Before we dive into today’s topic, I want to start with a huge thank you. The response to High Stakes has been nothing short of incredible. You’ve bought it, reviewed it, shared it, recommended it, and messaged me about how much you enjoyed the twists, tension, and table-side chaos. Seeing readers connect with the story has been one of the highlights of my writing career. Truly — thank you.

And because I don’t believe in resting on my laurels (or resting much at all, apparently), I’m already hard at work on my next novel. It’s scheduled for release in 2026, and while I can’t reveal too much yet… let’s just say it’s very different from High Stakes, but in a way that still feels very me. More on that later — I promise.

Now, as if the universe wanted to set the mood for this newsletter, we just had our first major blizzard of the year. The kind that shuts down businesses, cancels school sports, and makes everyone remember just how fragile the power grid can be. One moment the world is normal — the next, we’re shoveling driveways, charging phones, and checking weather apps with a kind of reverence usually reserved for medical test results.

But if there’s a silver lining to a good old-fashioned Minnesota snowstorm, it’s the excuse to slow down. The world outside turns quiet, the lights flicker, and suddenly it’s you, a warm drink, and a stack of books or favorite movies. And since we’re now fully in the Christmas season, that means one thing for me: holiday stories.

I love Christmas stories. Always have. And I will go to my grave insisting — confidently and without hesitation — that The Muppet Christmas Carol is the greatest Christmas movie ever made. It is the trifecta:
• the best Muppet movie,
• the best adaptation of A Christmas Carol,
• and the best Christmas movie of all time.
Yes, I said what I said. No, I won’t be taking questions.

With the blizzard swirling outside and Christmas lights glowing inside, I found myself thinking about holiday storytelling — where it began, how it evolved, and what it’s becoming. There’s no shortage of material today. Holiday romances. Holiday horrors. Holiday comedies. Holiday dramas. Animated elves. Time-looping Santas. Gingerbread-based murder mysteries. (Don’t pretend that last one doesn’t exist.)

But… how did we get here?

Why did Christmas stories shift from ghostly Victorian hauntings, to nostalgic mid-century sentimentality, to chaotic ’90s comedies, to the algorithm-generated Hallmark era, and beyond? And what will Christmas storytelling look like in the years to come?

Those are the questions I wanted to explore in the next article — a sleigh-ride through the past, present, and potential future of Christmas tales, all without getting too sappy or too scholarly. Just enough reflection to warm the heart… like a good cup of cocoa that’s still cool enough to drink.

So grab a blanket, settle in, and let’s take a look at how Christmas storytelling has transformed over the centuries — and where it might be headed next.

Leif J. Erickson is a science fiction and fantasy author from a small farming community in west central Minnesota. Using his time wisely when he was a farmer, Leif developed many ideas, characters, and storylines to create over fifty unique first drafts and outlines for stories. From his start in a small town school, to college at North Dakota State University, back to his family farm, then to the bright lights of Minneapolis, Minnesota, and back to his small farming town, Leif has always had a love of writing.

When Leif isn’t writing he can be found with his wife hiking in state parks, canoeing local lakes and rivers, exploring local and regional ghost towns, experiencing museums, or simply reading or hanging out with friends and family. Leif draws on the local nature and ecology to find inspiration for his writing while he also asks what’s possible for technology and the human race, weaving them together for amazing stories that will stay with the reader for years to come. Leif looks forward to having many novel and story releases in the years to come.

You can see all of Leif’s Books here: Leif’s Amazon Author Page