Christmas Stories from the Christmas Numbers of Household Words and All Year Around

by Charles Dickens, Terry Kepner (Editor)

This book comprises the Christmas stories published in the Christmas Numbers of the Household Words and All the Year Round serials published by Charles Dickens between 1852 and 1867.

The poor relation's story --
The child's story --
The schoolboy's story --
Nobody's story --
The seven poor travelers --
The holly-tree --
The wreck of the Golden Mary / Charles Dickens and Wilkie Collins --
The perils of certain English prisoners /Charles Dickens and Wilkie Collins --
Going into society --
The haunted house --
A message from the sea / Charles Dickens and Wilkie Collins --
Tom Tiddler's ground --
Somebody's luggage --
Mrs. Lirriper's lodgings --
Mrs. Lirriper's Legacy --
Doctor Marigold --
Mugby junction --
No thoroughfare / Charles Dickens and Wilkie Collins.

Genres: Classics, Christmas, Fiction, Short Stories, Holiday, British Literature, Collections

552 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 1871

About the author

Charles John Huffam Dickens (1812-1870) was a writer and social critic who created some of the world's best-known fictional characters and is regarded as the greatest novelist of the Victorian era. His works enjoyed unprecedented popularity during his lifetime, and by the twentieth century critics and scholars had recognised him as a literary genius. His novels and short stories enjoy lasting popularity.

Dickens left school to work in a factory when his father was incarcerated in a debtors' prison. Despite his lack of formal education, he edited a weekly journal for 20 years, wrote 15 novels, five novellas, hundreds of short stories and non-fiction articles, lectured and performed extensively, was an indefatigable letter writer, and campaigned vigorously for children's rights, education, and other social reforms.

Dickens was regarded as the literary colossus of his age. His 1843 novella, A Christmas Carol, remains popular and continues to inspire adaptations in every artistic genre. Oliver Twist and Great Expectations are also frequently adapted, and, like many of his novels, evoke images of early Victorian London. His 1859 novel, A Tale of Two Cities, set in London and Paris, is his best-known work of historical fiction. Dickens's creative genius has been praised by fellow writers—from Leo Tolstoy to George Orwell and G. K. Chesterton—for its realism, comedy, prose style, unique characterisations, and social criticism. On the other hand, Oscar Wilde, Henry James, and Virginia Woolf complained of a lack of psychological depth, loose writing, and a vein of saccharine sentimentalism. The term Dickensian is used to describe something that is reminiscent of Dickens and his writings, such as poor social conditions or comically repulsive characters.

On 8 June 1870, Dickens suffered another stroke at his home after a full day's work on Edwin Drood. He never regained consciousness, and the next day he died at Gad's Hill Place. Contrary to his wish to be buried at Rochester Cathedral "in an inexpensive, unostentatious, and strictly private manner," he was laid to rest in the Poets' Corner of Westminster Abbey. A printed epitaph circulated at the time of the funeral reads: "To the Memory of Charles Dickens (England's most popular author) who died at his residence, Higham, near Rochester, Kent, 9 June 1870, aged 58 years. He was a sympathiser with the poor, the suffering, and the oppressed; and by his death, one of England's greatest writers is lost to the world." His last words were: "On the ground", in response to his sister-in-law Georgina's request that he lie down.

(from Wikipedia)

Reviews

[BAM doesn’t answer to her real name · Rating 3 out of 5]

The only reason I gave this book three stars is because it contains the carol the chimes and the grasshopper. AND I skipped those because I’ve read them a few times (carol,about 1,000 times lol)

[Bobbie · Rating 3 out of 5]

I read these stories over a period of just over a year, reading them in no particular order. Several of these I read as group reads with The Old Curiosity Club. They are designed as one story per year over a number of years but many do not seem like Christmas stories at all. I did have several favorites and several that I did not really care for, but short stories are really not my choice of format for fiction. I really prefer novels or novellas.

The last story that I read (Doctor Marigold) contained The Trial for Murder in between two other chapters which to me did not belong together at all. But I did enjoyed reading that story and rereading The Trial for Murder again, a ghost story under the title of To Be Taken With a Grain of Salt.

Another of my favorites is The Child's Story which is sometimes published as a children's book, but I do not believe a smaller child could grasp the real meaning of this story. As an older person I found it very moving and meaningful.

Another which I really enjoyed was a story (actually a chapter from another longer story) entitled The Signalman. In this case another ghost story.

[Mark · Rating 3 out of 5]

To be honest my reading experience of this couldn’t have been worse - a period of stomach pain, tests, an appendectomy, followed by complications. And yet oddly it served as appropriate to undergo a bit of suffering when reading a book which is all how many have to ‘make do’ whilst others have so much money they don’t know what to do with it, yet feel if only they had more they would be truely satisfied.

On more than one occasion reading this classic, if only a certain someone had visits from the ghosts of Christmas past present and future, maybe he and the world be a better place.

Hope everyone’s festive season is going well!

[Sasha · Rating 1 out of 5]

This book has literally taken months to get through, though to be fair I did take (much-needed) breaks in that time. Dickens is excellent at finishing a book well (therefore making me want to leave a good review and read another) and I did highly enjoy the last short story No Thoroughfare (the only co-written one, interestingly).

