At the Christmas Lodge

Christmas Collection

by Rebekah A. Morris

When Desirae Richey agrees to go home with some college friends for Christmas, she expects a small family gathering. Instead she is taken to the Christmas Lodge in the snowy mountains of Canada to a noisy, fun loving, adventurous group of family and friends who welcome her as one of their own. Everything seems to be going as planned until an unexpected snowfall occurs.

Genres: Christmas, Short Stories, Young Adult, Contemporary

75 pages, Paperback

First published October 13, 2015

About the author

Rebekah A. Morris has lived her entire life (as of now) in Missouri. Being home educated during her school years was great, except for writing. That was the worst subject (along with math) that she had to do. It wasn't until after she graduated that she discovered the joys and wonder of writing. Now she can't write enough. After spending six years in research and writing, she completed her first book, "Home Fires of the Great War," a 500+ page, historical fiction about home life in the United States and Canada during the First World War. Since then, she has been an avid writer and always has more than one story going on at once because only one story at a time got tiring and dull.

Get a free collection of stories here: https://sendfox.com/lp/3ezo5k

Reviews

[Kate Willis · Rating 5 out of 5]

I read this short story in about half an hour and thoroughly enjoyed the adorable storyline and Christmas-y setting. It included quite a few fun traditions but definitely didn't miss the true meaning of Christmas. I'm looking forward to re-reading it this season. ;) Just a note that there is a slight element of romance. (Which was really cute. *sighs happily*)

[Sarah · Rating 5 out of 5]

Age Appropriate For: All Ages
Best for Ages: All Ages

My sister, Mikayla, read this book first and told me about it. I agree with her that it is one of the sweetest and best Christmas stories I have ever read.

They style and the feel of the story made me think of Louisa May Alcott or Grace Livingston Hill. The story didn’t try to be anything other than a sweet Christmas story. So many stories today try to be super romantic, or very deep, or add an unexpected plot twist. It was nice to read a nostalgic story that was just sweet.

Desirae was a sweet character who never really had a homey Christmas and now is given the gift of being part of a large group of family and friends for the holidays. Seeing everything through her eyes gave me a new appreciation for what I have.

There is a hint of a future romance and some sweet gestures from the boy, but nothing that even the youngest family member would mind hearing about.

I highly recommend this book for those who love nostalgic books, looking for a family book to read aloud, or want a sweet Christmas story.

[Sarah Grace Grzy · Rating 4 out of 5]

Such a cute story! I love it! And Dunny and Des . . . <3 <3 <3 Love it! Maybe I will read this aloud to my siblings as it gets closer to Christmas . . . :)

[Tarissa · Rating 5 out of 5]

A lovely Christmas tale about a trip to Canada with friends during the holidays. I enjoyed some of the fun details that Miss Morris added. Definitely a good story to read during the Christmas season... Includes sleigh rides, a snow-building competition, and of course, lots of snowballs flying through the air!

Minimum age to read: 9 and up. (A fun read for adults too!) ----- Contains a hint of cute, sweet romance.

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Linking up this review to A Literary Christmas reading challenge found at:
http://inthebookcase.blogspot.com

[Liz F. · Rating 5 out of 5]

Oh my goodness, I loved this story so, so, so much!!

It was super Christmasy and snowy and fun!! Dunny and Des are very sweet!! I loved all the descriptions and the writing style!
This might be one of my new favorite Christmas stories!

5 stars! :D

[☆ serethiel ☆ · Rating 4 out of 5]

Set in the cold, winter-y land of Canada, At the Christmas Lodge is a sweet, Christmas short story with just a touch of romance.

I enjoyed this story, and was content with the ending. The writing style was charming, and though there didn't seem to be much plot or character development, it still made for a fun and refreshing read. ☺

You may want to know: There is the slight mention of an inattentive father.

