Christmas with Hot Apple Cider
Stories from the Season of Giving and Receiving
Sometimes, the best gift is a great story
Want to warm your soul for the holidays? Unwrap the true meaning of gift giving with this treasure trove of festive tales.
"If you need some inspiration to get into the Christmas spirit this year, look no further than the beautifully written stories and poems in Christmas with Hot Apple Cider. Highlighting talented Canadian writers, this collection is the perfect treat to enjoy by the fire with—what else—a hot cup of apple cider! I highly recommend both the book and the experience.”
This eclectic collection of true stories, short fiction, and poetry features 55 Canadian writers and offers a diverse and multidimensional look at the traditions, teachings, and values surrounding the birth of Jesus.
It might even inspire you to share your own stories with your family or the world! Or cause you to rethink how you celebrate the Christmas season.
"A perfect Christmas gift. This book will be treasured as something special.... A present that has multiple lives beyond this one day of the year.”
Some of the stories:
- An immigrant family puzzling over unfamiliar North American customs
- Grandparents passing down a family tradition to a young grandchild
- An octogenarian remembering the day receiving a Christmas gift was nothing short of a miracle
- A Jewish child longing to celebrate Christmas
- A teacher witnessing the joy of a simple gift at a Nigerian orphanage
- A writer struggling to create a meaningful presentation about the innkeeper
- A Mennonite teen experiencing Handel’s Messiah live at Massey Hall
- Two women answering a call for help from a remote First Nations community
The book itself, along with 9 of the stories in it, were shortlisted for The Word Awards.
While the book itself didn't win it's category (specialty book), four of our stories did win!
Winners of The Word Awards:
- "The Search" by Glynis Belec.
- "Baby in the Manger" by Marguerite Cummings
- "A Blessed Christmas" by Sally Meadows
- "I Knew You Would Come" by Eleanor Shepherd
Other Stories That Were Shortlisted:
- “Christmas, 1940” by Ray Wiseman
- “Christmas Behind Barbed-Wire Fences” by Tina Michele Weidelich
- “Light of The World 2.0” by Rose Scott
- “No Room?” by Robert White
- “Seven Silver Dollars” by Valentina Gal
One More Award!
Sally Meadows also won the Inscribe Christian Fellowship Award for published short stories for "No Greater Gift," her other story in Christmas with Hot Apple Cider.
It's never the wrong time of year to buy Christmas with Hot Apple Cider and give yourself, your family, or a friend the gift of holiday cheer!
Note: We accept bulk orders from individuals, churches, ministries, etc. Please contact us.
While you're here, check out the "Inside Story" reflections many of our Christmas with Hot Apple Cider writers wrote for our blog.
It can take a lifetime to produce one short story or poem. Not necessarily the writing itself—some things come easily and others take a great deal of hard work—but the experiences, the emotions, the reflections, and the passion out of which the writing comes can cover a long, long time. Whether you've read the book or not, we think you'll enjoy reading these "Inside Stories" from our writers.
The Inside Story of “This is Christmas Eve” by Donna Bonnett Tanchez
This was my first time submitting something that I'd written to be published. The simple beauty of Christmas Eve is[...]
The Inside Story of “An Immigrant Christmas” by Angelina Fast
“Tell us your stories, Grandma. Tell us about the war, about immigration,” my oldest grandson said as he was preparing[...]
The Inside Story of “A Blessed Christmas” by Sally Meadows
It takes one little idea... A poignant act of re-gifting makes Christmas special for a Fort McMurray family. My story[...]
The Inside Story of “The Christmas Ornaments” by Grace Wulff
Christmas can be the hardest and the happiest time of year. A gift of Christmas ornaments brings joy to lonely[...]
The Inside Story of “My Forever Home, 1948” by Carol Ford
Have you ever felt you should write your life story? Or at least parts of it? I have. I was[...]
The Inside Story of “Three Christmases I Will Never Forget” by Bill Bonikowsky
Writing a "true story" can be difficult. The resiliency of love, wrapped in three unforgettable Christmases. When the opportunity was[...]
The Inside Story of “A Christmas Prayer” by Maureen E. Kowal
I have fond memories of my Grandpa and me. A grandpa and granddaughter’s loving relationship, and their love of God[...]
The Inside Story of “The Greatest Gift of All” by Robin Livingston
Where the story comes from... One solitary man's encounter with God in the wilds of Northern Ontario. Have you ever[...]
The Inside Story of “A Carol Sing to Remember” by Cori Mordaunt
With innate skill and perfect timing, Craig shared his story. A family's desire to bless their mother turns a last[...]
