Christmas is a holiday that is celebrated once a year, and then the whole year is spent waiting for the next Christmas fairy tale. Preparations for it begin in advance, and the anticipation of a miracle appears long before the holiday. But if the aromas of pine needles and tangerines do not awaken your festive mood, then winter stories will always come to the rescue.
“Christmas Shoes” and “Christmas Miracle” by Donna Vanleer
These are books about eternal values: family, love, kindness and hope. The first book is “Christmas Shoes”, and “Christmas Miracle” is its continuation. It will be about the fates of different people who, on the eve of the holiday, will have to experience both true happiness and inconsolable grief. The book is about how important it is to believe in something good and do good, even when life inflicts deep spiritual wounds on us. Be prepared to smile sincerely and cry bitterly while reading these books. They will break your heart, but then they will definitely glue it together and fill it with the spirit of a real Christmas.
“A Hercule Poirot Christmas” by Agatha Christie
An old millionaire Simeon Lee decides to gather his entire large family for Christmas. However, very soon the celebration is unexpectedly interrupted by the crash of furniture, followed by a piercing scream. The household members, who ran to the noise, find the head of the family in a pool of blood. Simeon Lee was not distinguished by his benevolence, complaisant character and decency, so we have a whole range of suspects.
Hercule Poirot arrives to investigate the case, and must find out who among those present killed the head of the family. Could it have been his own children? Or illegitimate ones, which he did not even suspect? Or were they servants who had worked for him for many years? But for what? Revenge? Money? Inheritance?.. A story that will give you a journey at Christmas, albeit with murder, but with a unique English atmosphere.
“Winter Solstice” by Rosamund Pilcher
The winter cold forces us to seek warmth in a variety of things: in a cup of aromatic evening tea, in the cozy softness of a blanket, in the woolen “thickness” of colorful socks, in the warm hearts of loved ones and in warm memories of distant ones. And also in books… In warm, kind, cozy books that seem to be specially created to warm frozen souls lost in the cold of loneliness.
This is a story about five ordinary people who, due to various circumstances, find themselves together on Christmas Eve. Each of the characters did not want to celebrate this holiday at all, but in the end it turned out to be one of the most unforgettable in their lives.
Pilcher has written a very light, kind, and pleasant novel. The atmospheric landscapes of northern Scotland, the crackling of a fireplace in a cozy home, and the friendly and open characters will put you in a festive mood.
“Beware, Christmas!” Adam Kay
New Year's holidays are all about sparkling decorations and firecrackers, the crunch of snow underfoot, the bright aroma of pine needles, and endless fun with loved ones. But mayonnaise salads spoil, champagne corks fly in your eyes, and treacherous ice makes it impossible to stay on your feet. That's why Christmas and New Year's are quite busy working days for healthcare workers around the world, full of various events.
Adam Kay is a famous British screenwriter and comedian, and a former doctor. In his seven years of working in medicine, he was “lucky” to be on duty on Christmas and New Year's six times. He writes about this in his book – a collection of incredibly funny medical stories. They are perfect for reading on a December evening: atmospheric, deep, sometimes uncontrollably funny, and sometimes poignantly touching.
“One Day in December” by Josie Silver
If you need a story that will restore faith in miracles even on the darkest winter evening, then Josie Silver's novel is the perfect choice.
The story centers on Laurie, an ordinary girl who, one December day, while sitting on a bus, meets the gaze of a stranger. The moment seems like an eternity, but the bus moves on – and the man disappears into the winter fog. Laurie convinces herself that it was just a beautiful fantasy … until a year later she sees the same stranger again – this time at a Christmas party, where he is introduced to her as her best friend's boyfriend.
At first glance, it may seem like a classic romantic story, but in fact, Silver creates a warm, emotional, and very human novel about fate, fateful encounters, friendship, sincerity, and the long journey to self. This is a book that envelops you like a favorite blanket, leaving a gentle glow behind.
“One Day in December” is a wonderful winter story about how miracles sometimes happen not when we expect them, but when we are truly ready to accept them.
Джерело: ukr.media
