Day 2 of 12 Days of Christmas Giveaways (with Alena Pitts)

Join us for the 12th Annual 12 Days of Christmas Giveaways at karenehman.com.

WINNERS ANNOUNCED HERE

*Give Away has Ended*

It’s Day 2 of 12 Days of Christmas Giveaways! If you’re just joining in, be sure to start at Day 1 here.

Today is a bittersweet day in our series. One of my guests in this series in 2017 was Wynter Pitts, author and founder of For Girls Like You, a resource ministry for tween girls and their parents. Sadly, Wynter passed away suddenly in July of 2018 leaving behind a husband and four daughters. Her passing was an unexpected shock that left many family and friends devastated. However, Wynter’s husband Jonathan has determined to trust God despite this tragedy and today, I get to introduce you to their oldest daughter Alena. A budding actress and singer, you may recognize her from her role in the movie The War Room. I have asked her to share one of her favorite memories of her mom during the holidays. 

Here’s Alena…

I’ll never forget the holidays with my mom over the years. We were alike in so many ways and one of the things that made us most similar was our love for sleeping. It’s pretty embarrassing to share the amount of time we would spend taking naps together over Christmas break but for both of us it was super refreshing. She was an introvert and so am I. She enjoyed being around people during the holidays but she would need time to refuel just like I do. You could always count on one of us to be hidden somewhere alone, or both of us together, buried underneath a warm fuzzy blanket. I imagine her in heaven under a fuzzy blanket even now, enjoying her rest with the Lord. In honor of her, I’ll be taking plenty of naps this holiday season. And I’ll take some moments alone too, so I can refresh my soul. Hope these resources might help you do the same as you take some time to replenish your soul over the holidays. ~ Alena

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Day 2 Giveaway

Alena is giving away two of her mom’s books: Emptied: Experiencing the Fullness of a Poured-Out Marriage, co-authored with Alena’s father Jonathan, and I Am Yours: Prayers for God’s Girl.

Giveaway rules are listed below. Enjoy!

Alena Pitts \\ Day 2 of 12 Days of Christmas Giveaways at karenehman.com.

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Alena Pitts

Alena Pitts is a 15-year-old actress, author and vocalist. The Kendrick Brothers’ WAR ROOM marked Alena’s professional acting debut and launched Alena headfirst into the spotlight at the age of eleven. Shortly after, Alena started on a new journey and co-authored a three-book fictional series aptly titled, Lena In The Spotlight (Zonderkids, 2017). The books are written with her mother, Wynter Pitts, author and founder of For Girls Like You Magazine. Though having experienced unbelievable success, Alena’s journey has not come without loss. She tragically and unexpectedly lost her mother on July 24th 2018 at the age of fourteen. Though heartbroken, she is not without hope and is using Wynter’s passing from death to life as an opportunity to share the hope and love of God in Jesus through her voice and her writing. Alena is the oldest of four sisters, Kaitlyn (12) and twins Camryn and Olivia (10). She and her family reside in Franklin, TN. She enjoys all things music and competitive volleyball. Connect with Alena here.

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12 Days of Christmas Giveaways Rules

  1. U.S. Addresses only please.
  2. You can comment on all 12 days (once per person) up until midnight Pacific time, Sunday, December 22. Each day will be linked below for easy reference.
  3. One daily winner will be chosen from each day’s comments.
  4. To enter to win the Grand Prize (worth over $150 and includes a $75 Amazon gift card, and two admission tickets (with meet-and-greet) to a concert with award-winning country music artist, Granger Smith, comment on, and share, all 12 posts. You can use the share buttons below or repost and share on Instagram (my fave!) and tag me @karenehman.
  5. All winners (including Grand Prize) will be announced here on the blog on Monday, December 23, and contacted via email. Please allow 4-6 weeks to receive your prizes. 
  6. If you’re not already subscribed, click HERE and you’ll receive an email notification each day of our series, plus my Bless Don’t Stress devotional.

DAY 2 GIVEAWAY QUESTION:

Do you have a favorite holiday memory of your time with your mom, or another loved one, growing up? What is it? 

Let us know in the comments and you’ll be entered in today’s giveaway. Remember, if you want to enter to win the grand prize, you must comment on and share all twelve days.

Affiliate links may be included. We only recommend products we know our readers will love!

WINNERS ANNOUNCED HERE

Day 1 with Candace Cameron Bure

Day 3 with Jackie Drew/RadJoy

Day 4 with Courtney Joseph

Day 5 with Trillia Newbell

Day 6 with Ruth Chou Simons

Day 7 with Phylicia Masonheimer

Day 8 with Jada Edwards

Day 9 with Ruth Schwenk

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550 Comments

  1. My grandmother used to wrap our gifts in garbage bags or brown paper bags with our names written . It was so comical. She didn’t want to waste money on wrapping paper!