The Inside Story of “Daddy’s Old Shoebox” by Doris Fleming
Coming up with my poem, "Daddy’s Old Shoebox," was the easiest thing in the world—as easy as remembering the man![...]
The Inside Story of “Christmas Memories: Past and Future” by Patrica Anne Elford
A Poem in the Making The gift of past scents and sounds, sights and textures, unwrapped in a quiet Christmas[...]
The Inside Story of “The Christmas Lesson” by N. J. Lindquist
I chose to write fiction because that’s my preferred mode of writing. A frustrated Christian Education director who has a[...]
The Inside Story of “The Best Christmas Gift” by Rob Harshman
From the time I was very young, I had a fascination with Africa. A teacher witnesses the joy of a[...]
The Inside Story of “Light of the World 2.0” by Rose Seiler Scott
The "Light of the World" in a changing landscape. What if Jesus had been born in our century, and only[...]
The Inside Story of “Oh, Christmas Tree!” by Marcia Lee Laycock
I don’t think it’s possible to write anything without your life creeping into it somewhere. Not all miracles are obvious.[...]
The Inside Story of “A Mystery in Hum Harbour” by Jayne Self
Canada is changing. Have you noticed that? Two treasures—one hidden, another shared. Which one will change lives? In 2016 we[...]
The Inside Story of “New Christmas Traditions” by Janis Cox
When N. J. put out the call for stories for a new Hot Apple Cider Book, I hesitated. How one[...]
The Inside Story of “Christmas Revelation” by Ruth Smith Meyer
The title of the book, Christmas with Hot Apple Cider, begged for a story that warmed the heart. A Mennonite[...]
The Inside Story of “The Christmas Forest” by Glynis Belec
My husband’s idea to perhaps rethink the real vs artificial tree conversation was met with opposition and disapproval by me![...]
The Inside Story of “No Presents” by Gloria Raynor
Christmas is much more than a time for giving presents. A young girl is shocked to find no presents beneath[...]
The Inside Story of “From Sea Sand to Snowflakes” by Melony Teague
The thing about special moments... A new immigrant couple discover the Canadian way in a rather unusual manner. As we[...]
The Inside Story of “A Bicycle for My Daughter” by Rob Harshman
To be honest, home repairs have never been my strong suit... Constructing a bicycle sends two men into shock when[...]
The Inside Story of “Missing You” by Lynne Collier
When I sat down to write a submission for the new Christmas with Hot Apple Cider anthology, a recent loss[...]
The Inside Story of “Master of the House: A Christmas Fantasy” by John Paul Tucker
After reading the first few lines of my fantasy, and no doubt filling in more of the details with her[...]
The Inside Story of “The Letters” by Beverly DeWit
Pen to paper: words that won't be easily forgotten. Letters and memories of the past alter the course of a young[...]
The Inside Story of “The Search” by Glynis Belec
Oh, how I loved working with the teens and adults who had a heart for the dramatic arts! Three women[...]
The Inside Story of “The Queen of Fair” by Kimberley Payne
I should start by saying that these are lies I told myself. Her mom has always been fair. But a[...]
The Inside Story of “Christmas Behind Barbed Wire Fences” by Tina Michele Weidelich
These past seven years, I’ve felt like a time traveller—except that I’ve walked in my father’s shoes instead of my[...]
The Inside Story of “The Perfect Gift for Mom” by Tandy Balson
Who'd have thought the idea for my story would come in a dream? A family finds the perfect gift for[...]
The Inside Story of “I Knew You Would Come”
While preparing my story for Christmas with Hot Apple Cider, I was reminded that writing requires perseverance. A mother's faith[...]
The Inside Story of “A Manger, Some Straw, and a Toddler”
Passing along family traditions to my children and grandchildren is near to my heart. However, even more important to me[...]
The Inside Story of “One Red Christmas Apple”
The story I wrote for Christmas with Hot Apple Cider is about my Christmas trip during the year I taught in[...]
The Inside Story of “Santa Visits Lakeview Farm”
Writing stories from your past means telling your version of events. Two young girls are puzzled when Santa visits their home.[...]
The Inside Story of “Scary Saint Nick”
The encouragement of a writers' group can help you get your words on paper. A case against using bribes and[...]
The Inside Story of “Connecting at Christmas”
For me, Christmas with Hot Apple Cider has been a gift that just keeps on giving, in ways that go[...]
What If the Sheep Had No Shepherds? What An Odd Christmas Pageant That Would Make
For Christmas with Hot Apple Cider, Vilma Blenman wrote a poem titled "Dialogue Between Shepherds," in which two shepherds debate whether[...]