My dad and I after we did the Jingle Bell Run in Houston about eight years ago.
He was only 84 then.
Let me be honest. I know a lot about great holiday reads for kids. (If you need suggestions, take a look here at The Best Read-Aloud Christmas Stories for Children.)
But I know nothing about good holiday reads for grownups. Nothing. I don't think I have ever read one.
So I'd love it if you would please share your favorites with me in the comments. Or share a link to your post about the best reads.
Here's the thing: I love wonderful, redemptive stories, but I'm not a fan of sappy or Hallmark. I know, I know, I'm difficult.
Good holiday movie suggestions are welcomed, too.
UPDATE: Thank you for all of your wonderful suggestions. Here is what I decided upon:
The Christmas Letters by Lee Smith
A Christmas Story by Jean Shepherd
The Christmas Jars by Jason Wright
Top Ten Tuesday was created by The Broke and the Bookish in June of 2010 and was moved to That Artsy Reader Girl in January of 2018. It was born of a love of lists, a love of books, and a desire to bring bookish friends together. Each Tuesday That Artsy Reader Girl assigns a topic and then post her top ten list that fits that topic. You’re more than welcome to join her and create your own top ten (or 2, 5, 20, etc.) list as well. Feel free to put a unique spin on the topic to make it work for you! Please link back to That Artsy Reader Girl in your own post so that others know where to find more information.
I'm afraid I don't have any recs for you because, up until this year, I'd never read any kind of holiday read either. But I had to laugh because we're the same... I rarely do sappy. I'm not a TV watcher but just the look of the Hallmark movies seems waaay too cutesy and sweet for me. :)
ReplyDeleteHaha, I'm glad we are the same. Hopefully, someone can recommend some good books and movies for us.
DeleteDeb, I have one I'll suggest. I used to read it each year at Christmas, but I haven't for several years now. It's THE CHRISTMAS LETTERS by Lee Smith. It's really a novella - 136 pages - epistolary. I'll be curious to hear if you try it and if it qualifies as 'sappy'. LOL
ReplyDeleteI will look for it. I think a bit sappy is perfectly okay at this time of the year.
DeleteIt wasn't at my library, but I ordered it through Amazon. Thank you, Kay.
DeleteHmm...
ReplyDeleteYA: What Light by Jay Asher
Romance: Anything by Brenda Novak or Susan Mallery.
Here are some holiday reads I would like to read: My Top Ten Tuesday.
Thank you, Deanna!
DeleteI haven't read adult holiday reads either or if I have, they don't stick out in my mind so I'm not much help on this one. We usually listen to Dylan Thomas' A Child's Christmas in Wales every year.
ReplyDeleteThat is such a great story, Helen.
DeleteI hope you get lots of recs! I'm looking for the same thing.
ReplyDeleteMy TTT.
I think I may have found several, enough for this year.
DeleteI chose to do movies, the only book I could remember with winter in the title was John Steinbeck's The Winter of my Discontent. It's not about holidays or winter. https://pmprescottenterprises.wordpress.com/2019/12/03/top-ten-tuesday-winter-movies/
ReplyDeleteMovies are nice, too.
DeleteI am really bad at holiday reads! Which always shocks me because in theory it should be something I know and am super keen on but for some reason, it takes me forever to dream up some. I did, somewhat recently, enjoy two holiday reads: The Candy Cane Caper and Finding Christmas.
ReplyDeleteWonderful. Thank you for sharing these.
Delete