When I think about the best Christmas books for adults, these are the books that come to mind (although I have included some Christmas books for children here too).

Read on for unique and cozy Christmas books from unexpected authors, as well as the most famous Christmas books and classics that are still worth reading in 2022. These are all great choices to read in December to get you in the festive spirit. What will you read and enjoy this year?

The best books to read at Christmas in 2022

1. The Penguin Book of Christmas Stories by Jessica Harrison

This gorgeous new addition to the Penguin Clothbound Classics series is a treasure trove of heartwarming Christmas stories. With stunning cover art by Coralie Bickford-Smith, this collection shares the most magical, moving, and wintery Christmas short stories from around the world. It’s especially beautiful as the clothbound hardcover edition.

From frozen Nordic woods to glittering Paris, a New York speakeasy to an English country house, bustling Lagos to midnight mass in Rio, and even outer space, this ultimate festive anthology contains tales from some of the best short story writers, offering little-known treasures from authors including Truman Capote, Dylan Thomas, Saki, and Chekhov.

2. Letters From Father Christmas by J.R.R. Tolkien

Did you know that there’s a Christmas book for adults and children by J.R.R. Tolkien? Well, more specifically it’s a collection of his letters to his kids as Father Christmas.

These heartwarming and wonderfully inventive letters share tales of life at the North Pole – including the reindeer escaping and scattering presents all over the place – accompanied by scrawled notes from the Polar Bear and messages from Ilbereth the Elf in his elegant script.

With gorgeous illustrations and Tolkien’s trademark creativity, these letters are a delight to read at any age (and, of course, wonderful to read to children).

3. Christmas at River Cottage by Lucy Brazier and Hugh Fearnley-Whittingstall

This gorgeous Christmas recipe book is a wonderful addition to any festive library. Christmas at River Cottage is a culinary guide that travels from the autumn equinox, through advent and Christmas, and merrily into the new year, offering inspiration, traditions, and delicious recipes for every festive occasion along the way.

As well as tried-and-tested versions of the Christmas classics, the book shares ideas for show-stopping centrepieces, sparkling cocktails, prep-ahead canapes, edible gifts, and livening up leftovers. There are also some handy tips for planning ahead, making natural decorations, effortlessly feeding a crowd, and orchestrating Christmas Dinner so you can also enjoy the magic of the day.

4. Christmas with L.M. Montgomery

These heartwarming holiday stories about everyone’s favourite red-headed orphan feel like a warm hug. Escape into this Christmas collection to join Anne of Green Gables in experiencing the joys and trials of Christmas and the hope of the New Year.

5. The Deal of a Lifetime and Other Stories by Fredrik Backman

From the bestselling author of A Man Called Ove and Beartown comes this collection of three deeply moving stories about facing life’s greatest struggles and treasuring what’s truly important.

One of these stories, The Deal of a Lifetime, is a profound and compassionate novella set on Christmas Eve, telling the story of the intertwining destinies of a man who has built a global business empire but lost his family in the process and a courageous little girl fighting for her life. This story asks: if you had the chance to change your legacy, would you take it?

6. A Christmas Carol and Other Christmas Writings by Charles Dickens

How could I not include A Christmas Carol in a list of the best Christmas books? Dickens’s classic tale is the quintessential Christmas short story (and one of the best books to make a tradition of reading every December.)

If you treat yourself to a hardcover, I’d recommend this gorgeous Penguin Clothbound Classics edition. It’s a stunningly beautiful book to treasure, complete with some of Dickens’s lesser-known Christmas short stories to enjoy with a slice of stollen.

7. A Literary Christmas: An Anthology by The British Library

This Christmas anthology from The British Library is a real gem of a book. Complete with delicate illustrations, it’s a festive compendium that curates both famous and lesser-known Christmas poems, short stories, and prose extracts by some of the greatest poets and writers in the English language.

From George Eliot to Kenneth Grahame, Jane Austen to Dylan Thomas, read a few pages a day from this wonderfully festive book to soak in the Christmas spirit.

8. Advent: Festive German Bakes to Celebrate the Coming of Christmas by Anja Dunk

Candles are twinkling, the Christmas tree is decorated, the smells of cinnamon, nutmeg, and clove fill the kitchen… the Advent season has arrived.

In her cookbook Advent, Anja Dunk shares her favourite recipes for the very best traditional German festive bakes. From lightly spiced Lebkuchen, to marzipan-filled Stollen, edible tree decorations, and a gingerbread house adorned with delicate treats and sugar icicles, this joyfully cozy clothbound volume with fairy-tale vibes and stunning photos will be a family favourite for years to come.

