Essay Questions

Would Elise have agreed to date Nick without the Mistletoe Promise?

Elise would never have said yes to a first date with someone as handsome and successful as Nick because she would never have believed herself worthy of him, or of the happiness that might result in their relationship. She would believe him more suited to pretty girls like her co-worker Zoey, lacking the confidence to see herself in the same league of Zoey's appearance or personality. Elise would also shy away from potential happiness fearing the pain of it being snatched away if Nick ever found out about her daughter's death. The contract between them makes sense to Elise far more than any attraction to her on Nick's part ever would.

Aside from the men in her life who have been abusive, which other people has Elise surrounded herself with that also support her belief that she does not deserve to be loved?

Elise's mother stood by and watched her father's emotional and physical abuse of her which Elise saw as tacit approval of his actions. By enabling him to continue to treat Elise this way, her mother condoned the abuse. As an adult, Elise's best friend had an affair with Elise's husband which not only condoned his emotional abuse and his cheating but also seemed to illustrate that since Dan managed to treat her with dignity, his inability to treat his wide with similar respect must be due to Elise and not to him, another piece of "evidence" for Elise to use to prove to herself that she did not deserve any better.

Was it cowardly of Nick to hide behind the Mistletoe Promise instead of directly asking her out on a date?

In some ways hiding behind a dating contract could be seen as cowardly as Nick was deliberately avoiding opening himself up to the possibility of rejection which most people have to do if they are interested in developing a relationship with someone. However, it is also understandable that he wants to see if they actually get along well and are a good fit in a relationship before he risks letting her get to know him, secrets and all. He is also aware of Elise's past and is safe in assuming that she would be as reluctant to open up about her daughter as he is to open up about the accident he caused and in that way is also rather gallantly enabling her to try being in a relationship with someone she typically would not even think was interested in her. Rather than hiding behind the contract Nick is ingeniously devising a way in which they can get to know each other without the fear of rejection that would probably paralyze them in the format of a "normal", boy-meets-girl type of relationship.

How is Elise’s self-worth tied to the treatment of the men in her life?

Elise does not believe that she is beautiful or worthy of being loved. Her father treated her as a piece of property that he owned so she does not understand being treated with kindness and respect by the men in her life. His abuse led her to be timid and into the arms of the first man who would take her away from her father.

Her ex-husband is narcissistic and temperamental. She was resentful that he did not help her around the house or with their daughter but said nothing, just did what was expected. His infidelity with her best friend and divorce leads her to not care about her appearance and believe she is not attractive.

Nicholas wants Elise to see that she is beautiful in appearance as well as in her soul. He lavishes her with gifts and tells her that she is beautiful. She scoffs at this because she has never been treated with kindness or appreciated for her beauty.

Why does Nicholas include gift giving as a clause in the Mistletoe Promise?

Nicholas includes gift giving as a clause because he wants Elise to feel that she is worthy of kindness and wants to make her happy. He knows that she feels guilt about what happened to her daughter and that she has closed herself off to others. He wants to help bring her out of her shell so offers her something to look forward to everyday.

How does Zoey and Elise’s relationship develop throughout the novel? What causes their relationship to change?

In the beginning, Elise sees Zoey as just a beautiful girl who can have any man that she wants. She is jealous of Zoey’s beauty and zeal for life. After Zoey flirts with Nicholas at the office Christmas party, Elise finds that Zoey is self-conscious and jealous of Elise for her relationship. Zoey has never had someone who has looked beyond her beauty. Elise learns that she did not truly know Zoey and judged her on who she believed her to be. This revelation leads to a true friendship between them.

How is forgiveness an important theme in the novel?

Forgiveness is important to Elise and Nicholas due to the past tragedies in their lives. Nicholas is able to begin looking for a relationship because he has been forgiven by Olivia for the accident that killed her family. Her forgiveness gives him the courage to pursue happiness. Nicholas knows that Elise needs to find forgiveness to be able to believe that anyone will love her. He knows how she feels and wants to help her to begin living her life again.