Christmas Books

THE AUSTRALIAN CHRISTMAS
collected by Frank Cusack. B&W era drawings & engravings illustrate. Condition: Gently pre-read 1982 Australian Collector's Treasury hardcover & DJ (in mylar jacket), reprint. B&W era drawings with decorated endpages. Content: A seclection of writing into which the reader can dip at random and find something interesting, surprising, or entertaining - a literary Christmas stocking. Short stories, poems, carols and extracts which are illustrated with drawings, cartoons and old engravings of great charm. The first entry is from a 1788 journal and the last is a Walkabout from 1963. Charming and informative Australian holiday history. Questions welcome. [1 copy available]
$ 8.85 + $ 3.29 media shipping. Priority & International shipping available.

THE AUTOBIOGRAPHY OF SANTA CLAUS (Revised Edition)
as told to Jeff Guinn. B&W illustrations by Dorit Rabinovitch. Condition: NEW 2003 Jeremy P. Tarcher/Penguin hardcover & DJ (in mylar jacket), revised edition, first printing. Remainder mark bottom edges. Content: Where exactly did Santa Claus come from? How did he meet Mrs. Claus? Who named the reindeer? We've all asked these questions and a million more, and Jeff Guinn uses a wonderful mix of scholarship, fantasy, folklore, and faith to answer them all. According to this "authoritative" autobiography, St. Nicholas began giving gifts in the third century A.D. and never looked back. Did you know the Roman calendar had only 10 months and 355 days and that Christmas caroling was introduced to the world in the thirteenth century? This enchanting Christmas classic returns for a new holiday season, combining historical fact with glorious legend as St. Nicholas himself reveals the definitive story of Santa Claus. With seven centuries of holiday magic all rolled into twenty-four chapters-one for each cold December night leading up to Christmas- this book is a great gift for the whole family! [2 copies available]
$ 4.85 + $ 3.29 media shipping. Priority shipping available.

THE BOOK OF CHRISTMAS: Customs, Ceremonies, Traditions, Superstitions and Festivities of the Christmas Season
by Thomas K. Hervey. R. Seymour B&W illustrations from the original 1888 edition. Introduction by Steve Roud. Condition: NEW 2000 Wordsworth (in association with The Folklore Society) Trade Paperback, first printing. Tiny edgewear. Content: The folklore surounding Christmas is imbued with the sense of cheer that we associate with the season. But looking deeper into the customs and traditions we find ancient pagan practices at their very heart. In authoritative detail, it documents the practices and customs of each of the special days of the season and the folklore related to them. Excellent resource book. [1 copy available]
$ 6.39 + $ 3.09 media shipping. Priority & International shipping available.

THE BOOK OF CHRISTMAS CAROLS
by Quantum-Aurora Publishing. Beautiful color paintings illustrate. Condition: NEW 1996 Quantum-Aurora (UK) large hardcover & DJ (in mylar jacket), reissue. Content: Christmas Carols from England, Europe, and some traditional carols from America are each accompanied by a beautiful Christmas painting and sheet music. Questions welcome. [1 copy available]
$ 10.69 + $ 3.49 media shipping.

THE CHRISTMAS CONVERSATION PIECE
[Creative Questions to Illuminate the Holidays]
by Bret Nicholaus and Paul Lowrie. Decorations throughout. Condition: NEW 1997 Ballantine Books small hardcover & DJ (in mylar jacket), 7th printing. Content: 300 Christmas-themed questions designed to bring any gathering back to the core purposes of the holiday: love, reflection, and merriment. The Christmas Conversation Piece is based on the belief that the right questions can spark understanding, humor, and connection between friends and loved ones. Try them out when entertaining, mingling at the office Christmas party, or simply having dinner with your family. Here's a sample: "What is your favorite Christmas scent?"; "What's your all-time biggest Christmas shopping disaster?"; "What is the most unusual Christmas tradition you ever heard of?"; "What has been the greatest blessing in your life since last Christmas?" Perfect for teachers. [1 copy available]
$ 2.59 + $ 3.09 media shipping. Priority shipping available.

