As corny as it sounds, I’ve literally been waiting to read this Literary Christmas anthology since March, when I got my sister to bring it back to Singapore from the UK for me. So you can just imagine my excitement levels when I finally got to crack open this book (some things need to be savoured in the Christmas season for maximum impact).

A Literary Christmas is a collection of Christmas stories (many excerpts from longer works) and poems. The collection is divided by topic, such as before Christmas, the Nativity, Christmas day, Christmas fare, etc. Writers that are in this collection (whom you may recognise), include:

• Samuel Pepys (featuring: his diary)
• Anne Bronte
• G.K. Chesterton
• Louise May Alcott (featuring: the March sisters)
• William Shakespare
• Jane Austen
• P.G. Wodehouse
• and many more

Personally, I enjoyed this collection very much. I was familiar with some of the works here, but many were new to me. This is pretty much a collection that you can dip in and out of, and if you’re a fan of slightly older Western works, you will probably enjoy this.

To end this review, I want to share A Christmas Carol by G.K. Chesterton, one of the poems featured in this book:

The Christ-child lay on Mary’s lap,
His hair was like a light.
(O weary, weary were the world,
But here is all aright.)

The Christ-child lay on Mary’s breast
His hair was like a star.
(O stern and cunning are the kings,
But here the true hearts are.) 

The Christ-child lay on Mary’s heart,
His hair was like a fire.
(O weary, weary is the world,
But here the world’s desire.)

The Christ-child stood on Mary’s knee,
His hair was like a crown,
And all the flowers looked up at Him,
And all the stars looked down