[Angie Thompson · Rating 5 out of 5]

Eeeep! This was adorable! I didn't grow up with cousins, but there are some close family friends I can imagine having a get-together like this with. And I could totally understand Des being a bit overwhelmed at first. :)

And the tiny, lovely little romance that didn't go beyond hand-holding and didn't have to--oh, it was just as sweet and beautiful as can be! <3<3<3

100% winter fun smothered in sweetness with just a dash of adventure = a perfect Christmas story

5 stars!

[R.A. · Rating 5 out of 5]

I LOVED THIS!

I've loved every one of Rebekah's books that I've read so far... they are just so lovely and wonderful! This one particularly was really good - I knew from my friends' reviews of it it would be really good! I love the idea of a Christmas lodge and going to one would be so much fun!

Des and Dustin were so sweet! <3 I love how Des is telling her niece the story about the Christmas lodge. :)

As I read this, I kept telling my sister that it reminded me of when I was doing Camp Nano in April last year and how we had a "cabin" and "bunk beds" to choose, and whether or not we wanted a top bunk or a bottom bunk. So much fun!

Even if it isn't Christmas, you should read this! It'll give you all the feels!

(Note: Top bunk for me!)

[Mikayla · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was a super sweet, really short book. One of the things I always appreciate about Morris is that her books are always realistic. I really can't dive into much of the book without telling you spoilers, but it was really cute. I loved the tie between modern and old times. I have never liked that set up before, but it made sense in this book and I found myself enjoying it a lot.
This is a perfect Christmas book to read in a free half-hour or so.

>>2019 I love this book so much. <3 The characters are just. so. cute. If you haven't already, you need to read this story.

[Hannah · Rating 4 out of 5]

I loved the retro feel of this little story. The tale is well told and is full of all sorts of Christmas feels. If you’re looking for something to get you into the Christmas spirit, look no farther than this short tale of a family Christmas in Canada.

[Faith · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a cute, short, Christmas-y tale. I enjoyed it. :) I loved the scenes with all the college kids' snowy day fun. The only reason I gave this story a lower rating was because there wasn't much plot to it.
Dunny was my favorite character. Definitely a gentleman, and I loved all the parts with him and Des. :)

[E.F. Buckles · Rating 4 out of 5]

I'm giving this 4 stars instead of five simply because it took a little bit for me to become invested in the story, but once I was I really enjoyed it. This is sweet, simple Christmas story perfect for reading by the fireside with your favorite warm drink.

[Amanda Tero · Rating 3 out of 5]

This has a slight hint of romance, and is a sweet story yet completely clean and chaste. I️ did have a hard time following along the characters because there were a lot of them for such a short story. A lot of things were mentioned but just didn’t feel complete to me. But if you want a quick, satisfactory read, this one fits.

*I️ received this book from the author and happily provided my honest review*

[Mikayla · Rating 5 out of 5]

I decided to start my Christmas reading a bit early this year. This book never disappoints. It's just plain adorable. <3

[Erika Mathews · Rating 4 out of 5]

Fun Christmas story!

[Katja Labonté · Rating 5 out of 5]

4.5 stars & 5/10 hearts. What a sweet story!! I found tears in my eyes at the ending. This author has an amazing gift of transporting you within the story. I saw and felt everything Des did. The winter and the Christmas feeling was beautiful. <3 And the romance was so sweet. :) I enjoyed the humour too. ;) The snow sculpture was very true to Des’ and Dunny’s nationality (though as a Canadian I was slightly annoyed). ;) This was just such a sweet, sweet book!! ❤️

A Favourite Beautiful Quote: “...by the light of the Christmas lights and the lamp out front, she could see flakes, large and small, silently sifting down, swirling now and then when a gust of wind sent them dancing, adding their own flakes to the millions already blanketing the ground, the trees and everywhere. It was all so pretty, so different than anything Desirae had ever seen before that she forgot all else in the wonder of the wintery night.”
A Favourite Humourous Quote: “‘Why, this is fun!’ Lesley exclaimed. ‘I want a pair [of snowshoes] for Christmas!’
“Joe laughed. ‘Where would you wear them? On the beach?’ He knew that Lesley lived in Southern California where there was no snow. “‘I’ll just have to move up north, or,’ she added, as she stumbled, ‘maybe not.’”

