By DiAnn Mills @DiAnnMills

Have you ever read what other writers have said about Christmas? Curiosity, like a writerly-child (I made that up), propelled me to explore several quotes. These are so special that I wanted to share twelve of them with you.

1.  “Do give books—religious or otherwise—for Christmas. They’re never fattening, seldom sinful, and permanently personal.”

Lenore Hershey

2.  “Christmas! ‘Tis the season for kindling the fire of hospitality in the hall, the genial flame of charity in the heart.”

Washington Irving

3.  “Then the Grinch thought of something he hadn’t before! What if Christmas, he thought, doesn’t come from a store. What if Christmas…perhaps…means a little bit more!”

Dr. Seuss, How the Grinch Stole Christmas!

4.  “Happy, happy Christmas, that can win us back to the delusions of our childish days; that can recall to the old man the pleasures of his youth; that can transport the sailor and the traveler, thousands of miles away, back to his own fire-side and his quiet home!”

Charles Dickens, The Pickwick Papers

5.  “I truly believe that if we keep telling the Christmas story, singing the Christmas songs, and living the Christmas spirit, we can bring joy and happiness and peace to this world.”

Norman Vincent Peale

6.  “I heard the bells on Christmas Day

Their old, familiar carols play,

And wild and sweet

The words repeat

Of peace on earth, good-will to men!”

Henry Wadsworth Longfellow

7.  “The rooms were very still while the pages were softly turned and the winter sunshine crept in to touch the bright heads and serious faces with a Christmas greeting.” Louisa May Alcott, Little Women

8.  “Christmas Eve was a night of song that wrapped itself about you like a shawl. But it warmed more than your body. It warmed your heart…filled it, too, with melody that would last forever.”

Bess Streeter Aldrich, Song of Years

9.  “What kind of Christmas present would Jesus ask Santa for?”

Salman Rushdie

10. “I will honor Christmas in my heart and try to keep it all the year.”

Charles Dickens

11. “He who has not Christmas in his heart will never find it under a tree.”

Roy L. Smith

12. “Christmas is a necessity. There has to be at least one day of the year to remind us that we’re here for something else besides ourselves.”

Eric Severeid

Now it’s your turn! Create a writerly quote for Christmas and post it in the comments. This could be the start of a Blue Ridge Mountains Christian Writers Conference tradition!

DiAnn Mills is a bestselling author who believes her readers should expect an adventure. She is a storyteller. Her titles have appeared on the CBA and ECPA bestseller lists; won two Christy Awards; and been finalists for the RITA, Daphne Du Maurier, Inspirational Readers’ Choice, and Carol award contests.

DiAnn is a founding board member of the American Christian Fiction Writers, a member of Advanced Writers and Speakers Association, Mystery Writers of America, Suspense Sister, and International Thriller Writers. She is co-director of The Blue Ridge Mountain Christian Writers Conference and The Mountainside Marketing Conference with social media specialist Edie Melson. She teaches writing workshops around the country. DiAnn is active online and would love to connect with readers on any of the social media platforms listed at www.diannmills.com.

Follow DiAnn on Twitter: @DiAnnMills