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Original poster

Christmas books

64 replies

Triostar · 05/11/2022 18:26

Hi All

Can anyone recommend some good Christmas books please (for an adult)? From about December I get the urge to read festive books but haven't always been lucky with my choices! Over the last few years I read Call of the Pengiuns/Away with the Penguins which I really didn't like (not sure why I read both tbh) The Snow Child (quite liked) Christmas Carol, A Laurie Lee one and Red Bird Christmas by Fannie Flagg which I enjoyed. I am not a fan of spookiness or the Christmas-at-the -seaside-cafe/will they won't they type books. A Winter Solstice by Roasmund Pilcher is currently 99p on kindle so will buy that but I read a lot so would quite like a few to choose from....

OP posts:
PritiPatelsMaker · 16/11/2022 21:12

The other year I read John Grisham's Skipping Christmas which I enjoyed. I'd never seen the film though so that probably helped.

I always used to play the children Stephen Fry reading Paddington too. Such a lovely book Wink

PermanentTemporary · 16/11/2022 21:06

Another vote for End of Term.

HerReputationMadeItDifficultToProceed · 16/11/2022 21:01

I'm joining for some suggestions. Always do a Christmas Carol reread every year for advent (or a bit longer than advent) but after some new stuff.

Also, if anyone else wants to do the ACC readalong this is the schedule I do it to. I might start a thread if anyone's interested.

ADVENT READALONG
SCHEDULE:

Stave 1: 21st Nov - 27th Nov

Stave 2 28th Nov - 4th Dec

Stave 3: 5th Dec - 11th Dec

Stave 4: 12th Dec - 18th Dec

Stave 5: 19th Dec - 25th Dec

Firstaidnovice · 16/11/2022 20:19

I really enjoyed Gifts by Laura Barnett last year.

tobee · 16/11/2022 20:14

I got a first edition from eBay! It was just the same as the library edition I borrowed as a child.

The bit at the beginning where Josephine arrived at the house feeling uncomfortably overdressed and having to mix with unknown children was quite a strong feeling of recognition on occasion for me as a child.

CatChant · 16/11/2022 19:22

tobee · 16/11/2022 18:48

Oh it was me that mentioned Cold Christmas on the other thread!!! Grin

I'll just keep on talking to myself. I usually do!

Sometimes talking to yourself is the best guarantee of an intelligent conversation @tobee !

I loved Cold Christmas as a child too. I borrowed it from the library (in the days when libraries were hushed places packed with wonderful books) and went hunting for my own copies of it and other Nina Beachcrofts to pass on to my DD, who also loved them.

Abe Books and eBay are marvellous for tracking down lost and forgotten books.

RogersOrganismicProcess · 16/11/2022 19:08

David Sadaris: The Santa Land Diaries. If you like funny!

tobee · 16/11/2022 18:48

Oh it was me that mentioned Cold Christmas on the other thread!!! Grin

I'll just keep on talking to myself. I usually do!

tobee · 16/11/2022 18:45

CatChant · 10/11/2022 20:36

These are children’s books but are still loved by this adult and many others judging by the children’s classics thread:

The Dark is Rising by Susan Cooper
The Children of Green Knowe by Lucy M Boston
Come Back Lucy by Pamela Sykes
The Box of Delights by John Masefield
Cold Christmas by Nina Beachcroft

So happy to see Cold Christmas her a mention! Loved that book as a child & still do!!

PeskyRooks · 16/11/2022 17:00

My favourite Christmas related book that I've read about a thousand times is Jilly Cooper's 'Prudence'

Terpsichore · 16/11/2022 16:42

Just thought of another one, which has a fantastically wintry/Christmassy feel in the winter chapters - The Country Child by Alison Uttley.

lipstickwoman · 16/11/2022 16:38

Stargazy Pie by Laura Lockington is a very funny chick lit romp if anyone needs one.

One of the few books I've re read

Terpsichore · 16/11/2022 16:37

I second End of Term, it feels quite magical.

For something fizzy and funny, Nancy Mitford’s early novel Christmas Pudding is great. And don’t forget Christmas at Cold Comfort Farm 🥶

JaninaDuszejko · 15/11/2022 20:36

I love Jeanette Winterson's Christmas Days: 12 Stories and 12 Feasts for 12 Days, it's lovely to read over the 12 days of Christmas.

Maigret's Christmas by Georges Simenon is also very enjoyable, it has 3 short Christmassy stories in it.

Then there's Dickens and the vast number of children's books. I'll be reading The Box of Delights by John Mansfield this year.

EdinaMonsoon · 14/11/2022 22:55

I’m reading A Christmas Memory by Truman Capote & A Village Christmas by Laurie Lee. Both atmospheric & engaging. Easy to dip in & out of too.

I’m a sucker for crap Christmas books too though & am currently rereading The Xmas Factor by Annie Sanders. Total cliché drivel but still makes me smile.

Original poster
Triostar · 12/11/2022 08:47

@bookandabrew thanks, will have a look at that (and it is currently 99p on kindle!)

OP posts:
Original poster
Triostar · 12/11/2022 08:44

@AboutTheYoungIdea thats where I keep seeing them too. ..

OP posts:
Matildatoldsuchdreadfullies · 12/11/2022 07:35

I read A Christmas Carol every year.

But my favourite Christmas read is End of Term by Antonia Forest. The description of the school nativity seems to give a real feel of Christmas.

ElizabethinherGermanGarden · 12/11/2022 07:27

I really enjoyed India Knight's Comfort and Joy, but I know a lot of people don't like her writing - you either do or you don't, I guess. It's not one of her best but it is still funny.

GiltEdges · 12/11/2022 07:08

123ZYX · 12/11/2022 07:03

Oh yes! Definitely this. I read it to DS last year - it started as a bedtime story but he kept asking me to read it during the day as well. There were points where DH would come in to find us both cuddled up together, crying in a good way!)

Show quote history

Same! Loved it. Although it did make me cry.

123ZYX · 12/11/2022 07:03

antipodeancanary · 11/11/2022 21:15

Children's again, but I loved The Christmas Pig - JK Rowling

Oh yes! Definitely this. I read it to DS last year - it started as a bedtime story but he kept asking me to read it during the day as well. There were points where DH would come in to find us both cuddled up together, crying in a good way!)

bookandabrew · 11/11/2022 22:27

Midnight in Everwood is a nice a retelling of the nutcracker that I'm reading at the moment

AboutTheYoungIdea · 11/11/2022 21:59

Christmas at the seaside cafe made me laugh, Facebook keeps showing me those - there seem to be loads of them, all equally badly written and with very similar storylines.

MissyB1 · 11/11/2022 21:41

Hercule Poirot’s Christmas.