CHRISTMAS IN PLAINS Memories
by President Jimmy Carter. Amy Carter cover art & B&W line drawings illustrate. Condition: NEW 2001 Simon & Schuster small hardcover [7.3 x 5.4 x 0.7 (160 pages)] & DJ (in mylar jacket), first edition. Content: Great memories of President Carter's many Christmas holidays in his hometown of Plains, Georgia. This slim yet deeply textured memoir detailing former president Carter's Christmases as a boy in rural Georgia, as a naval officer, a politician and president serves as an excellent companion to his earlier, bestselling memoir, An Hour Before Daylight, but can also be read on its own as a tribute to family and a reminder that economy of gifts doesn't have to mean economy of generosity. Told in clear, honest language, these engaging vignettes range from endearing stories from his boyhood using the tinfoil from his father's cigarette packs to make tinsel for the tree as well as revealing ones Carter's thoughts and feelings during the hostage crisis in the Middle East toward the end of his presidency. These are the humble and heartfelt experiences that shaped and reflect his character: stories of his close black friends in the pre-civil rights era, of one memorable holiday involving a truckload of grapefruit, of another at Camp David, of trying to spend some quiet moments alone with his family in Plains even with the Secret Service in tow. The message illustrated throughout could not be more timely that gifts from the heart are the most important kind and should not be restricted to one's own family. Comforting and inspiring. Wonderful writing by the best ex-President ever (although a couple of them may be gaining on him). Gift wrapping available. [1 copy available]
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CHRISTMAS IN SPAIN
by William Nault, editor. Color and B&W photos and artwork. Condition: UNREAD 1983 World Book hardcover (pictorial boards) - no DJ issued. No edition given. Tiny edgewear at corners. Content: Describes in text and illustrations how Christmas is celebrated in Spain. Also includes stories, songs, recipes, and craft projects. [1 copy available]
$ 4.75 + $ 3.19 media shipping. [Email for shipping charges on international orders.]

CHRISTMAS SPIRIT: The Joyous Stories, Carols, Feasts, And Traditions of the Season
by George Grant & Gregory Wilbur. Condition: NEW 2001 Cumberland House soft cover, second printing. Content: Christmas Spirit captures the essence of the Yuletide season by gathering in one place all of those elements that contribute to the joyous spirit of Christmas. From the origins of our most cherished holiday traditions and rituals to the insights of the wisest men and women of the ages on their essential meaning and significance, Christmas Spirit emphasizes and underscores the best moments of the season. Here are the whys and wherefores of mistletoe, plum pudding, holly and ivy, Advent wreaths, nativity scenes, caroling, sleigh rides, Christmas trees, jingle bells, wassailing, Twelfth Night, twinkling lights, gift giving, and Saint Nicholas. In short, here is the joy of the season - Christmas Spirit. Recipes also. Questions welcome. [1 copy available.]
$ 6.29 + $ 3.09 media shipping. Priority shipping available.

CHRISTMAS TALES: Celebrated Authors on the Magic of the Season
photographs by Steve Lovi. Beautiful color photos & artwork. Condition: Gently pre-read, if at all, 1992 Viking Studio Books hardcover & DJ (in mylar jacket), first edition, first printing. The photos in this book are so beautiful, you'll want to rip them out, frame them, and put them on your wall. DJ is price-clipped. Content: Great adult Christmas stories by Frank Sullivan (Crisp New Bills for Mr. Teagle); Willa Cather (The Burglar's Christmas); My Christmas Carol (Budd Schulberg); Damon Runyon (Dancing Dan's Christmas); O. Henry (Gift of the Magi); James Thurber (Merry Christmas); and Christopher Morley (The Tree That Didn't Get Trimmed). Questions welcome. [1 copy available.]
$ 6.29 + $ 3.19 media shipping. Priority shipping available.

A CHRISTMAS TESTAMENT
by Philip Kopper. Illustrated with color repros of Christmas art by the masters. Condition: UNREAD 1982 Stewart, Tabori, & Chang hardcover in slipcase, first edition. The box shows some edgewear with light rubbings along box spine. The book has beautiful cream boards with gilt lettring & designs. Content: Reviewer: "This book is a compilation of Biblical prophecies fullfilled along with the corresponding New Testament scriptures which fullfilled them. All Scripture is done in wonderful calligraphy and classic artwork is throughout the book. The beginning of the book goes into the origin of many Christmas customs." Questions encouraged. [1 copy available]
$ 7.49 + $ 3.29 media shipping.

