Merry Christmas Eve! The holidays are the time to relish in comforting food, listen to our favourite festive playlists, and embrace all the things that make us feel right at home.
Here are seven reads filled with heart-warming references to Christmas that remind us of the love, kindness and joy of this special time of year.
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1. Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone by JK Rowling
“One can never have enough socks,” said Dumbledore. “Another Christmas has come and gone and I didn’t get a single pair. People will insist on giving me books.”
For all of us muggle fans, Christmas in JK Rowling’s wizarding world is even more magical. In Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone, Harry celebrates his first Christmas at Hogwarts. He wakes up to find presents by his dormitory bed: a jumper from the Weasleys that makes him feel part of the family, as well as his father’s precious invisibility cloak from Albus Dumbledore.
2. The Book Thief by Markus Zusak
“It was the beginning of the greatest Christmas ever. Little food. No presents. But there was a snowman in their basement.”
In this historical work of fiction set in Nazi Germany during the second world war, Christmas offers moments of respite from the horrors of war.
Liesel Meminger, a young girl whose foster parents shelter a young Jew in their basement to protect him from the war, finds solace in the simple joys during Christmas: building a snowman with a friend and singing Christmas carols to calm her fears during a bombing raid.
3. Dash & Lily’s Book of Dares by Rachel Cohn and David Levithan
“Maybe the best of Christmas isn’t in the presents we exchange, but in the presence we offer. The gift of being there for someone, of truly seeing and being seen, is the greatest gift of all.”
Rather than turning to online platforms, the two teenagers in Dash & Lily’s Book of Dares adopt a quirky approach to meeting someone new. This young adult romance novel written by Rachel Cohn and David Levithan tells the story of Dash and Lily, who connect through a red notebook filled with dares and challenges hidden in a bookstore in New York City during Christmas.
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4. Little Women by Louisa May Alcott
“And when they went away, leaving comfort behind, I think there were not in all the city four merrier people than the hungry little girls who gave away their breakfasts and contented themselves with bread and milk on Christmas morning.”
Who could forget that heartfelt Christmas morning in Little Women? In this timeless classic written by Louisa May Alcott, the “good angels”, the March sisters selflessly sacrifice their own Christmas breakfast to bring joy to the Hummel family.
5. Emma by Jane Austen
“At Christmas every body invites their friends about them, and people think little of even the worst weather. I was snowed up at a friend’s house once for a week. Nothing could be pleasanter.”
If we were to choose one Jane Austen book to read this Christmas, the amusing and witty Emma would be the perfect choice. Unlike the heroines in Austen’s other works, the wealthy and clever Emma is not particularly interested in marriage. However, she is most interested in playing matchmaker for those around her.
6. The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe by CS Lewis
This fantasy book from CS Lewis’ Chronicles of Narnia series features a magical land where it is always winter but never Christmas. The story unfolds with the arrival of Christmas, bringing hope, joy, and a sense of renewal.
“Why, it is she that has got all Narnia under her thumb. It’s she that makes it always winter. Always winter and never Christmas; think of that!”
7. A Christmas Carol by Charles Dickens
“I will honour Christmas in my heart, and try to keep it all the year.”
Just like Ebenezer Scrooge in Charles Dickens’ A Christmas Carol, we all appreciate a protagonist who overcomes their biases and becomes a better version of themselves. This timeless novella explores themes of redemption, love and generosity through the transformative journey of a bitter and miserable old man on Christmas Eve.
