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Christmas in Mitford Gift Set: The Mitford Snowmen and Esther's Gift
For the past two Christmases, readers have flocked home to Mitford and made The Mitford Snowmen and Esther's Gift runaway bestsellers. Brimming with the holiday spirit, an old-fashioned snowman-building contest, plenty of hot chocolate, and Esther's famous marmalade cake, this new boxed set of Mitford treats is guaranteed to fill readers-and stockings-with contagious good cheer.
Hardcover
First published November 10, 2003
About the author
Jan Karon
132 books2,860 followersBorn Janice Meredith Wilson in 1937, Jan Karon was raised on a farm near Lenoir, North Carolina. Karon knew at a very early age that she wanted to be a writer. She penned her first novel when she was 10 years old, the same year she won a short-story contest organized by the local high school. Karon married as a teenager and had a daughter, Candace.
At 18, Karon began working as a receptionist for a Charlotte, N.C. advertising agency. She advanced in the company after leaving samples of her writing on the desk of her boss, who eventually noticed her talent. Karon went on to have a highly successful career in the field, winning awards for ad agencies from Charlotte to San Francisco. In time, she became a creative vice president at the high-profile McKinney & Silver, in Raleigh. While there, she won the prestigious Stephen Kelly Award, with which the Magazine Publishers of America honor the year's best print campaign.
During her years in advertising, Karon kept alive her childhood ambition to be an author. At the age of 50, she left her career in advertising and moved to Blowing Rock, North Carolina, to pursue that dream. After struggling—and failing—to get a novel underway, Karon awoke one night with a mental image of an Episcopal priest walking down a village street. She grew curious about him, and started writing. Soon, Karon was publishing weekly installments about Father Tim in her local newspaper, The Blowing Rocket, which saw its circulation double as a result. "It certainly worked for Mr. Dickens", says Karon.
The Father Tim stories became Karon's first Mitford novel, At Home in Mitford. That book has since been nominated three times (1996, 1997, and 1998) for an ABBY (American Booksellers Book of the Year Award), which honors titles that bookstore owners most enjoy recommending to customers, and the only book ever nominated for three consecutive years. The fourth Mitford novel, A New Song, won both the Christy and Gold Medallion awards for outstanding contemporary fiction in 2000. A Common Life, In This Mountain, and Shepherds Abiding have also won Gold Medallion awards. Out to Canaan was the first Mitford novel to hit the New York Times bestseller list; subsequent novels have debuted on the New York Times list, often landing the #1 spot.
Karon has also published two Christmas-themed books based on the Mitford series, The Mitford Snowmen and Esther's Gift, as well as Jan Karon's Mitford Cookbook and Kitchen Reader. Other Mitford books include Patches of Godlight: Father Tim's Favorite Quotes, a compilation of wit and wisdom, and A Continual Feast: Words of Comfort and Celebration, Collected by Father Tim. In addition, Karon has written two children's books, Miss Fannie's Hat and Jeremy: The Tale of an Honest Bunny, and an illustrated book for all ages, The Trellis and the Seed.
Karon says her character-driven work seeks to give readers a large, extended family they can call their own. Though Light From Heaven is officially the final novel in the series, there's yet another Mitford book in this prolific author. Karon urges her millions of ardent fans to look for the Mitford Bedside Companion, releasing in the Fall of 2006. "It has everything in it but the kitchen sink", says Karon.
At 18, Karon began working as a receptionist for a Charlotte, N.C. advertising agency. She advanced in the company after leaving samples of her writing on the desk of her boss, who eventually noticed her talent. Karon went on to have a highly successful career in the field, winning awards for ad agencies from Charlotte to San Francisco. In time, she became a creative vice president at the high-profile McKinney & Silver, in Raleigh. While there, she won the prestigious Stephen Kelly Award, with which the Magazine Publishers of America honor the year's best print campaign.
During her years in advertising, Karon kept alive her childhood ambition to be an author. At the age of 50, she left her career in advertising and moved to Blowing Rock, North Carolina, to pursue that dream. After struggling—and failing—to get a novel underway, Karon awoke one night with a mental image of an Episcopal priest walking down a village street. She grew curious about him, and started writing. Soon, Karon was publishing weekly installments about Father Tim in her local newspaper, The Blowing Rocket, which saw its circulation double as a result. "It certainly worked for Mr. Dickens", says Karon.
