It is officially the holiday season. Whether you are a put the tree up before Thanksgiving kind of family or nothing starts til after we eat turkey kind of family, I think we can all agree December 1st is fair game. With the holiday season things can feel frantic. We are searching high and low for the best presents and holiday events to keep us in the spirit.
One of my favorite ways to get in the holiday spirit, outside of music and sweets, is reading. Books offer us great examples of new traditions, funny anecdotes, and light-hearted cheer. From the classics to more modern tales, these stories sprinkle a little holiday magic on the most mundane December nights. I hope in this list you are able to find one story to bring some holiday light to your home this season.
Let’s start off with a classic and one for the whole family. Everyone loves the movie, but not many have read the book. The Polar Express by Chris Van Allsburg has been a family favorite since 1985. Maybe even more so since the movie. Not only is the story exceptional, the illustrations are equally as magical.
Jumping to more modern reads, I can’t resist mentioning my favorite author. Not only does Fredrik Backman write some of my favorite realistic fiction novels for everyday reads, he also wrote a touching story for the holidays. The Deal of a Lifetime tells the story of a young man and his father. Of course, like most of Backman’s novels, it goes much deeper than that. This book is a great reminder on the gift of living and legacies. It’s not your typical holiday read, but will definitely offer you a new perspective on holiday spirit.
A twist on a classic is always fun for any season. I really enjoyed this one last year, particularly because it was much easier to get through than the classic it is based off of. In Samantha Silva’s noble, Mr. Dickens and His Carol tells how Charles Dickens found his holiday spirit when in the bouts of depression and near poverty. While embellished on some of the history, it was nice to read how even Dicken’s can go from Scrooge to jolly with the right company.
Many know this author by his pen name, Lemony Snicket, and likely don’t associate him with the holidays. I’m here to tell you otherwise. Daniel Handler wrote a comedic holiday tale that is sure to warm your hearts a little this holiday season. The Lump of Coal follows an impeccably dressed piece of coal looking for purpose. Perhaps his journey will bring a touch of humor to your home this season.
To wrap up our first collection of holiday novels we have what I would consider a classic, Letters from Father Christmas by J.R.R Tolkien. In this collection, Tolkien writes as Father Christmas to his children. With stories of mischief and accidents, adventures and simplicity, Tolkien brings us the holiday spirit with ease. It’s also just fun imagining the man who wrote about orcs and hobbits telling stories from the North Pole.
We will likely make another list a little later in the month, but I hope one of these brings you some holiday cheer now. In the mean time, what are some of your favorite holiday stories? What do you do to get in the holiday cheer? Let us know in the comments.
As always, happy reading!
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