Christmas Anthology Stories

An Off-White Christmas features a dozen stories all set on or around Christmas, though, with little to no clear religious emphasis. Instead, these stories explore life changes and choices and chaos in times of heightened drama, when family and friends and life partners merge to form cohesive units, happy or otherwise. The stories range from a gambling spree in Las Vegas to a caravan traveling to Baraboo; from a teepee hotel in Kentucky to a retro movie theatre in Arizona; from a jolly Santa lookalike to a frustrated Dickensian actor; from students to retirees.

Queens, New York, in the early 1970s. During the holidays, a small boy dishonors his mother and learns a lesson. Maybe more than one. Maybe not.

Private investigator Jade O'Reilly thought her worst Christmas dilemma involved finding the perfect gift for her significant other. That was before she agreed to help Agnes Sturgis, the crankiest old biddy in all of Sweetwater, NC. Every day, for the 12 days leading up to Christmas, Agnes wakes up to a yard filled with Christmas decorations. But in Agnes's opinion, "they're not decorations; they're property damage!"

If Beth can't figure out a way to seduce her love's picky appetite, she fears her relationship is toast-burnt. She cooks up a plan only to have it boil over. What's a terrible cook to do? Can Beth brave a winter storm in search of a Christmas dish to save her relationship - or will the holidays be a distasteful disaster?

The last man on Earth is depressed and the robots charged with his care are at a loss as to how to shake him out of it. They concoct an elaborate scheme to have Christmas in May. After all, at the end of history, who cares if the dates are a little off? This story was a Hugo Award finalist in 2004.

Eleventh story in a collection of interlinked tales of crime and retribution laced with dark humour, set around the festive season. What could be more festive than a trip to see Santa at the local shopping centre? Depends on who’s gunning for Santa…

Tenth story in a collection of interlinked tales of crime and retribution laced with dark humour, set around the festive season. Lord Peter Forsyth-Leven, MSP, is about to discover that having it all just means you’ve got more to lose….

Meet Bobby: an ordinary kid with an extraordinary voice! Sent off to school for the first time in his life, nine-year-old Bobby Dean is busy making new friends, learning lines for the Nativity Play, and trying to not laugh at the head teacher's terrible jokes. But then Bobby Dean discovers that when he sings, magical things can happen!

From the twice CWA Dagger shortlisted author of The Twelve Strange Days of Christmas come 12 never-before-published stories to transport you to the macabre world of inexplicable phenomena. With returning characters from the Essex Witch Museum series and a weirdly wonderful tale for each day of Christmas, these spooky stories are the perfect companion for long, dark winter nights.

The final story in a collection of interlinked tales of crime and retribution laced with dark humour, set around the festive season. It’s Christmas Eve, but the criminals never stop working, so neither do the police. The raid is on... but things don’t go entirely to plan.

When Cousin Myra comes to visit for Christmas at the Osbornes' she finds her young cousins Frankie and Ida are bored with Christmas. Deciding that they have had too much of it, Cousing Myra suggests that the cousins share Christmas with some of the more unfortunate children in their community. Will Frankie and Ida give up their presents and sweets to make a merry Christmas for thir neighbors?

When Angelica Cartwright heads to Kentucky to begin her teaching career, she never dreams she will be waylaid in Mistletoe, Kentucky, with a broken foot and cared for by a handsome wood-carver and his daughter. However, she soon finds that Luke Tanner is also carving himself onto her heart

No one wants to celebrate Christmas this year. Not Ella McKendrick, who, on the cusp of success as a potter, is tasked with her husband's company party on too-short notice. She gives up her first pottery sale to pitch in, but the joy of the season is diminished. Not Gertie Wycliffe, Ella's mom, a new widow who is doing everything she can to avoid her first Christmas alone. No one understands the grief and terror she feels - maybe because the craziness of a 74-year-old woman signing up for skydiving lessons is all she lets them see....

“A Kidnapped Santa Claus” by L. Frank Baum, narrated by Aaron Sokalski, is a delightful and adventurous holiday tale that offers a unique twist on the story of Santa Claus. In this charming story, Santa is abducted by a group of mischief-making demons who seek to ruin Christmas by preventing him from delivering gifts to children. Baum’s inventive narrative mixes holiday magic with elements of fantasy, bringing listeners on an exciting journey to rescue Santa and save Christmas.

Charles Dickens was an English writer and social critic who lived during the 19th century. He is considered one of the greatest novelists of the Victorian era and is known for his vivid portrayals of the social and economic conditions of the time. His works often addressed issues of poverty, social injustice, and class struggle, and he is credited with helping to raise public awareness of these issues. Some of his most famous works include "Oliver Twist," "A Tale of Two Cities," and "Great Expectations."

Linda Grant, beset by medical bills and other pressing obligations, tells her children that they will not be celebrating Christmas this year. Older Keith takes the news in stride, while younger Teddy angrily insists he will have his Christmas turkey one way or another. When the neighborhood schoolteacher drops by to extend an invitation to Christmas dinner from Cornelia Millar, Linda's estranged cousin, it begins to look as if Christmas will happen after all.

Reminisce over holiday movies watched every year and the unavoidable bout of overeating. Watch generations gather as one, but also see the birth of young holiday love. Visit the Yule traditions of other countries or hear about the comfort of home. Christmas Briefs includes sarcasm, love, family togetherness, and good friends. Everyone can relate to these stories, for they are about everyone.

In "A Christmas Turkey", a poor family works hard to figure out how they can celebrate Christmas. When the father is unable to provide a turkey, the children venture out into the world, working to earn enough money to pool their resources and purchase one for the Christmas table.

A família de Juca nunca pôde aproveitar o Natal por conta de seu pai, cuja natureza amarga não permitia grandes comemorações. Mas no primeiro Natal após a morte do pai, Juca decide que quer comer Peru. Mário de Andrade é um dos principais fundadores da vanguarda modernista no Brasil. Com a publicação de Pauliceia Desvairada, e Macunaíma, seu nome foi consagrado na geração de 20, responsável pela criação da Semana de Arte Moderna de 1922.

When Talia's father makes a shocking revelation over dinner one night, she feels as though her life has just been leveled by a mortar blast. As she struggles to fit the pieces of her life back together, she turns inward, refusing help from those who love her the most, including Jack. Can she learn to forgive the father who raised her single-handedly? Will she open up to the man who loves her? Will Jack find the patience to go the distance, or will he resort to his old coping mechanisms and leave his family behind?