If you were to edit an audiobook anthology of favorite Christmas scenes from literature, what would you include? Recently listening to A Literary Christmas, I realized I only enjoyed less than 30% of the stories included. I also realize that I already have favorite Christmas scenes that I like to listen to in December—, just not written down in any order. So, I present to you: Little Grey Rabbit Scholar’s Literary Christmas. A lot of these are juvenile fiction or classics, and well known to me. I’d love to hear about your favorite Christmas or wintertime scenes from literature classics or otherwise.
Little Women by Louisa May Alcott. Read by Barbara Caruso “Christmas won’t be Christmas without any presents…” or a Christmas breakfast—until the March girls learn differently. I remember reading this particular excerpt in the Children’s Bookshelf anthology long before reading the novel as a tween.
American Girl story collection. This is easy since the historical characters typically each had a winter holiday story. My favorites are Addy’s Surprise by Connie Porter. Read by Cynthia Adams & Felicity’s Surprise by Valerie Tripp Read by Carrie Hitchcock. Each girl receives a Christmas time miracle for her family. In Addy’s story they cook her father and brother’s favorite dish: sweet potato pudding, as a way to cope with their family being seperated. This part particularly resonated with me more as an adult, because as I get older it’s become more meaningful to cook the favorite meals or recipes of dearly departed family members.
The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe by C.S. Lewis, read by Michael York.Oh boy, when Christmas returns to Narnia! This chapter includes a scrumptious breakfasts from Father Christmas and vital gifts for our main characters for the battle to come.
Roll of Thunder Hear my Cry by Mildred D. Taylor; read by Lynne Thigpen
The Logan family’s warm domestic holiday scene is a wonderful pause from the harshness of their world (Jim Crow, the Great Depression) but not sugarcoated. Cassie’s joy of her new books is heartwarming especially in contrast of the school issued textbooks at the beginning.
A Christmas Carol by Charles Dickens read by Aton Lesser. Stave III and the Ghost of Christmas Present shows the warmth of the Cratchit family celebrating with their Christmas pudding.
Mickey’s Christmas Carol Performed by Alan Young & Cast. Storyteller version. Mickey’s Christmas Carol is the only cartoon adaptation of a Christmas Carol I’ve ever liked; I read the Little Golden book version to pieces as a child. This storyteller edition features a few fun songs that didn’t make it to the animated feature film.
Great Expectations by Charles Dickens. Read by Anton Lesser The Christmas dinner. It’s one of my favorites, how is tar water and missing pork pie not memorable?
The Nutcracker by E.T.A. Hoffman and read by Claire Bloom. This is actually a play-along/soundtrack that came with a picture book. I love the opening paragraph. “Snow was falling gently on the streets people were hurrying home…For it was Christmas Eve, and as twilight fell, the children throughout Germany waited in hushed expectation for night to arrive, and with it their gifts from the Christ Child.”
Little Grey Rabbit’s Christmas & Squirrel Goes Skating by Alison Uttley. Read by Elaine Claxton. It will have you singing Holly Red and Mistletoe White along with your traditional songs and carols!
The Gift of the Magi & The Cop and the Anthem by O. Henry. Read by Katherine Kellgren, Oliver Wyman, and Jonathan Davis. This was an audible freebie and it’s great. The Cop and the Anthem is a true O. Henry sucker punch and it will have you laughing out loud.
Ramona and Her Father by Beverly Cleary. I own the Ramona collection read by Stockard Channing. The last chapter is Ramona and the Nativity play where Ramona is now the malcontent in need of some cheer. I also include Ramona and Her Mother; because it takes place the Sunday after Christmas. The Quimbys host a brunch and Ramona gives Willa Jean the gift of wasting a whole box of tissues.
The Velveteen Rabbit by Margery Williams. Read by Meryl Streep and music by George Winston. This is a very beautiful production and the music is gentle enough to fall asleep to. Honestly, I can listen to this year round it’s so soothing and a beautiful story.
Note: All of these are from my Audible library except Mickey’s Christmas Carol, which is an iTunes purchase, and the Nutcracker is a digital copy from the book’s CD.
Little Grey Rabbit Scholar 
Hello, I wondered if you could help me please as you are a Little Grey Rabbit, and Christmas expert! Is there a passage in the Christmas book about singing carols? If so, would it be possible for you to send me the passage about it? And do you know of any other fiction stories in which singing carols round the tree is written about? Thank you so much, Deborah
LikeLike
Hi Deborah,
Thank you for the generous complement. There are two instances of carol singing: 1. when a group of carolers sings outside Grey Rabbit’s House. 2. Grey Rabbit and Hare sing a carol as they return home. Both instances it’s an original carol (Holly Red and Mistletoe White) written by Alison Uttley especially for the book. If you search “holly red and mistletoe white” on google, the first image result is a picture of the passage and the carolers.
I’m afraid I can’t think of any books where the characters sing round the Christmas Tree. I want to say Little Women, but I’m almost positive that I’m confusing a scene from the 1949 film with the book. I wish I could be of more help, good luck to you!
Primrose
LikeLike