I may not of been planning on releasing this book now, but sometimes you have to go with what you feel you need to do, and this was one of those things. Today is the Launch Party here on my blog for my new book, MERRY: Devotional Collection. This is a collection of 10 Christmas devotions and 10 New Year’s devotions.
I am so glad you are here today to celebrate my new book with me. Because of timing (and stuff that got in the way), today is the day! Enjoy the party!
Doorbell Ringing: Party Guests Arriving!
Why, it is so nice to see you. Come on in! I hope you can smell the potpourri that is simmering on the stove. There is a smell of spices, oranges, and a hint of vanilla wafting through the air. And I’m sure you can tell as you inhale that my daughter and I have been doing some Christmas baking as those happy smells are lingering in the air as well. And do you hear the laughter and Christmas music coming from the distance? And I wish you were actually here to see our tree all lit up to make the room a merry place.
Try simmering some potpourri in your own home. I use a fairly simple recipe. I just keep adding water to it for a few days until I feel like it’s lasted it’s life and then I get rid of it.
Merry Potpourri Recipe (pdf)
Hot Cocoa Bar: Warm up from the cold!
Please step on over to the hot cocoa bar and help yourself. I think there is nothing like reading a book with a cup full of hot chocolate within reach beside you or talking about a new book with a friend over some hot cocoa. Please enjoy!
My daughter, Tara, helped me finish up this list, so bear in the mind, these are the things we think is important at a Hot Cocoa Party. You might have other ideas. I have written on the bottom that Hot Cocoa and Whipped Cream will be provided because you never want to delegate the main items if you can help it.
Take this to use at your own Hot Cocoa Party.
Hot Cocoa Party Sign Up Sheet (pdf)
Record Player Spinning: Hear the Christmas music!
Let the music pull you in and give your heart a lift. There are the sounds of Christmas music coming from the spinning album. Do you hear your favorite?
You can download some Christmas Carol art. These fit in an 8 1/2 by 11 frame (document size).
Joy to the World Art
Repeat the Sounding Joy Art (a line from “Joy to the world”)
Around the Game Table: MERRY parties should be fun!
Please sit for a spell. I’m not much for party games where you have to move from your spot, run around, or look like a fool, but I don’t mind a quiet game or fun icebreaker to loosen people up and cause some laughter. I hope you have a smile on your face!
Use the game below for family fun or with a group of friends. See who can finish untangling the songs first.
Untangle the Christmas Songs Game (pdf)
Answer Key to Untangle the Christmas Songs (pdf)
Party Snacks & Foods: Head to the food table!
Parties are not parties without some type of fun party food and treats. Are they? And Christmas parties have a long tradition of having the yummiest and the merriest of treats, so this launch party isn’t any different. Please help yourself to the Christmas treats. Enjoy!
Peanut Butter Candy (pdf –This recipe is one my niece, Christina, shared with us during a Leadership Conference. I dug it out to share it with you again. It’s a great Christmas treat. Enjoy!)
The candy below is for my women’s ministry leader friends to bear in mind that we have all types of women and personalities in our church women’s groups. And also for my writers. You can take some of the “candy” personalities from this download, expand upon the descriptions with Bible verses, etc. and write a devotional to share about attitudes.)
Candy Assortment (pdf –This was originally a download for an Online Leadership Conference I did back in 2015.)
Party Favors: Grab them before you go!
Since we couldn’t have a real life party, you will have to imagine that my party favors are all tied up in pretty favor bags with lovely ribbon and tags. I thought I would give you some downloads to go with some of the devotions that are contained in my new book, MERRY. I hope you will enjoy them on a personal level, but I know many of you that follow along are women’s ministry leaders, so I hope these little handouts will come in handy for you down the road for future Christmas events.
Focus in on Christmas Devotions.
There are 10 Christmas devotions in the MERRY: Devotional Collection. Here are a few downloads to go with some of them.
