The Christmas Spirit: A Novel

The Christmas Spirit by Debbie Macomber is a heartwarming Christmas story. I like the way this story was told. A grandmother is telling two of her grandchildren a story. The tale she tells takes place in 1977. There are chapters in the present with the grandmother and the kids plus the chapters in the past. This is a cute story. I liked the characters. Hank and Pete are the main characters. They have been friends since elementary school. They are having lunch and each one is complaining about their job. It is a busy time for both of them with Christmas only a week away. One of them proposes they switch jobs for the week. Pete, a pastor, will run Hank's bar while Hank will handle Pete's pastoral duties. Hank will have the added task of dealing with Pete's sister and church secretary, Grace Ann who is not Hank's biggest fan. It is an enlightening experiment for both men. There is plenty of humor. I laughed often while reading The Christmas Spirit. There is a scene with Pete, a biker gang, and darts that tickled my funny bone. There is romance for Pete and Hank as well. Miracles do happen during the holidays. I like Debbie Macomber's writing style. It is conversational and friendly. I felt like grandma was telling me a story. I just loved the ending. This is one book that you will want to read straight through (make sure you have your hot cocoa and cookies nearby). The Christmas Spirit is a cheerful Christmas tale with a job swap, scrumptious snowballs, a dripping roof, a mulish mule, a biker challenge, a striking server, straightlaced secretary, a dour donor, and party planning.