Blog in France is a lady with llamas who left Ireland to live in France and has organised a Christmas BlogHop which I am delighted to participate in, including a give-away, just leave a comment to be in the draw to win Paul Durcan’s book and do visit the fabulous blogs participating in this festive foray
linked at the end of this post.
I’m sharing favourite Christmas reads and the first book that came to mind that has been my favourite since I heard the author read an extract at the Royal Festival Hall in London in 1997, is Paul Durcan’s Christmas Day.
Christmas Day is a 78 page prose poem that reminds us in a humorous way of those who won’t be sharing a traditional Christmas, whether by choice or because they find themselves far from family and friends, and of the traditions we partake in and even when we don’t, that seem to resonate within us anyway.
In cities across the world
I like sitting in churches doing nothing.
I like going to communion:
Standing in line and catching
Glimpses in night skies
Through x-rays of clouds
Of the thin white moon of the host.
The moment I took the decision
Not to go to Mass
I could feel life returning into my body,
My empty cistern filling up,
The Holy Spirit gurgling inside me.
It is a funny, subversive, somewhat melancholic conversation between two men – Paul and Frank who spend Christmas in Dublin trying to make it something, but not quite getting it right. It will have you laughing out loud, nodding your head in acknowledgement and realising the importance of reaching out to at least one person this Christmas. Not only it is a terrific read, but I was so enamoured with his performance, I bought audio versions as gifts for family, his delightful Irish voice, much a part of the experience for me.
He is unafraid, masterful and exactly what this world needs more of: wild abandon, wild love and sheer mad genius. Alice Sebold
My children’s favourite Christmas story and one that I was asked to read to the class in English comes from The Magic of Christmas storybook. All the stories are great, but their favourite, and a word they just loved to hear repeated is Ridiculous.
Ridiculous is a story about a young tortoise who doesn’t want to hibernate in winter, she decides to go outdoors after her parents have settled down to sleep and explore the snowy surrounds.
She meets a duck, a dog, a cat and a bird, all of whom exclaim and repeat the same thing:
“Whoever heard of a tortoise out in winter?”
“Ridiculous!”
Shelley the tortoise disagrees, but discovers she can’t break the ice to get food like a duck, keep warm by running around like a dog, crawl into a nice warm house like a cat, or fly off home like a bird.
My own favourite children’s Christmas story, doesn’t require reading at all, at least it has no words.
Raymond Brigg’s delightful The Snowman, is an all-time classic picture book and celebrates the power of the imagination and the wonder of childhood, as a boy builds a snowman and then goes on a night-time adventure with him into the world to places he has never seen.
And finally, to the book I will be curling up this Christmas. Have you already chosen your festive literary escape?
Last year, I remember losing myself in Abraham Verghese’s wonderful Cutting for Stone and I’m hoping that The Night Circus will do the same for me this year. If not, it might even be a reread of The Snow Child, which was my favourite read of 2012.
So leave a comment if you wish to be in the give-away for a copy of Paul Durcan’s Christmas Day and have fun visiting all the Christmas Bloghop participants below, many of whom are also offering give-aways.
Word by Word 
Great idea! I can’t wait to check out all of the interesting blog suggestions, and hopefully win the book. Merry Christmas!
LikeLike
Thanks Jason, it’s a fabulous and very funny book!
LikeLike
I’ll be interested in your comments on “The Night Circus”. I read it earlier this year. Ann Patchett’s “Bel Canto” is my Christmas reading.
LikeLike
I’m really looking forward to some undisturbed time to get into it, ‘Bel Canto’ I attempted twice and for some reason never quite finished. Will be interested to know what you make of it and whether I should try again 🙂
LikeLike
Hi! I’m so pleased to have found your blog. I’m an avid reader myself and am always looking for inspiration. Am reading Kate Grenville’s two novels on early life in Australia at the moment – The Secret River and Sarah Thornhill – and am really enjoying them. Happy Christmas!
LikeLike
It’s been a great year for Australian woman writers, culminating in the launch of the Stella Prize which I will be watching with interest in 2013. I’m currently reading M.L.Stedman’s The Light Between Oceans’ another new successful author from downunder.
LikeLike
Mmmhh! Like tempting fragrances around the kitchen, you waft these books under our noses – and they don’t have any calories! Thank you!
LikeLike
Definitely recommended, along with fragrances of Christmas cooking!
LikeLike
I’m not a fan of poetry in general, but this one I can see myself enjoying a lot. The Snowman was a staple of Christmases here as a child, and it’s still nice to watch it on the TV. Enjoy The Night Circus, it may not technically be a Christmas book, but it’s grand enough for it.
LikeLike
It’s a great read and may even introduce you a poet you can endure in large doses.
