Books about Christmas!

October 3, 2018 7:47 AM

I friggin love Christmas (82 days to go!), I'm in the last few weeks of pregnancy, and I need some light-hearted reads to get on my Kindle and get me in the holiday spirit. Any recommendations?

I would love some books that take place at Christmas or have the holidays as kind of a central theme. Some family drama, some comedy, domestic scenes, a bit of romance maybe. And Christmas stuff!

In terms of tone, my absolute favorite Christmas movie is The Family Stone so that should give you an idea of what I'm after. I'm drawing a blank on author examples, but I guess I'm looking for books that are probably a step up in quality from trashy paperback romance, but nothing Too Serious or tragic. Like, dysfunctional families but not abusive families.

My love of Christmas is 95% secular, so I'm not interested in anything with a heavy Christian message. I was thinking fiction, but non-fiction like memoir or essays would be fine too.

Thank you bookfilter / Christmasfilter!

posted by cpatterson to Media & Arts (18 answers total)

Holidays on Ice by David Sedaris!
posted by lyssabee at 8:11 AM on October 3, 2018 [1 favorite]

Told After Supper by Jerome K. Jerome
posted by Wobbuffet at 8:32 AM on October 3, 2018 [1 favorite]

They're short stories rather than a novel, but I think This Year It Will Be Different by Maeve Binchy fits the bill.
posted by XtineHutch at 9:05 AM on October 3, 2018

Wishin’ and Hopin’ by Wally Lamb is a sweet, light read.
posted by padraigin at 9:14 AM on October 3, 2018

a Lot Like Christmas by Connie Willis
posted by bq at 9:24 AM on October 3, 2018 [2 favorites]

Winter Solstice by Rosamunde Pilcher. It's super cozy and I reread it almost every year.
posted by donajo at 9:58 AM on October 3, 2018 [1 favorite]

If for some reason you have never read the children's Christmas classic The Best Christmas Pageant Ever, now's the time. It is our family's Christmas gospel.
posted by dlugoczaj at 10:01 AM on October 3, 2018 [2 favorites]

Mr Dickens & His Carol
posted by fingersandtoes at 10:25 AM on October 3, 2018

Connie Willis' first book of Christmas stories, Miracle and Other Christmas Stories, is also good.
posted by ALeaflikeStructure at 10:30 AM on October 3, 2018 [1 favorite]

Dylan Thomas' A Child's Christmas in Wales is the correct answer to this question.
posted by LeeLanded at 10:39 AM on October 3, 2018 [3 favorites]

Children's book - The Armourer's House by Rosemary Sutcliff. Ends with Christmas in sixteenth-century London.

The Twelve Days of Christmas - cosy romance by Trisha Ashley.

Several of Donna Andrews's cosy mysteries: Six Geese A-Slying, Duck the Halls, The Nightingale Before Christmas, How the Finch Stole Christmas and Lark! The Herald Angels Sing.
posted by paduasoy at 11:11 AM on October 3, 2018

I think Blue Christmas by Mary Kay Andrews would be perfect.
posted by LKWorking at 11:30 AM on October 3, 2018

Oo, looks like she has a newer book about Christmas, too :) Christmas Bliss
posted by LKWorking at 11:50 AM on October 3, 2018

Also the new Joanne Fluke mystery is Christmas-themed. Christmas Cake Murder.
posted by lyssabee at 12:41 PM on October 3, 2018

Check out Dash & Lily's Book of Dares by Rachel Cohn
posted by nuclear_soup at 2:23 PM on October 3, 2018

This isn't exactly what you asked for, but since you mentioned you're pregnant, Pigs at Christmas is a wonderful children's Christmas book. The illustrations are great, it has a nice message, and you can use the time to practice your different voices so you can pass your love of Christmas on to your baby. "Burned blueberry binkies" is still a lament in my family.
posted by kochenta at 2:47 PM on October 3, 2018

Hogfather by Terry Pratchett
posted by Jane the Brown at 8:08 PM on October 3, 2018 [1 favorite]

Response by poster: These suggestions look perfect, and most of them are fortuitously in my library's e-book catalogue! Thank you all. No shortage of stuff to read while I'm trapped under an infant :)
posted by cpatterson at 6:05 AM on October 4, 2018