Take a break from December’s hustle and bustle to cozy up with a cup of tea, a warm blanket, and variety of Christmas tales with British connections. Tis the Season!

Books:

Festive Spirits: Three Short Stories (Kate Atkinson, 2019)—“ ‘Lucy would have challenged anyone not to cry at the sight of their child in a Nativity play. Even a sheepish Maude, even a scowling Beatrice – currently attempting a Chinese burn on an adjacent angel. A shepherd shouted something incomprehensible to Joseph. One of the Wise Men wet himself. Beatrice waved enthusiastically – a little too enthusiastically – at Lucy from the angelic choir. It was better than any religion, Lucy thought.’ ”

The Snowman (Raymond Briggs, 1978; the 1982 film also!)—“Possibly the greatest British children’s book for Christmas, The Snowman was first published in 1978 and featured a young boy whose snowman had come to life….The story has since been adapted into a famous animated special and a stage production.”

Hercule Poirot’s Christmas (Agatha Christie, 1939)—“Find the holiday season a bit too saccharine? Fancy a side of murder with your turkey? What better provider than Agatha Christie, never one to skimp on the bloodshed simply because it's Christmas. In Hercule Poirot's Christmas, a wealthy and reviled patriarch invites his family for an unexpected holiday dinner, with less than festive intentions.”

A Christmas Carol (Charles Dickens, 1843)—“Nothing quite says ‘Christmas’ like Dickens’ mean old miser who hates everything associated with the cursed day. And with most editions just under 100 pages, it is the perfect book to curl up with alongside a glass of mulled wine.”

Village Christmas (Laurie Lee, 2016)—“…[T]his is a lyrical portrait of England which, as with much of Lee’s writing, focuses on his childhood home in The Cotswolds. The essays explore the traditions, landscapes and stories of the area and include Lee’s memory of Churchill’s icy January funeral, and of carol-singing in the snow. A moving glimpse into a vanished world.”

A Child’s Christmas in Wales (Dylan Thomas, 1955)—“While Dylan Thomas is mostly known for his poetry, A Child’s Christmas in Wales is one of his most famous prose works.  While not autobiographical, the work is instead anecdotal and meant to evoke memories of Christmas, and as such is meant to be a reminiscence of a simpler time and evoke the themes of the holiday.”

Letters from Father Christmas (JRR Tolkien, 1976)—“Tolkien is best known for his Middle Earth Stories, but this classic gem is not to be overlooked.  Letters from Father Christmas was originally written for Tolkien’s children between 1920 and 1942 and was not published until 1976, three years after his death.” 

Movies:

Muppet Christmas Carol (1992)— “While this is not strictly a British movie – it’s one of our favorites. What’s better than Michael Caine as Scrooge? It’s by far one of our favorite adaptations of A Christmas Carol.”

Love Actually (2003)—“When we surveyed our Anglophile friends and family – this movie was pretty much at the top of everyone’s list….The multiple stories, interesting characters and seeing Britain at Christmas make this an enjoyable movie every year. It also provides a fun insight into British Christmas traditions like the annual Christmas party, Christmas pageants and more.”

Millions (2004)-- Another “fun one. The plot imagines a future where Britain is joining the Euro (which seemed possible when it was made, not so much now!) and what happens when a little boy finds a bag filled with millions of Pounds as the answer to his prayers.”

The Holiday (2006)—“…[T]he the plot is fun and takes places in the two weeks around Christmas. So, there’s plenty of lovely scenery of the English countryside with plenty of Jude Law to look at as well.”

The Man Who Invented Christmas (2017)—"The Man Who Invented Christmas adds holiday magic to the writing of A Christmas Carol, putting a sweetly revisionist spin on the story behind a classic yuletide tale.”

A Boy Called Christmas (2021)—"An ordinary young boy called Nikolas sets out on an extraordinary adventure into the snowy north in search of his father who is on a quest to discover the fabled village of the elves, Elfhelm. Adapted from the bestselling book by Matt Haig.”