Christmas Short Stories Anthology

Darius has found that he is the target for every gold-digging woman on the planet, all desperate to land themselves the ultimate catch and live a life of unparalleled luxury. So, he hatches a plan—throwing a Christmas masquerade ball seems like a great idea. He can remain anonymous for the entire evening and use the opportunity to perhaps find himself a wife. Sarah is one of Darius’ newest employees. She’s only been with the company for three weeks, and now, she finds herself at one of the biggest parties ever seen.

This collection of short stories by notable Australian author Mary Grant Bruce (1878-1958) reflects on Australian experiences of summertime. Infused with the smells, sounds, and textures of Australian life during the Christmas season, these stories also highlight the strengths and yearnings of their characters.

Originally published in 1901, A Christmas Inspiration centers around a group of girls spending Christmas at a boarding-house. Once they realize that Miss Allen did not receive any gifts or letters, they come up with a plan to make her Christmas a happy one. This version of A Christmas Inspiration was recorded as part of Dreamscape's Classic Christmas Stories: A Collection of Timeless Holiday Tales.

Single mom Meghan Shaunessy and her four-year-old autistic son Liam move to Heaven, Pa., for a temporary post as a special education teacher. Her parents were killed in a tragic car accident, and she wanted to be close to her sister; her only remaining family. Playboy bartender at Nick's Bar & Bistro, Byron Watts hides a deep pain from the casual hookups in his life. Grieving over the loss of his toddler son, he keeps things as fluid as the drinks he serves. Nobody will get close again. Byron lives above her in her new apartment and Meghan tags him immediately as a man like her ex.

Private investigator Jade O'Reilly thought her worst Christmas dilemma involved finding the perfect gift for her significant other. That was before she agreed to help Agnes Sturgis, the crankiest old biddy in all of Sweetwater, NC. Every day, for the 12 days leading up to Christmas, Agnes wakes up to a yard filled with Christmas decorations. But in Agnes's opinion, "they're not decorations; they're property damage!"

Plongez dans un monde de merveilles hivernales avec ce recueil captivant de 25 histoires spécialement conçues pour émerveiller les enfants pendant la période des fêtes. Chaque histoire, soigneusement écrite, invite le lecteur à explorer les facettes les plus magiques de Noël, de la joie des premiers flocons de neige à l'émerveillement des rencontres au cœur de la forêt enneigée.

“A Kidnapped Santa Claus” by L. Frank Baum, narrated by Aaron Sokalski, is a delightful and adventurous holiday tale that offers a unique twist on the story of Santa Claus. In this charming story, Santa is abducted by a group of mischief-making demons who seek to ruin Christmas by preventing him from delivering gifts to children. Baum’s inventive narrative mixes holiday magic with elements of fantasy, bringing listeners on an exciting journey to rescue Santa and save Christmas.

These are adult stories of Christmas. Hope, joy, love, and friendship swirled together in a wassail bowl as a potion against the bone-chilling cold of winter, and the soul-chilling despair of being alone. Come drink the warmth of the magical draft and recapture that feeling of a contented Christmas.

This unique presentation combines classic children's favorites with an anthology of stories, poems, and songs of the holiday season.

As town villagers, Nicholas and his wife do not know that their lives are about to change. What sparked as an idea becomes an enchanted adventure into the mystical spirit of Christmas. Their wish of bringing Christmas cheer to children is not as easy as they expected, however, and they quickly realize they need extra help before time runs out. Beyond what is thought to be possible, they discover something wonderful about the magic of belief.

An Off-White Christmas features a dozen stories all set on or around Christmas, though, with little to no clear religious emphasis. Instead, these stories explore life changes and choices and chaos in times of heightened drama, when family and friends and life partners merge to form cohesive units, happy or otherwise. The stories range from a gambling spree in Las Vegas to a caravan traveling to Baraboo; from a teepee hotel in Kentucky to a retro movie theatre in Arizona; from a jolly Santa lookalike to a frustrated Dickensian actor; from students to retirees.

In the excitement of the season, the true meaning of Christmas sometimes gets lost. These warm and humorous stories provide a gentle reminder that it is the day that we celebrate Christ's birth. In Waldo, Tell Me About Christmas, a little boy is more interested in his presents than in why we celebrate this joyous day until his best friend, Waldo, helps him learn the true meaning of Christmas. In The Star of Melvin, the smallest angel—who is responsible for the smallest star—is given a very special task. Can love alone make his star shine bright enough to show the way?

"A New Way to Spend Christmas" describes a Christmas visit to Randall's Island in the East River, where orphaned and sick children are looked after. A charitable woman brings gifts and spreads "sunshine in that shady place" to the unfortunate children who live there.

Whether you've been naughty or nice, Santa has a treat just for you. Replete with visions of sugar plums, big juicy candy canes, and stockings eager to be filled, The Merry XXXmas Book of Erotica is a campy, blazing-hot feast of holiday erotica that will have you wishing the season of giving lasted all year long. Among these stories, Lynne Jamneck’s "What I Really Want for Christmas” is a tale of friendship igniting to passion with the help of an interfering family, good whiskey, and a Santa suit.

In this collection are found stories of gay romantic love, the love between a father and his gay son, and old lovers returning from the beyond. There are stories within this book about a magical Christmas tree that appears of its own accord every year, angels, ghosts, and a century-old hotel that miraculously reappears during the holiday season. Most of the stories are written for gay listeners, but some are just cozy Christmas tales. There are stories in this volume for all true lovers of Christmas.

Outshone by a gregarious stepsister and overbearing stepmother, Lady Athena Cummins is used to fading into the shadows. Beloved only by her youngest sister, Persephone, Athena has accepted her destiny as a spinster. But Persephone has a different scheme in mind, and conspires to send Athena out for one night of fun at Lord Finchley’s masquerade Christmas Ball. The masked beauty catches the Lord’s eye but, determined to avoid the wrath of her stepsister, Athena leads Lord Finchley on a wild chase to discover her true identity.

A família de Juca nunca pôde aproveitar o Natal por conta de seu pai, cuja natureza amarga não permitia grandes comemorações. Mas no primeiro Natal após a morte do pai, Juca decide que quer comer Peru. Mário de Andrade é um dos principais fundadores da vanguarda modernista no Brasil. Com a publicação de Pauliceia Desvairada, e Macunaíma, seu nome foi consagrado na geração de 20, responsável pela criação da Semana de Arte Moderna de 1922.

How far should Viviana’s family go to avoid being thirteen at the table? Should Melina and Tanino attend a New Year’s party hosted by Melina’s old flame? Why do Don Pericle’s clients want a Christmas wedding at all costs? Ten humorous and heart-warming short stories shining with the Sicilian sunshine, fragrant with red wine and ringing with Christmas bells, perfect for the festive season.

Reminisce over holiday movies watched every year and the unavoidable bout of overeating. Watch generations gather as one, but also see the birth of young holiday love. Visit the Yule traditions of other countries or hear about the comfort of home. Christmas Briefs includes sarcasm, love, family togetherness, and good friends. Everyone can relate to these stories, for they are about everyone.

Many writers used Christmas as a backdrop for their stories: among them none other than Sir Arthur Conan Doyle. This delightful Sherlock Holmes story is one of the first that he authored, appearing in The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes. It is, fittingly, a wild goose chase through London!