With the holiday activities slowing down, now is a great time to chill with a classic Christmas story. Here are some recommendations from my recent discoveries.
“Uncle Richard’s New Year Dinner” by Lucy Maud Montgomery, a fortuitous mix-up.
You can read the story here
Unable to find a publisher, the author printed 200 copies of this story as Christmas cards…Frank Capra said he had been looking for it all his life.
“The Greatest Gift”, a short story by Philip Van Doren Stern
Once you start reading you will get the feeling that you have heard this story before. But do yourself a favor, and keep reading this unique version to the end.
Download the free PDF here
The Romance of a Christmas Card, a book by Kate Douglas Wiggin
Reba is inspired to create some Christmas cards, complete with verse and images that she writes and paints. They are sent out into the world, reaching estranged loved ones, ultimately bringing them back to their families.
You can read this short novel here
“A Hint for Next Christmas”, an essay by A.A. Milne, the author of the beloved Winnie the Pooh books. I enjoyed the ponderings of one of my favorite authors about the merits of small gifts and rethinking the custom of Christmas cards.
You can read the essay here
“Little Christmas”, a short story by Agnes Sligh Turnbull
This is written with the unique perspective of a mother, reflecting on Christmas with her grown children. Find out how she responds to her disappointments at missing her own “traditional” Christmas. This one is worth reading every year!
Read free here
Home for Christmas by Lloyd C. Douglas
A feel-good novel full of humour and kindness. Five siblings who have done well for themselves in adulthood return to the family farm to enjoy Christmas and reconnect with childhood friends. Lloyd Douglas’ name ensures a good start, and it is a better than average story of the kind.
You can download various formats here
Christmas in Modern Story: An Anthology for Adults
Some of my favorites in this anthology include: “Holly at the Door” by Agnes Sligh Turnbull, “To Springvale for Christmas” by Zona Gale; and “The Day of Days” by Elsie Singmaster.
“This volume is the outgrowth of a librarian’s search each holiday time for stories to meet the ever growing demand for something “Christmassy” to read aloud. The [usual Christmas stories] have purposely been omitted. It is the hope that readers will gain from this anthology even a little of the gracious spirit manifested by the authors in the writing of the stories.”
You can download this book in various formats here
Papa Panov’s Special Christmas by Leo Tolstoy
A delightful tale for children, here –and many more delightful stories and Christmas cheer here
Which ones have you read? Do share your favorites to add to this list! Happy reading, and….
******* Happy New Year 2025! *******
Happily Writing 
What a great list, just about all new to me. Happy New Year!
Thanks Marcia, they were new to me, too — what a joy to discover!