I love the holidays. I am a complete sap. I love how my house feels when it’s decorated, cozy with Christmas lights twinkling. I love the scent of our live Christmas tree and the smell of Christmas cookies baking. I love the old sappy movies and sweet Christmas carols.
What I don’t love is actually doing the decorating, putting up the tree and baking. It’s a lot of work. Plus there is the shopping, the wrapping, the Christmas card writing – all in addition to regular, everyday obligations like work and cleaning and dinner. It can feel overwhelming and stressful.
That’s why I make sure to carve out some time for myself to read. It’s my escape, my gift to myself during the busy holiday season. And I choose these books carefully – nothing too stressful or upsetting. No deep subject matter. I just like to sit back with a cup of cocoa, a plate of cookies, in front of a fire and read a sweet Christmas tale.
Here are 5 Christmas books that will take you away from the craziness of the holidays:
Pride and Prejudice and Mistletoe by Melissa de la Cruz
In this Pride and Prejudice retelling, roles are reversed as Darcy Fitzwilliam, a 29-year-old beautiful and successful young woman goes home to Pemberley, Ohio for Christmas. There, she is reunited with her high school sweetheart, Luke Bennet, a carpenter, content with his life in small -town Ohio. Will her pride keep her from returning to her big-city job? This book was recently made into a Hallmark movie. And although I haven’t seen it yet, this book was a perfect fit for that channel!
The Snow Globe by Sheila Roberts
This is a quick, sweet read about three friends, each dealing with their own troubles, and a magical snow globe that brings them their wishes. Kylie just wants to meet the man of her dreams. She is lonely and looking for someone to make a life with. One day, she walks into a toy shop and sees a beautiful snow globe. The shopkeeper tells her it’s magic. He says that after his wife died, he was devastated until he saw a beautiful woman in the globe – one whom he would eventually meet and marry. Kylie decides that this is indeed the kind of globe she wants, and her dreams are eventually realized. Kylie decides to share the wealth and pass on the globe to her two friends, both with different problems, and both who benefit from the magic of the snow globe. This book is cozy and Christmasy and not too deep – everything you want from a Christmas read!
The Christmas Cottage by Samantha Chase
I picked up this book when I realized it was a version of one of my favorite old movies, The Enchanted Cottage. “Any couple who spends the night in this cottage shall have love everlasting.” That is the sign that hangs on the wall of Lacey’s friend Ava’s cottage. Lacey has come home for Ava’s wedding, and as her maid of honor, it falls on her to decorate the cozy cottage for the wedding night. As luck would have it, this task also falls upon the best man, Ean Callahan, Ava’s brother, who Lacey has had a crush on since high school. When a snowstorm hits, and the two are forced to spend the night in the cabin, Lacey and Ean get a chance to see if the sign’s prediction comes true. This book is more of a Christmas romance and things get a little sexy during the snowstorm. If you like a little heat at Christmas time, this book is for you!
A Gift to Remember by Melissa Hill
I have to admit, I actually searched for this book after seeing the movie on Hallmark. I thought the movie was so cute, and the book didn’t disappoint, it was just as sweet. Darcy Archer works at a bookstore. One day, as she is biking to work, she runs into a man walking his dog on the sidewalk. The man falls, hits his head and is unconscious. The ambulance comes and takes him to the hospital leaving Darcy to care for his dog. Darcy, feeling responsible, visits him and takes care of his apartment and his pet while he lies in the hospital. As Darcy learns more and more about him, she begins to think he just might be the perfect man for her. But when Aidan wakes up, will he match the fantasy Darcy has created?
Mr. Dickens and His Carol by Samantha Silva
Charles Dickens, a famous author of many books, is in trouble. His latest book was a flop and his publishers have threatened to drop him if he isn’t able to write a Christmas book in one month’s time. Desperate to get this done, Dickens sends his family off so he can concentrate, but the pressure has gotten to him. To clear his mind, Dickens takes long walks through the streets of London at night, breathing in the air and thinking of a story. That’s when he meets Eleanor Lovejoy, the single mother of young Timothy. With her inspiration, Dickens is able to get his story done. But who is Eleanor Lovejoy? And why does she keep disappearing? This book is different from the sweet love stories mentioned above, but still a fun Christmas read. A must for every fan of a Christmas Carol.
