Regular readers of the blog will know that I’ve written about Christmas a lot! I’ve shouted from the rooftops about my love for A Christmas Carol (more on that in a moment). I’ve delved into how Christmas was celebrated in 18th century Scotland. Today, I felt like recommending a couple of my favorite Christmas/winter books. These are books that talk about Christmas and/or the season and that I think would make great gifts.
You’ll probably be familiar with some, but I also tried to pick a few that were more off-the-beaten-track. As always, I hope you enjoy.
A Christmas Carol by Charles Dickens – a novella from the famous Victorian author
You knew it was coming. It’s my favorite book so how could I not recommend it here?
You might have been forced to sit through a cringey local production of it (or an excellent one, I saw a great production of the Christmas Carol musical last year). Or maybe you grew up watching the Muppet version (my favorite film adaptation of it, by the way!). But you’re probably familiar with the story. Crabby old Ebenezer Scrooge is visited by three ghosts and reminded of the importance of charity and compassion. Reading the book though is a whole other experience though: it’s funny, it’s silly, it’s a bit scary and it’s totally heartwarming. It’s also short and sweet and reading level wise I think pre-teens and upwards would be able to enjoy it. There are a few funny Victorian British phrases you might not know, but that’s part of the charm. It’s very much a book of it’s time and yet its so universal and beloved. There are many beautiful editions with illustrations.
The Shortest Day by Susan Cooper (author) and Carson Ellis (illustrator) – a gorgeous picture book
This is a little hidden gem of a book. It’s a picture book about a winter solstice and the “shortest day” of the year. It’s a quiet little book that I found kind of moving, connecting modern festivities with ancient rituals to welcome back in the light at the darkest time of the year. If you’re in the USA, it looks like you can get it at Barns and Noble, or you could probably get it at your local bookstore. This one is a sweet one for children (or adults!) with very joyful and rich illustrations.
Christmas Days: 12 Stories and 12 Feasts for 12 Days by Jeanette Winterson – stories and recipes
I enjoyed the format of this which alternates between personal stories (and maybe fictional stories too – if I recall correctly?) and recipes. Because food is so important at this time of year especially, I loved having the recipes there too! If you’re in the UK you’ve probably heard of Jeanette Winterson. She’s a well-known memoir writer, and actually one of the most well-known living British writers period. I’ve really enjoyed her other books I’ve read but they were pretty dark (exploring the difficulty of growing up as a lesbian woman in a very conservative household, for example), but this book isn’t dark at all but really celebratory and warm. With some good ideas for holiday cooking too.
The Winter Spirts: Ghostly Tales for Frosty Nights – short story anthology by various authors including Bridget Collins, Imogen Hermes Gowar and Kiran Millwood Hargrave
“The tradition of a haunted tale at Christmas has flourished across the centuries. These twelve stories – authored by some of today’s most loved and lauded writers of historical and gothic fiction – are all centred around Christmas or Advent, boldly and playfully re-imagining a beloved tradition for a modern audience.”
This book was given as a gift to me last year and while I’ve not read all of the stories I love the concept and the fact that you get so many great authors in one book. I love a short story anthology and it’s perfect for reading by the fire.
How the Grinch Stole Christmas! by Dr Seuss – beloved classic children’s book
I probably don’t need to explain this one. There’s a mean old “grinch”. He steals Christmas. Or does he?
What’s great about this one is that it emphasizes how Christmas isn’t about presents or material objects, which is something that we all need to be reminded of, I think, at this time (and all times throughout the year, for that matter).
“Maybe Christmas, he thought, doesn’t come from a store. Maybe Christmas, perhaps, means a little bit more.”
I hope you found those fun and useful recommendations. It’s a special time of year and I like that there are so many books to choose from that celebrate the season in different ways. There are many more I could have listed, but you can’t go wrong with these.
Have a wonderful holiday season. I’ll be back with another post in early January. I wrote this post in lieu of my typical “Madeira Mondays” which I try to do at the start of each month. Those “Madeira Mondays” posts focus on history and historical fiction. “Friday Finds” is all about recommendations for books (or films etc.) that I think are worth sharing!
Recommended Further Reading:
If you’ve enjoyed the blog this year, please consider ‘buying me a coffee’ on Ko-fi. It really does encourage me to keep it going and lets me know folks are reading and enjoying! Thank you so much. Have a wonderful holiday season and a peaceful start to 2025!
Carly Brown 