Christmas Short Stories Anthology

Christmas brings out the best and the worst in us, as can been seen in this evocative anthology. Among what Thomas Love Peacock calls the "many poetical charms in the heraldings of Christmas," there are eulogies by saints and diatribes from curmudgeons. Here, Christmas is expounded by divines, sung by rustics, deplored by philosophers, made mystical in stories and summed up in a line by the poet Elizabeth Jennings: "The hush, the star, the baby, people being kind again."

From an impoverished student riding the rails home to be with the love of his life for Christmas to a family donating their Christmas to help a struggling neighbor, this is a book of 16 stories on the power of the spirit of Christmas. We must recognize that the world is but a looking glass, reflecting back on us the kindness and charity we show one another.

“The Santa Call” - After accidentally forgetting his wife at home during a weekend getaway, ol' St. Nick returns to discover she's left him. At wit's end, Santa turns to a radio talk show for some much needed love advice. But will he win Mrs. Claus back in time to save Christmas?

Also included: “Mad Dog” - Mad Dog is a drunk. He was also once the top sports announcer in the country, announcing everything from Cotton Bowls to Super Bowls. Now he's washed up and looking for work.

The beloved Victorian Christmas ghost storytelling tradition continues to thrive in modern day, and this multi-genre anthology of short stories is proof. Cuddle up next to a crackling fire with some holiday music playing softly in the background, and lose yourself in eight amazing Christmas stories by a gang of super-talented, cross-genre authors. Not only are they heartwarming, but they incorporate mystery, science fiction, romance and ghosts!

In Christmas at Red Butte, Theodora, the jolliest, bravest girl of 16 in all Saskatchewan pawns a precious locket so she can afford to buy toys for the poor family that has kindly taken her in after her own parents died. A heartwarming Christmas story for all generations by Anne of Green Gables author Lucy Maud Montgomery.

The holidays have arrived in Avalon, Illinois and everyone is filled with festive cheer. Well, maybe not everyone. The husbands of Avalon have started a Bah Humbug Club. A neighborhood cookie exchange wreaks havoc on Erin Meeks' carefully planned life. Melvin O'Malley's daughter has abandoned him for the holidays in a senior facility, and shop owner Margot West is intent on creating the best holiday shopping experience for her customers when a stranger threatens to ruin it. But a few surprises await them as well.

Celebrate the joys of the holiday season with a trio of exquisitely crafted, richly romantic tales by three of the brightest stars in contemporary fiction. Filled with passion, drama, and a touch of magic, this festive gathering of classic Christmas stories—available for the first time in ten years—tells about the lives and loves of one unforgettable family and the enchanted heirloom that links one generation to the next.

Nothing puts a damper on the Christmas spirit more than a fluffy white rooster named Sweetie. Reginald and his flock plot to serve the big bully a helping of humble pie with the aid of their fellow farm animals and some creative storytelling. Will they end up on Santa's naughty list? Or Martha's stewpot? And can they teach a humbug how to get along?

Single mom Meghan Shaunessy and her four-year-old autistic son Liam move to Heaven, Pa., for a temporary post as a special education teacher. Her parents were killed in a tragic car accident, and she wanted to be close to her sister; her only remaining family. Playboy bartender at Nick's Bar & Bistro, Byron Watts hides a deep pain from the casual hookups in his life. Grieving over the loss of his toddler son, he keeps things as fluid as the drinks he serves. Nobody will get close again. Byron lives above her in her new apartment and Meghan tags him immediately as a man like her ex.

Christmas, the happiest time of year. Plum puddings, candy canes, carols by the fireside. But outside, the mist lies deep and still. Frost gnaws at your fingertips. Shadowy forms lurk in the evergreens. It’s the season for ghost stories.

A collection of original audio stories, counting down the days to Christmas! These new stories are especially written for the festive period, excellent listening for when you're decorating the tree, wrapping presents or making the Christmas pudding. This edition is filled with creative and engaging sound effects and is the perfect way to get little listeners excited for Santa's arrival. This audiobook is aimed at children aged four and above, for family listening and learning and development for young minds.

Flagged down by Inspector LaStrade of Scotland Yard as they walk through the icy winter streets, Holmes and Watson are transported to the home of the aristocratic Lady Whitebread. Once there, she tells them her traditional holiday centerpiece has vanished in the midst of the Christmas dinner - right under the very noses of her guests. The decoration? An enormous work of the jeweler's art centered upon a three inch round emerald called...the Christmas Jewel.

A vicar nailed to a tree in Yorkshire. The theft of a priceless artefact during a fire. A detective forced to tell the truth for 24 hours. A body hidden in a basement. From the restless streets of London to the wilds of the Lake District, displaying all his trademark humour, playfulness and clever plotting, this landmark collection brings together the very best of Reginald Hill’s short stories for the first time, complete with a foreword from Val McDermid.

Christmas may come but once a year but human emotions, the driving force of our characters, are with us every day. Yet, somehow these same emotions when they happen at Christmas seem amplified; we seem more tender to their touch, their words. In this volume we take the verse and poems of our classic poets and put them alongside our short story masters to reveal a Christmas that everyone remembers and that everyone wants to be part of.

CHRISTMAS IN SEATTLE It’s Christmas Eve, and jet-setting Ariella and her husband are in Seattle for an elegant party. After a steamy encounter on top of the Space Needle, Ariella enters the ballroom to discover that a menacing stranger has revealed a secret from her past to everyone in the room. Although Ariella puts on a brave face, her character is called into question by the very person she trusts most in the world: her sexy millionaire husband. When she finds herself out on the dark, rainy streets of Seattle on Christmas Eve, she is confronted with the possibility that her happily-...

A down-hearted woman gets a magical candy bar from a sidewalk Santa that transports her into an alternate reality in this enchanting tale of lost love and second chances from author Sandra Edwards.

A Christmas Carol is undoubtedly the most famous supernatural story in English. However, it was not the only supernatural story of the season that Charles Dickens wrote. In Victorian England, Christmas was the time to explore the supernatural in stories, and Charles Dickens was one of the best at it. Included in this volume are a full-cast dramatization of A Christmas Carol, plus three more of Dickens' best stories of the season.

In this collection are found stories of gay romantic love, the love between a father and his gay son, and old lovers returning from the beyond. There are stories within this book about a magical Christmas tree that appears of its own accord every year, angels, ghosts, and a century-old hotel that miraculously reappears during the holiday season. Most of the stories are written for gay listeners, but some are just cozy Christmas tales. There are stories in this volume for all true lovers of Christmas.

She's not the biggest fan of Christmas–which is akin to a major sin in the little town of Snowflake Hollow. And with a name like Holly White, it's fitting that she owns the only B&B in town. The whole season is a huge deal, and the people coming to stay at the B&B are paying a premium to get the ultimate festive experience. She's trying to keep the guests busy, but Hank the Handyman just broke his leg trying to hang the lights. Now she has to figure out how to make the holiday festivities happen all by herself.

It’s the most wonderful time of the year! And D.P. Conway has written four enthralling stories to warm your hearts and homes. In the spirit of Dickens, Conway brings notably his two best works, Twelve Days and The Ghost of Christmas to Come. Following with equal luster, and rounding out the Christmas Collection, are Starry Night and Nava. Start with any of the four, and you will find yourself quickly wanting to listen to them all.