Kaity is a ten year old girl who hates her mom’s new boyfriend. She wants to get her parents back together as quickly as possible. But to do that, sheKaity is a ten year old girl who hates her mom’s new boyfriend. She wants to get her parents back together as quickly as possible. But to do that, she needs the new boyfriend out of the picture. Preferably before Christmas.
One day she wakes up and there’s a snowman in her garden. Not just her garden, but every garden. Her mom’s quite excited that someone went through such great lengths to get everyone in the Christmas spirit. But Kaity thinks there’s something off about them.
After school, Kaity goes to her dad’s work. He’s a shopping mall guard. They have two Santas there. One who’s a nice, gentle old man and has his heart in the right place. And a mean one who doesn’t seem to have any of the qualities required to be a Santa. So why did the people at the mall hire the second one?
While the Christmas-themed plot is good, it’s the characters who leap from the pages here. It’s hard not to root for Kaity and her little sister as they desperately want their mom and dad to get back together again, longing for a Christmas miracle. And because Kaity’s so desperate, her attempts don’t sit well with her mother. This hurts their mother/daughter relationship and drives her mother even more into her new boyfriend’s arms.
I do have some small gripes. I feel the antagonist could have been fleshed out a bit more. And I would have liked it if the snowmen had played a bigger part in the story. But apart from that, it really is quite an amusing Christmas story.
It’s like a character-driven Doctor Who story for kids. Which is right up my alley. On one hand you have the family drama, which is the core of the story. And on the other hand, it’s a Christmas-themed story with a light fantasy touch to it. Which is just really fun. A bit slow-paced. But highly enjoyable....more
The goblins attack the elves every year at Christmas. It’s become a Christmas tradition where nobody wants to fight in the first place, nobody ever wiThe goblins attack the elves every year at Christmas. It’s become a Christmas tradition where nobody wants to fight in the first place, nobody ever wins and no one really knows what they’re actually fighting for.
A goblin sent on patrol goes to see for himself what the elves are doing and discovers that they all have some things in common when it comes to celebrating Christmas.
A short and sweet heartwarming Christmas read that can help get you in the mood for the holidays. I quite like how it shows that getting to spend time with those you love is still the best Christmas present of them all....more
A homeless person called Nicholas is hired by a big supermarket to be their Father Christmas. Nicholas doesn’t needFather Christmas’s Fake Beard - 4/5
A homeless person called Nicholas is hired by a big supermarket to be their Father Christmas. Nicholas doesn’t need a fake beard, as he’s already got the required facial hair. He’s supposed to say “ho ho ho” to the children and give them one of the cheap toys. But Nicholas is so friendly, he allows the children to take the present they really want to have.
Just a delightfully sweet Christmas read. Maybe even a bit reminiscent of Miracle on 34th street.
The Blackbury Pie - 4/5
The mayor of Blackbury orders a very big pie that could feed the whole town. Because he doesn’t want anyone in his town to have a hungry Christmas.
I already read another version of this one in Pratchett’s A Stroke of the Pen anthology. This version seems a bit more streamlined but has the same heartwarming Christmas spirit at its core.
Prod-Ye-A’Diddle Oh! – 3,5/5
The best player of an old complicated traditional game is willing to throw the game so he can marry the daughter of someone of the opposite team.
Sweet little love story that shows that real love will overcome all obstacles if you’re willing to power through them together.
A Very Short Ice Age - 3/5
A very short story about a guy having to deal with the elements during a very short ice age.
The Computer Who Wrote To Father Christmas- 3,5/5
Father Christmas is delivering his presents when he realizes one of the letters he received was written by a computer. But a computer can’t go around believing in Father Christmas, that’s just silly.
Another heartwarming Christmas read where a hardworking computer also wants to get a little Christmas present.
Good King Wences-lost - 3/5
A man gets stranded looking for some winter fuel to warm himself against the cold. But everything is closed. So the king goes after him, with some food and fuel. To help the poor man out. But he quickly finds himself lost in the snow.
Christmas is the perfect time to reach out and help the less fortunate. Though when you try to help others, it might not always go as well as you might expect it to go.
The Weatherchick- 3/5
There’s something wrong with the weather, as mini storms are seemingly attacking people. And at the center of those storms is the town library.
Judgment Day for Father Christmas- 3,5/5
Father Christmas is on trial for, among other things, housebreaking charges. Which is necessary to deliver the Christmas presents.
This is just a fun little Christmas treat.