[Lisa · Rating 5 out of 5]

Diserae goes away with a group of people to spend the Christmas holiday together. She meets quite a few people which is a bit overwhelming to her, because she is not used to so many people. She is an only child. She learns to relax and enjoy the time with her new friends. Sweet Christmas novella

This is my honest review.

[Rhys-Marie · Rating 3 out of 5]

I wasn't as impressed by this novella as I expected to be, but it was still a good story--very cozy and perfect for Christmas.

[Cindy Indseth · Rating 4 out of 5]

This story would be good for all ages. I happened to listen to the audio version of the book. It was a sweet Christmas story of college age friends going to the Lodge chaperoned by Aunts and Uncles. The story sounded like all at the Lodge had a wonderful time together, riding in sleighs, singing Christmas songs, the girls all shared part of the house and the guys another. It really reminded me of Christian camps that I attended as a teen and young adult. The narrator, Andrea Rossignol, did a wonderful job. Her voice was clear, and she was able to distinguish the voices of different characters. I have listened to enough audio books to say that the narrator can either make or break the story.

[Rebekah Morris]

2024 Reread
I smiled again as I read this story. I love these characters, and the gathering brings back so many memories of my earlier Christmases when one side of the family all got together: aunts, uncles, cousins.

Oh the memories! It was one of my first Christmas stories to write (maybe my 3rd?), and I mixed in a lot of real life and wishful dreams and real personalities into it. I really enjoyed rereading it this year.

[Sarah Rhomberg · Rating 5 out of 5]

Honestly, this story is just the sweetest! The kind you can read all snuggled up in a fuzzy blanket drinking some tea.

5 stars from 5

[Grace Elizabeth · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is such a sweet Christmas story! Perfect for curling up under the tree and read for a little while!

[Erika Mathews · Rating 4 out of 5]

At the Christmas Lodge is a whimsical story of a Christmas adventure - snow, fun and games, laughter and new friends, dangers and excitement, and perhaps even a hint of romance. I enjoyed the vivid personalities, the lively games invented by the young people during the Christmas celebration, and the deep, realistic emotions portrayed. I would recommend this book to anyone looking for a light Christmas read. Four of five stars

[Faith Gilliosa · Rating 4 out of 5]

Only complaint is it was very hard to get a feel for how old the characters were in the beginning. I spent the entire introduction of the story thinking they were about 10 or 11 or so, and turns out they were supposed to be college-aged. Even once I found that out they talked to simply and in such a way I still couldn't reconcile them being college-aged with the picture painted that would have worked with much younger girls. Once the romance started to unfold tho, it was easier to see and I enjoyed the story. Very sweet and innocent, and filled with snowy activities.

[Janet · Rating 5 out of 5]

I listened to the Audio book and absolutely loved this story. All you could ever need from a Short Christmas read. (listened to the combined christmas books on audio - Christmas Day Joyous) I just prefer to rate them individually.

[Sarah · Rating 4 out of 5]

Christmas stocking stuffer

Got this free online. It was a short but sweet story. I would have liked to learn more about young Des’s history.

[Cory Hawksbury · Rating 4 out of 5]

A story about old Banff. A California girl enjoys her first snowy Christmas snowed in at a lodge with young friends.

[Anna |This Curly Girl Reads| · Rating 5 out of 5]

Loved it! This little book took me a few pages to get into, but I quickly fell in love with the setting and the characters. It has such a nostalgic feel to it—though the actual story takes place way before my time! I think maybe it was the sweet innocence of the characters. I attended Christian high school and college, and it reminded me of happy memories. So refreshing! There’s a tiny bit of a beginning love story but it was exceptionally sweet and wholesome (also a breath of fresh air!)

I would say this could be read by all ages. Looking forward to reading more of this series❤️