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Classic Christmas books
An eclectic mix of stories to match whatever mood you’re in this holiday season.
Published on November 29, 2023
Letters from Father Christmas
J.R.R. TolkienAn adorable collection of letters Tolkien wrote to his children from the perspective of Father Christmas. These whimsical tales show a different side of the fantasy master, and are great to read with your children. Reading them is sure to put a smile on everybody’s face.
A Christmas Carol
Charles DickensNo holiday season would be complete without an appearance from Dickens’ Scrooge, Tiny Tim, and Christmas ghosts. Whether or not you’ve read “A Christmas Carol” before, there’s nothing that will put the jingle in your bells like some Dickens, best paired with a peppermint hot chocolate.
Wishin' and Hopin': A Novel
Wally LambGet ready to take a trip down memory lane in this “A Christmas Story”–esque novel about a Catholic school boy in the 1960s. You’ll laugh out loud at his antics and wistfully reminisce about your own holidays past.
Hercule Poirot's Christmas: A Hercule Poirot Mystery: The Official Authorized Edition
Hercule Poirot's Christmas: A Hercule Poirot Mystery: The Official Authorized Edition
Agatha ChristieMerry murderous Christmas! In this installment of Christie’s mystery series, Hercule Poirot has to figure out who killed the rich old man, Simeon Lee, among a household of family and servants who couldn’t stand him. And a happy hateful holidays!
The Gift of the Magi and Other Short Stories
O. HenryThis iconic short story of O. Henry’s remains affecting, no matter how known the ending has become. A cash-strapped husband and wife spend the Christmas season determined to find the perfect gifts for one another, and they both go to sacrificial lengths to make it happen. It’s the reminder we all need that happiness can’t be found in neatly wrapped boxes.
Hiddensee: A Tale of the Once and Future Nutcracker
Gregory MaguireIt’s not an exaggeration to say that Maguire (“Wicked”) is the master of classic retellings. In “Hiddensee,” he tackles the origins of “The Nutcracker,” melding many of the greats of German Romanticism. Your Christmas Eve just became far more magical with this take on the tale of Drosselmeier and Klara.
The Christmas Box: 20th Anniversary Edition
Richard EvansKindness, love, and giving with no strings attached are top values of the holiday season. Evans wraps up all these elements in this short novel, where a family experiencing financial hardship begins to work in the home of an elderly woman. There they find a small box that reminds them of the true meaning of Christmas.
The Nutcracker and the Mouse King
E. T. A. HoffmannYou’ve seen the ballet and you’ve read the aforementioned “Hiddensee”; now it’s time to experience the original work, “The Nutcracker and the Mouse King.” Hoffmann’s story is darker and more surreal than the ballet, but no less spellbinding, as Marie discovers a broken nutcracker come to life.
Twas the Night Before Christmas
Clement C. MooreMoore’s poem is basically required reading on Christmas Eve (or any of the 25 days of Christmas). For anyone who doesn’t have this ode to Santa and the joy he brings on Christmas Eve memorized, this edition includes adorable illustrations for the readalong.
The Life and Adventures of Santa Claus
L. Frank BaumEver wondered why we put up stockings for Christmas? Or why Santa stuffs himself down chimneys to deliver toys? The creator of “The Wonderful Wizard of Oz” writes Santa’s origin story in this whimsical children’s novel, where the answers stray in strange, delightful ways from other St. Nick mythology.
Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer
Robert L. MayThe most famous reindeer of all didn’t become part of Santa’s sled team until 1939 and was an invention of the retailer Montgomery Ward for a coloring book that included this original poem. Rudolph is now immortalized with a more famous song and a stop-motion film, but those iterations stray from the source material, which is written in the same style as “‘Twas the Night Before Christmas.”
The Greatest Gift: A Christmas Tale
Philip Van Doren SternThis quick read was the inspiration for another Christmas classic, the movie “It’s a Wonderful Life.” The history of its publication reinforces the story’s lesson about the value of every individual life to bring positive, lasting impact, even in the face of adversity: Philip Van Doren Stern had trouble finding a publisher, and instead mailed the story in lieu of Christmas cards in 1943. It caught the attention of movie producer David Hempstead and actor Cary Grant, and has touched the hearts of many for decades.
The Christmas Shoes: A Novel
Donna VanLiereIf you get weepy every time you hear the song “The Christmas Shoes” by NewSong, then prepare to go through a whole box of tissues reading this novella adaptation (author VanLiere is the wife of NewSong’s manager). Lawyer Robert Layton is financially successful but spiritually lacking, and helping Nathan, a young boy trying to buy nice shoes for his dying mom, shows him what really matters in life.
Little Women
Louisa May AlcottThe time between two Christmases is a vital one of growth for the March sisters in the classic “Little Women.” The siblings face setbacks every day, yet the novel is so full of hope and love. A real treasure of American literature.
The Autobiography of Santa Claus
Jeff GuinnGuinn did a lot of research to stitch together historical incidents, stories, and legends told about Santa Claus throughout time. There are 24 chapters (one to read each day of December in the lead-up to Christmas) that start with Nicholas’ birth in 280 A.D. and run all the way through the modern day. A small dose of surprise and a big helping of delight make this a joyful holiday read.
The Usual Santas: A Collection of Soho Crime Christmas Capers
Stephanie BarronWant your Christmas stories to be a little more grinchy (or at least, a lot less corny)? “The Usual Santas” collects 16 crime stories where stockings are stuffed with surprising, deadly secrets. The tone varies throughout the collection — some truly a nightmare before Christmas, others criminally funny — but each of these escapades is a true joy.
The Valancourt Book of Victorian Christmas Ghost Stories
Tara MooreFor all the Gothic fans out there whose favorite holiday movie is “The Nightmare Before Christmas,” this collection of Victorian era Christmas ghost stories is a true gift. These haunting tales from Sir Walter Scott, Elizabeth Gaskell, and others are perfect to read on a chilly, blustery winter night.
P.S. Your Cat Is Dead: A Novel
James KirkwoodA darkly humorous novel about a man very down on his luck on New Year’s Eve: He’s unemployed, his girlfriend is leaving him, he’s been robbed multiple times, his best friend is dead, and his cat is, too. Though the writing style shows its age (it was initially written in 1972), “P.S. Your Cat is Dead” is tonally very at home in a post-pandemic world on the precipice of a recession. We were hooked from the title alone.