A CHRISTMAS TRESURY OF YULETIDE STORIES & POEMS
edited by James Charlton & Barbara Gilson. B&W decorations. Condition: UNREAD 1992 Galahad Books large hardcover (415 pages) and DJ (in mylar jacket), first printing. Content: Reviewer: ". . .a wonderful collection of Christmas stories as well as Christmas songs. The stories include the favorites of A Christmas Carol and The Gift of the Magi, but it also includes stories of Christmases in other countries such as Germany, France and Italy. Because all of the stories are relatively short, it is such a wonderful way to bring the family together during the holiday season in front of the fireplace, sip on hot apple cider and read out loud the tales of Christmas. It is sure to get everyone into the Christmas spirit. Questions encouraged. [1 copy available]
$ 6.75 + $ 3.49 media shipping.

The COMPLETE KWANZA: Celebrating Our Cultural Harvest
by Dorothy Winbush Riley. Willie Tobert (Cover Art). Condition: New but does have tiny edgewear and tiny rubbing spots lower front cover. Remainder mark. Overall a very nice new book. Content: All ethnic groups seek acceptance in society and their place in the universal order," writes educator Dorothy Winbush Riley. "And each group, through holidays, demonstrates its interpretation of human experience." For millions of African Americans, the week after Christmas is a time to celebrate Kwanzaa by reflecting upon seven principles, among them creativity, cooperation, and faith, which are considered the foundation of successful societies. Riley elaborates upon each of these principles through a combination of first-person narratives, poetry, folktales, quotations, and proverbs. [1 copy available]
$ 3.25 + $ 3.19 media shipping. Priority & International shipping available.

A FAMILY CHRISTMAS
by Dr. James Dobson. Beautiful, warm color paintings by G. Harvey. Condition: NEW 2002 Multnomah hardcover (pictorial boards) & DJ (in mylar jacket), first printing. [Number line runs from 0 - 10 and I've never seen that before.] Content: This book transports you to the delightful places you’ve been. - or perhaps to where you want to be. Featuring glowing scenes by internationally acclaimed artist G. Harvey, this richly meaningful gift book illustrates the importance of showing and celebrating love for our family, our friends, and our God. True stories of Christmas past, complete with Dr. Dobson’s insightful and thought-provoking commentary, will bring warmth and rekindled joy to you and yours. Questions welcome. [1 copy available.]
$ 4.89 + $ 3.29 media shipping.

THE GLORY OF CHRISTMAS
inspirational writings by Charles Swindoll, Max Lucado, & Charles Colson. Beautiful color photos illustrate. Condition: NEW 1996 Word Books (Dallas) hardcover (pictorial boards - no DJ issued). No edition given. Content: This beautiful new Christmas book highlights the most wonderful gift of all - Christ. Heartwarming passages remind the reader of all that His gift entails--salvation, power for living, righteousness, relationship, and encouragement. A great Christmas gift item. Questions welcome. [2 copies available.]
$ 3.89 + $ 3.19 media shipping. Priority & International shipping available.

HOMER FOR THE HOLIDAYS: The Further Adventures of Wilson the Pug
by Wilson the Pug with Nancy Levine. Adorable sepia-tone photos illustrate. Condition: NEW 2004 Viking Studio hardcover ("pugtorial" boards) & DJ (in mylar jacket), first edition, first printing. Content: To know a pug is to love a pug. And no pug has won more hearts than Wilson the Pug. Wilson, Taoist master of The Tao of Pug, has taught his many admirers some very important life lessons. And he practices what he preaches. While out searching for a good deed to do for the holidays, he encounters and befriends a lost baby pug whom he immediately dubs Homer. Swearing to find Homer a home for the holidays, Wilson and his new pal embark on an adventure that takes them along unexpected and comical paths. The future starts to look bleak for Homer until a chance meeting with Santa Claus himself turns everything around. Homer’s holiday wish may come true after all. Written and photographed with the help of Wilson’s human companion, Nancy Levine, Homer for the Holidays is sure to be another holiday hit with pug owners, dog lovers, or anyone who enjoys a funny and touching seasonal story for young and old alike. So cute, I might have to trade in my Kerry Blue for a Pug. Questions welcome. [2 copies available.]
$ 6.49 + $ 3.19 media shipping. Priority & International shipping available.

