Santa Claus – …on the B.L.

11… Of My Favorite Christmas Books to Read

December 14, 2020December 14, 2020 RaeAnna

A Christmas Treasury is one of my favorite Christmas books and my #1 recommendation.

When I started blogging, I decided to dedicate December to reading Christmas and holiday books. By now, in my third year of continuing this tradition, I have now encountered many Christmas inclined books. Some have been beautiful classics and others have been smutty romances and others have been worse than a Hallmark movie with a bigger time commitment.

To save you some time, I’m sharing eleven Christmas books I will always recommend. There are a couple silly romances, but they’re well done, and now is the time of year for love, joy, peace on Earth, and a little mindless reading.

A Christmas Treasury This one is a beautifully illustrated book full of lots of Christmas stories. If you buy one book this year for Christmas, make it this one. Perfect for children and adults. Plus, it looks amazing sitting on a coffee table or under the tree.
A Christmas Carol by Charles Dickens Arguably the greatest Christmas story ever told, it changed Christmas in England and America. It’s a classic because the tale is timeless and the writing is superb.
Letters from Father Christmas by J.R.R. Tolkien I adore everything about this book. Tolkien wrote to his children for two decades as Santa. The letters were accompanied by beautiful illustrations.
Royal Holiday by Jasmine Guillory So often Christmas stories involve white people. I love that this romantic comedy had a strong independent woman who gave up nothing for love and the two main characters are Black. Yay!!!
The Best Christmas Pageant Ever by Barbara Robinson I have an emotional connection to this one because I starred in the play version as I kid. It’s fun, funny, and full of redemption.
The Autobiography of Santa Claus by Jeff Guinn Full of history, adventure, and Christmas spirit, this is a great book for families to read with their kids. I also just enjoyed it immensely as a history buff.
A Merry Christmas and Other Stories by Louisa May Alcott Alcott has been one of my favorite authors since I was a child. I love her Christmas stories as much as her novels. They’re sweet and beautiful.
The Nutcracker by Alexandre Dumas This is not the ballet. It’s a great book about the Nutcracker and Christmas with the right amount of horror and fun.
The Life and Adventures of Santa Claus by L. Frank Baum This is such a sweet and fun story. I absolutely love the mystical take Baum gives Santa and his world. It’s adorable and I read it again and again.
Christmas at Thompson Hall and Other Christmas Stories by Anthony Trollope I have loved Trollope’s way with words, and his Christmas stories are witty and full of societal insight.
The Gift of the Magi by O. Henry This is a classic Christmas story, and one that probably has more relevance than we would like to admit in today’s world of COVID and financial upheaval.

Alright. These are my eleven Christmas picks. I highly suggest all of them. You can’t go wrong with any of them. They’re happy and full of Christmas spirit. This year, we could all use a little bit more of that in our lives; I know I could.

bisous und обьятий,
RaeAnna

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Books, Fiction

Letters From Father Christmas by J.R.R. Tolkien

December 18, 2019 RaeAnna

Worth A Read YES
Length 192
Quick Review J.R.R. Tolkien spent over twenty years writing letters and drawing pictures to his children as Father Christmas. They have been beautifully documented in this sweet book.

Reading Letters From Father Christmas by J.R.R. Tolkien at River Oaks District in Houston, Texas. | Skirt | Sweater | Earrings | Red Embellished High Heels |

Letters From Father Christmas by J.R.R. Tolkien

I am a sucker for Santa stories. This is not new to… anyone. I’ve mentioned it more than twelve times throughout my many interweb presences. I also love Tolkien. I’ve read all the Lord of the Rings books, so this book was an obvious holiday choice on my part. Tolkien is brilliant at creating worlds and characters. He also deeply loved his children. Letters From Father Christmas tells an entertaining and beautifully depicted story of Santa Claus’ adventures, but beneath the surface, it’s an embodiment of a man’s dedication and adoration of his children, their innocence, and a preservation of their childhood wonder.

Father Christmas started leaving letters and drawings in a shaky and recognizably unique handwriting for the Tolkien’s oldest son, John, when he was three years old. The letters and images continued arriving for twenty-two years discussing the inhabitants of the North Pole, the adventures, and the setbacks as John, Michael, Christopher, and finally Priscilla grew up. Father Christmas wrote to the children, and his assistant, Polar Bear, often made side notes and comments. Father Christmas is wise and kind but also frustrated by the unique everyday goings-on at the North Pole.

