There’s still time to give this wonderful ‘Cozy’ Mystery! And more …

THIS WEEK’S COVER STORY is a reminder that it’s still the perfect time to order some great reading for Christmas, this year. Our new story this week is a Front Edge Publishing column about the warm circle of friends who readers will meet if they dive into Laura Elizabeth’s new island cozy mystery, All Is Now Lost.

Last week, we highlighted books by Jewish authors for the start of Hanukkah—and especially if you wound up with a little gift of Hanukkah gelt in your pocket—consider buying some of their inspiring books as a way to signal support for our Jewish community nationwide. We wrote about why this is so important in our story, along with links to 10 authors’ books under the headline Consider the Courage of Celebrating Hanukkah with Jewish Families This Year.

ALSO—FROM OUR HOLIDAYS & FESTIVALS columnist Stephanie Fenton, we have this overview of customs surrounding Hannukah, which began on Thursday, December 7, this year. Stephanie adds to our Hanukkah coverage, especially with links to latke recipes and family activities.

We started our 2023 holiday gift guide even earlier, this year, with a story headlined: Two good deeds in one: Please, give the gift of reading this holiday season.

Holidays & Festivals

Posadas Navidenas—

COMING DECEMBER 16 is the Hispanic community-wide tradition of “Las Posadas,” a centuries-old reenactment of Jesus’ family coming to Bethlehem in search of a place to stay.

And Yule Enjoy This Column, too

OUR HOLIDAYS COLUMNIST STEPHANIE FENTON writes about how the solstices have been marked as auspicious turning points in the calendar since ancient times. For our Northern readers, this is the winter solstice! Often termed Yuletide or Yulefest, the days surrounding winter solstice have long been marked with cold-weather festivals and warm feasts, celebrating the reversal from increasing darkness to increasing light and giving thanks for the “rebirth of the sun.” And, yes, of course Stephanie has some delicious links in her column as well.

WANT TO SEE ALL OF THE UPCOMING HOLIDAYS & FESTIVALS?—It’s easy to find our annual calendar of global observances. Just remember the web address: InterfaithHolidays.com

Click on this movie poster to read Ed McNulty’s film review of the new Netflix production, Rustin.

Faith & Film

ED McNULTY, for decades, has published reviews, magazine articles and books exploring connections between faith and film. Most of his work is freely published. Ed supports his work by selling the Visual Parables Journal, a monthly magazine packed with film reviews and discussion guides. This resource is used nationwide by individuals who love the movies and by educators, clergy and small-group leaders.

Here are some of Ed’s most recent free reviews and columns:

WISH—Ed writes, “This new Disney musical fairytale pays reference to traditional classics of the studio but rejects their paternalism by focusing upon a young woman who is not waiting for a prince to come to her rescue.”
SHIFT—“What an incredible combination of sci-fi, faith and romance writer/director Brock Heasley serves up in this utterly engrossing film!“
RUSTIN—Ed writes, “The overlooked civil rights activist Bayard Rustin (Colman Domingo), often called the architect of the 1963 March on Washington, is finally getting his due, thanks to the new film directed by George C. Wolfe.”
JOAN BAEZ: I AM A NOISE—Ed urges us to see this new film and writes, “Like most of my generation, I loved Joan Baez, her clear soprano voice uniting us as we listened to her at civil rights events or played her records alone in our rooms at night sometimes so drawn in that we sang along.”
ANATOMY OF A FALL—”French director-cowriter Justine Triet’s Anatomy of a Fall is a fascinating courtroom drama that will leave you wondering.”
THE HOLDOVERS—Ed gives 5 stars to this unusual “Christmas movie” about a disgruntled teacher (Paul Giamatti) stuck with students who can’t go home for the holidays.
JOURNEY TO BETHLEHEM—Ed writes, “Director/co-writer Adam Anders and writer Peter Barsocchini have served up an interesting Nativity Story by combining the Gospel accounts of Christ’s birth and then adding to them a lot of fanciful material that includes singing and dancing.”
ALL THE LIGHT WE CANNOT SEE—Of this four-part Netflix series, based on the best-selling novel, Ed writes, “I fell under its spell and found it hard to wait for the next episode.”