The Father Tim stories became Karon's first Mitford novel, At Home in Mitford. That book has since been nominated three times (1996, 1997, and 1998) for an ABBY (American Booksellers Book of the Year Award), which honors titles that bookstore owners most enjoy recommending to customers, and the only book ever nominated for three consecutive years. The fourth Mitford novel, A New Song, won both the Christy and Gold Medallion awards for outstanding contemporary fiction in 2000. A Common Life, In This Mountain, and Shepherds Abiding have also won Gold Medallion awards. Out to Canaan was the first Mitford novel to hit the New York Times bestseller list; subsequent novels have debuted on the New York Times list, often landing the #1 spot.
Karon has also published two Christmas-themed books based on the Mitford series, The Mitford Snowmen and Esther's Gift, as well as Jan Karon's Mitford Cookbook and Kitchen Reader. Other Mitford books include Patches of Godlight: Father Tim's Favorite Quotes, a compilation of wit and wisdom, and A Continual Feast: Words of Comfort and Celebration, Collected by Father Tim. In addition, Karon has written two children's books, Miss Fannie's Hat and Jeremy: The Tale of an Honest Bunny, and an illustrated book for all ages, The Trellis and the Seed.
Karon says her character-driven work seeks to give readers a large, extended family they can call their own. Though Light From Heaven is officially the final novel in the series, there's yet another Mitford book in this prolific author. Karon urges her millions of ardent fans to look for the Mitford Bedside Companion, releasing in the Fall of 2006. "It has everything in it but the kitchen sink", says Karon.
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Displaying 1 - 10 of 10 reviews
December 18, 2025
3.5 stars
Two tiny little books that can be read in a few minutes but still managed to be sweet and heartwarming. They made me want to get back into the Mitford series.
Two tiny little books that can be read in a few minutes but still managed to be sweet and heartwarming. They made me want to get back into the Mitford series.
February 16, 2008
two really cute books with characters that I enjoy.
April 27, 2010
Great seasonal read.
December 1, 2013
These were both super easy quick reads. I liked them both, but Esther's gift was my favorite of the two. They were cute Christmas reads. If I knew the characters more, they would have been better.
December 13, 2020
I ordered just one of these books from the library's used book store, but in a pleasant error, received both books. The set includes The Mitford Snowmen and Esther's Gift, two slim volumes relating holiday stories in the fictional town of Mitford. I think it helps if the reader has some knowledge of the town and its occupants.
The Mitford Snowmen tells the story of an inpromptu snow man building contest among the shop owners on Mitford's main street. Father Tim, and "the boys" gathered at the diner join in the fun. The illustrations are fun.
Esther's Gift is, of course, about her famous Orange Marmalade Cake. After her husband helps her tally the cost to make each cake, she starts to eliminate recipients from her gift list, or does she?
I pulled out some of my older holiday books last week and rued that, due to my pandemic-acquired habit of requesting too many books from the library, I won't have time to re-read any of my favorites this year. This small gift set satisfied that need and now I think I will pass the set on to my cousin who also enjoyes traveling to Mitford.
The Mitford Snowmen tells the story of an inpromptu snow man building contest among the shop owners on Mitford's main street. Father Tim, and "the boys" gathered at the diner join in the fun. The illustrations are fun.
Esther's Gift is, of course, about her famous Orange Marmalade Cake. After her husband helps her tally the cost to make each cake, she starts to eliminate recipients from her gift list, or does she?
I pulled out some of my older holiday books last week and rued that, due to my pandemic-acquired habit of requesting too many books from the library, I won't have time to re-read any of my favorites this year. This small gift set satisfied that need and now I think I will pass the set on to my cousin who also enjoyes traveling to Mitford.
July 24, 2017
Adorable little stories!
November 16, 2023
Sweet little stories from the best town.
December 30, 2024
Two sweet, short Christmas stories by author Jan Karon about daily life in Mitford were charming and uplifting.
December 31, 2021
Small gems in the Mitford crown these two. I love the way aspects of each story complete threads in Shepherds Abiding. Reading them has become a Christmas tradition for me.
Update: reading again between Christmas and New Years for the Facebook Online Mitford Book Club. Two short stories by Jan Karon featuring our beloved characters from the series.
Update: reading again between Christmas and New Years for the Facebook Online Mitford Book Club. Two short stories by Jan Karon featuring our beloved characters from the series.
July 12, 2007
Too small, but great read. Have to read all of Jan Karon's books. Even these little ones!
Displaying 1 - 10 of 10 reviews