Chapter 45 - The Christmas Fix

I was speaking with a friend this week and we talked about, you guessed it, Christmas books. I was surprised at how many I have actually read. Apparently over the years, Christmas books have been my go-to December reading. There are some books which, although contemporary at the time I first read them, have truly become Christmas classics for me. Here are some more books I recommend to get your Christmas fix.

Christmas in London by Anita Hughes - Actually I'd recommend any of Anita Hughes's Christmas books as she has written tons of them. In this one Louisa is an American working at a small bakery in Manhattan. The production assistant of a cooking show comes into the store looking for cinnamon rolls as ones they have baked for the show are a burnt disaster. One thing leads to another and Louisa finds herself going to London to appear on a Christmas baking show with her British idol, Digby Bunting. This is a feel good book of friendship and forgiveness.

The Christmas Pearl by Dorothea Benton Frank - The late Dottie Frank gave the world a Christmas treasure with this little book about a Southern family. At 93 Theodora has seen her family become a group of whining, bickering, ninnies. As she prepares to host them for a Christmas dinner, she longs for the Christmases of her childhood and the warmth and love of the past. When her housekeeper informs her that she won't be available for Christmas but her cousin Pearl will be there instead, is it just a coincidence that Theodora's favorite housekeeper from the past was also named Pearl?

Home for Christmas: Stories for Young and Old compiled by Miriam LeBlanc - This is a collection of short stories by many different authors all bringing the reader memories of times past. If your children or grandchildren are beyond the age of all the wonderful Christmas children's books, this compilation might be just the thing to once again share the joy of Christmas storytelling.

Comfort and Joy: A Fable by Kristin Hannah - Joy Candellaro was once a big fan of Christmas but now, after a recent divorce and at a crossroads in her life, she is dreading the holiday. Without telling anyone she has bought a ticket to the Pacific Northwest to spend Christmas alone. A plane crash, a grieving boy, and a handsome man all enter her life and bring Joy to the best Christmas she has spent in a long time. This is Christmas magical realism at its best.

Midnight at the Christmas Bookshop by Jenny Colgan - You can't go wrong with a book by Jenny Colgan and this is her latest one, just published in October. When an American production company shows up in the summer with thoughts of using McCreadie's Old Town Bookshop as the location for a very cheesy Christmas movie, manager Carmen Hogan has her doubts. If the money being offered helps Carmen fend off an offer from someone who wants the shop to sell cheap kilts and plastic Nessies from China, Carmen is in. Of course, things don't always work out as planned! This is a follow-up from The Christmas Bookshop.

Any other Christmas books on your list? Please let me know!

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