I'LL BE HOME FOR CHRISTMAS
compiled by Anne Christian Buchanan. Beautiful, warm color paintings by Thomas Kinkade. Condition: NEW 1997 Harvest House hardcover & DJ (in mylar jacket), fourth printing. Content: The luminous windows of Thomas Kinkades cozy cottages and gracious Victorian mansions glow even brighter with the brilliant lights of Christmas. Eighteen of Kinkades radiant paintings highlight the stories, quotes, poems, and carols of Christmas. [1 copy available]
$ 4.75 + $ 3.29 media shipping.

LAS CHRISTMAS: Favorite Latino Authors Share Their Hoiday Memories
edited by Esmeralda Santiago and Joie Davidow. B&W illustrations by Jose Ortega. Condition: NEW 1998 Knopf hardcover & DJ (in mylar jacket), first edition, first printing. Content: Twenty-five celebrated Latino writers delight and move us with their recollections of Christmas in this splendid holiday extravaganza. From Julia Alvarez's tale of how Santicló delivered a beloved uncle from political oppression to Junot Díaz's story of his own uneasy assimilation on his first Christmas in America, to Sandra Cisneros's poignant memories of her late father's holiday dinners, Las Christmas gives us true stories from writers of many traditions--memories of Christmas and Hanukkah that vividly capture the pride and pain, joy and heartbreak, that so often accompany the holidays in the Americas. Richly illustrated and embellished with songs and poems, along with recipes for an unforgettable Christmas dinner--from traditional sweet tamales to Puerto Rican asopao (stew) and coquito (coconut eggnog)--this is an enduring treasury of Latino writing to read again and again. Contributing authors: Julia Alvarez, Liz Balmaseda, Gioconda Belli, Denise Chavez, Sandra Cisneros, Judith Ortiz Cofer, Mandalit del Barco, Junot Diaz, Martin Espada, Francisco Goldman, Estela Herrera, Jaime Manrique, Victor Martinez, Aurora Levine Morales, Rosario Morales, Michael Nava, Gustavo Perez Firmat, Luis Rodriguez, Esmeralda Santiago, Mayra Santos-Febres, Gary Soto, Ilan Stavans, Ray Suarez, Piri Thomas, and Judy Basquez. 20 recipes for a comple holiday dinner. A heartwarming holiday gift. [1 copy available]
$ 8.49 + $ 3.29 media shipping.

MOMMA'S ENCHANTED SUPPER AND OTHER STORIES FOR THE LONG EVENINGS OF ADVENT: A Memoir
by Carol DeChant. Condition: INSCRIBED BY AUTHOR. UNREAD 1999 Loyola hardcvoer & DJ (in mylar jacket), first printing. The inscription is to specific individuals followed by "cherish your stories." Content: DeChant offers an engaging assortment of heartwarming and heartrending stories culled from six generations of her family's history. The book is artfully designed as a literary Advent calendar, with each anecdote preceded by a brief quotation from one of the recommended Scripture readings for that date. Since this work is a direct outgrowth of DeChant's belief that people understand and interpret the ever-evolving Bible in light of their own unique experiences and histories, she also includes personal reflections pertaining to each story and its corresponding biblical passage. This delightfully wholesome collection of memories and meditations will appeal to readers seeking both entertainment and inspiration during the Christmas season. [1 copy available]
$ 2.10 + $ 3.09 media shipping.