I finished the book in a morning. I loved reading this one. The pages are glossy and feel like heaven on the fingertips. I love that images of the original letters in Father Christmas’ uniquely shaky handwriting are included along with the paintings and drawings. It feels like Tolkien is bringing you into the family for Christmas. Everything about the letters are Tolkienesque. They are well thought out, and each character has their own unique style of writing linguistically and chirography. Polar Bear even went so far as to create his own language – of course Tolkien would.

Letters From Father Christmas is an enchanting world of clumsy polar bears, visits from the Man in the Moon, goblin wars, lost reindeer, busy elves, and more. Father Christmas documents imagination while also harkening back to the ever changing world and the struggles people faced throughout the 1920’s, ‘30s, and early ‘40s. It’s just a pleasure to read. Perfect for children of all ages – how does that song go? to kids from one to ninety-two.

Memorable Quotes
“Very much love from your old friend Father Christmas and Polar Bear.”

bisous und обьятий,
RaeAnna

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Title: Letters From Father Christmas
Author: J.R.R. Tolkien
Publisher: Harper Collins
Copyright: 2004
ISBN: 9780007463375

Books, Fiction

The Life & Adventures of Santa Claus

December 9, 2019 RaeAnna

Worth A Read Yes
Length 176
Quick Review Santa began his life as an orphan, but through chance, hard work, and a caring nature, he became the most beloved man in the world.

Reading The Life & Adventures of Santa Claus by L. Frank Baum at a Christmas tree farm. | Shirt | Jeans | Scarf | Hat |

The Life & Adventures of Santa Claus by L. Frank Baum

I love Santa stories. I always have, and I don’t see that changing any time soon. The magic of Santa has always been such an enchanting part of the Christmas season, which is why I finally picked up The Life & Adventures of Santa Claus by L. Frank Baum. It gave me all the Christmas vibes I crave this time of year!

Niklaus was a foundling, but adopted into the forest of Burzee by the nymph, Necille, and under the protection of the Master Woodsman, the great Ak, and queen of the fairies, Queen Zurline. Niklaus was the only mortal in a land of immortals, but he had a kind heart. When he reached adulthood he was sent into the world to be among his own people. He gravitated towards children and wanted to make their lives easier and happier before entering adulthood. He began delivering toys. With the help of his immortal friends, he became the revered Santa Claus we know and love today. Frank Baum has a beautiful story in a small book. He fills The Life & Adventures of Santa Claus with fantasy, childish wonder, and reverence for nature. There are so many learning lessons in this book for children and adults. The book teaches people to respect nature and use it thoughtfully and responsibly. Baum was pushing a green lifestyle before it was a thing. There is also a push for collaboration and helping people by using your talents. Everyone is good at something; we’re not all good at the same thing, so when one person is good at one thing and another is good at something else, things get done faster and better when people collaborate and utilize their talents. Through the narrative, Baum shows the bad parts of history and people are equally as important as the good, “They were part of this history, and could not be avoided.” Stories aren’t true without being told in their entirety.

The Life & Adventures of Santa Claus is an incredibly well crafted story. It’s one of my favorite Christmas books now. Perfect for children and adults. I couldn’t put it down.

Memorable Quotes
“”While they are babes – yes,” agreed Ak. “Their joy is in being alive, and they do not stop to think.””
“He [Santa] knew that the best of children were sometimes naughty, and that the naughty ones were often good.”
“He went forth bravely to meet his doom – the doom of the race of man – the necessity to worry and work.”
“It is possible for any man, by good deeds, to enshrine himself as a Saint in the hearts of the people.”

bisous und обьятий,
RaeAnna

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Title: The Life & Adventures of Santa Claus
Author: L. Frank Baum
Publisher: Penguin Books
Copyright: 2015
ISBN: 9780143128533

Books, Fiction

The Autobiography of Santa Claus

January 15, 2018 RaeAnna

Read: Yes
Length: 289
Quick Review: Santa Claus wants to tell his side of the story, so he chronicles his life and the events he’s seen through the centuries.

