During the holiday season, students and everyday readers alike love to settle down with a good book, getting nice and cozy to escape the rush. Ideally this literary refuge takes place by a warm fireside, while the snow falls outside. While that might not always be possible, there are a few staples of holiday literature which are guaranteed to put readers in the mood for Christmas while providing some literary value.
A Christmas Carol by Charles Dickens
“There is nothing in the world so irresistibly contagious as laughter and good humor.”
There’s no avoiding this classic novella, first published in 1843, in the world of holiday literature. A quintessential piece, A Christmas Carol is often the first story anyone reaches for to represent Christmas. Charles Dickens is often credited with crafting or popularizing the image of the modern Christmas in this tale. What gives A Christmas Carol true value is that it’s not just a story, but a fable. From the repeating structure to the strong moral message, this story is about changing our ways and learning the values of charity and humility, which have been themes of Christmas tales ever since.
Letters from Father Christmas by J. R. R. Tolkien
“If you find that not many of the things you asked for have come, and not perhaps quite so many as sometimes, remember that this Christmas all over the world there are a terrible number of poor and starving people.”
J. R. R. Tolkien, best known for this epic fantasy tales like The Lord of the Rings, also produced a fantastic set of short Christmas stories that can warm cold hearts during the holiday season. These stories, in the form of letters, tell tales of various hijinks taking place at the North Pole. In typical Tolkien style, these adventures include fantastic creatures like elves and goblins, along with a charming take on European mythology. While reading about the misadventures of the clumsy Polar Bear, readers will get a taste for Tolkien’s classic literary style and a slice of whimsical Christmas magic.
Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban by J. K. Rowling
“What would your head have been doing in Hogsmeade, Potter?” said Snape softly. “Your head is not allowed in Hogsmeade. No part of your body has permission to be in Hogsmeade.”
The Harry Potter books have a notable Christmas feel, despite only mentioning Christmas briefly in each book. Even Harry’s first Christmas at Hogwarts, in Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone, when Harry is alone at school without his family, is heartwarmingly poignant as he finds unexpected gifts. The Prisoner of Azkaban details Harry’s first trip to Hogsmeade, a village which could come straight from a holiday postcard. From the snow and decorations to the scarves and candy, this and other trips to Hogsmeade highlight the relationships (or lack thereof) that Harry has with his friends and family, as the holiday season does for us all. Along with the moral and adventure themes of the books, these scenes make great light reading for the holidays.
Hogfather by Terry Pratchett
“DO I DETECT A NOTE OF UNSEASONAL GRUMPINESS? said Death. NO SUGAR PIGGYWIGGY FOR YOU, ALBERT.”
Hogfather is a truly priceless item of holiday literature. This tale starts out as a little theatre of the absurd for comedy’s sake; Death (the iconic, skeletal Death with robes and scythe) must “fill in” for the absent Hogfather (an analogue of Father Christmas) and so hilarity ensues. On one hand, we have excellent comedy as the morbid Death attempts to emulate the jollity of Christmas. On the other hand, Pratchett’s talent for weaving heartfelt truths about the nature of humanity and magic into fantastical situations shines in abundance. This tale has a surprising amount to say about the meaning of Christmas, without ever mentioning it in the usual terms.
The Journey of the Magi by T. S. Eliot
“A cold coming we had of it, Just the worst time of the year For a journey, and such a long journey: The ways deep and the weather sharp, The very dead of winter.”
This seasonal poem is a great example of holiday literature that doesn’t directly follow the usual pattern of Christmas iconography. The forty-three-line poem was written in 1927 and captures the religious air of Eliot’s work after his conversion to Anglo-Catholicism. The poem tells the story of the Magi from the Gospel of Matthew, who traveled to Palestine to meet the baby Jesus. This powerful piece therefore touches little on the modern concept of Christmas but has familiar themes of isolation and stark wonder. Reading this poem is like glimpsing the origin of Christmas, without the typical Victorian aesthetics or Nativity scenes we’re used to.
The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe by C. S. Lewis
“Always winter but never Christmas.”
Some of the best holiday stories are not directly concerned with Christmas, but rather capture the feel of winter and the themes of morality, adventure, and nostalgia. The second tale from The Chronicles of Narnia truly represents Christmas for many readers, and even features a cameo from Father Christmas, who brings magical gifts for the four travelers. This story sees Christmas from the point of view of English folklore. While it is often cited as a Christian tale (and of course all the more festive for it), there are themes which could be called pagan, or perhaps a missing link between the old world and Christianity, such as the way that self-sacrifice is handled as part of the cycle of nature.
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