Chapter 40 - All I Want For Christmas

Since we don't believe in getting ahead of ourselves in decorating for the holiday until after Thanksgiving, I really haven't been thinking about Christmas books at all until now. I don't know if you are the same way but when December rolls around I definitely want to read a Christmas story as well as start watching my favorite Christmas movies.

While I'm always a big fan of Christmas rom-coms, I also like to read classic Christmas books and books about the development of Christmas songs and movies. Here are some of my favorite Christmas reads.

All I Want For Christmas by Maggie Knox - Two wannabe stars, Sadie and Max, are competing on a singing reality show Starmaker and are forced to sing a duet as part of the competition. When the audience and judges see their chemistry on stage the two are told by the network they must be a couple on and off the competition or leave the show. The only problem is that Sadie and Max hate each other.

White Christmas: The Story of an American Song by Jody Rosen - Everyone know this wonderful song by Irving Berlin. It was introduced in the movie Holiday Inn and then brought back in White Christmas with Bing Crosby and Danny Kaye. In this wonderful book Jody Rosen tells the backstory as well as gives the reader insight as to why the song has become a true classic.

The Christmas Bookshop by Jenny Colgan - Jenny Colgan is one of my favorite Scottish writers. In this book Carmen has lost her department store job and the idea of spending Christmas with her perfect sister Sofia, with her perfect children in her perfect house in Edinburgh is not well - perfect. When Sofia tags Carmen to help her client organize and revitalize his old bookshop, Carmen sees the job as the perfect escape. This is a feel good Christmas book!

The Heart of It's A Wonderful Life by Jimmy Hawkins - This is a new book and, if you love the movie, I recommend reading this. Jimmy Hawkins played the youngest Bailey child in the movie and in his book Hawkins tells about the movie from its conception. There are lots of fun facts and things you might not have known about the film as well as about the actors. Most of all, Hawkins tells why the story, which did not do well in its first release, has become a story seen year after year by many.

Christmas Jars by Jason Wright - Hope Jensen is an aspiring journalist who discovers the secret to money filled jars delivered to people in need. Hope wants to share the story, and give herself a boost to her career, but doing so will violate the privacy of the family behind the jars. What Hope decides to do will change her life forever.

Are there any Christmas stories on your list? Let me know.