Caught up in the whirl of holiday preparation, two moms are challenged to change their views of themselves and their family traditions. This book includes two witty, contemporary tales of motherhood and the trappings of "the perfect holiday."

In Pamela Dowd's Done with the Dashing, meet Maggie Mackenzie, for whom Christmas is all about making things perfect for others. Given a valuable lesson on caring for herself, Maggie decides to teach her household the truth about giving and receiving. Can she discover "Christmas balance," or will her family's antics drive her back to her take charge ways?

In the second story, My True Love Gave to Me by Christine Lynxwiler, Penny Lassiter has a comfortable routine with her spouse and kids-until a layoff changes her husband's perspective. He suggests throwing tradition to the wind and reconnecting as a family on a cross-country adventure. Can Penny endure a Christmas without her greeting-card perfect expectations?

These humorous stories show how the real spirit of the season can be regained-with a new understanding of the traditions that really matter.