It is mid-December, and you open your mailbox to see a small pile of holiday cards; some contain an annual holiday letter. What's your first reaction...an eyeroll and quick toss into the recycle bin, or do you devour each detail of the synopsis?This book is dedicated to all the "Elves" who do their best during the holidays. The ones planning and procuring, shopping and shipping, wrapping presents and running errands, buying and baking and making lists to lighten the mental load.Whether you are the "Holiday Hot Mess" who waits until the last minute to haphazardly pull it all together or the "Diligent Doer" who hustles to finish shopping in September, this book is for you. There are tales of animal report cards, cranky children, medical mysteries, and a "topless riding mower incident." During this stressful season, find comic relief wrapped in real stories. Carmen Wilson's book is an open invitation and an open letter to each of you to laugh at her family's foibles, cringe at their occasional misfortunes, mourn the losses that follow every family over the decades, and find joy in genuine storytelling. There are twenty-four letters to be enjoyed, so you can read them in one sitting or treat them like an Advent calendar of authentic tales to read each day.