The Abominable Snow-baby - 4/5
A snowstorm brings the abominable snowman to the town of Blackbury. But the townspeople quickly realize it’s only just a baby. Granny intends to keep it as a pet and take care of it as it grows up, while the others just want it gone. But where there’s a baby, there’s usually also a mom.
Amusing and sweet little Christmas story about a mom who worries about her little baby. And about a son who worries about his mom.
The Twelve Gifts of Christmas- 3,5/5
A prince comes across a princess. A little bird tells him he’ll need a very special gift if he intends to woo her. And then the bird tells him a riddle.
Amusing little story with a funny riddle.
Father Christmas Goes to Work at the Zoo - 4/5
The wife of Father Christmas says she’s sick of him only having to work one evening a year. So he gets himself a real job at the zoo.
What a funny and delightful little story to end this Christmas-themed collection. It definitely shows that some people are best suited for a particular line of work.
Overall, nothing must-read. But it’s a very solid collection of amusing Christmas-themed stories to get you in the mood for the holidays....more
A very popular poem which apparently helped popularize some of the things we associate with the American Santa Claus today. A classic little rhyming tA very popular poem which apparently helped popularize some of the things we associate with the American Santa Claus today. A classic little rhyming treat for anyone craving a bit of sweet Christmas spirit....more
Fotinoula’s grandfather comes to visit, and he tells her a fascinating folktale about Christmas goblins.
The Kallikantzaroi live underground, trying toFotinoula’s grandfather comes to visit, and he tells her a fascinating folktale about Christmas goblins.
The Kallikantzaroi live underground, trying to saw through the trunk of the tree that holds the Earth. However, just before they are able to finish their work, the kallikantzaroi are able to come to the surface for twelve days around Christmas. When they’re forced to go back underground after those twelve days, the tree will have healed itself. So they must start working on it all over again. And this happens every single year.
It quickly becomes clear that her grandfather is telling her all this for a reason. This is not just a folktale. The Kallikantzaroi are coming. And this year, it’s up to Fotinoula to stop them. Because they’re coming for her little sister.
Until recently I’d never heard of the Kallikantzaroi. And now I’m never going to forget them. What a fantastic story this is. It’s so atmospheric, well written and gripping. The writing style really manages to suck you in, and makes the characters and the setting come to life. I also love that the story welcomes us with a heartwarming Greek family setting, before bringing in the Christmas cold and the spine-chilling goblins. And if you look up the music described in the book, you’ll be able to immerse yourself in the story even more.
This is a short Christmas story done right. A very easy recommendation....more
I really liked Jennifer Kropf’s short story in the book Enchanted Waters. And since that was a prequel to this book, I decided to give this one a go.
HI really liked Jennifer Kropf’s short story in the book Enchanted Waters. And since that was a prequel to this book, I decided to give this one a go.
Helen receives a glass ball on the street from a girl she doesn’t even know. And all of a sudden, strange things start happening. Her eyes are now able to see a whole different fantasy world. A boy named Zane then explains what the glass ball is. And he warns her that her life is in danger. A witch with a soul as cold as frost will be coming for both it and Helen’s life, with everything she’s got in her power.
I have to say, I quite enjoyed this story. It completely embodies the Christmas spirit. The fantasy world is wildly creative. There are some strong plot twists. And Zane’s character in particular is a joy to read about.
There are a few things that do stop me from rating it higher though. The plot is actually quite simple: protect the orb from the witch. That’s it. And while this is a pretty good narrative, this does make the story feel a bit aimless for a long time. We’re simply not so invested in the characters trying to accomplish anything specific to save the day. All they have to do is run away. This lack of a clear goal also makes it feel like we’re occasionally randomly jumping from one setting to another. Also, while the prose is definitely very beautiful, at times it can also be a bit distracting.
This is like a Christmas retelling of The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe, mixed with some things from other stories like Alice in Wonderland. And it’s a very solid start to quite an imaginative Christmas-themed series with a lot of potential....more
The Grinch is a grouchy, lonely creature who lives near the town of Whoville. Annoyed by Whoville’s noisy Christmas festivities for many years now, thThe Grinch is a grouchy, lonely creature who lives near the town of Whoville. Annoyed by Whoville’s noisy Christmas festivities for many years now, the Grinch decides to end it once and for all. He dresses up like Santa and goes into town in the middle of the night. He steals all the Christmas gifts and decorations from the homes. But when the people of Whoville wake up, the Grinch finally learns what Christmas is all about.
