Behind the Story: Embracing our Inner Hallmark
It's that time of year. The time we all want to watch the cheesy holiday movies. Of course, real life isn't much like the movies, but that doesn't keep author Heather Greer from wishing to dive into them. Instead, she incorporates the fun ideas into her stories. Read on to find out about her most recent one. 
I admit it. Everything people say about made for television Christmas movies is true. From the opening scene, viewers know how the story will end. We see the same actors cast year after year. Yes, there will be an almost kiss. And if there is baking, someone will get flour on their nose or cheek only to be wiped off in a moment filled with romantic sparks.
We devour them anyway. Why?
Christmas movies, especially of the television variety, are the comfort food of the movie watching world. They invite us to vicariously share in all things Christmas and tug on our heartstrings without the anxiety of a possibly less-than-happy ending.
They promote love, peace, giving, joy, family, and finding the path in life that leaves one feeling fulfilled. They show traditions we wish our hometowns had. From tree lightings and caroling to ugly sweater parties and winter festivals, those watching experience for a moment what they may not experience in real life.
What does all this talk of Christmas movies have to do with writing?
I love those movies. Every time I watch them, I come away with the urge to experience the things depicted.
Only, I can’t run after every crazy idea. My husband doesn’t think it’s realistic to start a Christmas tree farm. He says I don’t like the cold enough to host a town-wide Christmas festival and could barely tolerate the cold long enough for a tree lighting. And while he thinks I could have a successful bakery; he doesn’t think we need to take out a movie-inspired loan to start one. He also has doubts about running a year-round, Christmas village inspired attraction, especially as we live in southern Illinois. No one wants to visit Santa’s village in the humid, over 100-degree summer weather. At least, that’s what he says.
Good thing I’m an author.
I’ll never live out my Christmas-themed dreams in real life, but I can immerse myself in them in my writing. Through my characters, I’ve owned a bakery in a little Bavarian styled town while it celebrated its annual Gingerbread Festival. I’ve hosted tree lightings without succumbing to the cold.
And now, I’ve owned my Christmas amusement park. Christmas Wonderland is an amazing place. In Santa’s Castle, children can share cookies and milk with Santa before lining up to tell him their Christmas wishes. There’s a candy shop, a bakery, and a toy shop. There’s a Hall of Christmas Trees filled with themed trees. People can cut their own trees, or they can meet Rudolph and his animal friends at the petting zoo. Ice skating, sleigh rides, a Ferris wheel, and a carousel add fun to the day before it ends with a tree lighting in the square.
And because Nick, the owner of Christmas Wonderland, and I both know the fun stuff isn’t the important part of Christmas, there’s even more to enjoy. Next to an old-fashioned chapel with candles in every window and greenery hung all around, there is a stable where a live nativity invites visitors into the Christmas story in a personal way. Nick may play Santa Claus each day, but he understands Jesus is the star of Christmas and every day and freely shares his faith through the Christmas Wonderland experience.
Christmas Wonderland won’t be my real life, but creating it for Nick and Jules’s story gives me the opportunity to pretend it is for a little while. Just like those holiday movies we love, I hope Nick and Jules and Christmas Wonderland come to life for every reader and leave them with all the feelings of love, joy, peace, and hope that Christmas has to offer.
Born and raised in rural southern Illinois as a preacher’s kid, Heather was well acquainted with ministry life before her husband became a pastor fifteen years ago. She started serving in youth and children’s ministries when her daughter was still a child. Now, those ministries and wrangling the schedules of her three teenage boys takes a lot of her time and energy, but Heather still tries to carve out a little time for herself. Like many of you, her favorite way to relieve the stress of the day is spending time with a good book. Of course, if she wants the time to be really special, Heather will add a warm blanket and a mug of hot cocoa to her reading time. If she isn’t reading to relax, you can either find her baking in the kitchen or binge-watching her favorite television shows.
Heather has been active in youth ministry for several years. She has led children’s and youth groups for many years. She also directs a Christian youth camp for teenagers every summer. While most of her ministry work has involved children and teenagers, Heather has a heart to see women of faith encouraged and growing in their relationships with God. As believers grow closer to God and begin living out His truths in everyday life, others will see their need for the Savior and long for relationship with Him. It is Heather’s prayer that God will use her love of writing to foster this encouragement and growth in the lives of Christian women.
Heather’s book Grasping Hope is a 2020 Selah Awards finalist in the Women’s Contemporary category. Cake That! is the third place finalist in the 2022 Selah Awards in the Contemporary Romance category. Her Historical Romance, Window of Opportunity, is a 2024 Selah Awards finalist.
You can learn more about Heather by visiting her website: https://heathergreer.com/
You can also connect with Heather on social media here:Social Media Links
The Santa Setup
(by Heather Greer)—Turning friendship into love takes magic. Good thing Nicholas Eckert and Julie Clarke work at Christmas Wonderland. The attraction brims with holiday magic, not to mention four teenage elves determined that Mr. and Mrs. Claus stop playing a couple and become one. The teens will need more than mistletoe to pair up these two. Julie is seeing someone, and Nick won’t risk their friendship for possible love. Only the elven employees’ outrageous antics stand a chance of setting up Santa in time for Christmas.