As I have found this pattern before when reading Dickens’ work, I was hoping the short stories would be perfect at keeping to the point while still showing off the famous literary skills of Charles Dickens. Unfortunately, it was the opposite, and I mostly got the long setting of the scene without much of a plot.

I have also noticed that Dickens’ books have not all stood the test of time, in terms of offensive language or stereotypes. If you ignore my advice and read some of these short stories, don’t read those from the point of view of Mrs. Lirriper, who presumably thinks in a way that Dickens considered most women to think.

For the record, I don’t regret reading any of Dickens’ work. I just wish I’d read fewer or spaced them out more. I think I know the pattern now, so do not plan on reading another for many years, if ever.

[Linda · Rating 4 out of 5]

I love reading about Scrooge every year, it reminds me that Christmas comes from the heart. "Mankind is our business " and I want to keep Christmas all year through. The other stories are good too, but "The Christmas Carol" is my favorite!

[Jason · Rating 4 out of 5]

Nice little Christmas book, 3 stories included.

Tina and Tom ask Santa to get a surprise present for Dad.

Some animals want to spend Christmas indoors.

And the classic the little Christmas tree.

The stories are short, with Large print and plenty of pictures. Nice to read to your kids and also a good book for them to read to you with the large print.

[Sarah · Rating 3 out of 5]

In light of Goodreads' new censorship policy, I am no longer posting reviews on this site. Please read it here.

[Elyse Blackwell · Rating 5 out of 5]

I like the shortness of the stories but they are so worth reading. I love the morals and the characters that he writes into the stories.

[Daniel Glover · Rating 5 out of 5]

The Christmas Short Stories of Charles Dickens are more enjoyable than his Christmas novels with the exception of A Christmas Carol. My favorite story is “What Christmas is as we Grow Older”. The story provided great insight into why Victorian Christmases were celebrated with ghost stories. Highly recommend the collection of stories written for the season!

[Lezaan · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5

[Jason Furman · Rating 3 out of 5]

After The Christmas Carol Dickens wrote four more Christmas novellas, generally of declining although still high quality. Then he shifted to annual Christmas editions of his journals, first Household Words and then All the Year Round. These issues would generally have a framing story by Dickens, several stories that fit the frame by the co-authors he selected with one or two by Dickens himself, and then a concluding story by Dickens. For example, in Somebody's Luggage the framing story is about luggage that has been left in the room of an inn for years and the individual stories were all found in the luggage.

Hesperus Classics has republished all of these original volumes so you can read them in their entirety and put the Dickens contributions in the context he created. It is an interesting way to experience them, although I only read two or three of the volumes from beginning to end, will look forward to reading more of them. But even if you just read Dickens' stories, it is helpful to have the full volume to get a better context.

All of that said, the large majority of the stories are not particularly spectacular. And it is not like reading Sketches by Boz, which is a little uneven but has a lot of great moments and is like a foreshadowing of what is to come. Instead, these were written at the same time as Dickens' greatest novels and generally appear to be a little rushed. There's a reason people don't generally buy Dickens short stories collections.

But there is a lot of humor and warmth, drama and melodrama, and interest, in a number of these stories. Often the frame itself is more interesting and characters more compelling than the stories themselves. So worth dipping into, at least once you've read everything else.

[k.filizfidanoğlu · Rating 3 out of 5]

You can feel his words in your mind without doubt.

[Alexander Kot · Rating 3 out of 5]

Amusing Yule tide read. Some stories were engrossing, others fell flat but isn't that always the way. Just wanted to read Dickens around Christmas time that wasn't the tried and true A Christmas Carol. Thank you Massena library for all you do for me in my isolation. (self imposed)

[Art the Bookworm · Rating 5 out of 5]

Really just wonderful stories. For everyone who complains that they don't understand some of them... just take a minute to think about what you just read. Or, do some research online. You will see that Dickens is the most brilliant writer alive. Or dead. Well you know what I mean.

[Danielle · Rating 2 out of 5]

Not as Christmas spirit-y as I would have liked. Frankly it reminded me more of a Twilight Zone series, more than anything else.

[Gina Guesby Mays · Rating 3 out of 5]

It wasn't what I thought it'd be but its a very short audiobook. Some of the stories are ghost stories or death stories. The rest were just "eh".

[Sydney Forgey · Rating 3 out of 5]

A Christmas Carol is sadly the only one of these five stories worth reading again

[Warren Greenwood]

By

[Brian · Rating 3 out of 5]

Very mixed early works, mainly for his periodical. An Everyman selection from about sixty years later. The longer pieces were better, I found. Co-authorship with Wilkie Collins works well.

