From the famed author of international bestseller Drinking with the Saints, every Christmas tradition explained and celebrated, as well as a glimpse into all the sometimes macabre and always fascinating nooks and crannies of the holiday. Deepen your knowledge of and love for Christmas! The definitive guide to every question you’ve had about the Christmas holiday—and many more you’ve never thought to ask! In Why We Kiss Under the Mistletoe, bestselling author Michael Foley dives deep into the history of Christmas and the customs that surround this beloved holiday. Learn about the fascinating origins of your favorite Christmas food, drink, observances, and songs. Discover how Saint Nicolas, a fourth-century Catholic bishop, became Santa Clause and who Santa’s global competitors are (some of them will shock you). And dig into the forbidden history of the Yuletide season’s dark and ghoulish side. Witty, imaginative, and wholly unique, Why We Kiss Under the Mistletoe is the stocking stuffer that will be revisited every year.

"Plain and mousy"—that was how Emmy Foster saw herself. A receptionist in London's St. Luke's Hospital, Emmy couldn't imagine why the very handsome Professor Ruerd ter Mennolt would take an interest in a girl like her. Ruerd couldn't figure out why, with a beautiful fiancée, he troubled himself with Emmy. Even more puzzling was why he invited her home for Christmas with him in Holland. But after he did, Ruerd couldn't help but wonder—was he engaged to the right girl?

Calling All Couples! Sign up now. Help us set a record! On December 10 at 5:00 pm, we need your help setting a Guinness World Record for the most couples kissing under the mistletoe! Chase Spencer had been firmly planted in the friend-zone ever since he first met Rachel Anthony back when they were in grade school and it looks like that’s where he’s destined to remain. And her latest scheme is bound to be torture. She wants them to help break the Guinness World Record for the most couples kissing under the mistletoe at one time. How should he handle this? Should the kiss be a chaste, friendly kiss like she envisions? Or should he do it in a way that leaves Rachel without a doubt that he wants to be more than friends? It had always been Rachel’s dream to break a world record, and who better to do it with than her best friend Chase? And it wasn’t as if they hadn’t kissed before—sixth grade, spin-the-bottle at Iona Puckett’s party—a peck of the lips and it’d be over. Except she missed the part where they had to hold the kiss for ten seconds. And no one warned her of how she would feel afterwards—confused and longing for more. How can she convince Chase to change her status from friend to girlfriend?

A mistletoe kiss is just a simple kiss, right? Wrong. All I want to do during this Christmas break is survive. A week at the cabin with our family’s friends/rivals, the Stephensons, every yuletide activity is turned into a competition where my family must win. Every. One. Yep. Lots of Christmas spirit around here. But, I've survived past holidays, there's no reason why I can't survive this one. Until Mom informs me that Jacob Stephenson, my brother's ex-best friend and resident bad boy, is back from his grandmothers after having been gone for the semester. I guess after you find out your son robbed a gas station, you banish him to the most southern state. Now my ridiculous crush is back in full force and I’m trying really hard to stay away from him. My brother is frustrated that Jacob is home and I'm supposed to put my family above boys. Right? Maybe... I was attempting to be loyal until Jacob and I kiss. Sure, it was a forced one brought on by mistletoe tradition, but there was something in the way he held me and pressed his lips to mine that told me, he just might be feeling something more. But when he keeps pulling away and acting like the bad boy I'm pretty sure is fake, I begin to realize that there's more at stake here then just my heart. A truth that is eating away at him. I just hope I can unearth it before Christmas is over and any chance that I have at discovering the real Jacob disappears.

Can just one kiss… …really change her life—forever? When Dr. Elsa McCrae rescues a mortified Dr. Marcus Pierce from a fall into an underground cave, planning the usual Christmas party for her local community has to take a back seat! As she’s forced to accept Marc’s offer of help during the busy holiday season, the charming cardiologist soon has Elsa fighting to protect her heart, knowing he’ll return to the city as soon as the festivities are over… From Harlequin Medical: Life and love in the world of modern medicine.

From the Scottish highlands, to the bustle and tussle of London, to a hotel on the outskirts of town, three unforgettable authors bring the joy of Christmas romance in Kissing Under the Mistletoe. Great Scot! by Suzanne Enoch Miss Jane Bansil knows she will never have a fairy-tale moment. Well past the marriageable age, she’s taken a position as a companion and is now stuck in Scotland for Christmas, alone even in the middle of the boisterous MacTaggert family. But when Brennan Andrews, an architect and cousin to the MacTaggerts, arrives to draw up plans for a new family home, Jane must decide if she will take a chance at a happily-ever-after, or settle into her small, safe life for good. Christmas at Dewberry Hollow by Amelia Grey Miss Isabelle Reed has no plans to ever fall in love. She has a perfectly acceptable life with her mother at the Dewberry Hollow Inn, thank you very much. But when Gate, the Duke of Notsgrave’s grandson, appears at Dewberry Hollow searching for a carving on a tree, Isabelle cannot help but get involved. But Gate’s charm and their instant attraction makes Isabelle question if she’s willing to take her chance at love once again. My Mistletoe Beau by Anna Bennett Miss Eva Tiding is determined to cheer her widowed father with the perfect Christmas gift. Even if it means breaking into the home of the rakish Earl of Frostbough who swindled Papa out of his pocket watch. But when the earl, Jack Hardwick, catches her in the act, they strike a deal: she’ll pose as his fiancée in exchange for the watch. Falling in love is not part of the plan—but with a little Christmas magic, anything is possible...

An Unexpected Match Millicent Faircloud feels her dreams are coming true when she's assigned to photograph the construction of New York's tallest building--until she realizes it means working with fellow boarder Matt Sterling. He's handsome and kind, but the stubborn man doesn't understand her ambition. Matt can't help but admire Millicent's spirit. But he's been hurt by a woman who cared only for her career, and he won't make that mistake again. Is Millicent more of the same, or would she put family first? If Matt can open his mind to new ideas, he may find love to be the best Christmas present of all.