Christmas Short Stories Anthology

In "A Country Christmas", Louisa May Alcott tells the story of Sophie, a debutante from the city who travels to rural Vermont to spend Christmas with her cousins Saul and Ruth. Though apprehensive at first, Sophie learns that the charms of celebrating Christmas in the country are many.

When a chance meeting at a Broadway show leads to an unexpected attraction, things quickly heat up. With Aaron's hypnotic blue eyes distorting Ari's vision and judgment, the loud traffic buzzing in her ears, his masculine scent filling her nose, his body heat enveloping her and his breath ghosting across her lips, it's inevitable that she give into the temptation of a younger man. How can she deny the allure when she suddenly feels more alive than she's felt in more than a decade?

Four short, sparkling seasonal tales to warm your heart.

Runyon's short stories are almost always told in the first person by a narrator who is never named and whose role is unclear; he knows many gangsters and has no job that can be gleaned from his musings, nor does he admit to any criminal involvement; he’s a bystander, an observer, an average street-corner Joe. Runyon described himself as 'being known to one and all as a guy who is just around'. That line seems to say a lot about Runyon and his life.

Few winter stories are more affecting than Hans Christian Andersen's The Little Match Girl. Written in 1848, and strictly speaking a New Year's Eve story, it showed so clearly then, as it does now, that the Christmas holidays do not represent fireside, food, and presents for all. This story never fails to move, yet it somehow avoids serious sentimentality.

This is an excellent listen for early and beginning readers with fun Christmas stories and hilarious jokes. Perfect for listening aloud during the holidays. These stories are great as quick bedtime stories and cute tales to be listened to aloud with friends and family.

A fun Christmas short story! Listen to this new short from Michael Lynes, the award-winning author of "There Is a Reaper" and "The Fat Man Gets Out of Bed".

The classic Christmas love story, as poignant now as when O. Henry (pen name of William Sydney Porter) wrote it in 1905. A poor young couple sacrifices their own "treasures" for their partner. A must-listen for any time of year.

The stories about Santa's helpers! Sammy and Tammy (Santa's special Christmas elves) have the toughest job in all the North Pole, besides Santa's job of course. They are Santa's executive helper elves. When children ask for special gifts that can't be made by Santa or the elves, it's their job to find a way to make their wish come true!

Gnarl Saves Christmas is a satire of classic holiday tales and modern fantasy. The tale is told on a cold, snowy night, when two children snuggle in bed while Grandpa tells them a story. In a long-ago age when monsters and magic ruled the land of men, a family of beast-like gnolls is visited by jolly St. Nick. Chaos ensues, and by the time that it's done, the ruler of their clan - Gnarl - must don the red and white garb, take up the magic bag, and finish the rounds, lest the holidays be lost across all of the land.

Left to rot in the king's jail, and nearly forgotten, Captain Rob and his crew seize an offer to deliver Yuletide cargo to the Town of Dryden by Christmas Eve, in exchange for their release. But to reach their destination in time, earn the king's pardon, and ensure their freedom, they will have to chart a course straight through pirate-infested waters - a fool's errand while sailing under the king's colors.

Christmas chaos hits Josiane. All she want to do is get to her family's Christmas Eve dinner for once on time. Instead, she gets stuck in her office's elevator with a tall stranger in the dark. When she meets Carsten will Josiane find that holiday romance may come in the strangest places?

In "A Christmas Dream, and How It Came True", 10-year-old Effie lives a comfortable life and experiences Christmases filled with delicious treats and wonderful toys. One night she has a dream that forever changes the meaning of Christmas for her. Encountering a group of underprivileged children, she is inspired to give them a Christmas they will never forget.

Christmas hadn't been celebrated in this old New England Puritan Church for years. Not until Nathan Stoddard arrived at work one morning, Christmas morning, to see an old man knock upon the door and have the door of the empty church flung open. Nathan rushes to a window at the rear of the church only to peer in to see the interior of the church filled with people dressed from a bygone era decorating the church. A lovely ghost story by Anna Wales Abbot.

On the surface Norman is not the perfect Christmas tree, but just because he is different to the other trees, he is no less special and no less deserving of a happy home full of love.

The boys couldn't believe their ears when they found they weren't receiving presents this Christmas. "A new adventure," Dad said. They didn't realize what surprises were in store, and neither did their mom.

Revel in the in the magic of the holiday season with three classic Christmas tales. From the birth of Christ to a visit from Santa Claus, these family favorites will be enjoyed over and over again. Titles include: The Christmas Story; Twas the Night Before Christmas; and Yes, Virginia, There Is a Santa Claus.

A rather unattractive itinerant flute-player and music copyist is sent away on Christmas Eve - causing a family to feel uncomfortably guilty. Lagerlof was a Swedish novelist, who in 1909 became the first woman writer to win the Nobel Prize for literature. Her work is deeply rooted in Nordic legends and history.

American writer William Dean Howells delights us with his cautiously cynical yet endearing telling of the night before Christmas at the Fountain household. Published in The Daughter of the Storage and Other Things in Prose and Verse in 1916, Howells’ sense of realism and social criticism hides behind the humorous banter between Mr. and Mrs. Fountain, as well as relatives passing by. Raging consumerism, New Year’s resolutions, lovingly marital insults, reflections and memories, and a whole bunch of bathrobes!

Queens, New York, in the early 1970s. During the holidays, a small boy dishonors his mother and learns a lesson. Maybe more than one. Maybe not.