Christmas
is my favourite time of year. I have always found it to be special, not because
of the religious aspect of the day, but because of the magic and closeness to
loved ones it creates.

I
wanted to write a Christmas story but wasn’t sure if I could create something
new. I was worried that all the good story ideas had already been written. The
Night Before Christmas has always been magical for me and I can still
recite it off by heart. 

I am not a natural poet; however, I have dabbled with
this style now and then, and by using The Night Before Christmas as
inspiration I had a go at writing a Christmas poem. 

I wasn’t sure that I would
publish it, but it turned out better than I expected so I decided to publish it
as The Christmas Door.

Growing
up I always loved the discovery of what was inside a present. I never asked for
an actual present, always asking simply for surprises. I wanted to write a
story about Christmas, capturing the magic that every child loves, while also exploring
the idea that Christmas is not only about physical gifts but that a simple
gesture can be a gift to others, such as a hug that can be given at any time of
the year.

While
I had the fun bit sorted, it took a long time to get the rhythm and rhyme right
and I did have help from a friend who writes poetry; she was amazing and taught
me a lot. I wanted to write about the magic of Christmas, which inspired the
door in the floor idea. The next step was to work out what was through the
door, and as it was a Christmas poem, the logical idea was Santa and his
reindeer.

It
was easy for me to choose an illustrator for The Christmas Door. Paul
Nash illustrated my previous book, Rollo’s Wet Surprise. I loved his
style, and we worked well together. Paul not only illustrates my books, he also
does the page layouts and supplies the print ready files, so it’s a complete
package. He beautifully captured the amazement and magic of this poem, although
there is one page that is my absolute favourite. It’s the page where the girl
first opens the door, and the glorious rays surround her, and she is looking down
through the door in amazement. I wonder what she is seeing? Perhaps some of the
reindeer are looking back at her? 

For
me, Christmas is about being with loved ones, sharing good food, jokes and
laughter. It is also a time when I reflect on the past year and make plans for
the following. I love decorating the Christmas tree – it’s a little bit of
magic I can create at home. Every Christmas I hope children around the world
have enough to eat and are with people who love them. No matter where they live
or what their circumstances are, every child is unique, every child deserves to
be healthy and every child deserves to be happy. This is my Christmas wish.

Even though I am now an adult, I
still love the magic and joy Christmas brings. Writing The Christmas Door
is my way of sharing my Christmas magic, because you never know what magic will
lie beyond a door.

Penny Macoun was born in Sydney,
Australia. She has been writing since 1993 when her story about a funnel web
spider was printed in a school newsletter. She is an author, editor, book reviewer and trained primary school teacher.
After teaching in public schools for eight years, Penny decided to pursue her
passion for writing and fulfill her dream of becoming a published author.

The Christmas Door (2022)
is her third book. Gorkle (2020) and Rollo’s Wet Surprise (2021)
are her previous books for children. When she is not writing, teaching or
editing, Penny dabbles in various forms of visual arts and enjoys travelling,
completing short courses, and being out in the garden.

Visit Penny at: www.pennymacoun.com.au or via her Facebook or Instagram.