CHRISTMAS LITERATURE

On the whole Sunday went off pleasantly. I made my pumpkin pies for the dinner, and in the evening, Dad popped two kettlefuls of corn and I put molasses and sugar taffy over it. Very good! We heard part of A Christmas Carol over the radio and various other good music. – Ina Dobson

I love Christmas literature. From classics like Dickens’ A Christmas Carol and A Visit from St. Nick to contemporary mystery novels and holiday romances, if it's about Christmas, I'm interested. 

My favorite seasonal podcast is Brian Earl’s “Christmas Past,” and this year he has published a book, also titled Christmas Past. I haven’t bought it yet, but it calls to me from Amazon. However, I do have a new book this year, – Letters from Father Christmas, a compilation of the annual Christmas letters penned by J. R. R. Tolkien to his children between 1920 and 1940. How wonderful not only to have such an imagination but be able to convey it in writing! I look forward to reading it as soon as the Christmas “doings” wind down. 

Also, Alexa reads Christmas novels to me as I work in the kitchen. Most of those aren’t great literature, and if I don’t like what I'm hearing, I just move to the next novel in my Audible library.

I don’t know about you, but I must focus a bit on what I will do in January. It’s a dark month and my mood can be dark, too, unless I promise myself that Christmas isn't over when it's over. It works for me to think of Christmas as a fresh start. KW