition that started almost 23 years ago when our son was born. When my husband got home in the wee small hours of November 30th, he couldn't sleep and so decided to put our Christmas tree up for us to come home to. Can't have a real one for various reasons. Our little baby was fascinated by the coloured lights that year. Ever since then, the tree has gone up every November 30th and the lights arranged on it. The est of the decorations have been added over the course of about a week. It used to be a treat for our son to put a few more decorations on when he came from school. We still do it, even though he left home four years ago!

    A tradition that I started only last year is the reading of Jane Odiwe's Mr Darcy's Christmas Calendar. I read it at a chapter a day right up until Christmas. Not sure I'll be so disciplined in the future!

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    1. Hello Angela, I'm loving all these Christmas traditions, your one reminds me of a book I have the Christmas tree that stayed up until next Christmas! So magical and the Christmas calendar idea of yours sounds great I will try that (another excuse to buy something JAFF related) lol good luck!

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  7. I love all the Christmas lights! Candles in the windows, and lights on the fir trees – they light up the longest nights of the year :).

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    1. I love lights, especially candles they have a calming feel to them. I like it when the sun sparkles on the snow too. Goodluck in the giveaway

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Thank you! Your comments are always welcome