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I’m convinced that Charles Dickens had no idea that he was creating a tradition of heartwarming holiday stories when he first penned A Christmas Carol. What started off as a ghost story has turned into a Christmas classic that has paved the way for many other writers over the past couple centuries.
If you read classic Christmas novels and stories like A Christmas Carol by Charles Dickens or The Night Before Christmas by Clement Clarke Moore year after year, you probably enjoy the nostalgia of a feel good Christmas novel. Perhaps the heartwarming story of the Grinch’s heart growing three sizes that day is something you return to year after year. Now every year more writers add to the Christmas collections with stories of their own. Slowly, some of these stories become classics like Rudolf or Frosty the Snowman. There is something so nostalgic about a Christmas classic story because they become a part of our annual traditions. Our grandparents loved the stories and passed them down to our parents who passed them down to us.
As I’ve gotten older I have learned that there are so many stories that I haven’t even heard of. Charles Dickens is best known for A Christmas Carol, but he actually wrote numerous other Christmas tales. Used book shops are treasure troves for finding these lost stories of classic holiday literature. Perhaps you already knew that Charles Dickens wrote a few other holiday tales such as Cricket on the Hearth, but did you know that Washington Irving, the author of the The Legend of Sleepy Hollow, is the one that brought European Christmas traditions to the United States with his book Old Christmas? Or that Louisa May Alcott, the author of Little Women, also wrote dozens of Christmas stories including one that is nearly as famous as A Christmas Carol? Or that a local Connecticut writer by the name of Harriet Beecher Stowe wrote about the first ever Christmas in New England?
At local bookstores you can find re-prints of many of these classics, but when it comes to Christmas stories, I love finding old editions of them in used bookshops. Etsy has been an amazing tool for me while trying to find classic editions of my favorite books. Not only do they look very nostalgic, they also serve as great holiday decorations and Christmas gifts. It is also a fun way to discover a book I have never heard of before. Is there anything more lovely than a beautiful linen bound book with gold lettering as a Christmas present? I’m gifting a book on this list to a good friend this holiday. Perhaps one of these classic books will make it into someone’s stocking this year.
I have spent hours scouring Etsy for classic Christmas novels and short stories for your enjoyment. I even bought a couple myself. I hope that this list will help you discover other Christmas classics that you haven’t read yet. Shopping for used books is sustainable and it supports small businesses. They make wonderful Christmas presents or even presents for yourself. All of the books on this list are affordable with the exception of a couple rare finds. For popular books I have tried to find numerous copies because they could sell out. They are one of a kind. Please look through all photos and read the product description before you purchase. Some books may be damaged or have children’s drawings and doodles inside.
To visit the link simply click on the photo of the book you want to learn more about.
The Romance of a Christmas Card by Kate Douglas Wiggin (1916)
The Fir Tree by Hans Christian Anderson
The Message of the Bells by Hendrick Willem Van Loon (1942)
Hans Brinker, or The Silver Skates by Mary Makes Dodge (1865)
Old Christmas by Washington Irving
A Christmas Carol and other holiday stories by Charles Dickens
The Night Before Christmas by Clement Clarke Moore
Rudolph
Other beautiful Christmas book finds:
Do you have a favorite vintage holiday book? I would love to hear your stories and recommendations in the comments below. Share this post with your favorite bookworms.
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