Christmas: What I'm Reading

I wanted to write a couple of blog posts about Christmas, so have decided to write about the mediums I shall be consuming that are Christmas related. This episode: books!

I've only recently started reading regularly again after since finishing uni and thought it was the perfect time to try and fit some Christmas reading in to get me into the spirit! Below are three books that I have/am currently reading.


A Christmas Memory by Truman Capote

I only discovered this short story after buying and reading Capote's popular tale about Holly Golightly- Breakfast at Tiffany's. The book contained two short stories, one of which being A Christmas Memory. It's a short but fairly sweet story about a young boy named Buddy and his older cousin and their Christmas tradition of making fruitcakes. Much like the Charles Dickens' stories, these characters are poor, and Capote has written it in such a way that helps you to appreciate the little things during this time of year. It's a heartwarming little story that I'll happily crack out each year to get me in the Christmas spirit! After a bit of research, apparently there are two sequels to this story: The Thanksgiving Visit and One Christmas. I may have to try and find these to continue the story of Buddy and his best friend.


Let It Snow by John Green, Maureen Johnson and Lauren Myracle

I collaboration between three best-selling young adult authors, this is another heart-warming book (let's face it, most Christmas stories are heart-warming) that you can curl up with whilst cosy in your blanket and with a hot chocolate. Each author has written their own story, all of which intertwine in one way or another. A terrible snow storm hits part of the US on Christmas Eve, causing a knock on effect for a string of events. They're fun stories that have small random aspects (such as parents going to jail, a pig, and twister) that make them all-the-more entertaining. My favourite story is the first one: The Jubilee Express Maureen Johnson. I'm a sucker for a cutesy, romantic story now and then, and this one does it for me. I would recommend this book if you want an easy read, classic YA fiction, but also want to get into the holiday spirit.


A Christmas Carol and Other Christmas Writings by Charles Dickens

Who could forget the co-creator of modern Christmas himself- Charles Dickens? Charles Dickens is bae and we all know it. I acquired this book after purchasing a box set of his well known stories. I'm still in the process of reading the different stories within the book, but who doesn't love the classic Christmas ghost tale of A Christmas Carol? A mardy old bugger has a bit of a haunting and then is suddenly nice and buys a whole turkey for his colleague? Love it! Everyone loves A Christmas Carol, whether that's in the form of The Muppets, or the musical adaptation (with music by Alan Menken). 
The three short stories I've read from this book so far are Christmas Festivities (a picturesque description of a family's Christmas), A Christmas Episode from Master Humphrey's Clock (a short tale I enjoyed about two strangers in a pub on Christmas day becoming friends for life. Definitely made me want to look up more episodes from Master Humphrey's Clock) and The Story of the Goblins Who Stole A Sexton. The latter was a fun tale with a similar moral to A Christmas Carol. A goblin appears before a  grumpy gravedigger, wanting to teach him a lesson about being happy for those around you, especially at such a time of year. A fun little story, once again.


And thus concludes my Christmas reading for this year! 

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