Hello, my beautiful readers! Please welcome the fabulous and lovely Vicki Batman to the blog! She’s here to talk about fruitcake and the holidays.
Holidays are Joyful… Especially with Fruitcake!
Weather. It can be great or crappy. And this past weekend’s ice storm proved the crappy part. ¼ inch can paralyze our city. Fortunately, there’s the highway department and city’s sanding crews…
But why so morose, Vicki? It’s just weather, and we have it everywhere.
Well…it threatened to spoil my holiday fun. For the past long time years, I have traveled to a small town for their annual Christmas Candlelight Home Tour. The homes are decorated in period style (usually Victorian), and that’s way cool. The town boasts 150 historical markers. Once upon a time, it was a very big city. Then the railroad came and the waterway was ruined…. It nearly died until a group of ladies from the garden club pulled together the home tour.
I truly cherish these trips with my galpals. This time together kicks off my holiday season! We oohed and aahed over the houses, eat great meals, stay in a bed and breakfast, shop ’til we drop, and gab like maniacs over everything (like last year when we decided our heroes are handymen!), staying up way past a decent bedtime.
So what are your holiday traditions?
I love the holidays so much, I write Christmas stories almost every year. This year is the debut about a much maligned holiday treat, “The Great Fruitcake Bake-off.” Here’s a little bit to tickle your fancy:
“I am not entering this year.” I pinned an unbreakable stare on Bethany, my long-time friend. We were piddling over coffee in her cubical like we always did before getting to the nuts and bolts of company business. “Period.”
“Why not, Samantha? You should be proud to be the five-time winner of the Great Fruitcake Bake-off. You’re a legend.”
“Is being a legend in the fruitcake world a good thing? It’s exhausting. Finding the perfect recipe, then bake and exhibit it. Besides, shouldn’t somebody else win?”
Bethany’s fists went to her hips. “Sam, we’re talking fruitcake. It’s not groundbreaking like, like the Declaration of Independence or…the Pyramids.”
“I’m shocked to hear you say that. Fruitcake is the cake of all time. It dates to–”
She bobbed her head. “To the sixteenth century.”
I raised my finger. “It gets a bad–”
“Rap.” She sighed a soul searching blow of breath. “You always say that. You also always say you love participating; yet, you’re not defending your title this year.”
“I’ve used up all of Grammie’s recipes.”
“You could start over with the first confection you entered five years ago, couldn’t you?”
“It seems like cheating…in a weird way. And I don’t cheat.”
“You are a shining example of excellent values.” She drummed her fingers from the littlest to the index and considered. “I’ve got it! Why not check online and find a recipe?”
“They don’t call you brainchild for nothing.” I rubbed a finger along the divot below my lower lip. A tiny speck of excitement blossomed within me. “I’ll need a brand new fruitcake. I wouldn’t want to be like Crazy Wanda who enters the same freakin’ lump of dough every freakin’ year.”
“It never hurts to expand your repertoire, even if it’s by collecting fruitcake recipes.”
Like a good laugh? “The Great Fruitcake Bake-off” at: http://bit.ly/HXeo7h
To know more about Vicki: http://vickibatman.blogspot.com
So Vicki did you get to go on your trip? I know the ice seemed to last forever. By the way I really enjoyed this story. Lots of fun.
Hi, Sylvia! We did brave the weather. Left later than usual and skipped one shopping venture. The roads were much improved 30 minutes away and then an hour later, you would have never known about the storm.
Thank you so much for liking my story. It’s pretty funny. Hugs.
What a fun post! I hope to visit there some day! Sounds like a lovely holiday tradition. I love all your books, Vicki! You have a talent for making people laugh and weaving a great story! I think fruit cake is gross though. I hope one day you can convince me that it’s wonderful. Didn’t you say you like to dip it in chocolate? Merry Christmas!
Hi, Alisha! You need to go with your handsome hubby for a long getaway. I’m betting both of you have earned one. I keep saying fruitcake dipped in chocolate is absolutely delightful.
I feel I have succeeded as a writer when I know people laugh over my stories. Thank you so much and Merry Christmas to you.
I’m excited to read this book. Now I have to have the time off… it’s coming soon! The holiday tradition sounds wonderful. I can only imagine how those houses looked. We have a place nearby called Henry Ford Museum and Greenfield Village. I like to go there during the summer when I can walk the houses (The village is outside) and see the different types of homes.
Have a wonderful holiday!!
Hi, Melissa! I would adore looking at the village and the museum. That sounds so cool. Right up my alley. thank you for sharing and I hope you enjoy Fruitcake. Hugs.
Our Holiday tradition, here in Philly, is to visit the Light Show at Macy’s (formerly the John Wanamaker Light Show) and “Dicken’s Village” which is a museum telling of “A Christmas Carol.”
Hi, Angela! How much fun!!! I love lights and shall have to get Handsome to take me to see a bunch. We have light rules: tree trunks and branches, not one color only. And more. Have so much fun!
Hi Vicki~~I love your humor and zest for life. The little town sounds intriguing and especially the friendship with your lady friends every year. What a tradition! If you have an Aldi store near you, stop in and get some chocolate stollen – little fruitcake concoctions covered in chocolate – they are scrumptious! They won’t last long either, as they are a seasonal special. Hugs to you Vicki! Just reading your posts gets me in the holiday spirits.
Hi, Gemma! Oh boy am I hotfooting over to Aldi’s asap and can’t wait to try that confection. You know me and my fruitcake and chocolate and… probably too much fun for one person–right? Happy holidays and thank you.
I may just have to try some fruitcake this year!
Fruitcake dipped in chocolate? Interesting thought. Although I guess Anything dipped in chocolate would be absolutely delightful.