Winter Street
Cut along the dashed lines and pass the cards around the table.
Before we talk about the Quinns, tell us one holiday tradition in your own family that absolutely cannot be skipped, no matter who is annoyed about it.
When you pictured the Winter Street Inn, what did you imagine it smelled like? Describe the room you built in your head.
This family is scattered across different places and different troubles, and Christmas is the thing that pulls them back. Which character's arrival home felt most comforting to you to read, and why that one?
Hilderbrand writes Nantucket in winter rather than in summer. Did the off-season island feel cozy to you or a little lonely? What did that do to your mood while reading?
Each Quinn sibling is carrying something they have not said out loud. Which silence felt most familiar to you, and did you find yourself wanting to hug them or shake them?
The inn is a place where strangers are made comfortable while the family itself is a bit of a mess. Have you ever hosted beautifully while quietly falling apart? Tell us as much as you want to.
Kelley holds this whole holiday together mostly out of love and stubbornness. Thinking about the parents and grandparents in your life, what do you understand now about that kind of effort that you did not understand when you were the kid at the table?
By the last pages, the family is not tidy but it is still standing. Did that leave you feeling hopeful or restless, and what did the book seem to be saying about how much forgiveness a family can hold?