[J.M. Giovine · Rating 3 out of 5]

I have to be fair, but honest; when it comes to Dickens, I'm in, totally. Is easily one of the best authors, universally speaking, and relating him with Christmas is almost impossible to avoid. So my excitement to read his several collection of Christmas tales was huge, considering that we're at the perfect time to do so. That being said, I found myself a little disappointed when finished with the several tales. Not because they were poorly written or anything, I mean, is Dickens, the guy never got it wrong, but to be fair, I was expecting something, ironically, more Christmas-related. While his tales are heavily passionate, and totally inspired in their substance, it's the contrasts in which they sort of fail. I was expecting an entire festivity environment, with situations in which Christmas would turn to be another character in the stories, and don't get me wrong, these are great tales, and every single one of them has a message, but is not the message and approach that I was expecting. God, Christmas is just a word at its best in each tale. There are only 3 tales that made me feel that Christmas was there, inside the story, being The Story of the Gobblins who Stole a Sexton, A Christmas Tree and What Christmas is, as We Grow Older the ones that stood tall in the collection. The Wreck of the Golden Mary is a strong tale, and probably my favorite of them all, and it got me thinking in what is it that Dickens use as a device in his stories, in order to make them work, and is basically how he feels the need to transform characters into positivism, while the good ones maintain themselves that way. That's probably the best you can get out from his stories, and what we can relate to the Holiday he feels so attached to. Overall, while disappointed in not receiving what I was craving (micro-A Christmas Carol's, for god's sake) I'm pretty satisfy with what I'd found. Check it out, if you are a fan of Dickens, or if you feel a little too festive for your reading needs.

[Kerri · Rating 4 out of 5]

A Christmas Carol in written form is more beautiful and less frightening than ANY of the film adaptations I have seen. (I am partial to Mr. Magoo's Christmas Carol.)

Originally bought for my niece and nephew, it never made it to their collections -- excited to find all titles within one volume and enjoying reading it as part of my "Christmas preparations".

Did not enjoy The Chime, or rather I should say, I clearly missed something in it -- I DON'T understand why TODDY needs his conscience awakened (there are countless other characters who need that, NOT TODDY)! Need to find critiques of story to help me process it.

Also, everytime I read Dickens, I want to use an editor's pen -- he got paid by the word and it shows -- so much unnecessary verbiage. Sacriledge; I know.

[Emylly · Rating 2 out of 5]

Odd- for a "Christmas" story, the Christmas tree is set near the holiday but twists towards the childhood fears he had of ghost stories and tall tales. Odd. "What Christmas is as We Grow Older" has completely escaped my memory so I am forced to say this tale is completely unmemorable. "The Schoolboy's Story" was very good as it developed the characters of the horrible boys taunting old Cheeseman. When Old Cheeseman finally got his due, there was quite potential for a great moral of this story, but it just sizzled out to me. The jewel of this collection was the parable of "The Child's Story." A bittersweet description of our lives as we grow as children to adults, get married, and grow old. If you picked this title thinking you will read a grand collection of heartwarming stories of learning the true meaning of Christmas, you might try another book.

[Lois · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book is a real commitment. You have to pay attention, or you can easily get lost in all the characters (tho they are listed as a convenience before each tale) and what is going on. The earlier stories are more simple, my favorites being "The Poor Relation's Story" and "The Child's Story". Later, they get longer and more complicated, and tend to have a story or two within the main story. I liked all of them, at least in part, because sometimes the story within the main one was particularly entertaining, or a character stood out that I especially enjoyed, and who could easily have fit into one of the famous novels. Its a bit of a stretch to call these "Christmas Stories" as a whole, tho, because there isn't much of it in them. Some of these were written with Wilkie Collins.

[Ellee · Rating 3 out of 5]

Unbeknownst to much of the American population, Charles Dickens wrote several other stories that take place around the Christmas and New Year's holidays. I made my way through these during my recent flights to O'Hare and back.

Only recommended for true Dickens fans. There is a reason that Dickens' other Christmas Stories are not as well known - they're just not as well put together. Too much sentiment and "Do unto others..." is crammed into them without the great plot devices of A Christmas Carol - and not as much Christmas. I just didn't like them that well - and I really like Dickens. These are not an example of his best work.

[Jean · Rating 5 out of 5]

Read "Mrs. Lirriper's Lodgings" and "Mrs. Lirriper's Legacy" this Christmas season. Imagine Rosemary Mackinaw narrating events from her life if she had been a landlady, with "best boy" Luke as an adopted son, and my Dad as a long-time lodger, friend and adviser. A charming tale.

[Mark · Rating 2 out of 5]

Unfortunatley, most of these storie are rather drab little narratives that have little to do with Christmas. At most, Christmas is used as a frame for story-telling, but not as a source of subject material. Stick to A Christmas Carol.

[Megan · Rating 5 out of 5]

My most favourite "quote" from every single book that I've read until this point of my life is "there's more of gravy than grave of you" or summat, for some reason, and the way Dickens writes would set my mind ablaze.

[Dave · Rating 5 out of 5]

Every Christmas season I read A Christmas Carol. Dickens is a touchstone for me, reminding me that passion and compassion are lifeblood.

[Karen · Rating 3 out of 5]

I should probably rate this higher, I love A Christmas Carol so much but the other two stories were just okay to me.

[Zoe Mcduncan · Rating 5 out of 5]

It's Dickens...nuff said!!!!