The Little Match Girl
A sad and beautiful story to remind us all to be thankful and charitable and to appreciate what we have at Christmas time.
Christmas Stories
Timeless holiday tales to warm your heart
We have collected over 100 Great Christmas Stories, Books, Poems, and Christmas Carols for you to enjoy; stories to kindle your holiday spirit. We list the more unusual titles in Off-Beat Christmas Stories, followed by Christmas Books, Christmas Poems, and traditional Christmas Carols and Christmas Cards
Families will enjoy sharing our collection of Children's Christmas Stories
The Gift of the Magi
Titles in this top section are best for reading with kids about 10 years and up, and tend to be more sentimental.
The Gift of the Magi
A young married couple-- rich in love, poor in money-- buy each other gifts and teach all of us about sacrifice and giving.
A Christmas Carol
One of the most enduring Christmas stories of all time, a morality tale of the bitter old miser, Ebeneezer Scrooge, who has a change of heart after visits from the ghosts of Christmases Past, Present, and Yet to Come.
The Elves and the Shoemaker
A poor shoemaker and his wife are down to their last piece of leather when their fortunes change thanks to help from talented elves.
The Fir-Tree
A young fir tree dreams of growing tall and achieving greatness, only to discover too late the beauty of living in the present moment.
The Last Dream of Old Oak
An unlikely conversation between and old oak and a mayfly that delightfully illustrates the wonder of perspective.
Christmas Jenny
"Bein' a missionary to robins an' starvin' chippies an' little deaf an' dumb children is jest as good as some other kinds, an' that's what she is."
A Christmas Dream, and How It Came to be True
A children's take on Charles Dickens' A Christmas Carol, Alcott shares a delightful story from a young girl's point of view.
Christmas; or, The Good Fairy
A precious story about the joy of thoughtful gift-giving and the appreciation of recipients.
Papa Panov's Special Christmas
A lonely cobbler awaits a promised visit from Christ on Christmas Day, only to discover the divine in acts of everyday kindness to strangers.
The Night Before Christmas: A Morality
Clarence Fountain is quite cynical about the pretense of self-deception about Santa Claus as his children grow older; that is, until his family leads him to a complete change of heart.
Merry Christmas
A man struggling to write a Christmas story gets a visit from Father Time to discuss what's wrong with Christmas, then is treated to Father Christmas' arrival, rekindling his true belief in the season's magic.
A Stolen Christmas
Marg'ret had given up hope of "getting up a notch" in life, and now had to resolve her remorse for stealing that parcel.
The Gospel According to Joan
Who was teaching whom about charity and generosity? Freeman delivers some unexpected twists, a perfect holiday story about compassion for those in need.
The Other Wise Man
The fourth wise man begins a lifelong search for the newborn king, but encounters those in need at every turn, spending his gifts along the way.
Cousin Tribulation's Story
A heartwarming story about an oatmeal parade and "angel-children" who help a family in need.
What the Bell Saw and Said
Six bell spirits gather to assess the world's state of affairs on Christmas Eve; Alcott's State of the Union address, had she occasion to deliver one.
Christmas at Red Butte
By the author of Anne of Green Gables, this story is set in the harsh plains of Saskatchewan. Sometimes the best times come at the hardest times.
Whistling Dick's Christmas Stocking
A cheerful railway tramp stumbles upon a plantation robbery plot on Christmas Eve and must decide between his wandering ways and doing what's right.
A Country Christmas
Sophie invites her dear friend Emily for a real old-fashioned Christmas frolic away from the city.
How Christmas Came to the Santa Maria Flats
The building lease forbids peddlers and agents from entering the Santa Maria Flats, creating a holiday dilemma for the apartment children: how will Santa Claus, the world's most famous toy peddler, make his deliveries?
Captain Eli's Best Ear
"If I'd only slept with my hard-o'-hearin' ear up," he said to himself, "I'd never have heard it."
The First Christmas of New England
Stowe recounts the arrival of the Mayflower pilgrims and their solemn first holiday celebrations in the New World, marking the beginning of a cherished American tradition.
The Christmas Ghost
Jane White came to realize that love and kindness were not such strangers upon the earth as she had thought.
Betty's Bright Idea
Celebrating the joy of giving, Betty brainstorms thoughtful gifts each recipient will appreciate the most.
Christmas in Poganuc
Young Dolly watches longingly as the older children prepare Christmas greens at the colonial church, eager for the day when she'll be old enough to join the festivities.
Christmas
The infamous headless horseman author offers a lovely Christmas reverie about its festivities.
Uncle Richard's New Year Dinner
Nothing melts an old family feud like a home cooked dinner from the heart to start the year off right. By the author of Anne of Green Gables.
A Christmas Tree
The Christmas Stories in this section are great for readers looking for a more serious and contemplative perspective
What Christmas is as We Grow Older
A personal and optimistic view savoring Christmas as a time for reconciliation of our losses and hopes.
A Christmas Tree
Dickens reflects on his childhood Christmases through the lens of an old man, weaving together memory, wonder, and the magical toys and stories that adorned the tree.
How the Captain Made Christmas
A train conductor shares memories about home and promises of love on this Christmas ride to New Orleans.
