On the Second Day of a Feminine Christmas
I read The Twelve Days of Christmas to my three grandchildren over the phone this morning. It’s something that I do periodically. Their attention petered out at six geese a-laying. While they grappled with their Lego’s, I finished the book anyway.
The extra-lovely image above is the cover of a book of short Christmas stories, by author Eva Ibbotson, the Austrian-born British writer I only discovered a few years ago. The book is A Glove Shop in Vienna and Other Stories. Ms. Ibbotson writes magical and evocative stories that soothe the winter soul in this collection. I try to read one story each day. All of her books are dreamy, fairy tale-like and romantic. You may feel that you are walking on a snowy December afternoon in St. Petersburg with this collection.
The role of books in my Christmas celebration is quite high. I keep a small assembly of cozy children’s books on my coffee table. Many I have collected over twenty years. I especially love The Gift of the Magi, an O. Henry story with an enchanting twist at the end. Also, The Holly and the Ivy, about a little girl I can identify with. She carries with her the longing of mankind to belong. My throat becomes thick with sorrow when I read it which then turns into joy and a final tender belief in the world.
As well, I have a small group of Tasha Tudor Christmas books whose illustrations charm me and make me yearn for gentle snowfall and boughs of greenery with red ribbons and brass bells etched with flowers. There are many wonderful children’s books out there…be careful with the illustrations and the messages however – make sure when you select a book for a child (or yourself), it mirrors your ideals. I also like to see uniformity in colorful pictures that are realistic but in an ethereal way.
As for adult Christmas reading, I love any book that describes a crisp atmosphere – I want to feel like I am in a snow globe of the book’s making. And bonus points for any volume that lists out Christmas presents received. I particularly love the bestowals given to the heroines. These books have taught me that the best Christmas gifts are often timeless…a bottle of scent, a beautiful scarf or sweater, a small trinket, a hand-selected book.
5 Comments
RobinM
I’ve made a note of these books to find. I would also suggest the Christmas books by Miss Read, There are a few of those and I’ll list the titles if you need me to. All the Miss Read books are so enjoyable.
RobinM
I’ve made a note of these books to find. I would also suggest the Christmas books by Miss Read, There are a few of those and I’ll list the titles if you need me to. All the Miss Read books are so enjoyable.
Karen
Christmas books should always be as you so lovingly describe them–filled with the delicate magic of hope the season always offers and joyful with beauty! Each year, I send my adult children picture books as one of their presents–I think they love them almost as much as I do! Thanks so sharing this love of a post!!
Dana
Always look forward to the feminine Christmas series and the last two posts did not disappoint. I’m off now to find a copy of A Glove SHop in Vienna. I always read my daughters ‘Twas the Night Before Christmas on Christmas Eve. We still carry on this tradition even though they grown now however we each take a section now!
Tracy
What a lovely photo. Brings to mind Little Women, the most recent version. (Winona Ryder’s is my favorite version however).
I enjoy books for children too. A few months ago I was reading a Betsy Tacy story.
Your grandchildren are so blessed to have a reading to them Grandma. Just the sound of your voice will stay in their childhood memories. My Gram would tell bedtime stories that were wonderful. She’d sit in a corner of her bedroom on a swivel boudoir
chair and keep me company until I fell asleep.
Am looking forward to your upcoming posts as always.
Happy Advent.