LikeLike
The Night Circus is on my list too although I’m not sure I’ll be able to get to it until January. I’m going to try for January. 🙂
LikeLike
Any idea what you will be reading for Christmas, something special or just the next thing on the list?
LikeLike
Well at this point not so sure. I’d like to read The Casual Vacancy, The Night Circus, or The Diviners, but I have some reviews to get up actually 4. One is the Night Before Christmas told for adults so it’s short. I’ll just have to do the best I can. Went to the kiné for the first time this afternoon so getting back into walking. Gosh it’s liberating but a little painful!
LikeLike
All I want for Christmas is my two walking legs back! Good luck with that, some rehabilitation required for sure. Have heard/read mixed things about Casual Vacancy and don’t know The Diviners. I’m just looking forward to three consecutive days of not working and starting to read again.
LikeLike
Amen to that! Who knows maybe you’ll win the giveaway. And yes that’s all I want for Christmas is a recuperated Achilles tendon, oh yeah and a Macbook Pro. 😉
LikeLike
I’ve got The Night Circus too, I bought it last week when I was in England but my real treat is Bring Up The Bodies which I’ve given myself as a Christmas present as I didn’t think anyone else would get it for me. It’s sitting on my bookcase and I’m not even going to flick through it until Christmas day.
LikeLike
Ah yes, I’d be reading Bring Up the Bodies too, only I’ve yet to read Wolf Hall, shame on me!
LikeLike
My all time favourite has to be the snowman!
LikeLike
A genuine classic for sure, I do love the book he did about his parents as well Ethel and Ernest. Wonderful.
LikeLike
My book club just read Night Circus (with great reviews) but I’m disappointed I didn’t make it around to reading it. Many of these Christmas books I am not familiar with. Excited to share some of them with my little ones. Thanks!
LikeLike
Yes,I want a safe bet for Christmas and I think Night Circus could just be it.
LikeLike
Thanks for sharing your Christmas book recommendations. More to add to my list
LikeLike
Some great ideas for Xmas reading. Hoping the Night circus lives up to your expectations.
Suz x
LikeLike
It comes well recommended from other bloggers I follow, so here’s hoping 🙂
LikeLike
So many books, so little time. Thanks for sharing your Christmas specials with us.
Have a wonderful Christmas.
LikeLike
I hope people find time to read yours too 🙂
LikeLike
What a great idea, and a great way to get into the Christmas Spirit. Thank you for sharing! Merry Christmas!
LikeLike
Isn’t it, travelling around a small community, many here in France. Merry Christmas to you too Naomi!
LikeLike
Thanks for sharing those books. I’m always interested to discover new ones to read. And thanks for blog hopping today. I hope you’ve enjoyed it. Best wishes, Steph
LikeLike
Thanks Steph, it’s been great fun!
LikeLike
Hopping over from French Village Diaries – isn’t this blog hopping good fun. I love my books and they became so much more special when we moved from UK to France. I tend to read books with a French theme – I’m addicted! Isn’t the Snowman just so special, brings back some great memories.
LikeLike
We have a wonderful bookshop here with a shelf dedicated precisely to those kind of books, I always pause and take a look what new titles have arrived, after all, there are new experiences happening every year. I think the last one I read was La Seduction – how the French play the game of life!
LikeLike
Morning Claire, I have just randomly drawn your name from those who commented on my blog hop post at French Village Diaries. Email me your address and I will pop a set of postcards off to you, thanks Jacqui frenchvillagediaries@gmail.com
LikeLike
I’ve finally made it! You know I’ve never owned a Christmas book even as a child!
LikeLike
Sounds like 2012 might be the year:) Go on, treat yourself to the Snowman! I bought it as an adult.
LikeLike
Thanks for these recommendations. Christmas Day sounds like a fun read, and I definitely need to check out The Magic of Christmas, and The Snowman for my son.
LikeLike
After months of reading in French I just want to relax o the 25th and read Paris Match, short articles with lots of pictures. I’m sure there will be something “Christmas-y” in there!
I was never really a Christmas reader… movies get me in the mood….especially “Going My Way” with Bing Crosby and that funny little Irish priest played by Barry Fitzgerald. Both actors gave Oscar performances!
LikeLike
Ah yes, the old classics really remind me of Christmas in my childhood, a bit of tap dancing and humour and all, not sure what the French movie selection will be, I like getting out the the Christmas Memories CD, a bit of Dean Martin, Judy Garland, Bing Crosby, timeless festive classics!
LikeLike
The Night Circus was transformative for me. I hope you like it, or if you’ve already read it, you enjoyed it. 🙂 Here’s my review of it, in case you’re interested (which I’m posting here because you’ve already liked some of my blog work — thanks for that 🙂 ).
http://wp.me/p1MOqK-7K
Happy New Year!
LikeLike
Pingback: Seasonal Comfort Reads | Word by Word