(Image from Barnes & Noble)

For my family, November is party month.  Not only do we celebrate Thanksgiving, but we've also got birthdays galore.  Although none of my children were actually due in November, three of the four decided to show up then anyway.  The nerve!  In my extended family, lots of nieces, nephews, cousins, etc. also have November birthdays (in fact, today is my mother-in-law's).  All of which makes for a very festive month dedicated to honoring many of my favorite people in the whole wide world.  Because three of these are my own children, I've had to do some serious November party planning over the years.  Which turned me into a frantic, waspish, stressed-out ball of nerves and anxiety.  Needless to say, my comfort zone so does not include throwing lavish parties.  Or even casual ones.  Hosting any kind of fiesta turns me into a panicked mess.  

So, yeah, when Gemma Lynn Touchstone—a professional party guru from California—offered to help me get a clue, I accepted.  Her book, Party Style, is the first in a planned series designed to help anyone (even me!) pull off a fun, organized, successful party.  While this debut guide focuses specifically on children's get-togethers, the advice Touchstone doles out really can be used for all kinds of occasions. In four simple words, she advises hosts to: Prepare.  Anticipate.  Be flexible.  The first is especially important.  Touchstone provides numerous helpful organization tips on everything that goes into a child's party—choosing a theme, making invitations, picking a menu, selecting the perfect decorations, etc.  She also includes fun recipes (my up-and-coming birthday girl would go crazy for the Gummy Bear Soda; I thought the Mason jar meals were especially clever), links to templates/printable decorations (for those of us who need a little a lot of help), and a section of glossy party photos to give real-life examples/ideas (even I, the party Grinch, found them inspiring).  Throughout Party Style, Touchstone maintains an upbeat, you-can-do-it tone that made me feel like maybe I actually could!  

While Touchstone's easy-to-read guidebook is a quick, helpful read, it's not without its faults.  The prose isn't the smoothest, and—as is common in books from this publisher—the text contains a number of irritating typos.  I know the latter is not the author's fault, but I still shy away from purchasing and gifting books that have too many errors.  I'm super picky that way.

Regardless of these complaints, I enjoyed Party Style overall.  It's an instructive book in an accessible format that makes party-planning look easy.  If you need some fresh ideas for children's parties, give this one a whirl.  You'll also want to check out the author's website for lots of planning tips.  Also, use the Rafflecopter widget below to enter to win some great prizes in the giveaway she has going on.  Hurry, it ends soon!

(Readalikes:  Hmm ... apparently, I don't read many books like this.  Suggestions?)

Grade:

Another great thing about my Christmastime birthday is the traditions surrounding it.  I can't remember how old I had just turned (11, maybe?), but one year, my mom gave me a wonderful gift—she took me to see a professional production of The Nutcracker in Portland, Oregon.  I still remember how sophisticated I felt sitting in a plush theater seat, watching the ballet.  The magic of the performance just carried me away.  To commemorate the occasion, I was given my very first nutcracker (seen above).  My parents didn't have the money to take me to the ballet every year, but they did give me a nutcracker on all subsequent birthdays.  Still do, in fact.  And I carry on the tradition started by my mom by seeing The Nutcracker each December with my husband, my daughters, my sons, or whoever else will go with me.  It simply wouldn't feel like Christmas if I didn't—at the very least—place my collection of nutcrackers around my house.  They remind me of my childhood, my family, and all the happy memories I associate with both.  

Many people love The Nutcracker; now you know why I do, too :)

Considering my love for all things Nutcracker, I was thrilled when the folks at Crown Publishing Group offered me a new book on just this subject.  I knew it would be a perfect Christmas read for me.  And it was.  Sort of.  I had never thought much about where the story behind the ballet came from, but it was inspired by a "long short story" written by a German man named E.T.A. Hoffman in 1816.  A director of the Imperial Theater in St. Petersburg adapted the story (using a French version written by Alexandre Dumas) for the stage in 1891.  Tchaikovsky then wrote the famous score.  The result is a narrative that bears little resemblance to Hoffman's original tale.  The aim of this new book, then, is to give modern readers the real story, the authentic story, the story that Hoffman gifted to the world, never knowing that, one day, it would be the inspiration for a beloved ballet known as The Nutcracker. 

