5 classic stories to read for Christmas
You think you know these tales, but they're ripe for rediscovery. Celebrate the yuletide season with literary characters from Ebenezer Scrooge to Sherlock Holmes
Authors have long attempted to capture the Christmas spirit in novellas, short stories, and poetry. So spike your eggnog, sit down by the fire, and celebrate the season with one of these holiday classics:
1. A Christmas Carol, by Charles Dickens
From Mr. Magoo to the Muppets, it's hard to find a pop-culture entity that hasn't put its own stamp on Ebenezer Scrooge's life-changing encounter with the three ghosts of Christmas. But no matter how familiar, Dickens' original 1843 novella still manages to have a powerful impact:
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2. Twas the Night Before Christmas, by Clement C. Moore
Originally published anonymously under the title "A Visit From Saint Nicholas" in 1823, the poem more commonly known as "'Twas the Night Before Christmas" helped to establish America's popular conception of Santa Claus as a kindly old soul who delivers presents each Christmas Eve:
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3. The Gift of the Magi, by O. Henry
O. Henry's 1906 short story, in which a poor young woman sells her long, beautiful hair to buy her husband a Christmas present, features one of the most famous twist endings in literary history — and stands as a classic parable of Christmas generosity:
4. The Adventure of the Blue Carbuncle, by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle
Sir Arthur Conan Doyle wrote four novels and 56 short stories chronicling the adventures of Sherlock Holmes and Dr. Watson — but none is a better fit for the yuletide season than The Adventure of the Blue Carbuncle, which was originally published in Strand Magazine shortly after the holidays in 1892:
5. The Life and Adventures of Santa Claus, by L. Frank Baum
L. Frank Baum is best known for creating the land of Oz, but he turned his attention away from Dorothy and the gang to offer his own unique history of Santa Claus, which explains where His Jolliness came from, and how he decided to give away presents each Christmas season:
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Scott Meslow is the entertainment editor for TheWeek.com. He has written about film and television at publications including The Atlantic, POLITICO Magazine, and Vulture.
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