The Christmas Spirit by Debbie Macomber

 The Christmas Spirit

Book Summary

Two lifelong friends decide to trade places the week before Christmas and end up finding love along the way in this delightful novel from the queen of holiday stories, #1 New York Times bestselling author Debbie Macomber.

Peter Armstrong and Hank Colfax are best friends, but their lives couldn’t be more different. Peter, the local pastor who is dedicated to his community, spending time visiting the flock, attending meetings, and, with the holiday season approaching, preparing for the Christmas service and live nativity. As a bartender, Hank serves a much different customer base at his family-owned tavern, including a handful of lonely regulars and the local biker gang.  

When Peter scoffs that Hank has it easy compared to him, the two decide to switch jobs until Christmas Eve. To their surprise, the responsibilities of a bartender and a pastor are similar, but taking on the other’s work is more difficult than either Peter or Hank expected. As the two begin to see each other in a new light—and each discovers a new love to cherish—their lives are forever changed.

In The Christmas Spirit, Debbie Macomber celebrates the true meaning of the holidays and the inclusive community spirit that binds us all.

My Thoughts

The Christmas Spirit by Debbie Macomber is a heartwarming Christmas story.  I like the way this story was told.  A grandmother is telling two of her grandchildren a story.  The tale she tells takes place in 1977.  There are chapters in the present with the grandmother and the kids plus the chapters in the past.  This is a cute story.  I liked the characters.  Hank and Pete are the main characters.  They have been friends since elementary school.  They are having lunch and each one is complaining about their job.  It is a busy time for both of them with Christmas only a week away.  One of them proposes they switch jobs for the week.  Pete, a pastor, will run Hank’s bar while Hank will handle Pete’s pastoral duties.  Hank will have the added task of dealing with Pete’s sister and church secretary, Grace Ann who is not Hank’s biggest fan.  It is an enlightening experiment for both men.  

Snowball Cookies

There is plenty of humor.  I laughed often while reading The Christmas Spirit.  There is a scene with Pete, a biker gang, and darts that tickled my funny bone.  There is romance for Pete and Hank as well.  Miracles do happen during the holidays.  I like Debbie Macomber’s writing style.  It is conversational and friendly.  I felt like grandma was telling me a story.  I just loved the ending.  This is one book that you will want to read straight through (make sure you have your hot cocoa and cookies nearby).  The Christmas Spirit is a cheerful Christmas tale with a job swap, scrumptious snowballs, a dripping roof, a mulish mule, a biker challenge, a striking server, straightlaced secretary, a dour donor, and party planning.

The Christmas Spirit is available from Amazon*.  You can find Debbie Macomber's other novels here.  Thank you for joining me today.  I made it through the DMV yesterday.  It took forever.  The hard part was keeping my mother awake (she can fall asleep in the blink of an eye).  

I wanted to show you how I decorated my front yard.  Here are The Spooky Specters and the Ghoultones.  I think it turned out great.  There is a motion sensor at ground level so when people pass by they will hear eerie sounds (the light flash in time to the sounds).  They all light up too, so they can be seen at night.  I will share pictures of the side and back yard later.  Tomorrow I am a stop on the Great Escapes Virtual Book Tour for A Christmas Candy Killing by Christina Romeril.  It is the first A Killer Chocolate Mystery.  Be sure to stop by.  I hope that you have a spooktacular day.  Take care and Happy Reading!

Kris

The Avid Reader 

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