  2. My mom has been in heaven for 18 years now. I lost her when I was 18 unexpectedly. We use to ALWAYS make sweets like cookies & Christmas candies to just give away to family & friends. Looking back now that taught me so much about giving & sharing love plus I’ll always remember the laughter we had in the kitchen most of the time me trying to swipe some sweets & mom catching me or most of all is dancing and singing to Christmas music while baking. She loved the little drummer boy everytime I hear that song I am right back in the kitchen baking with my mommy?

    1. Hi Amanda, just wanted to make sure you saw our email that you won today’s giveaway! If not, please email your full name and mailing address to us at [email protected]. Thank you!
      Kim Stewart (Karen Ehman Ministry Team)

  3. I think my favorite holiday memory was the time my mother let me make cut out Christmas cookies on my own – without her help. I was probably about Alena’s age and I felt like that was a defining moment when my mom thought of me not as a little girl, but as a young woman.

  4. One of my favorite moments during the holidays with my mama, was when my brother and I were growing up. Every year we would do Advent, and then on Christmas eve we would throw a birthday party for Jesus. We would do a birthday banner and a little cake. We would read through the whole birth story before the celebration.

  5. Baking cookies with my mom while listening to her favorite Christmas record, “Santa Clause is Coming to Town” by the Caroleers. Of course, decorating the tree.

  6. Just spending the time helping her decorate the tree and putting lights on the house. I get my decorating for every holiday from her. We also spend on Saturday in December to do a big Christmas shopping day to get present for the family.

  7. Large holiday meals. My Mom grew up in a poor coal town with scarce resources. During the holidays whether we had 6 or 26 she never wanted anyone to go hungry. Growing up we’d always joke about cooking enough for an army and we definitely had leftovers and then some. My Mom’s philosophy was there’s always room for one more. She had a big heart and her memory will always be cherished and our tummy’s full.

  8. Mom and I would make Kolachi, a Hungarian cookie. Mom passed away a year ago. I think back on those times we had together.

  9. We have started a new tradition with my mom and sister each season, by making Christmas cookies with all the girls in our family.

  10. My mom and I would take a day to go shopping together for Christmas gifts for the family and have lunch. She passed away 5 years ago and I really miss that at Christmas time.

  11. My favorite holiday memories with my Mom were her putting on all of her Christmas records while we decorated. She always included “Christmas on Sesame Street”, a favorite of mine and my sister’s. We would sing, dance, and have a great time.

  12. I spent Cbristmas with my aunt and uncle during my college years and enjoyed visiting all my aunt’s friends where we had treats and coffee (something else for me until I de ided to try coffee). We attended 11 pm Christmas Eve service at her church across tbe street.

  13. When I was growing up my favorite thing was when trying to go to bed on Christmas Eve , because I was filled with so much anticipation, I remember it was always really late in the night and my mom and grandma would stay up for hours to get everything wrapped. We would wake up the next morning sneaking to look at what all Santa left us! Now I know how much they worked getting it all ready so we would feel that way Christmas morning. I loved hearing them . And I do love naps too?

  14. Baking and decorating sour cream sugar cookies. We especially enjoyed the fact that the dough had to be made the night before because it gave us all day to sneak cookie dough from the fridge. Mom was always “surprised” to not have a still full bowl, but actually had tripled the recipe to be sure we would definitely have a ton of cookies in the end.
    Not an activity with my mom, but a special memory, she always made her mom’s sour cream ring cake for Christmas morning breakfast. I still associate that cake with Christmas morning breakfast, though now with my own children these things happen Christmas Eve at my parent’s house.

  15. My holiday memories are centered around our family tradition on nerf gun wars. It was always on of my favorite things growing up and everyone partook. As we get older we still do them and they are still fun!

  16. Growing up, I lived in a neighborhood 10 miles away from our small town that consisted of about 36 houses. We all knew each other well. One year my sister that is 10 years older than me gathered all the kids in our neighborhood to practice Christmas songs, then go caroling. One family invited us in for hot chocolate and another family gave us all homemade popcorn balls. Loved that feeling of family and community and Christmas!

  17. I suppose my favorite Christmas memory would be helping my Mom make Christmas cookies, which she piles of them and gave them away. It was always a fun tine.

  18. I loved helping my mom decorate our family’s home for Christmas every year. I have an older brother who wasn’t overly interested in helping so it was a special time for me. I loved putting the tiny little lights on the ceramic trees. It’s funny seeing those trees make a comeback and at such an expensive price tag. Mom and I made ours at a ceramic class in our church way back when. My favorite decoration was the nativity scene and hearing mom tell about all the pieces in the story of Jesus’ birth. So thankful for godly parents who shared the love of my Heavenly Father with me. Now that I’m a mom myself I still love to go back to my mom’s and help with Christmas breakfast and gathering the whole family together. To Alena, you precious girl! May the Lord richly bless you as you continue to share the love of Christ with other girls even through the “hard” in your own life. Prayers for you and your family as you continue to follow after Christ and seek His will for the future. Your beautiful mother would be so proud!

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