The first book in the Christmas Chronicles trilogy. Santa asked Texas journalist, Jeff Guinn, to commit to paper for posterity the true story of how Santa Claus came to be the celebrated, beloved, and mythical figure he is today.

Santa was born a few centuries after the death of Jesus in modern day Turkey. He became a highly revered bishop in the Catholic Church. As he grew to an old age, he wanted to end his days helping the under served populations of the world. He left his church one night with money in his pocket to help those in need. He soon realized he did not age and could travel at heightened speeds. He spent his years giving gifts and gathering close friends he met along the way to help with his mission. Nicholas was eventually canonized and became known as Saint Nicholas.

Guinn is an acclaimed journalist and author with an eye for history. He uses Saint Nicholas as an avenue to discuss major aspects of world history focusing on Christian and Western European history.

Santa Claus is a beloved figure known for kindness, love, and generosity. Throughout much of history, there are examples of intolerance and cruelty made in the name of God. Santa is an observer of history, who comments about how saddened he is by the unfortunate choices people make around him. The Autobiography of Santa Claus is not only an amusing history review but a lesson in tolerance and acceptance.

Santa is known by many names throughout the world and time. Notable names are Santa Claus, Saint Nicholas, Father Christmas, Kris Kringle, Père Noël, and more. These names all originated from Saint Nicholas in one way or another. Guinn makes sure to mention the history behind the linguistic evolution of Santa. Another thing he makes sure to cover is why Santa doesn’t visit every house throughout the world.

It’s a quick read and perfect for the Christmas spirit or post Christmas spirit, in my case. The narrative is sweet, well informed, and interesting.

I highly suggest it. It would be a wonderful read for family time with kids.

Memorable Quotes
“Life is never as uncomplicated as we’d prefer.”

Title: The Autobiography of Santa Claus
As Told To: Jeff Guinn
Publisher: Jeremy P. Tarcher / Penguin Group
Copyright: 1994
ISBN: 9781585422654

Books, Fiction

How Mrs. Claus Saved Christmas

December 28, 2017 RaeAnna

Read Yes
Length 297
Quick Review Layla Claus, Santa’s wife, saved Christmas in the 17th century from Oliver Cromwell and the Puritan English Parliament.

Jeff Guinn wrote How Mrs. Claus Saved Christmas in 2005 as a stand alone sequel to his 1994 best-seller The Autobiography of Santa Claus. I have not read the autobiography, but it did not hinder my enjoyment.

Layla of Niobrara was born in Lycia – modern day Turkey – in the year 377. She was not like other girls wanting a husband; instead, she wanted to travel the world. After visiting the tomb of Bishop Nicholas, she had the idea to travel giving gifts to the poor. Taking off she eventually ran into the assumed dead Nicholas and his companion Felix. Being blessed with extraordinary travel rates and never aging, they gathered trusted friends throughout the years, who enjoyed the same blessings. Layla ended up in England during the Puritan rule in the late 17th century as Oliver Cromwell gained power. Layla was a key player in saving Christmas from harsh Puritan law.

The book begins with a foreword by Santa Claus himself. Consisting of twenty-four chapters, each chapter begins with a sketch of a scene from the following chapter. Throughout the book, the significant characters are depicted through a small sketch portrait. At the end of the book, there is a recipe for the Peppermint Pie the Clauses and their companions love so much.

How Mrs. Claus Saved Christmas is an engaging sweet story about an often overlooked yet beloved character in the American social psyche. Guinn discusses a history very accurately. Overall, the book is really just a fun way of educating people on an interesting aspect of British and American history. Guinn goes to a little too effort making the bad guy be the bad guy. I didn’t need that much convincing he was devil incarnate.

All in all, I really enjoyed the book, and I will be reading The Autobiography of Santa Claus as well.

Memorable Quotes
“Each of us should have the right to decide who and what we want to be.”
“Alan was insisting I stay as long as I like, “up to and including forever.””
“In life, no great achievement is possible without equally great risk.”

Title : How Mrs. Claus Saved Christmas
As Told To: Jeff Guinn
Publisher: Jeremy T. Tarcher/Penguin Group
Copyright: 2005
ISBN: 9781585424375