TTT: Christmas/Holiday Stories I'd Like to Read or Reread

Top Ten Tuesday: Christmas/Holiday Stories I'd Like to Read (for the first time) or Reread (again and again)

I grew up in a household where How the Grinch Stole Christmas (Seuss) and The Best Christmas Pageant Ever (Robinson) were read aloud every year, year after year. I've heard them both so many times I'm sure I could recite them word-for-word from memory. Several years ago I added a third must-read holiday book to the mix: The Shepherd, the Angel, and Walter the Miracle Christmas Dog (Barry). Will I read them, all three, again this year? Yes! Will I ever get sick of them? Never! That said, variety is the spice of life and I am ready to add more holiday-themed books to my yearly repertoire. Here are a few I want to read or reread this year:

The Mitford Snowman: A Christmas Story by Jan Kanon. Years ago I read several books in the Mitford series and I'm sure there will be recognizable characters in this short, 23 page booklet. I just got a copy from the library today so I can safely say this one will get read this year..

 

Christmas Pudding by Nancy Mitford. Set in England between the 1st and 2nd wars, published in 1932. This author was recommended to me by another person participating in the Novellas in November Challenge. I have also received a copy of this book from the library so it is likely I will read it for the first time in 2024.

The Autobiography of Santa Claus As told to Jeff Guinn. This book is right up my alley. A little mythology mixed with a bit of real history. I am checking my library to see if they have an available copy to borrow.

A Christmas Carol by Charles Dickens. Believe it or not I read this Christmas classic for the first time ever this year. I was obviously very familiar with the story but still found out a few new parts of the story, which delighted me.

The Secret History of Christmas by Bill Bryson. Only available in audio format. Read by the author. This was the first book I finished in 2024 and I'm ready to listen to it again this Christmas season. I actually learned a lot first time through it. 

A Christmas Story by Jean Shepherd. Pulling stories from several volumes of stories by the author and gathering them together to make up this book and the movie we all know and love. I've read this several times. Maybe 2024 would be a good year for a reread of this hilarious gem.

A Redbird Christmas by Fannie Flagg. Every book I've read by this author, I've loved. I am pretty sure I had this book in my high school library so it is shocking I never read it during my days as a librarian. Time to change that. 

A Christmas Memory, One Christmas, & The Thanksgiving Visitor by Truman Capote. Just last week I read this story collection about holiday memories by Capote. What remarkable stories! What a remarkable author. Since I bought a used copy of this book I bet this book, of all the books I've listed, will become my must-read holiday book.

The Wood at Midwinter by Susanna Clarke. A new book by a new-to-me author. I just finished Piranesi today and then saw this book. Adding it to my TBR and getting in line for the library copy!

Dinosaur vs. Santa by Bob Shea. I discovered this book last Christmas and read it with my grandsons. They loved it and read through the whole series of Dinosaur vs. books with their parents. When I saw it at the library today I snapped it up immediately and had a fun reread with my youngest grandson. "Dinosaur wins!"

What holiday book(s) do you read/reread often? Please leave a comment for me. Help me expand my holiday reading options. Thanks.

-Anne