winter reading: holiday books that aren't romances
for when you're all romanced out. and a bonus holiday playlist.
OK, bear with me here. I am certainly not opposed to reading a holiday romance! So far this season, I have read Three Holidays and a Wedding, A December to Remember, The Holiday Trap, Midnight at the Christmas Bookshop and Last Christmas in Paris (and I’m still trying to squeeze in A Season for Second Chances, This Time Next Year and The Holiday Swap before the end of December). Holiday romances are full of peak festiveness: cozy cups of hot chocolate around a fire, descriptions of charming shop windows, the community often coming together for a special event. But, I have to say, it feels like when it comes to seasonal reading in December, it can feel like there is nothing but romances.
If you’re hitting the holiday romance wall and looking for something else to pick up in the home stretch of the holiday season, here are a few of my favorite seasonal reads that don’t revolve around a love story. I would really love to add to this list for future years, so please do write a comment or respond to this email with a favorite holiday book of yours.
Small Things Like These by Claire Keegan
This affecting story is set in the 1980s in a small town in Ireland in the days leading up to Christmas. Bill Furlong works long hours, distributing coal throughout his town and trying to support his family through the holidays. While dropping off coal at his town’s convent, he meets young women living there and gets a window into how the convent operates. Throughout the short read, we follow Bill as he struggles to do the right thing.
This small book is only 114 pages and a quick read (which given the deeply emotional story line, feels just right!) Keegan is a lovely writer and if you haven’t read any of her books yet, Small Things Like These is a beautiful (and heart-breaking) introduction.
The story unfolds over the course of a few days as three adult siblings and their spouses gather in upstate New York for Christmas. The absence of their late mother hangs heavy over the celebrations. Amid the warm and cozy holiday setting, the drama that unfolds is painful at times and deeply poignant. Centered around sibling relationships, we’re taken inside the tensions of a family, how our families can disappoint us, and how powerful sharing our grief can be. Grief is the central theme of this book - grief for a mother lost, grief for a wanted child, grief for a warming planet and the loss of species, grief for the many lives that could have been. It is full of heart, love that feels so very genuine and it is a beautiful book. I’ve recommended it before and I will recommend it again. Truly a 5 star read.
Holidays on Ice by David Sedaris
This collection of short stories by David Sedaris is a family favorite! Sedaris writes the most hysterical tales covering everything from his time working as a Christmas elf at Macy’s to holiday traditions around the world. The last several years I have managed to borrow the audiobook version during the days between Christmas and New Year’s. One of my favorite cozy activities is to work on a jigsaw puzzle and listen to one of these stories along with family. I have cried laughing listening to David Sedaris more than once.
Seasonal reading has brought me so much joy over the last few years! If it also interests you, I would highly encourage you to start saving your own seasonal reading lists. The Libby App (which allows you to borrow e-books directly from your local library) is great for this. It has a system for “tagging” books and I have tags saved for winter, spring, summer, fall and the holidays. Anytime I come across a book recommendation that I am interested in (and that has a clear seasonal connection), I search it in Libby and tag it with the appropriate seasonal tag. As we head into each season, I comb through that season’s list for books I am most interested in reading that year. You could also keep seasonal reading lists with good old fashioned pen and paper or on the Notes app on your phone. Here’s a little Libby preview.
One more thing before you go. Getting tired of holiday music? Or rather, your holiday playlist? I have an eclectic holiday playlist for you right here (Apple Music only, let me know if a Spotify link would be helpful and I can create it!) With oddballs like Vegetarian Christmas, Santa Made Me Do It and One More Chicken, as well as a few classics, I hope this can add a little variety to your listening this week.
Now seriously, please share your favorite December-y reads! You can find a few more of my seasonal favorites on my Bookshop and in this post.
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All of these books sound right up my alley - as it happens, "Flight" is waiting for me to pick up at the library.
As Christmas draws nearer I've found myself craving and reading old-fashioned, gentle Christmas books by Kate Douglas Wiggin, Elizabeth Goudge, Anthony Trollope, Grace Livingston Hill and Miss Read.
Hope you have the happiest of holidays!