At Christmas Time
Illiterate parents commission a letter which delights their estranged married daughter in St. Petersburg.
Vanka
An orphaned boy writes a letter to his grandfather on Christmas Eve, sharing his sparse but warm remembrances of family.
A Christmas-Eve Suit
A young, eligible lawyer weighs the charms of several ladies at a Christmas party, trying to decide which one will suit him best for marriage.
A Russian Christmas Party
Facing financial ruin, Nicolas' mother schemes an arranged marriage for him, though his heart belongs to a poor girl without fortune or connections.
Susie Rolliffe's Christmas
Answering the call after Bunker Hill, Zeke thought fighting the British would be like an expedition with the same elements as a bear hunt; then Susie got his attention.
Christmas Eve in War Times
A Civil War tale following Private Anson Marlow, Union soldier, as he faces the harsh realities of duty and loyalty on a cold Christmas Eve.
A Burglar's Christmas
In an unpredictable and unforgiving world, sometimes deception and permission may be the greatest gifts of all.
A College Santa Clause
A story of friendship and compassion when classmates spend the holidays on campus.
The Thin Santa Claus
Between stolen chickens, tuberculosis bugs, and a skeptical boardinghouse keeper, Christmas takes a delightfully unexpected turn when Mrs. Gratz finally believes in Santa Claus.
Keeping Christmas
An inspiring Christmas Day sermon on what it truly means to keep the spirit of Christmas alive in our hearts and actions.
The First Christmas Tree
Saint Boniface confronts ancient pagan rituals and transforms a warrior's sacrifice into a powerful Christian parable, establishing the tradition of the Christmas tree.
A Dream-story: The Christmas Angel
A story about what angels do: "There is no cure for this evil, but by the giving of greater force to the good hand."
A Christmas Sermon
Stevenson contemplates duty, pleasure, and moral obligation in this philosophical meditation: "If we require so much of ourselves, shall we not require much of others?"
The Christmas Wreck
No use being in a hurry for a good wind or Christmas, both will come when they're ready.
Off-Beat Christmas Stories
Reginald's Christmas Revel
An Unfinished Christmas Story
O. Henry's Christmas reverie and sharp digs leave us to finish his story.
Reginald's Christmas Revel
Reginald orchestrates mischievous mayhem at a country house Christmas party, proving he's definitely not making Santa's "good" list this year.
A Chaparral Christmas Gift
A shoot-em-up story featuring Frio Kid and a memorable Christmas wedding. Will he be back this year?
Christmas by Injunction
Cherokee strikes what he thinks is a gold vein and invites his friends to establish a town, leading to an unexpected and peculiar Christmas celebration in the desert.
Reginald on Christmas Presents
Reginald laments his relatives' chronic inability to choose appropriate gifts, delivering Saki's signature wit on the perils of holiday gift-giving.
A Hint for Next Christmas
Best known for creating Winnie the Pooh, A.A. Milne makes a strong case for travel-size gifts.
Bertie's Christmas Eve
Munro's wit and satire of Edwardian society play out perfectly in the Steffinks' cow-house at Christmas.
The Christmas Present
A peculiar and amusing Christmas story. What's that, you say? I can't hear you. Sometimes the best Christmas present doesn't cost a penny.
Peace on Earth, Good-Will to Dogs
If you don't like dogs or Christmas stories, don't read this story! Flame is a minister's daughter who is eager to help the new neighbor.
Christmas Books
Little Women
Little Women
The coming-of-age story of the March sisters Meg, Jo, Beth and Amy as they grow up during the Civil War.
A Christmas Carol
The classic story of the Christmas Eve transformation of the bitter and miserly Ebenezer Scrooge after being visited by ghosts of Christmases Past, Present and Yet to Come.
The Chimes
Dickens' novella is a goblin story of some bells that rang an old year out and a new year in.
The Cricket on the Hearth
Dickens' novella is a fairy tale of home, delivered in three chirps (chapters).
The Romance of a Christmas Card
Wonderful events unfold when a minister's wife creates Christmas cards inspired by her friend.
Old Christmas
The first chapter reads as a stand-alone story or enjoy the whole book. Christmas is the season for "the fire of hospitality in the hall" and "the flame of charity in the heart."
Christmas Poems
The Three Kings
Christmastide
An exceedingly bright and cheery poem (especially for Lovecraft).
The Three Kings
A beautiful poem describing the events leading to the adoration of the Magi.
Christmas Trees
A poem with perfect New England sensibilities, a city man helps a Vermonter see the value of his trees.
Carol
The author of The Wind in the Willows offers a joyful Christmas poem.
Christmas Carol
Teasdale's poem of how the kings, shepherds, and wise men all converged to hear the angels sing all night at the Nativity.
Christmas Bells
Ring in the holidays with Longfellow's festive poem.
The True Meaning of Christmas (recited by Linus)
In this unforgettable scene, Linus recites scripture from the Book of Luke to explain what Christmas is all about in A Charlie Brown Christmas.
Christmas in India
Christmas is different when celebrated away from true Home.
Auld Lang Syne
Meaning "old long since" this poem is usually sung to bring in the new year or other sentimental occasions.
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