Christmas Anthology Stories

First story in a collection of interlinked tales of crime and retribution laced with dark humour, set around the festive season. Billy Partridge wasn’t really cut out to be a cat burglar, but it was ‘do the job, or come up with thirteen grand by Thursday, or have both legs shattered’.‘Do the job’ seemed the least worst option. But he’s about to find out just how bad the least worst option can be….

Here are three of the most wonderful Christmas stories ever written, presented for you along with two short pieces that just can't be left out of any Christmas collection worth its salt.

A rather unattractive itinerant flute-player and music copyist is sent away on Christmas Eve - causing a family to feel uncomfortably guilty. Lagerlof was a Swedish novelist, who in 1909 became the first woman writer to win the Nobel Prize for literature. Her work is deeply rooted in Nordic legends and history.

Watson visits Sherlock Holmes at Christmastime and finds him contemplating a battered old hat, brought to him by the commissionaire Peterson after it and a Christmas goose had been dropped by a man in a scuffle with some street ruffians. Peterson takes the goose home to eat it, but comes back later with a precious carbuncle that his wife found in the bird's crop.

Betsy Seymour finds she isn’t quite up to gay chatter and a staff full of holiday cheer as Christmas approaches, but duty calls at the cemetery where she works. Then she experiences a strange sighting amongst the fog-shrouded graves, and a few minutes later, she lies injured upon the ground, alone and unsure, only a few feet away from her husband’s grave. This time, though, can love save her?

A stay-at-home mom, Ruth has been busy steering her family toward Christmas. All of this comes to a screeching halt, though, when she hears words she would never have thought possible coming over her phone.

The classic Christmas love story, as poignant now as when O. Henry (pen name of William Sydney Porter) wrote it in 1905. A poor young couple sacrifices their own "treasures" for their partner. A must-listen for any time of year.

What's a widowed mother to do with two children to provide for and Christmas coming soon? Noelle Welborn is in dire straits when she loses her job, is cheated out of her pay, and has no relatives to which she can turn. Then they lose the roof over their heads. Sleeping in the car seems the only option left.

In their first encounter, Isabella becomes infatuated with Marc, a handsome young man who makes fantastic potato chips. Fifteen years later while Isabella purchases a picturesque Victorian house she discovers Marc is the seller. His magnetism stirs her emotions and pulls her into his troubled world. Soon Isabella realizes her new house, nestled deep in the woods, is haunted. By communicating with the house's spirit, she hopes to learn secrets, which can help Marc resolve his conflicted past and move him into the future.

A Christmas Present, a gift from an aunt to a niece, Narrated by Mike Vendetti. And we always thought it was a guy thing.

Alle Jahre wieder macht sich die halbe Republik kurz vor den Feiertagen auf den Weg zur buckligen Verwandtschaft. Als ob der Besuch bei Tante und Onkel nicht schon schlimm genug wäre, quälen wir uns stundenlang durch den Stau, fluchen über den ICE in verkehrter Wagenreihung oder sitzen auf dem verschneiten Rollfeld fest, während unser Airbus zum wiederholten Mal enteist wird. Und das alles umgeben von nicht minder nervigen Nichten, Neffen, Omas und Opas, die sich ebenfalls nicht vor dem Besuch bei der Familie zu drücken wussten.

What do you do when you see children whose lives are so bad it breaks your heart? One woman took a risk. What she saw was none of her business. But to love...was her business. From the author of a Top-100 Free eBook for Kindle, "Killing of Train-Man Brown" and "The Christmas Mirror: Santa's Last Letter to a Wonderful Child" (number-one in two categories in both the US and UK).

Darius has found that he is the target for every gold-digging woman on the planet, all desperate to land themselves the ultimate catch and live a life of unparalleled luxury. So, he hatches a plan—throwing a Christmas masquerade ball seems like a great idea. He can remain anonymous for the entire evening and use the opportunity to perhaps find himself a wife. Sarah is one of Darius’ newest employees. She’s only been with the company for three weeks, and now, she finds herself at one of the biggest parties ever seen.

After Joel splashes mud from his utility truck on a pretty woman who works at the mall, he wonders how he can ever make it up to her. Holli Segal can't wait for her first big break to design the Christmas display window for Schroder Toys. But when a circuit breaker blows, she's sunk. Will Joel be able to light up Holli's Christmas in more ways than one

Weihnachtsgeschichten zum Liebhaben. Glitzerschnee, Plätzchenduft und Geschenke: Weihnachten ist die schönste Zeit des Jahres - das wissen selbst die Tiere im Wald! Bisweilen geschehen sogar Wunder: Der kleine Bär macht sich auf, um den Mond zu besuchen, der kleine Hase reist ins ferne Land des Nordsterns und vielleicht können Grummels Freunde sogar den Griesgram davon überzeugen, dass Weihnachten einfach wunderbar ist. Diese Sammlung mit drei Geschichten von Paul Bright, Gillian Lobel und Elizabeth Baguley sowie Liedern von Fredrik Vahle ist bestens geeignet für kuschelige Stunden zum Lauschen.

La obra recoge cuatro fabulosas aventuras de Navidad. Son narraciones muy divertidas que enseñan los valores fundamentales de la familia, la amistad y la sociedad. Un burrito mostrará lo hermoso de servir y ayudar a los demás con los talentos que poseemos. Los juguetes, harán ver lo difícil que es para ellos estar listos para el gran día que los compren, sin embargo, entienden que su misión es llevar alegría a donde vayan.

Ein buntes Sammelsurium von 24 Weihnachtsgeschichten, die einen in Advents- und Vorweihnachtsstimmung kommen lassen: An unterschiedlichen Orte und zu unterschiedlichen Zeiten spielend, taucht man jedes Mal in ein anderes Weihnachten ein und wird zum Nachdenken angeregt. Langenberg springt dabei mühelos und lebhaft vom Heute in die Nachkriegszeit und noch weiter zurück in die Zeit der Missionare.

Fire helt nye julefortellinger og tre klassikere i denne nyinnspillingen fra Grieg Audio. Fortalt med varme og humor som gir den rette julestemningen for hele familien.

Another wonderful Dickens short story combining spectral images with Christmas. Wonderful turns of phrase and digressions throughout. To name but one, “faithful obstructions”, for servants - in other words, easier to do it yourself if not for pride of position. Playful, fun, and illuminating. One of his less listened-to stories; well worth it for anyone, but especially for fans.

Fourth story in a collection of interlinked tales of crime and retribution laced with dark humour, set around the festive season. Working in a call centre normally offers few career opportunities. But it looks as if Tracy’s about to get her big break.