If you ever thought the story of little Clara receiving a nutcracker from her creepy godfather was a little, well, strange, you're going to think it doubly so after reading Hoffman's version.  Because, let's face it—the story's a bit odd.  Translated from the German by Ralph Manheim (now deceased) and illustrated by the late Maurice Sendak (who also designed costumes and sets for the Pacific Northwest Ballet's production of The Nutcracker), the story told in Nutcracker goes a little something like this:  Seven-year-old Marie Stahlbaum (her doll is the one named Clara) and her siblings receive Christmas gifts from their godfather, a celebrated clockmaker who crafts elaborate toys for them every year.  Because these creations are so fragile, they're locked away in a glass cabinet so that the children cannot break them.  So, while the children are amazed by this year's offering—a magnificent castle with figures that walk and dance—they quickly lose interest, knowing it to be another look-don't-touch kind of present.  Then, Marie notices another of Drosselmeier's gifts—a nutcracker.  She loves the "droll little man" the moment she sees him and vows to care for him always.  Unwilling to leave him, Marie settles near the toy cabinet instead of going to bed as she's been told to do.  As the clock strikes midnight, the girl begins to hear noises.  First, she hears shuffling, giggling and squeaking.  Mice pour into the room, squeezing through every hole in the woodwork.  A battle between the hideous rodents and an army of toy soldiers, led by Marie's nutcracker, ensues.  

When Marie wakes up the next morning, she's sure she dreamed the whole thing.  Then, Godfather Drosselmeier tells her a tale about a beautiful princess, a cursed prince and the mouse monster who vows to bring them down.  Now she knows the truth: the battle wasn't a dream.  Or was it?

I'll tell you the truth right off:  I wasn't as charmed by Hoffman's story as I wanted to be.  It's unique to be sure, but it also struck me as ... well ... weird.  The stage version makes more sense to me.  Still, Sendak's illustrations lend the original version a whimsical air, even when the tale turns dark, as if often does.  I don't see kids actually reading this one, as it's not just scary, but also confusing.  I do, however, think Sendak's artwork will fascinate them with its bright, dreamlike interpretations of the text.  

So, overall, what did I think of Nutcracker?  Meh.  Even though I enjoyed this behind-the-scenes look at the story, I think I'll stick with the stage version.  To me, it's less confusing and more entertaining.  'Cause, you know, nothing says Christmas better than a soldier slaughtering a bunch of mice in front of a little girl and then taking her on a trip through a magical Wonderland, all of which turns out to be nothing more than a magical dream.  Well, it does to me, anyway.     

(Readalikes:  Hm, I can't think of anything.  Can you?)

Grade:  C

If this were a movie, it would be rated:  PG for violence and scary images

To the FTC, with love:  I received a finished copy of Nutcracker from the generous folks at Crown Publishing Group.  Thank you!  

This year, I'm proud to be a part of the 2011 Advent Tour, an annual event where book bloggers share a little something about their holiday celebrations with the rest of us. Some people are talking about food, some are talking about music, some are talking about books ... it's a feast of random holiday goodness. Dig in!

Because I was born so close to Christmas, my wonderful father, mother and mother-in-law all started fun traditions to help celebrate my birthday:

Not only did I make my arrival at Christmastime, but I timed it just right: I was born on my dad's 37th birthday. Partly because of this, we developed a very special bond, one I treasure to this day. Growing up, my dad and I always had dinner out on our birthday, just the two of us. Even now, whenever we're in the same place on the 22nd, we head to a favorite restaurant for precious one-on-one daddy/daughter time. Since we live in different states, most years we have to make do with cards and phone calls, but I still relish the memories of all our dinners together (even the one at Skipper's, where I ended up vomiting my fish and chips all over the carpet). Happy birthday, Dad!

I first saw the beloved ballet when I was a kid. I'm not sure how old I was (8 maybe?), but I remember sitting in the theater feeling incredibly grown up in my dress clothes. The performance unfolding on stage mesmerized me. Everything - from the music to the costumes to the graceful dancing - kept me captivated. To commemorate the occasion, my mother bought me my first nutcracker. He's a little beat up now, but every time I look at that wooden soldier, I'm taken back to the moment I first experienced The Nutcracker. Almost every year since that time, my mother has given me a nutcracker for my birthday or Christmas. I've got soldiers and snowmen and Santas and bakers and elves and Josephs and Marys and all of them make me smile because of the memories that come rushing in whenever I look at them.

I'm continuing the tradition of attending The Nutcracker (almost) every year with my oldest daughter (my youngest isn't quite old enough yet). Seeing my little girl's eyes light up with delight the first time she beheld the great ballet made the pricey tickets worth every penny. Her joy taught me a simple truth: Christmas is about wonder. Which is why I decorate my house with nutcrackers every December - to add the magic of warm memories to our annual celebration of Christ's birth, the greatest wonder of all.

One year, my MIL took me to a holiday boutique in Scottsdale, where we looked through a display of houses and accessories from Department 56's Original Snow Village collection. I fell in love with these warm, happy Christmas scenes. My MIL bought me my first village piece that year as a birthday gift. Each year since, she's given me a new house or accessory. I've now got a whole city of buildings, which I place in various spots throughout my home to lend a quiet, glowing charm to our holiday decor. While I love my village for its quaint beauty, what really makes it special is what each piece represents - the time my MIL took out of her busy schedule to thoughtfully select a gift for my birthday.