I admit it. Everything people say about made for television Christmas movies is true. From the opening scene, viewers know how the story will end. We see the same actors cast year after year. Yes, there will be an almost kiss. And if there is baking, someone will get flour on their nose or cheek only to be wiped off in a moment filled with romantic sparks.We devour them anyway. Why?
Christmas movies, especially of the television variety, are the comfort food of the movie watching world. They invite us to vicariously share in all things Christmas and tug on our heartstrings without the anxiety of a possibly less-than-happy ending.
They promote love, peace, giving, joy, family, and finding the path in life that leaves one feeling fulfilled. They show traditions we wish our hometowns had. From tree lightings and caroling to ugly sweater parties and winter festivals, those watching experience for a moment what they may not experience in real life.
What does all this talk of Christmas movies have to do with writing?
I love those movies. Every time I watch them, I come away with the urge to experience the things depicted.
Only, I can’t run after every crazy idea. My husband doesn’t think it’s realistic to start a Christmas tree farm. He says I don’t like the cold enough to host a town-wide Christmas festival and could barely tolerate the cold long enough for a tree lighting. And while he thinks I could have a successful bakery; he doesn’t think we need to take out a movie-inspired loan to start one. He also has doubts about running a year-round, Christmas village inspired attraction, especially as we live in southern Illinois. No one wants to visit Santa’s village in the humid, over 100-degree summer weather. At least, that’s what he says.
Good thing I’m an author.
I’ll never live out my Christmas-themed dreams in real life, but I can immerse myself in them in my writing. Through my characters, I’ve owned a bakery in a little Bavarian styled town while it celebrated its annual Gingerbread Festival. I’ve hosted tree lightings without succumbing to the cold.
And now, I’ve owned my Christmas amusement park. Christmas Wonderland is an amazing place. In Santa’s Castle, children can share cookies and milk with Santa before lining up to tell him their Christmas wishes. There’s a candy shop, a bakery, and a toy shop. There’s a Hall of Christmas Trees filled with themed trees. People can cut their own trees, or they can meet Rudolph and his animal friends at the petting zoo. Ice skating, sleigh rides, a Ferris wheel, and a carousel add fun to the day before it ends with a tree lighting in the square.
And because Nick, the owner of Christmas Wonderland, and I both know the fun stuff isn’t the important part of Christmas, there’s even more to enjoy. Next to an old-fashioned chapel with candles in every window and greenery hung all around, there is a stable where a live nativity invites visitors into the Christmas story in a personal way. Nick may play Santa Claus each day, but he understands Jesus is the star of Christmas and every day and freely shares his faith through the Christmas Wonderland experience.
Christmas Wonderland won’t be my real life, but creating it for Nick and Jules’s story gives me the opportunity to pretend it is for a little while. Just like those holiday movies we love, I hope Nick and Jules and Christmas Wonderland come to life for every reader and leave them with all the feelings of love, joy, peace, and hope that Christmas has to offer.
Born and raised in rural southern Illinois as a preacher’s kid, Heather was well acquainted with ministry life before her husband became a pastor fifteen years ago. She started serving in youth and children’s ministries when her daughter was still a child. Now, those ministries and wrangling the schedules of her three teenage boys takes a lot of her time and energy, but Heather still tries to carve out a little time for herself. Like many of you, her favorite way to relieve the stress of the day is spending time with a good book. Of course, if she wants the time to be really special, Heather will add a warm blanket and a mug of hot cocoa to her reading time. If she isn’t reading to relax, you can either find her baking in the kitchen or binge-watching her favorite television shows.Heather has been active in youth ministry for several years. She has led children’s and youth groups for many years. She also directs a Christian youth camp for teenagers every summer. While most of her ministry work has involved children and teenagers, Heather has a heart to see women of faith encouraged and growing in their relationships with God. As believers grow closer to God and begin living out His truths in everyday life, others will see their need for the Savior and long for relationship with Him. It is Heather’s prayer that God will use her love of writing to foster this encouragement and growth in the lives of Christian women.
Heather’s book Grasping Hope is a 2020 Selah Awards finalist in the Women’s Contemporary category. Cake That! is the third place finalist in the 2022 Selah Awards in the Contemporary Romance category. Her Historical Romance, Window of Opportunity, is a 2024 Selah Awards finalist.
You can learn more about Heather by visiting her website: https://heathergreer.com/
You can also connect with Heather on social media here:Social Media Links
The Santa Setup
(by Heather Greer)—Turning friendship into love takes magic. Good thing Nicholas Eckert and Julie Clarke work at Christmas Wonderland. The attraction brims with holiday magic, not to mention four teenage elves determined that Mr. and Mrs. Claus stop playing a couple and become one. The teens will need more than mistletoe to pair up these two. Julie is seeing someone, and Nick won’t risk their friendship for possible love. Only the elven employees’ outrageous antics stand a chance of setting up Santa in time for Christmas.
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