A Special Christmas storybook #Christmas#Latvia

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One of the many joys of Christmas is rereading favorite holiday-related books and watching seasonal movies. Who can forget Ebenezer Scrooge and Tiny Tim from A Christmas Carol, by Charles Dickens? George Bailey in Frank Capra's It's a Wonderful Life, who learns the importance of every life from an unlikely angel? Or Dr, Seuss's The Grinch Who Stole Christmas from Whoville? His shriveled heart grew three sizes when he realized everything he stole couldn't sop Christmas. It was more than what came from a store. 

I have a shelf filled with Christmas books that I read every year. I am also always on the lookout for  new titles to add to my collection.  So when I read a short, family-oriented Christmas story from my good friend and former writing student Dace (pronounced Daht-suh) Pedecis, I was thrilled. I wanted more! Dace's Dear Reader introduction best describes what became an exciting six-story collection.
 

That’s me in a little rowboat on Shadow Lake in Washington State. I was about the same age as the girls in these stories.

        I had braids then. Sometimes I wore them hanging down my back. Other times I wore them wrapped around my head, like in this picture. I hated my braids. I couldn’t wait to get them cut off. Years later, after they were long gone, I wished I still had them.

        Among my favorite things, then, as now, were reading, writing, and rowing in little boats.

        The stories I’ve written for you are based on things that happened to me, mixed with memories from my mother, and my own imagination.

      I had a lot of fun writing these stories. I hope you will enjoy  reading them. May all your Christmas wishes come true! Dace

Table of Contents 

1. The Worst Christmas Idea Ever

2. A Grandma for Christmas

3. America for Christmas
4.  Christmas Gift for the Family

5. Christmas at the Lake

6. Christmas in Riga 

Dace was born in Germany after her parents escaped from the Soviet invasion  of Latvia, Lithuania, and Estonia and other countries of Eastern Europe during World War Two.  Soviet occupation lasted for forty-seven years--but could not break the people's spirit. A touching part of North Star Christmas is the story and actual photograph of an event that was part of the Singing Revolution, along with other bits of history and photos. 

The Baltic Way or Baltic Chain was one of the most remarkable, peaceful, and beautiful demonstrations the world has ever seen, held on August 23 1989 in yet another attempt to regain their independence. Approximately two million people from all three Baltic countries, joined hands and formed a human chain It stretched from the Estonian capital Tallinn, through Riga, capital of Latvia, to Vilnius which is capital of Lithuania, an incredible 600 kilometers (419.7 miles).

Freedom didn’t come immediately. One by one the Baltic States declared their independence after nearly fifty years of illegal occupation by the Soviets.

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Sash from Dace's mother's folk costume. Each region (and there are a lot of them for a country Latvia's size) has its own patterns.

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If you are looking for a special gift for a friend or yourself North Star Christmas: From Latvia with Love is both inspirational and entertaining. It comes straight from the heart of an author who spent the first few years of her life in a Displaced Persons camp, emigrated to America, and as an adult was able to visit Latvia and get to know aunts, uncles and cousins who had not been able to escape. I came away with a new appreciation of how fortunate we are to live in the USA with all its struggles. So will you.  Colleen

 North Star Christmas available at