Christmas–Regency Style with Vanessa Kelly (and book giveaway) Back to Blog
Update: The winner of MY FAVORITE COUNTESS is…Rita Wray. Congratulations, Rita!
Thank you all so much for coming to the DECK THE HALLS WITH DARK ANGELS party! I hope you’re having fun! My next guest definitely knows how to party (because I’ve seen her do it!). Not only is Vanessa Kelly a fabulous author, but the woman is hilarious, too. I love hanging out with her, so I’m extra excited that she is posting at the party. AND–Vanessa has a new book out, just in time for your holiday reading fun! Now, here’s….VANESSA!
PARTY ON!!
I’m so happy to be here today, helping Cynthia celebrate the release of her new book. I hoist my glass to you, girlfriend!
I also have a new book that was recently released, a holiday-themed historical romance called His Mistletoe Bride. There are several festive occasions highlighted in the book—that was a lot of fun to write about because if there was one thing they knew how to do during the Regency period it was party. This was especially true during the Christmas Season, which ran from Christmas Eve through to Twelfth Night on January 6. The final party on Twelfth Night was usually a real wing-ding, roughly comparable to the kind of blow-out we now celebrate on New Year’s Eve.
One of my favorite scenes in the book happens at a family get-together, when the wassail bowl first makes its appearance. Wassail, a very boozy and sometimes alarming beverage depending on the ingredients, was the high point of many a Christmas party, and family recipes were often closely guarded secrets. And I suspect that over-consumption of wassail probably led to more than one family feud!
What were the ingredients that made wassail such a potent beverage? Well, the base was usually mulled apple cider with sugar, cinnamon, ginger, and nutmeg, sometimes topped with slices of toast. Apples and oranges could be added to the mix too. In earlier times, the base often consisted of either mulled beer or mead, and any wassail recipe could be topped off with brandy or sherry. Do we really need to wonder why folks had such a great time at Regency Christmas parties?!
What about you, readers? What’s your favorite beverage during the holidays? Does your family have a secret recipe for punch, eggnog, or even wassail? One person who comments will win a copy of my previous book, My Favorite Countess.
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And now, for a peek at…
BLAME IT ON THE MISTLETOE…
When Major Lucas Stanton inherited his earldom, he never dreamed his property would include the previous earl’s granddaughter. Phoebe Linville is a sparkling American beauty, yes, but with a talent for getting into trouble. Witness the compromising position that forced them into wedlock. Whisked away to Mistletoe Manor, his country estate, it isn’t long before she is challenging his rules—and surprising him in and out of bed…
Phoebe has no intention of bowing to Lucas’s stubbornness even though he offers all that she wants. His kisses and unexpected warmth are enticing, but Phoebe is determined to show the Earl of Merritt what real love is all about. And if that takes twelve nights of delicious seduction by a roaring fire, she’s more than willing to reveal her gifts very slowly…
Buy links: Amazon Barnes & Noble Books A Million
Vanessa Kelly was named by Booklist, the review journal of the American Library Association, as one of the “New Stars of Historical Romance.” Her Regency-set historical romances have been nominated for awards in a number of contests, and her second book, Sex and The Single Earl, won the prestigious Maggie Medallion for Best Historical Romance. Vanessa also writes contemporary romance with her husband under the name of V.K. Sykes. You can find her on the web at www.vanessakellyauthor.com or at www.vksykes.com.
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Instead of milk and cookies for Christmas morning, my husband and I always like Kalua and coffee or Irish Cream and coffee!
My daughter and I love eggnog!!! And we can always add a little something to warm us up!
I don’t drink anything unusual during the holidays, I’m not much for spirits, but my sister makes a mean eggnog, or so I’ve heard. 😀
I love good ol’ apple cider… and anything hot and chocolatey, of course 🙂 Thanks for a great post, Vanessa!
Thank you all for such great reads, love your books which is always accompanied by something chocolaty when I read.
I like to put some spiced apple wine mixed with cranberry juice in a crock pot. Put in some cinnamon sticks and oranges slices. And drink some hot wine.
I still kinda like sparkling grape juice, even though I can drink real wine now, its still kinda fun and tastey
I love hot cocoa. Mint or caramel flavored are great.
My favorite drink is the same thing, that I enjoy all year round, coke. I do enjoy an occasional hot chocolate.
I love hot apple cider or hot chocolate. I suppose my hot apple cider could be considered a “secret recipe,” though I got it from an acquaintance about 30 years ago.
I’m not an eggnog person. But we do have a family tradition of punch made with orange sherbert and 7-up and then we add some vodka to give it a kick.
Mine is vanilla spiced eggnog. I only tried it a couple years ago and I absolutely love it.
I like hot chocolate.
My Dad used to make Sneaky Pete every Christmas Eve. It’s delicious! It’s a slushy alcoholic drink. You can spoon eat it and before you know it, you’re feeling really good. Hence the name Sneaky Pete. It’s been a few years since he made it, and now with this reminder, I think I’ll ask him to make it this year!
Eggnog definitely!
Just white hot chocolate for me… or caramel hot chocolates… I am not too picky!
Either vanilla or caramel hot chocolate for me!
Oh, we do a good spiked Eggnog for the holidays. I love it.
My favorite beverage is hot chocolate with some marshmallows or whipped cream.
We’re not really big on Christmas beverages, though I do love trying all the unusual Christmas themed drinks from coffee shops.
Eggnog or Eggnog Milkshakes are my favorite.
My favourite beverage during the holidays is hot chocolate with marshmallows!
Nice coffee or tea
no special recipe, only kirr royal or pisang orange tos tart the meal
^^
thank you a lot for the giveaway
isabelle(dot)frisch(at)gmail(dot)com
i love drinking the starbucks holiday coffee drinks. i make a point to try every single holiday flavor they have every year
Depending on my mood, I love to sip hot apple cider with a shot of apple brandy, or hot apple cider and cranberry juice mixed with a cinnamon stick.
I love a sweet creamy eggnog!
Happy Holidays, Vanessa! My favorite beverage is hot chocolate. And I hope I can drink a big mug of it (or 2) while reading “My Favorite Countess” and “His Mistletoe Bride”!!
im usually non alcoholic, so i tend to just drink pop… my mom makes homemade baileys though.. and my boyfriend makes ‘slush’ – booze, juice, sugar… frozen.. add pop when you take it out.. very yummy
We don’t normally have a certain recipe for drinks that my family has but I enjoy Hot Chocolate with Cinnamon schnapps it it
I love cider!
Favorite drink is hot chocolate with lots of
marshmallows and a peppermint candy cane.
Pat C.