What are you reading this festive season?

[whatausername]

I've Agatha Christie's Midwinter Murder on the go and Enid Blyton's Christmas book for the weekend.

I always re-read Hogfather (Discworld) at Christmas.
Also love some seasonal Agatha Christie!

I started reading Enid Blyton's Christmas Book, but I've shelved it as I wasn't enjoying it.
I've just finished reading The Haunting Season, which I unexpectedly really enjoyed, but I wish I'd saved it for the bit between Christmas and New Year.
I'm starting Happy Christmas by Daphne du Maurier tonight.

I always turn to Dickens at this time of year, Great Expectations is up next for the 100th time.

I've just started Jeannette Winterston's '12 Days of Christmas' - it's a collection of essays and short stories so easy to dip in and out of (and was reduced on Kindle when I finished my last book!)

I'm re-reading The Dark is Rising. It's perfect 😊

About to embark on Winter Solstice by Rosamunde Pilcher. Have big old fashioned hardback edition I got secondhand. Might have a flick through hogfather too.

I'm currently reading Christmas Pudding by Nancy Mitford, and A Tudor Christmas by Alison Weir and Siobhan Clarke. I'm enjoying both, but think A Tudor Christmas has the edge - a fascinating look at how Christmas was celebrated and not celebrated in the 16th and 17th centuries, from Catholic tradition and Protestant reform through to Restoration.

The Nancy Mitford is a light and amusing counterbalance.

I only have two literary traditions. Every spring I re-read the general prologue to The Canterbury Tales (just the prologue), and every Christmas I re-read A Christmas Carol. I don’t cry easily, but Dickens kills me. I can’t even watch a flippin muppets Christmas Carol without sobbing.

I do like a ghost story over Christmas. I’m a pretty good reader out loud, and have read a couple of M. R. James short stories to family on Christmas Eve. On the whole, though, I prefer something light and cheery at this time of year. I’ve always meant to try P. G. Wodehouse’s Blandings books (I love the Jeeves series), so will be reading them. I’ve also got several audiobooks on the go. I’m listening to Kipling’s Just So stories (perfect for audiobook), Virginia Woolf’s Orlando, and a biography of the poet Wilfred Owen.

I’ve just finished Christmas Pudding by Nancy Mitford, and will start Mr Dickens & His Christmas Carol this evening. I’ll then read A Christmas Carol this weekend!

That's my Christmas book too

I've now moved onto my annual read of The Dark I Rising by Susan Cooper. I've read it so many times now, it feels very familiar but never gets old.

I'm skipping my normal reread of A Christmas Carol this year. Just don't fancy it. But I might reread Jeanette Winterson's Christmas Days: 12 Stories and 12 Feasts for 12 Days, which also feels like a comfort read.

I love just given up on “the Christmas appeal” Janice Hallett too many characters and too slow.

Going to try “the adventure of the Christmas pudding “ Agatha Christie and also her “Midwinter Murder“.

Christmas Appeal - took me a while to get used to how it was written but quite enjoyed it

Four Weddings and Christmas - Philippa Ashby - chick lit, predictable, has all the elements of a chick lit - successful self employed girl, arty good looking boy etc

One Christmas Eve - Shari Low - nice little book about three stories of daughter, mother, grandmother on Christmas Eve and how decesions made in the past affect the next generation. Really enjoyed this book. Not too chick lit or too over -romanticised with some surprises along the way. A pleasant read.

The Christmas Guest by Peter Swanson, I really enjoyed it.

The Bear and the Nightingale by Katherine Arden. Suitably wintery.

My audiobook is Sleeping Murder by Agatha Christie. Christie always feels wintery to me somehow.

How far to Bethlehem by Nora lofts. A beautiful realised story of the Nativity.

@Helar I read How Far To Bethlehem each year as well. I have never heard anyone else mention it! I am pleased so many of Norah Loft's books are now on kindle.

Now she is witch by Kirsty Logan - brilliant so far. Highly recommend.

And the new Jeanette W ghost story collection - very flimsy so far I think but I’m only a quarter or so through.

I've got a proper proper chick lit book I bought as a token gift for me and a friend. She reads more high brow than me but confessed to a chick lit treat at Christmas. It's about a hotel inspector who goes to wilds of Scotland to a Christmas themed island. It's based on a real resort in Finland (that i really want to
Go to ) and the descriptions of the snow/ northern llghts and this amazjng hotel are what i love. pure escapism

Nothing Christmassy at all but I got a load of Patricia Wentworth books second hand after she was suggested in another thread. I love Agatha Christie and have been looking for a similar style and theme.

Really loving them and feel I'm spending time with real people as she writes really well.

Great recommendations here - thank you all!

Lots of comfort re-reading for me too.

I am enjoying a reread of Mistletoe and Murder by Robin Stevens - children's book part of series inspired by golden age of detective fiction. This one is clearly Gaudy Night-influenced.

I am enjoying La Belle Sauvage once again. Love escaping to alternate (but familiar) worlds in winter so must put The Dark is Rising on my list.

I am also enjoying The Light in the Dark by Horatio Clare which often keeps me company this time of year.

It’s so lovely, isn’t it? I haven’t actually read any of her other books. Is there one you would recommend?

I've now swapped to a non-Christmassy read but I've just finished The Children of Green Knowe by Lucy M Boston and Domesday Book by Connie Willis. I'm now plagued out but loved the Christmas descriptions in both.

@Helar I really like her House at Old Vine trilogy (Town House is the first). I enjoyed most of her books and there are several I now have on kindle to re-read.