Wrapped Up in Christmas Faith
Book 5 of the Wrapped Up in Christmas Series
Janice Lynn
Tule Publishing
Nov 13th, 2025
QUILTS OF HONOR FOUNDATION
Veteran’s Day is a holiday to honor US veterans and victims of all wars. Janice Lynn who writes a fiction series about veterans who feel broken emotionally and physically.
In the Janice Lynn series, Wrapped Up in Christmas, there are five books: Wrapped Up in Christmas, Wrapped Up in Christmas Joy, Wrapped Up in Christmas Hope, Wrapped Up in Christmas Love, and Wrapped Up in Christmas Faith. Each book highlights a different veteran who has been wounded emotionally and/or physically during the War on Terror. The books intertwine healing, heart-warming emotion, humor, and friendship that turns into love. The civilian character is portrayed as strong, has imperfections, but is willing to go on an adventure. The veterans are lost souls trying to adjust to civilian life. In all the books a quilt ends up helping the veteran heal. Readers will learn about the organization, Quilts of Valor whose mission is to “cover service members and veterans touched by war with comforting and healing Quilts of Valor that says thank you for your service and sacrifice and valor in serving our nation.”
Below are interviews with Janice Lynn, and Lauri Leirdahl, Quilts of Valor President.
Elise Cooper: What does Veteran’s Day mean to you?
Lauri Leirdahl: Each time I get to speak with a veteran I realize how lucky we are for these men or women who have stood up to serve our country. There is a debt that we can never repay them or their families.
EC: How did you feel about Janice Lynn highlighting the organization in her books?
LL: Although described quite eloquently in Janice Lynn’s fictional series Wrapped Up in Christmas, the Quilts of Valor foundation is a real organization, and we are honored to have the opportunity to share our mission with her readers. The Quilts of Valor Foundation extends a heartfelt thank you to Janice Lynn for being a valuable member of Quilts of Valor and for including us in her marvelous and entertaining books!
EC: How did Quilts of Valor come about?
LL: The Quilts of Valor foundation is a national organization founded in 2003 by a Blue Star Mom, Catherine Roberts whose son, Nat, was deployed to Iraq. It began with a dream, literally a dream. According to Catherine “The dream was as vivid as real life. I saw a young man sitting on the side of his bed in the middle of the night, hunched over. The permeating feeling was one of utter despair. I could see his war demons clustered around, dragging him down into an emotional gutter. Then, as if viewing a movie, I saw him in the next scene wrapped in a quilt. His whole demeanor changed from one of despair to one of hope and well-being. The quilt had made this dramatic change. The message of my dream was: Quilts = Healing.” Catherine took this dream and started a grass roots movement that would eventually award over 427,000 quilts to date.
EC: When was the first quilt given out?
LL: The First QOV was awarded in November 2003 at Walter Reed Medical Center to a young Soldier from Minnesota who lost his leg in Iraq. Chaplin Kallerson saw the value of awarding quilts to his wounded service members because of the message they carried that someone cares. Chaplin Kallerson has remained a part of our foundation ever since. His remarkable speech, given at our 20th anniversary conference in September 2023, can be found on the Quilts of Valor YouTube channel.
EC: Who makes up your membership?
LL: We have over 11,300 members who are our unsung heroes. These selfless volunteers bring their unique talents to inspire beautiful quilt making, coordinate award ceremonies, manage donations and fundraising, and meet the record keeping requirements of the foundation. Many of our members are veterans, some have family members who served, while others have no military connection but join us because they love and appreciate those who served and want to support our mission.
EC: Who gets a quilt?
LL: At qovf.org there is an online nomination form. People can self-nominate or nominate those veterans or service members in their lives to be awarded a QOV. There are also paper nomination forms we have with us when we go out in the community such as veteran events, quilt shows, fairs etc. We have over 760 groups across the country. Nominations are sent to the nearest group to where the recipient lives so that every effort is made to present the award in person. We will contact the recipient to arrange the award. We never do surprise awards out of respect to the recipient to ensure we are respecting their comfort zones. Wherever that veteran or service member is comfortable in receiving their quilt that is where we go- a group award ceremony or a private ceremony at their house, or a park, or someplace else.
EC: How would you describe the essence of the quilt?
