"Santa's Best Friend, Rovan" is an extraordinary tale of loss, love, rejection, and heroism from the affection and loyalty of Rovan, the Italian sheep dog. Although little is known about him, Rovan is a true hero up at the North Pole. Learn about how this brave dog meets Santa and becomes an integral part of the Claus household. Find out about the love that develops between Santa and Rovan, and how misunderstandings and assumptions nearly cause their permanent separation from one another. Applaud when Rovan is able to prove his worth and his ability to adapt through his unselfish devotion and courage. Children who listen to or read this story will not only get a glimpse into Santa Claus's life during the off-season, but will also learn a lesson about the inherent dangers of prejudging and stereotyping others who are different from them. This is a must-read for all children and will surely expand their joy and understanding of what Santa Claus brings to the Christmas season.

The perfect festive romance to curl up with... Can a Christmas escape mend a broken heart? When Alex Munro learns that the love of her life is getting married to another woman, all she wants to do is get as far away from her hometown as possible. So she moves to a cosy Cornish cottage, which seems to come complete with the world's scruffiest dog. She also finds that the whole village is determined to get her involved in the holiday festivities despite her wanting to be alone. But when she meets handsome neighbour Ruan, Alex realises she doesn't want to spend Christmas by herself after all. Although, after being left heartbroken by his ex-fiancée, Ruan has no intention of letting anyone get close to him again... A fun, festive romantic comedy to curl up with this winter. If you love Jenny Colgan, Josie Silver and Veronica Henry, you'll love this heartwarming Christmas read.

Living the Season Well is a down-to-earth volume that encompasses the arc of Advent, Christmas, and Epiphany, introducing a new frame of mind about approaching the holidays. Readers will find practical wisdom and ways to reimagine the celebrations and reclaim the joy of Christmas. For those whose church background has not afforded them a knowledge of the Church Calendar, its feasts and practices, Living the Season Well also serves as an introduction to the holy days (holidays) with simple ways to adopt or adapt the traditions of Advent, Christmas and Epiphany. Included in this compact volume are family practices that will: *Bring readers and extended families closer to the heart of God *Infuse celebrations with the joy readers crave *Reveal the wisdom of living by the Church Calendar versus the 'calendar' of consumerism. *Promote a thankful attitude in by shifting the Christmas focus from gifts to God The Book will: *Outline the pattern of waiting for, celebrating and sharing Christ's birth *Provide specific examples of ideas for observing the entire Christmas season, including Epiphany *Provide resources and activities for children of all ages to inspire and replace current practices

The stories of the dogs belonging to America's presidents are presented in a historical study featuring period drawings and paintings, as well as contemporary photographs.

Inescapably romantic and brimming with New York Times bestselling author Emma Lord’s signature cheer, The Getaway List is an uplifting and romantic read that will settle into your heart and never leave. Most Anticipated by Goodreads * The Nerd Daily * B&N Reads, and more! An Amazon Best YA of the Month The day of her high school graduation, Riley realizes two things: One, that she has spent the last four years trying so hard to be a Good Kid for her mom that she has no idea who she really is anymore, and two, she has no idea what she wants because of it. The solution? Pack her bags and move to New York for the summer, where her childhood best friend Tom and co-creator of The Getaway List — a list of all the adventures they’ve wanted to do together since he moved away — will hopefully help her get in touch with her old adventurous self, and pave the road to a new future. Riley isn’t sure what to expect from Tom, who has been distant since his famous mom’s scriptwriting career pulled him away. But when Riley arrives in the city, their reconnection is as effortless as it was when they were young―except with one, unexpected complication that will pull Riley’s feelings in a direction she didn’t know they could take. As she, Tom, and their newfound friends work their way through the delightfully chaotic items on The Getaway List, Riley learns that sometimes the biggest adventure is not one you take, but one you feel in your heart.

Film plays a vital role in the celebration of Christmas. For decades, it has taught audiences about what the celebration of the season looks like – from the decorations to the costumes and to the expected snowy weather – as well as mirrors our own festivities back to us. Films like It’s a Wonderful Life and Home Alone have come to play key roles in real-life domestic celebrations: watching such titles has become, for many families, every bit as important as tree-trimming and leaving cookies out for Santa. These films have exported the American take on the holiday far and wide and helped us conjure an image of the perfect holiday. Rather than settling the ‘what is a Christmas film?’ debate – indeed, Die Hard and Lethal Weapon are discussed within – Analyzing Christmas in Film: Santa to the Supernatural focuses on the how Christmas is presented on the deluge of occasions when it appears. While most Christmas films are secular, religion makes many cameos, appearing through Nativity references, storylines involving spiritual rebirth, the framing of Santa as a Christ-like figure and the all-importance of family, be it the Holy family or just those gathered around the dining table. Also explored are popular narratives involving battles with stress and melancholy, single parents and Christmas martyrs, visits from ghosts and angels, big cities and small towns, break-ups and make-ups and the ticking clock of mortality. Nearly 1000 films are analyzed in this volume to determine what the portrayal of Christmas reveals about culture, society and faith as well as sex roles, consumerism, aesthetics and aspiration.

In November 1939, NBC's fledgling television station W2XBS broadcast the first known holiday special, The Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade. Despite its small viewership (very few TV sets existed at the time), the experimental telecast was a harbinger of a now-beloved American tradition: the holiday television special. This book offers a thorough account of holiday television specials in the United States from 1939 to 2021, highlighting variety shows, comedic performances, musical spectaculars and more. From familiar favorites (1964's Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer) to campy one-offs (1985's He-Man and She-Ra: A Christmas Special), the 1140 programs are covered alphabetically and feature performance casts, production credits and storylines for each. Three appendices cover "lost" holiday specials, along with Christmas and Halloween-themed episodes of popular television series.