Christmas Writing Prompts

It Was The Best Ghost Story EVER

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Photo A.M Moscoso

I ‘ve done a few posts about what my favorite Christmas films are- so what I’d like to share with you is how one in particular became my absolute  favorite and how it went on to inspire me in my own writing.

That film is  A Christmas Carol starring Alistair Sim.

I saw A Christmas Carol for the first time when I was a little girl. Very little. I was about five or six years old. So this would have been around 1969

I remember sort of catching bits and pieces of it, but the part I zeroed in on, the part that got my attention was when Scrooge came face to face with the  The Spirit of Christmas Yet-to-Come .

I was a scary movie buff by this time ( one of my favorite TV shows was called ” Nightmare Theatre” ) and it had recently brought me into the universe of spooky movies and  educated into the world of Ghosts, Witch Doctors, Zombies, Vampires, Werewolves, Witches, Mad Scientists and things from Outer Space.

So when Scrooge ran into this dark, faceless obviously merciless apparition I was impressed beyond words-enchanted and pulled into the story right then and there with my blanket over my head and my arms wrapped around my dog who was NOT into being squeezed to death by his young mistress judging by the way he desperately tried to get out of my arms.

Not to worry. I was not defenseless.

I just ran after him and dragged him back to the front of the tv with me. It took some doing because I refused to turn loose of my blanket and that was one strong little dog. He was fond of taking lungfuls of air. What can I say?

Anyway.

I was terrified and falling in love with this movie scream by silent scream on that Christmas Eve.

It was a magical experience and from then on not only had I become a life long fan of the movie I went on to read every single book from Dickens that I could get my hands on.

To this day I read those books slowly- I savor each word. I only allow myself a chapter a night so that I can prolong the experience.

A nod to that Christmas Eve when I discovered one of the best ghost stories on film EVER

Favourite Christmas film (Christmas Special 2017 Writing Prompt #21 answer)

Thank You Hamish Macbeth

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Photo A..M. Moscoso

This is Hamish Macbeth- I was lucky enough to become his Mommy  just before Halloween in 2014.

I almost named him Boris Karloff in honor of the season and one of my favorite actors but he actually responded to the name Hamish Macbeth- so Hamish he is.

Photo: A.M. Moscoso

2014 was not a good year for me for a variety of reasons- one being I suffer from depression and even though I had begun counseling and medication that stuff doesn’t kick in right away so I was struggling.

And why not throw the Holidays into that mess just to make things a little bit harder?

I was lucky. I had help swoop in just before the first fake trees hit the Mall.

The thing that saved me from really having a hard situation become an intolerable one was my  dog.

He was a  12 week old Chocolate Lab Puppy with ( then ) yellow cat’s eyes.

Hamish was this very serious little puppy when I first brought him home. But within a month his personality exploded and he became outgoing, friendly, engaging goofy and scary smart.

He just couldn’t get enough of the world and the people and things in it.

So I got to watch this little bundle of joy take to the world around him with unbridled enthusiasm and energy and curiosity- and I was lucky enough to be there when it happened.

So I went along for the ride an it was just before Christmas.

Here are some of Hamish’s first Christmas pictures- it just seems right to put this post and these pictures up now because I think Hamish is what the holidays SHOULD be about.

Puppies make Christmases perfect!

Hamish wanted in on the Christmas Wrapping fun, so my nieces wrapped him up- which he proudly wore until the tape got warm and the paper fell off.

My niece, my Mom and ” Baby Hamish”

Luis and Hamish- quite the handsome pair!

 

amm

Christmas Special (2017) Writing Prompt #14 – Best Christmas present

 

Who Put THAT In The Punch Bowl?

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I have never got a bad Christmas Present in my LIFE which is a shame because I have given some crap gifts over the years.

The sad thing is- I didn’t KNOW they were lousy presents when I wrapped them and stuck them under the tree.

I have tried shopping from a list, giving something I made, paying attention to what was popular. I even paid to have someone wrap them and I STILL managed to screw it up.

Most of the time I  think it’s funny when  people give me  that ” Really Anita Marie? WHY?” look- but that’s when I write something strange or say something weird on purpose.

It’s not a lot of fun when it comes to the Christmas Gift part of the  holiday festivities.

This is the one time of the year where I wish I could, for once get on the same page with the people around me.

So now I give out gift cards- of course I got creative and would include some candy or something. But in the end it was a plastic gift card with Christmas Candy and it ended up being safe and not very festive.

I really do wish that presents wasn’t a part of this holiday- but it is and like every other year I guess I’ll try and maybe one Christmas I’ll get it right.

amm

Christmas Special (2017) Writing Prompt #13 – Worst Christmas present

How Sweet It Is

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The

Christmas Morning I woke up to snow, the Mumps and a brand new lime green bike with daisies stamped on the frame and a gear shift

the Christmas Eve Dinner when I tried Bourbon Balls for the first time and fed the half chewed remains to my cousin’s champion Saint Bernard Show Dog

All of the Christmas Nights that were cold and dark and full wandering pale winter  ghosts, warm rich food and soft lights burning from our over decorated tree

racing out the frosted windows into midnight

to find

and bring back

the next

perfect

Christmas.

 

Christmas Special (2017) Writing Prompt #12 – Perfect Christmas