♪♫ Its the most wonderful time of the year! ♫♪ As the days get shorter and colder and more and more Christmas music starts blaring and more and more stuff is flavored like peppermint or eggnog, I can’t help but start thinking about Christmas! And today, that’s what we’re going to talk about (as if you couldn’t already guess!)
What is Holiday Fiction and Why Do We Like It?
Holiday fiction in a very broad sense refers to fiction that relates to…take a guess…the holidays. This could include titles like Ray Bradbury’s The Halloween Tree or Junie B. Jones and the Mushy Gushy Valentine. But, I’d say 9 times of of 10, when someone asks for holiday fiction, they are looking for books set during Christmastime. We’ll talk about that more in a second.
Readers enjoy holiday fiction for a variety of reasons and I think much of it has to do with the holiday in question. For readers who enjoy Halloween, for example, we’re looking for something spooky, filled with monsters, or that will give us a scare. Valentine’s Day brings sweet (and sometimes spicy) romance, while Christmas novels are full of inspiration and hope. Easter is all about rebirth and springtime (and often focuses on religion), while Thanksgiving books remind us of our blessings. The reasons for enjoying holiday fiction are as diverse as the holidays being highlighted.
It’s Beginning to Look a Lot Like Christmas
As I mentioned above, when someone asks for holiday fiction, 9 times out of 10, they are looking for Christmas books. And it’s no wonder that Christmas titles dominate our shelves. Christmas readers want Christmas books at all times of the year. And these sweet, cozy, and inspirational books are loved and enjoyed all throughout the year.
So, what is it about Christmas books that appeals so much? I suppose it has to do with the fact that Christmas fiction is generally warm and inspirational. Christmas is a time for believing in miracles, whether that’s the miracle of the Incarnation or the miracle of a stranger providing you with the warm coat you so desperately needed. It’s a time when we hope and even expect the best from our fellow man. How many times have we seen Christmas specials on TV where a jaded young woman finds true love, or a crusty businessman opens his heart (and his wallet) to save the local church/orphanage/animal sanctuary from being torn down and replaced with high rise condos or a smoke-belching factory?
I suppose what I’m trying to say is that we enjoy Christmas stories for many of the same reasons why we enjoy Romance fiction: it makes us feel good! And there’s a happy ending! It should come as no surprise therefore that a lot of Christmas fiction is also romance fiction. Our collective cups overflow with saccharine sweet stories of love, second chances, and miracles.
Happy Holidays
For our purposes, holiday fiction relates mostly to Christmas. But, here are some other holidays you don’t want to miss:
- Valentine’s Day: How can a story set during the holiday of love not feature someone falling in love?
- Hanukkah: Characters reconnect with family and friends, their Jewish heritage, and celebrate the Festival of Lights!
- Halloween: These spooky stories feature haunted houses, ancient curses, and sometimes candy!
- Fourth of July: Picnics, fireworks, community gatherings, and summer days that never seem to end!
Related Genres
Holiday fiction touches on multiple genres, depending on the story. Here are some related genres if you want that warm and cozy Christmas feel year round!
- Romance: Warm, uplifting, and featuring a happy ending!
- Poetry: While poetry can cover virtually any topic, the holidays are always a popular choice!
- Inspirational: Often faith-based (although it doesn’t have to be), these stories are designed to be uplifting!
- Christian: Very similar to inspirational, uplifting fiction that leans into faith as the main theme
Reading Recommendations
Everyone This Christmas Has a Secret (Benjamin Stevenson) Ernest Cunningham was a huge fan of Golden Age mysteries…that is, until he found himself trapped in the middle of a real one. Despite hopes that Christmastime would be an opportunity for any self-respecting murderer to hang up their hatchet and kick up their feet, Ernest is stuck backstage at a show for the world famous magician, Rylan Blaze, whose benefactor has just been murdered. The suspects are all professional tricksters. The clues are even more abstract. And the murderer wasn’t even in the room when the killing took place! But, if a murder is just like a magic trick, then surely there’s a solution right under our noses, right? While murder is traditionally not a Christmas theme, this book is a fun, cozy mystery and sure to appeal to readers of that genre!
Christmas Eve Love Story (Ginny Baird) Annie Jones’ job is to decorate the big windows in the front of Lawson’s, to draw in the crowds passing by on the New York sidewalks outside. When a group of kids trash her latest display on Christmas Eve, Annie has to start all over again, not knowing that she’s going to not only repeat the display, but the day itself. After getting help from the store Santa and the security guard as she repeats the day over and over again, Annie starts to realize what has been missing this whole time, friends, community, family, and a chance to do better. Braden Tate, security guard, has always admired Annie and her work. But, while he’s reluctant to become involved with a coworker, he can’t deny there’s something special about her. The more the two talk, the more Braden realizes that this Christmas season just might change everything for him.
The Quiet Little Woman (Louisa May Alcott) I’ve read this little story every Christmas Eve since I was about 14 years old, ever since my grandma gifted me a little book for Christmas. Patty has spent most of her young life in an orphanage. With her plain looks and crooked back, she has trouble getting the attention of possible adoptive parents who are looking for a pretty little child, and possible employers who want a strong young person who work around the house. Despite her hardships, Patty works hard and does the best that she can to stay positive, even though her little heart is full of sadness. When a chance visitor to the orphanage results in Patty getting chosen to work at a family’s estate, will she finally find the forever home she was hoping for?
Silent Nights: Christmas Mysteries (ed. Martin Edwards) Christmas is a mysterious and magical time of year. Strange things can happen, which explains why ghost stories are so prevalent during this time. These might not be ghost stories, but these tales of Christmas crime are sure to draw you in and keep you entertained during those long winter nights. Crime writers are just as susceptible as readers are to the countless attractions of Christmastime, and over the years, many of them have contributed atmospheric tales set during the holiday season. With classics like the Sherlock Holmes story “The Blue Carbuncle” and other tantalizing tales such as “Stuffing” and “Waxworks”, this Christmas collection has just the right balance of classic, Golden Age Whodunnits and festive cheer!
Miracle on 34th Street (Valentine Davies) The man who is supposed to play Santa Claus in the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade is found to be unfit for the role, so a white-bearded stranger steps in, earning himself a seasonal job afterwards as the official store Santa. There’s only one problem…this Kris Kringle believes he really is Santa, not just a hired actor. And to complicate matters, the children and even the reindeer at the zoo believe it, too! When a few skeptic Scrooges try to have Kris declared insane and committed, the children of the world come together to save Santa and Christmas for generations to come! This utterly charming book was the inspiration for the classic film, and this librarian cannot recommend it enough!
