5 Books to Read on Christmas
I try to read Christmas stories, especially older ones, since they tend to carry a certain nostalgia.
Around the world, Christmas is a time of warmth and light. During this holiday, we celebrate family and unity, feasting as we prepare for the coming new year.
I celebrate Christmas and send Christmas wishes to all of my subscribers who do, as well!
Christmas is also a source of inspiration for many seasonal stories, classic as well as contemporary. Personally, I lean more towards classic stories; I like that they have history attached to them.
I’ve spent the month of December reading holiday themed stories. For today’s post, I thought I’d compile a list of the Christmas-themed stories I read during the month.
The Advent season might be nearing its end, but it’s my personal opinion that there’s not a rule stating we can’t read a Christmas book in, say, July.
(Not that I’ve done that before, but my point stands).
There are many fantastic ways to celebrate the season. Each family has their customs that they look forward to as the year nears its end.
Some traditions have been passed down; others are new, springing from the font of human creativity. Traditions make the holiday personal to each household, causing love and light to shine over dinner tables and inside hearts.
I adopted my own tradition, which I will speak of more towards the end of this post. The tradition is not unique to me; many readers enjoy a good Christmas story during Advent.
This December, I have worked through four books and am finishing a fifth. All are Christmas themed, and all remind their readers of the magic this season brings.
1- Miracle on 34th Street by Valentine Davies
This was the first book I read in the month of December. I’d seen the movie, but didn’t learn until this year that Miracle on 34th Street is also a book!
It’s short, sweet, and every bit as endearing as the old film. Santa Claus is put on trial because grown-ups have their hearts in the wrong place, refusing to believe that he is who he says he is.
I thought the premise was so clever. I also love the solution to the problem—the “proof” produced in his defense at the end!
I confess, I felt like a child again while reading it, and that’s a good thing.
2- Dickens and Christmas by Lucinda Hawksley
Charles Dickens is one of my favorite authors. He is, of course, best known for the way he revived Christmas for Victorian society; I write about that in this post. It was a treat to pick the past apart and see how the holiday used to be celebrated, all those years ago.
Dickens and Christmas was one of the books I turned to for research purposes. After all, Dickens is our featured author this month.
Using detailed description and excerpts from his stories, Hawksley tells readers about his four Christmas books and summarizes them. (If you don’t like spoilers, perhaps wait till you have read the Christmas stories before picking this one up).
The book describes how Dickens celebrated Christmas during two major phases in his life: first, as the poor son of a man in debtor’s prison. Later, as a famous author in his own home.
3- The Nutcracker and the Mouse King by E. T. A. Hoffmann and Alexandre Dumas
The Nutcracker is a short story. Most people recognize it for the ballet it inspired, as well as the music that Tchaikovsky composed to accompany it.
This year, I read both versions of the story in one volume: the original version by E. T. A. Hoffmann, and the one by Alexandre Dumas. Since they were compiled as a book, I’ve decided to count two short stories as a book.
It’s unclear why Alexandre Dumas decided to rewrite the fairy tale. However, I admit that I enjoyed Dumas’ version better. The setting and plot were clearer than in Hoffmann’s version. Perhaps it’s a matter of poor translation? Such things do happen.
If you want to learn more about The Nutcracker’s original author, E. T. A. Hoffmann, check out this blog post I wrote about him.
4- A Christmas Carol by Charles Dickens
We cannot make a list of Christmas books without including the immortal tale of Scrooge’s redemption.
A Christmas Carol is the personal tradition I alluded to earlier. For many years, I have made a habit of reading A Christmas Carol on Christmas Eve. Each time, it surprises me, as if it were a new story.
When I finish reading this book, I write the year on the first page of a special edition; I’ve not missed a year for almost a decade.
When visiting the Charles Dickens Museum in 2019, I bought a copy. That thin book is one of my most treasured possessions.
I only read it on Christmas Eve, and try to finish before dinner is ready. If I tried to start early, it wouldn’t be the same. I have fond memories of following Scrooge’s journey, while the house is fragrant with the aromas of dinner being prepared.
I want to read his other Christmas stories, as well—though they are said to pale in comparison with A Christmas Carol, the one that made him famous.
5- The Penguin Book of Christmas Stories
This is a collection of stories from all over the world. They differ in tone, and not all have a happy ending.
What they have in common is Christmas: some are specifically about Christmas, some just happen to take place during Christmas, and others feature characters preparing for Christmas.
Some of them are short (as in, four or five pages long); others require more concentration, for they contain nuggets of wisdom that’d be lost if a reader skimmed them.
I’m reading it slowly, and will probably still be working through it well into January. Perhaps I’ll finish by Epiphany.
Have you read any of the books featured in this list?
Perhaps you know of other Christmas stories I can explore next year. I would love to read your suggestions. Comment with their titles, and I’ll add them to a list for my 2025 holiday readathon.
Thank you for taking the time to read this post; I know that this week is busy for most people.
Tell me about the special ways in which your family celebrates this holiday, keeping the Christmas spirit alive!
E. T. A. Hoffmann: Author of ‘The Nutcracker’
This article features quotes from The Nutcracker and the Mouse King by E. T. A. Hoffmann.
I love the sound of all these books and I will be adding them to my Christmas TBR. 😊 I finished A Christmas Carol on Christmas Eve and I so enjoyed it! I look forward to reading more by Charles Dickens this year. Happy New Year 📚
Great list of books, I get my copy of A Christmas Carol every year! 🎄