Christmas novels, anyone?

Okay, so I’m a big softie and tend to gravitate towards tearjerkers pretty much all year round – but come December, I practically gorge on Christmas novels, the sappier, the better. You know the type: lost/desillusioned hero(ine) learns The True Meaning of Christmas. Just can’t get enough of ’em, although my tear ducts beg to differ. During the last couple of years, I’ve read and enjoyed Christmas, Present by Jacquelyn Mitchard, A Redbird Christmas by Fannie Flagg, Comfort and Joy by Kristin Hannah. This year, I thought I’d read The Gift by Cecilia Ahern and – can’t wait for this one since Lamb is one of my all-time faves! – Wishin’ and Hopin’ by Wally Lamb but since I figure a gal can’t get enough of Christmas novels, I’d love for other FORTers to share your best Christmas novels. Any takers?

Love,

So not the Grinch :lol

I did read a Christmas Carol last year as I was in London right before Christmas. I generally like Dickens but I found it a bit boring. I don't think I've read any other Christmas stories apart from children ones.

I love those Christmas novels too. As a matter of fact I think I have a box somewhere of just Christmas books. I used to take them out and reread them every year - until I rediscovered the library and I've been getting new books to read instead.

I don't have any recommendations, but I do share your appreciation for them. Normally Debbie Macomber has a new Christmas book out each year. Not sure of this year.

Right now I am reading The Christmas Cookie Club by Ann Pearlman. It has a Christmas theme and is an ok read so far.
The Christmas Cookie Club | Book by Ann Pearlman - Simon & Schuster

I really enjoyed the Christmas Cookie Club.

One of the funniest books I've read is Christmas in Harmony by Philliip Gulley. The entire series is great, but the progressive nativity in this book is a scream.

I'm also a fan of Jan Karon's Mitford books and she's written a couple Christmas ones called Esthers Gift and The Mitford Snowmen. Shepard's Abiding is good too, but it's part of the series and I really do think you need to read the entire series.
Not so with the Harmony books.

Skipping Christmas (movie version: Christmas with the Kranks) by John Grisham is good too. I liked it so much better than the movie.

That reminds me of an absolutely hilarious book I read years ago that still makes me laugh--The Joyous Season by Patrick Dennis.
“A Joyous Season” lampoons good holidays gone bad | Alibris blog

Susan Wiggs and Richard Paul Evans.
One of my favorite Christmas stories is Mr. Willowby's Christmas Tree by Robert Barry. It is a children's book.
Mr. Willowby receives his Christmas tree and it is too tall for his house, he cuts the top off. The top goes to the upstairs maid, too tall, she cuts the top off and throws it in the trash. The gardener then takes the top and, too tall, cuts the top off and throws it away. Then the forrest animals all take a piece each one cutting the top off and passing it along, until the smallest tip ends up in the mouse's house. :)

Pete Hamill wrote a lovely little book called The Gift that's set in Brooklyn in 1952 and centers on a sailor who's home on leave for Christmas. My mom and I LOVE Hamill, so I got this for her for Christmas last year and read it myself. It was really good and not quite as schmaltzy as some Christmas books. For some reason, while I love cheesy Christmas TV movies, I don't really like cheesy Christmas books :shrug

Anyway, here's a little plot summary:

Quote:

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Brooklyn, 1952. It is Christmastime and a young sailor named Pete is home on leave, temporarily liberated from the specter of war in Korea. He’s back in the old neighborhood, discovering firsthand that the girl he left behind evidently meant what she said in the Dear John letter she sent him. He’s back in the dreary Seventh Avenue apartment that his mother can ill afford to decorate for the holidays. And he’s back facing off with Billy, the gruff Irish factory worker who is his father, yet seems forever a stranger--until, on Christmas Eve, Pete pays his first visit to Rattigan’s, the local bar where his father hangs out, the place where Billy seems most fully alive.

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IF you can find it, Christmas Gift by Ferrol Sams is a great book. It is set in rural Georgia during the Depression and is true. His other books are great too. Run with the Horsemen is fabulous and our very own Queenb here on Fort knows the good doctor and he was her doctor when she was growing up. He had to have been a wonderful doctor as he's a GREAT storyteller, so am sure he put his patients at ease.

But my family has always had a tradition of greeting each other on Christmas morning by saying: "Christmas Gift". I never knew where that came from until I read that book.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by myrosiedog;4118735;

IF you can find it, Christmas Gift by Ferrol Sams is a great book. It is set in rural Georgia during the Depression and is true. His other books are great too. Run with the Horsemen is fabulous and our very own Queenb here on Fort knows the good doctor and he was her doctor when she was growing up. He had to have been a wonderful doctor as he's a GREAT storyteller, so am sure he put his patients at ease.

But my family has always had a tradition of greeting each other on Christmas morning by saying: "Christmas Gift". I never knew where that came from until I read that book.

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I'll have to get that book then as my family says this too and I never knew why they did, or that others did too! My great aunt and great uncle both tried to be first to say it when they were together which when I was growing up wasn't until Christmas night. Didn't win any prizes but they always wanted to be the first to say it.