This heart-warming story teaches us that Christmas doesn’t come from the store. Christmas is not about the presents. It’s about the people, nothing more.
The Grinch is like a kid’s version of Ebenezer Scrooge. This is just a really fun and short read that warms you up for Christmas....more
I never expected that I would read this kind of book, because this just does not seem like my kind of story. But someone wanted me to read a proper ChI never expected that I would read this kind of book, because this just does not seem like my kind of story. But someone wanted me to read a proper Christmas-themed story. And you never know for sure until you try. So I decided to just give it a try.
An eight year old boy’s mom is about to die from cancer. He wants to buy her a fancy pair of shoes with his own money, so she can look pretty when she leaves him.
A man’s wife tells him that she’s going to pretend everything is okay for the kids, but after the holidays are over, he needs to move out. He just stands there with his mouth full of teeth, not even trying to stop his marriage from falling apart.
The man’s about to buy Christmas presents for his family when he notices a little boy in front of him, trying to buy a pair of women’s shoes.
It’s a story about those little random touching encounters in life, where two people cross paths and influence each other for the better. It’s about appreciating those little moments in life that don’t seem so important at first glance, but are ultimately cherished forever.
This is not really my kind of story to be honest. It’s a sweet and sad kind of emotional story that’s all about the concept, inspired by a Christmas song I’ve never heard of. There’s also quite a bit of telling instead of showing. But I’m glad I gave this a go. And I did enjoy it for what it is. As far as emotional Christmas-themed stories go, this is definitely pretty good....more
With Christmas rapidly approaching, I thought I’d try and get myself in the holiday spirit. So the time seemed right to try out a Christmas-themed stoWith Christmas rapidly approaching, I thought I’d try and get myself in the holiday spirit. So the time seemed right to try out a Christmas-themed story. When I think of a Christmas story, I think Christmas movies. So I went for one of the best Christmas movies ever made. No, not Home Alone. This is the book that inspired the first epic Die Hard movie.
Joe Leland is a security consultant and former cop who goes to visit his daughter in Los Angeles. But the Christmas party at her work goes horribly wrong when armed terrorists crash the party and take everyone hostage. Joe however manages to sneak out before he’s seen and caught. He may be barefoot and alone, but he’s determined to give the terrorists a run for their money. The terrorists are about to receive a Christmas present they’ll never forget.
There are quite a few differences between the original book and the popular movie. The names are all different. The protagonist is visiting his daughter in the book, not his wife. The antagonist is a bit less fleshed out and memorable. There are also female terrorists, which the protagonist makes quite a big deal of. The first half of the plot feels really familiar if you’ve seen Die Hard, but the second part takes you in a slightly different and more dark direction.
The difference that stands out the most though, is the protagonist. Joe Leland is not just an ordinary cop like John McClane in Die Hard. He’s not the everyman, the vulnerable underdog you can’t help but root for. He doesn’t nervously spit out funny one-liners because he’s scared and nervous. Joe Leland is quite a bit harder to care and root for to be honest. Joe Leland is highly skilled and wants to kill all the terrorists so he can leave the building and be with the cute stewardess he met on the plane. Saving the lives of his own daughter, his grandchildren and all the other hostages from the terrorists is not a priority for him. That’s just a rather unimportant consequence of his actions, and basically a happy little unintended side effect.
One thing of note: the ending is absolutely brutal and shocking. The ending of the movie is a feel good moment that makes you sleep well at night. The ending of the book is the thing that keeps you awake at night, thinking: what did I just read? I’ll say no more than that, but it is very memorable.
Overall, I think the movie definitely improved some things for the better, especially in terms of characters. The movie succeeded in making the protagonist more likeable and the antagonist more memorable. But the original story definitely lays the foundations of what makes the Die Hard movie so great. So it is definitely worth a read if you like the movie....more
Death has to take over the Hogfather’s job because the Hogfather’s seemingly killed and Death has to do his part to keep the people’s faith in him aliDeath has to take over the Hogfather’s job because the Hogfather’s seemingly killed and Death has to do his part to keep the people’s faith in him alive. Meanwhile, Death’s granddaughter Susan tries to find out what happened to the real Hogfather.
Many consider this a classic. I find it a bit difficult to follow at times to be honest, mostly because of the dense writing style. Though there’s no denying the quality of this book. The theme of this book about the power of believing in something is one of the most powerful themes in the Discworld series. And it’s neatly wrapped in a fun and enjoyable Christmas adventure....more
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