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The Best Christmas Books, Per O, The Oprah Magazine
Celebrate the winter holiday with some of O’s favorites for the whole family.
Published on June 16, 2023
Letters from Father Christmas
J. R. R. TolkienO, The Oprah Magazine’s 2020 article on the “Best Christmas Books to Snuggle Up With This Holiday Season” kicks off with this adorable collection of letters that J.R.R. Tolkien wrote to his children from the perspective of Father Christmas. These whimsical tales are great to read along with your children and will be sure to put a smile on everybody’s face. Shows a different side of the fantasy master.
Mr. Dickens and His Carol: A Novel
Samantha SilvaA new take on “A Christmas Carol,” the epitome of Christmas stories. Mixing facts from Charles Dickens’ life with nods to his fiction, Samantha Silva makes a delightful tale about a Scrooge-like figure finding love, happiness, and joy just in time for the holidays.
The Usual Santas: A Collection of Soho Crime Christmas Capers
Stephanie Barron“A group of crime-fiction writers, including Helene Tursten and Martin Limón, put pen to paper for a collection of short stories ranging from foreboding to heartwarming, but all centered on the immortal focal point of the holiday: Kris Kringle,” wrote O, The Oprah Magazine. “The forward is written by British detective novelist Peter Lovesey, and each of the 16 globe-trotting caper tales take place somewhere else on the globe, be it Thailand, Copenhagen, or Korea. So when you need to get away, well, here you go.”
The Deal of a Lifetime
Fredrik BackmanA father looks back at his life in a story to his son on Christmas Eve in this poignant novella from Fredrik Backman (“A Man Called Ove”). There’s no sweeter way to remember the true meaning of the holidays and the value of time spent with loved ones (even if this year, “spending time with loved ones” means showing off your ugly Christmas sweaters over Zoom instead of in-person).
The Valancourt Book of Victorian Christmas Ghost Stories
Tara Moore“Edited by Tara Moore, who precedes each spooky tale with a letter to its author (one of whom is Sherlock Holmes creator Sir Arthur Conan Doyle), ‘The Valancourt Book’ has compiled 13 ghost stories from 19th-century, Victorian-era periodicals into one absorbing tome that begs to be read by a crackling fire — enough reading light permitting, of course,” says O, The Oprah Magazine.
Hiddensee: A Tale of the Once and Future Nutcracker
Gregory MaguireIt’s not an exaggeration to say that Gregory 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.
Christmas in London: A Novel
Anita HughesBe sure to read these next two books while munching on some Christmas treats. “Calling all ‘Great British Baking’ fans, Anita Hughes has a wintry holiday story that combines all your favorite things: London, cinnamon rolls, and reality TV. When Manhattan baker Louisa learns her gooey treats are a hit with a local production company, she’s recruited to join the team for their annual Christmas Eve dinner special filmed across the pond at the posh Claridge’s hotel. What could be more hallmark than that?” wrote O, The Oprah Magazine.
Christmas on the Island: A Novel
Jenny ColganWe may not be able to travel this holiday season, but this sweet and wholesome romance will take you on a festive island vacation to Scotland. “About a Highlands woman who’s pregnant by her ex-boss and a Syrian refugee living without his wife in asylum, it’s a tale actually as warm as the spiced concoction in your mug. And bonus: The book has recipes for shortbread, scones, and black bread,” according to DeAnna Janes’ writeup for O, The Oprah Magazine.
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 2020. We were hooked from the title alone.
A Christmas Carol
Charles DickensNo holiday season would be complete without an appearance from Charles Dickens’ Scrooge, Tiny Tim, and Christmas ghosts! (All the adaptations and newer works inspired by this classic don’t count!) Whether or not you’ve read “A Christmas Carol” before, there’s nothing that will put the jingle in your bells like some Dickens and peppermint hot chocolate.
The Snow Queen and Other Stories
Hans Christian Andersen“The Disney team behind Queen Elsa of Arendelle had some help. Loosely based on this Danish fairy-tale gem from Hans Christian Andersen, ‘Frozen’ took its cues from Gerda and Kay, the characters at the center of Andersen’s story of good, evil, and deep snow,” says O, The Oprah Magazine.
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. The reminder we all need that happiness can’t be found in neatly wrapped boxes.
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 Agatha 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!
Last Christmas in Paris: A Novel of World War I
Hazel Gaynor“‘Last Christmas in Paris’ mixes fiction with non to reveal a love that blossoms during the horrors of WWI. As Evie watches her brother and his best friend leave for duty, she believes the three will reunite come Christmas and celebrate on the streets of Paris. But, of course, war has other ideas,” wrote DeAnna Janes for O, The Oprah Magazine.
The Nutcracker
E. T. A. HoffmannYou’ve seen the ballet and you’ve read the aforementioned “Hiddensee,” and now it’s time to experience the original “The Nutcracker.” “Though celebrated each year as a whimsical, orchestral ballet tuned to Tchaikovsky, the original tale of ‘The Nutcracker’ is actually a much spookier story. A delirious nightmare about a little girl who finds her toy soldiers at war with an army of mice, it’s a departure from Alexandre Dumas’s sweet-as-sugar plums version,” according to the writeup in O, The Oprah Magazine.
The Greatest Gift: A Christmas Tale
Philip Van Doren SternA quick read that provides a new perspective on another Christmas classic. “A suicidal man perched on the edge of a bridge is interrupted by divine intervention. Sound familiar? That’s because Philip Van Doren Stern’s classic 1943 short story about a man named George who gets a glimpse of what the world would be like without him in it is the inspiration for another holiday mainstay: Frank Capra’s stalwart film starring Jimmy Stewart in the lead, ‘It’s a Wonderful Life,’” says O, The Oprah Magazine.
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.
Sources
- 35 Best Christmas Books to Snuggle Up With This Holiday Season
- 2020, O, The Oprah Magazine