LL: They are meant as an expression of gratitude, and to thank and comfort the veteran. Our quilts are awarded, not just handed out like blankets. These quilts are not charity nor are they a gift and are not given out as a surprise or after a death. These quilts are meant as an award, to honor and thank veterans for their selfless service. A QOV brings comfort, healing, and warmth. If dark times are experienced or there is a need for the warmth of a hug, those that are awarded the quilt can wrap their QOV around themselves so it can provide the comfort we have sewn into every stitch. We hope this quilt is a tangible reminder that there are thousands of people across this land who are forever in the veteran’s debt.
EC: Do Veterans have to pay for a quilt?
LL: QOV are awarded at no cost to the veterans or their families. Quilts of Valor is supported by donations. We invite everyone to visit our website to learn more about our organization, our Mission, Core Values, how to get involved and especially to nominate. : https://www.qovf.org .
BELOW IS AN INTERVIEW WITH JANICE LYNN
Elise Cooper: What would you like to say about Veteran’s Day?
Janice Lynn: I wish as a country we would honor our veterans more. We do not necessarily appreciate them as we should. When I went on the veteran trips to France, I saw how the streets are lined with people for as far as someone could possibly see. Then they come back here and there may not be anyone to show up for a ceremony. They have fought to allow us to keep our freedoms. I wish at least on that day that we understand as a country the sacrifices they and their family make for us. They are willing to lay their lives down so we can stay free.
EC: Why did you partner with Quilts of Valor?
JL: I give them books, and they use it for a fundraiser. I learned about them because of my son, James. I wanted to make him a patriotic quilt and I contacted them. For the story I was writing, I asked permission to use their name. The story was tweaked to fit their mission. Every book in the series has it mentioned, and I am glad I brought awareness to Quilts of Valor.
EC: Is James a veteran?
JL: He is in the army national guard. He just spent a year in Kuwait, Syria, and Iraq. On December 1st he will be deployed to Memphis Tennessee.
EC: Did you make James a quilt?
JL: Yes. I started it on the day he left for basic training, and I finished it as we were driving to his graduating basic training ceremony.
EC: Do you ever work with other veterans?
JL: I am the medical volunteer that goes every summer with a group, “Veterans Back to Normandy” that has the WWII veterans going back to France.
EC: Do the veteran characters in the book have similar traits?
JL: They have PTSD and have some dark thoughts. My goal is for the reader to be aware that bad things happened but also wanted to shed the light on the other side. My veteran characters overcame their brokenness and saw that life could be good again.
EC: How did you get the idea for this story, Wrapped Up in Christmas Faith?
JL: At the time I wrote it my grandma died. She had been such a strong part of my life. Unfortunately, she had a slow death. She was mentally perfect even at the age of 92. From November of last year until February my life was topsy turvy. I think a lot of Maggie’s emotions was because it was how I was also feeling at the time. I would have to go back and rewrite scenes to lighten the story because I felt I was going through a dark place at the time.
EC: The latest book, Wrapped Up in Christmas Faith, has a female veteran, Maggie, struggling with her demons. How would you describe her?
JL: She has self-pity, grief, a survivor, has a hearing aid, tough, grouchy, and a loner.
EC: Was there a contrast between Sarah, the heroine, in the first book, Wrapped Up in Christmas, and Maggie?
JL: Sarah is sociable, full of cheer, energetic, and enthusiastic, while Maggie is jaded, numb, gutsy, standoffish, and vulnerable. Maggie was forced in a situation where she had to be around Sarah. By bringing Sarah, who was also a main character, in this story, I was able to lighten the plot. Maggie had to interact with Sarah, go to places with her, and to experience things through Sarah’s eyes.
EC: How would you describe the male lead, Walker?
JL: Goofy, humorous, a charmer, cocky, protective, and as a single dad he prioritizes his daughter.
EC: The relationship between Walker and Maggie?
JL: Walker is flirty, attracted to her, while she is defensive and wants no part of any relationship. In past relationships she has been hurt, and he has been abandoned. Both feel pain, betrayal, and intensity and must get over their past. Maggie needs someone to show her a different side of light, which Walker does as he shows her the positiveness and to physically and emotionally protect her.
THANK YOU!!
