The Child's Christmas

by Evelyn Sharp

Members of an English country family experience the excitement and beauty of an old-fashioned Christmas season, in events leading from the early days of decoration and preparation through New Year's Day and up to Twelfth Night

Genres: Christmas, Fiction, Childrens

224 pages, Hardcover

First published January 1, 1906

About the author

Born in 1869, in London, Evelyn Sharp was the daughter of slate merchant James Sharp, and the sister of Cecil Sharp, who would later gain fame as a folksong collector, and leader of the folkdance revival. She was educated at Strathallan House, and - despite passing the Cambridge Higher Local Examination in history - at a finishing school in Paris. Against the wishes of her family, Sharp moved to London in 1894, where she became a journalist and an author, publishing a number of books for both children and adults.

A member of the Women's Industrial Council and the National Union of Women's Suffrage Societies, as well as the Women's Social and Political Union (WSPU), Sharp was a prominent activist in the Women's Suffrage movement, arrested twice, and once going on hunger strike. She edited the Votes for Women suffrage journal, and also had strong pacifist views. Sharp married her long-time friend and lover, Henry Nevinson, in 1933, and continued to work for the social causes in which she believed. She died in 1955.

Reviews

[Emily · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is a highly detailed and gently amusing account of one family's Christmas in England circa 1905, with many little chapters devoted to the preparations for Chistimas (writing letters to Santa, choosing presents, mailing Christmas cards), the day itself (waking to a bulging stocking, going to church, Christmas dinner, games in the evening) and the aftermath (Boxing Day, going to a pantomime, a children's party, New Year's and Twelfth Night celebrations). Not much happens in the way of plot, but the children's personalities are distinct, and I grew fond of them. The lavish illustrations by Charles Robinson add a lot to the appeal, although I wish he didn't give all his children baby-doll faces.

I bet this would be an absolutely lovely Christmas read if one could read it in the original edition, which must be a thing of beauty, with decorated boards and colored plates. I read a 1990s reprint which I suspect has some alterations to the text (the children refer a lot to Santa Claus -- surely in that time and place it would've been Father Christmas). My edition was also marred for me by a very silly modern introduction which says that we just don't celebrate Christmas properly in these days of working mothers and single parent families, and that we should approach The Child's Christmas as a handbook to learn how to do it right again. So basically, we should all become wealthy English county people, living in a manor house with an army of servants and a nurse to keep the children out of the way whenever we'd prefer not to have them around (basically, whenever they need taking care of). My sister, who read bits of it herself when I laid the book down, became fixated on a passage in which the visiting grandmother of the family amuses the children at the dinner table by showing them "how to make a raisin into a tea-pot, with a stalk for a handle and an almond for a spout." Well. Now we know what our Christmases have been missing all these years.

[Charlotte · Rating 3 out of 5]

I read a reprint of the early 20th century original, which meant that I went into the actual reading deeply annoyed by the preachy introduction, about how we are all doing Christmas wrong now and our children are stunted and deprived, and how this book of Christmas vignettes about the large family of an Edwardian squire will teach us how to do it better. I agree that snow and church bells and no money worries and a large house in rural England and a large staff would help make Christmas more traditionally Edwardian, but I cannot produce any of these things for my family. However, I did enjoy the childrens' Christmas doings, and it ended up being a warm and friendly read, barring intrusive thoughts about what sort of Christmas all the servants were having. I also wondered about the advisability of carrying large stringed instruments through the snow to play outside the manor house in the middle of the night, but sundry villagers have been doing that for years so I guess if their instruments get ruined they are able to replace them. I also would never give a little kid a large drum for Christmas.

[Sandra Miksa · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really loved this collection of Christmas stories. Even more so now that I am older. It's short and sweet, and very traditional in the way that's it not overbearing or preachy. I also enjoyed the complimentary illustrations, especially the fully colored ones in the middle. I'm glad I finally I got around to read it around Christmastime although the story extends beyond Boxing Day to the New Year. Overall, it has a warming feeling to it and it's more focused on family and activities than discussing traditional values.

[Gina House · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.5🌟 Adorable vintage children's Christmas book! I'm so happy that I found this book at an antique store Christmas event - it was only $5 and I just couldn't pass it up. The Child's Christmas is filled with full-page black and white and color illustrations, which is so lovely and fun.

I love the way the book is organized. It was created so that you could read a chapter or two a night to your child from the beginning of December until after New Year's Day. Each 'chapter' is only a page or two and the perfect length for a child who would like to read along.

The stories are poignant, sweet and they actually made my laugh, too. I highly recommend reading this book to children, but also reading it yourself if you would like a light and amusing Christmas book about families. Baby is my favorite character in the story. Love!

[Sandy · Rating 5 out of 5]

I just loved this book. I loved the illustrations. I loved the short snippets of life in this family. I wish I could experience a Christmas like they had.

[Ngdecker · Rating 5 out of 5]

Our daughter had found this book a few years ago and reads it every Christmas aloud with her family (high school and college-aged daughters and her husband). I had heard a few chapters one year and so took some of my Christmas money and ordered it on Amazon this year. It had to come used, but was actually a new book. I just finished it and found it perfectly delightful! I am thrilled to own it and will now read it each year also. It is old-fashioned with the story set in England. There are black and white illustrations on almost every page, plus a few full-page colored illustrations. The chapters range from 1/2 a page to 2 pages - mostly one page. It centers around the children of the family and each has their own distinctive personality. There is always some humor and many times I was laughing out loud. Just delightful!!

[hidwood · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is our family's favorite Christmas book! We read this aloud EVERY year, starting on December first. Even though my kids are 12 and 14 now, they still pester me until I get out the book. For the past several years, they have taken turns reading, using different voices for each of the characters.

Although there are 224 pages, the illustrations are plentiful, and the chapters are short(usually two pages). This makes it perfect for kids with a short attention span, as well as those that always beg for "just one more chapter"!

The style and content of the book really give a feel of Christmas in Old England. It is full of the joy and wonder of Christmas, as seen through a child's eyes.

A wonderful read, made for sharing!

[Catherine · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is one of my favorite books from childhood. It is simply charming.