Welcome to Litsy!

Although I could probably finish the remaining stories in this book before New Year's Day, I'm pausing it for next Christmas, as the last story I finished was quite offputting, and I'll need 12 months to get the taste of it out of my mouth. John Cheever's "Christmas is a Sad Season for the Poor" is one of the most cynical and unempathetic things I've ever read; the sentiment upon which neoliberal social policies are written ?

I think I've done the last of the Christmas shopping! A bit cold and damp out, so treated myself when i got home to a hot chocolate and started the next story, Anthony Trollope's "Christmas at Thompson Hall", which is (so far) an amusing misadventure of an English gentlewoman in a Parisian hotel.

Second story in the collection is Gogol's "The Night Before Christmas", which Tchaikovsky adapted as the ballet "Vakula the Smith". It's a romping farce, with fantastic supernatural elements which reminded me of "The Master and Margarita", though, despite appearances by Catherine the Great & Potemkin, without the subversive intent. I really liked this one. Next is Sherlock Holmes & The Blue Carbuncle, which I read recently, but will read again ?

As I was reaching for Dickens' "Tales Around the Christmas Fire" to re-read, my eye was caught by this anthology, which I haven't read, and my hand pluked this off the shelf instead. Fittingly, it begins with a Dickens story, "The Goblins Who Stole a Sexton", which is a precursor for the longer "A Christmas Carol".
Mean-spirited gravedigger, Gabriel Grub, falls asleep on Christmas Eve next to a half-dug grave, and is visited by the spirit of ??

Christmas short stories. One a day to keep the Covid blues away. 🎄

Last month I participated in #NaNoWriMo and beat my 50,000 word goal! This month, the task is easier, but the cause is that much more important. During #Dressember, Elliott & I will wear a dress each day and Bryan will wear a tie to raise awareness and funds to end human trafficking. Of course we‘re bringing books into the mix—these are our current reads.

Check out my cause page (link in comments) and donate if you‘d like. 😊

One of those rare books where the back is prettier than the front. Unfortunately, I found this only ok. A lot of the stories were depressing or had a sad event in them. I know there is a place for grief in Xmas, but this book made Xmas seem like a totally sad time. There was 1 exception—Where God Is, Love Is by Tolstoy—but on the whole this isn‘t necessarily something I would recommend. This is a high-quality collection in terms of authors though.

I finished my #LetterC pick this morning so I‘m done with #LitsyAtoZ! Woot! Had a great time completing this challenge! Thanks to @BookishMarginalia for hosting!

Merry Christmas everyone! #christmas #christmasstories

#ItsBeginning

It‘s the 1st of December and time to start my David‘s Tea advent calendar (with a Christmas story or two).

#SeasonsReadings2017

My December TBR is:

The Long Way to a Small, Angry Planet by Becky Chambers

A Closed and Common Orbit by Becky Chambers

Christmas Stories edited by Diana Secker Tesdell

A Christmas Carol by Charles Dickens (a reread)

The Further Adventures of Ebenezer Scrooge by Charles Lovett

The Camino by Shirley MacLaine

Intentionally keeping my TBR light as the 1st 2 weeks I still have school stuff and then the last 2 there‘s Xmas activities galore!

1. No swaps this year, didn‘t have time! 😔
2. Spending time with family
3. My Alma Mater, Environmental Defense Fund, National Resources Defense Council, various animal charities
4. Mom‘s cooking
5. Homemade delicious; store bought gross
6. Love it for a day or two but not to live with for months!
7. No holiday-themed TBR yet
🎄🎄🎄🎄🎄🎄🎄🎄🎄🎄🎄🎄

#LitsyQuestions

1. No swaps this year, because I‘m in the process of a move. I‘ll be doing some January Litsy gifting, though!
2. My new home in NC!
3. A21 Campaign, Invisible Girl Project, The Mentoring Project, Red Cross, etc.
4. Things with cranberry & citrus
5. Weird to gross
6. I have very little experience with snow—hoping for a bit this winter!
7. I‘m reading the tagged book and will probably read a few other wintery books.

#LitsyQuestions

All great stories, but for me the big winner is Gogol's "Night Before Christmas".

Tonight included bubbly cheers, gifts (homemade marshmallows from @StephanieY!), a shot of egg nog, sit-ups while dressed as the Grinch, Christmas-themed dog PJs, and seasonally appropriate short stories. When it comes to Yuletide Spirit, I believe in overdoing things. (Yes the dog if wearing a reindeer sweater and plaid bowtie.)

Finished Hogfather this morning, so I treated myself to something new to continue with the seasonal reading trends. @kristenlcoates said it was ok. #sorrynotsorry #iowntoomanybooks