As promised to Paloma and in the hopes that other sentimental Christmas lovers might enjoy this, a list of Christmas book, music, and movie faves:
Take Joy by Tasha Tudor
This is a Christmas collection of Tasha's favorite stories, legends, traditions, recipes, and songs. I love the maple cream fudge recipe. I love the impossibly idyllic picture she paints of rural NH family life. I read parts of this every year.
"Dolce Domum" chapter of The Wind in the Willows by Kenneth Grahame
I read this every year--it's particularly rewarding when you read the preceding chapters about Moly being lost in the Wild Wood and his and Ratty's visit with Badger in his huge, cavernous, underground home.
A Christmas Memory by Truman Capote
Read this again last week and cried my eyes out--don't read it five minutes before you attend a work meeting or see someone you'd rather not approach with a red puffy face. It's about Capote's childhood living with a group of elderly cousins--one special one in particular--in Alabama. The one he loves and spends time with is an adult child, and the story chronicles their making Christmas fruitcakes for friends.
A Child's Christmas in Wales by Dylan Thomas (I have versions illustrated by Trina Hyman and Ellen Raskin--her lovely woodcuts)
Poetic prose and sweet recollections of, well, a child's Christmas in Wales. Charming.
The Nutcracker by E.T.A. Hoffman, illustrated by Maurice Sendak--the Lizbeth Zwerger version is lovely as well.
Weird, unsettling story with fantastical elements set at Christmas.
The Gift of the Magi by O. Henry--the version illustrated by Lizbeth Zwerger is particularly stunning.
Contains the classic O. Henry twist ending, and this story of misbegotten gift-giving has become an oft-used archetype for Christmas stories (it is the basis of Emmet Otter's Jugband Christmas by Russell Hobban, which is also a really cute and entertaining 1/2 hour Jim Henson movie).
Not a Christmas book, but one of my best ever Christmas presents: The Gnome Book! Oh, the utter joy I experienced looking through this and reading it. I look forward to showing it to Otis eventually.
Metropolitans (movie)
Emmer Otter's Jugband Christmas (movie)
Fanny and Alexander (movie)
An Ingmar Bergman classic--long, Swedish, beautiful, and about two children. It begins with a Christmas party in a fabulous Stockholm apartment.
John Denver's Rocky Mountain Christmas: my favorite Christmas album of all time! Always gets me in the mood.
2 comments:
How Six Found Christmas, by Trina Schart Hymen--
Adorable short story-- I gave my copy away at Christmas a few years ago & have been trying to find a used copy since-- you may be able to find it at the library.
Beilieve it or not, ELF (movie)
Will Farrell is usually annoying as hell, but I found this one strangely endearing.
The Waltons Christmas special, a tape of some old xmas cartoons & Anne of Green Gables are other favorites.
We got very into Mr Hanky this year with Stasha watching for the first time-- chuckaliscious to watch with an 11 year old (selective viewings, of course)
The traditional gingerbread house took a nosedive this year. I guess there's a tradeoff in there somewhere with Mr Hanky.
I have How Six Found Christmas--it's out on the holiday reading pile. I love Elf as well (and I admit that I really like Will Farrell!). Oooooh, I'd love to see the Waltons Christmas special! That would please me.
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