Serving a Cup of Christmas (the 4th devotion in MERRY) talks about the ways to bring a cup of cheer, love, memories, and hope to others at Christmas. How will you do that this year?
Serving a Cup of Christmas Goals (pdf)
John 3:16 Cup Coloring Page (pdf –Verse on this one is in the KJV))
A Marvelous Story (the 7th devotion in MERRY)) is all about taking a look at that beautiful night that Christ was born and peeking in on some of the characters of the Christmas Story.
I’ve made the following as a matching sheet about some of those characters, but you could always use it as a game. For a game, just read the describing character sentences and see who can call out the answers first for individual or team points.
Christmas Character Match (pdf)
Answer Key to Christmas Character Match (pdf)
Under the Gift Wrap (the 5th devotion in MERRY) is all about gifts that Jesus gives us. I love giving and receiving gifts. Don’t you? I truly love all the things that Christ gives us by coming to be born to die for our sin.
Please enjoy the gift tags below. The “Volunteer” one is for my women’s ministry leader friends who need a quick little something to put with team member and volunteer gifts.
Merry CHRISTmas Gift Tags (pdf)
Jesus is the True Meaning Gift Tags
Volunteer Gift Tags (pdf–The Bible verse on this tag is in the KJV))
Sugar & Spice and Everything Nice (the 10th devotion in MERRY) is all about all those things that make us what we are in Christ.
I redid the Gingerbread Prayer below recently as a printable with the Gingerbread Christmas Theme (pdf) but I also put it as an extra in the book between the Christmas and New Year’s sections of MERRY, so I am going to post the link here in case you haven’t found it on the blog yet.
My Gingerbread Prayer (pdf)
Focus in on New Year’s Devotions.
There are 10 New Year’s devotions in the MERRY: Devotional Collection. 8 are older ones I’ve shared before and 2 of them are new for the book.
Let it Go (the 11th devotion in MERRY) revolves around those things in our lives that we just need to let go of because they hold us back from moving forward.
Let it Go Handout (pdf –This is the original handout I made to go with this lesson when I wrote it back in 2014)
Chilled but Filled (the 15th devotion in MERRY) is all about being filled with good things that warm our hearts and fill us with joy.
Chilled but Filled Handout (pdf –This was something I used to have as part of a clip art theme set. I have overhauled it for you.
Answer Key to Chilled but Filled (pdf)
I didn’t necessarily make the following for any specific devotion, but I recently redid the graphics on it and gave it an overall to go with the New Year’s Party/Event Theme page, so I will put the link here in case some of you haven’t found it yet.
Out with the Old. In with the New (pdf)
Party Chatter & Door Prize: Join in the conversation!
It’s always fun to go to parties and meet new people or find a familiar face among the crowd. I hope you will either leave a comment on this post and/or over on my Facebook Page as I will be randomly giving some books away for door prizes to a few of you who leave comments. If you can’t think of anything to say, just tell me your favorite part of Christmas!
To enter, you will have from today (Friday Dec. 17) through Sunday, Dec. 19, 2021 to leave comments either here on this blog post or on my party post on Facebook in order to qualify. Winners will be announced on Tuesday, Dec. 21, 2021. You may leave comments on both if you want two chances to win a book.
Open to US residents only. Book will only be mailed to a US address. You must be 18 + years of age to participate.
For blog comments, see the “Leave a Reply” at the bottom of this post.
For Facebook comments, you will need to read and comment on my party post. (link below)
Stop at the Book Table: Where you can find my MERRY book!
You can purchase MERRY, along with all my other books on Amazon.
As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases. So thanks for checking out the below Amazon products. See my advertising policy here.
My Amazon Author Page is here where you can find all my books.
Thanks for coming to my party!
So glad you could stop by and join me today. I hope you had fun and that you were able to grab a few party favors. Don’t forget to leave a comment to try and win a MERRY: Devotional Collection book.
Have a lovely day,
Julia