THE PHYSICS OF CHRISTMAS:
From the Aerodynamics of Reindeer to the Thermodynamics of Turkey
by Roger Highfield. Condition: NEW 1999 Little, Brown Trade Paperback with the only flaw being a shelfwear diagonal crease bottom front cover corner. Interior perfect. Content: This book is a hoot! And this book is also informative. Roger Highfield loves science, and he loves Christmas, too. Combining the two in The Physics of Christmas is his attempt to refute the notion that "the materialist insights of science destroy our capacity to wonder, leaving the world a more boring and predictable place." To that end, Highfield presents an amusing, eclectic, and trivia-filled collection of scientific observations about one of the Western world's most beloved holidays. Contrary to the title, Highfield doesn't limit himself to physics. His anthropological observations include tracing the origins of Santa Claus--an especially amusing and enlightening chapter entitled "Santa: The Hallucinogenic Connection" examines the possibilities of the psychoactive mushroom Amanita muscaria's red-and-white cap being the inspiration for Santa's robes. In a tip of the stocking cap to biology, Highfield hints at a parasitic infestation that may be responsible for poor Rudolph's red nose and examines the advantages of cloned Christmas trees. Psychologically speaking, we find an analysis of the emotional weight of gift giving and card exchanging (sever all relationships with those who send musical cards, research suggests), and how a holiday can be both religious and commercial. Even post-holiday depression is deconstructed, along with Santa's unhealthy obesity and apparent immortality, the effects of alcohol on sleep patterns, the astronomical origins of the Bethlehem star, and the ins and outs of snow.
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THE QUIET LITTLE WOMAN (A Christmas Story); TILLY'S CHRISTMAS; ROSA'S TALE: Three Enchanting Christmas Stories
by Louisa May Alcott. Illustrations by C. Michael Dudash. Condition: NEW 1999 Honor Books small hardcover & DJ (in mylar jacket), fourth printing. Content: Three Christmas stories, at least one of which was "rediscovered" in a children's magazine of its day. The first and longest selection is about Patty, an orphan whose greatest dream is to be adopted; instead, she is given a place as a servant in the Murray family. Through Patty's loving nature, plus the Christmastime intervention of Aunt Jane, the family members realize that they have a gem in their midst. The other two stories are shorter-one involves a poor girl whose kindness to a tiny bird prods a mean neighbor into an act of charity; the other features a horse, able to speak through the Christmas miracle, that tells her story of kindness and cruelty suffered at the hands of humans. All three pieces have an undeniably 19th-century tone that may strike today's readers as too sentimental and quaint to be interesting. However, Alcott's fans will zip right through these stories and take pleasure in the satisfyingly happy endings, in which goodness and endurance triumph over adversity. Questions welcome [3 copies available]
$ 2.89 + $ 3.09 media shipping. Priority & International shipping available.

SANTA & PETE: The Real Story of Santa Claus (VHS Movie)
by GoodTimes Entertainment. Movie advertisement cover. Condition: Very good +. Although this tape carries the Blockbuster label, it was never shelved or rented. It has been watched once - by me. Light edgewear bottom of box. 90 minutes playing time. Content: Academy Award nominees Hume Cronyn and James Earl Jones (the great) star in this warmhearted and whimsical Yuletide tale about the beloved tradiitons of the holiday. Facing his first Christmas as a widower, Grandpa Nicholas (Jones) tells his grandson all about St. Nick (Cronyn), the Christian bishop who traveled the world performing small miracles. Flex Alexander is Pete, a cook who takes a terrible risk when St. Nick is arrested as a spy by the Spanish government, freeing him so that he can continue to deliver his message of brotherhood. Pete's dream is to see the world, so he becomes St. Nick's assistant, and when they learn that children are going to the New World, Santa decides they must follow, bringing along the Old World tradition of gift-giving - and making some new traditions along the way. Directed by DuWayne Dunham. Also stars Tempest Bledsoe. Beth Polson produced. Teleplay by Greg Taylor. A neat change from the usual holiday fare. GUARANTEED! Questions welcome [1 copy available]
$ 5.49 + $ 3.09 media shipping. Priority shipping. International shipping to Canada or Mexico only.

SNOW
by Lisbeth Mark and Babs Lefrak. B&W illustrations. Condition: NEW 1996 Lefrak Books (Perigee) small softcover, first edition, first printing. Tiny edgewear. Content: Everything you ever wanted to know about Snow! This is a book of facts, fallacies, and folklore for everyone who loves and hates snow. Birth & Journey of a Snowflake is my favorite. Questions welcome.
$ 2.49 + $ 2.89 media shipping. Priority & International shipping available.

A SONG AT CHRISTMAS (The Christmas story told afresh through carols.)
compiled by Mary Absalon. Text by Timothy Dudley-Smith. Lovely, warm color illustrations by Tony Morris. Condition: UNREAD 1991 Lion (London) hardcover (pictorial boards) & DJ (in mylar jacket), first printing. Content: This book contains a wonderful mix of carols to tell the Christmas story in a fresh new way. Greatly loved classics are included - Away in a Manger, Silent Night, Hark! the Herald Angels Sing. There are modern pieces, too - Holy Child, How Still You Lie, See Him Lying on a Bed of Straw, How Faint the Stable-Lantern's Light. CArols from different parts of the world - from Poland, He is Born; from Czechoslovakia, The Rocking Carol; from France, Winds Through the Olive Trees; and mnay more. Many of the carols have a simplified music score with guitar chords included. Questions welcome. [1 copy left]
$ 3.69 + $ 3.19 media shipping. Priority & International shipping available.