9. The Polar Express by Chris Van Allsburg

Which children’s books remind you of Christmas? For me it’s either The Snowman by Raymond Briggs (which will always feel like Christmas morning to me) or this iconic choice, The Polar Express by author and illustrator Chris Van Allsburg.

A young boy, lying awake one Christmas Eve, is welcomed aboard a magical train to the North Pole. After passing through nocturnal forests, towering mountains, and a barren desert of ice, the Polar Express makes its way to the city standing alone at the top of the world. Here, the boy will make his Christmas wish.

Now a beloved Christmas classic for millions of adults, children, and families, The Polar Express is also a Caldecott Medal winner as one of the most beautifully illustrated children’s books.

10. Hogfather by Terry Pratchett

For a Christmas book that’s a little different, read Hogfather by the master of comedic fantasy, Terry Pratchett. In this Discworld novel (which is perfectly fine to read as a standalone), Death takes on the role as Santa. The result is a festive feast of darkness, but with jolly robins and tinsel too.

11. The Book Of Christmas by Christopher Winn

Why do we celebrate Christmas the way we do? In The Book of Christmas, bestselling author and acclaimed historian Christopher Winn lovingly casts a revealing eye over the stories, myths, legends, and traditions from around the world of the most celebrated festival of the year.

From the Druidical origins of mistletoe’s symbolism, to why we send cards, hang decorations, sing carols, eat turkey, and much more, discover the fascinating truth (and oddities) behind this very special holiday in this beautifully produced book, accompanied by charming illustrations.

12. Winter Solstice by Rosamunde Pilcher

This year, coorie in with one of the coziest books to read at Christmas. In Winter Solstice, the rippling effects of a tragedy bring five characters together in a large, neglected estate house near the Scottish fishing town of Creagan for the shortest day of the year. It’s a slice-of-life romance book about love, loyalty, and rebirth, without much drama or being overwhelmingly sickly sweet.

For more comfort reads to savour at Christmas, enjoy my collections of the most wholesome books that feel like a hug in a book and the coziest winter books.

You might also like my suggestions for beautiful books to give as gifts in 2022 and the best stocking stuffers for booklovers too.

The post 12 of the best Christmas books to get you in the festive spirit appeared first on Tolstoy Therapy.

What makes for good winter reading? In an article for The Guardian back in 2011, the booksellers Waterstones asked authors, “What’s your favourite fireside read, the book you go back to every winter?”

Ali Smith chose Tove Jansson’s The Summer Book (“a piece of light: what better to keep you warm through the darker months?”), Jonathan Coe selected Sherlock Holmes – one of my own choices in this post – while Jacqueline Wilson chose Jane Eyre as a winter classic.

For me, it’s all to do with what goes with hot drinks, warm blankets, and a comfy sofa. On this list, I’ve included a few of my favourite cozy books set in winter to retreat into.

Sometimes a long book – with a hefty list of characters and an inner universe that’s hard to leave – is the ideal companion to while away the hours with. At other times, a wholesome or mood-boosting novel is a welcome antidote to the chilly weather outside.

Whatever your mood and literary appetite, here are a few of the best fiction and non-fiction winter books to get you thinking about winter reading plans, from classic novels to fantasy stories…

The best books to read in winter (with a blanket and hot chocolate)

1. The Snow Child by Eowyn Ivey

This bestselling debut by Eowyn Ivey oozes winter. Set on a 1920s homestead in remote Alaska, a couple’s lives are changed forever by the arrival of a wild and secretive young girl on their snowy doorstep.

This girl, who calls herself Faina, seems to be a child of the woods; she hunts with a red fox at her side, skims lightly across the snow, and somehow survives alone in the Alaskan wilderness.

In this beautiful and violent place, however, things are rarely as they appear. The Snow Child is one of my favourite novels set in winter.

2. Beartown by Fredrik Backman

Now an HBO Original Series, Beartown is about a small forest town with a big dream. By the lake in Beartown, there’s an old ice rink where the town’s junior hockey team is about to compete in the national semi-finals – which they actually have a shot of winning.

But unexpectedly, the match is the catalyst for a violent act that will leave a young girl traumatised and a town in turmoil. It’s an engrossing book about community, loyalty, and the responsibilities of friendship that’s perfect to read in winter.

3. A Quiet Life by Ethan Joella

Set in a close-knit Pennsylvania suburb in the grip of winter, A Quiet Life follows three people grappling with loss and finding a tender wisdom in their grief.

This new book for 2022 is a beautifully crafted and profoundly moving novel that’s infused with hope, celebrating humanity in the midst of uncertainty.

4. The Secret History by Donna Tartt

“The snow in the mountains was melting and Bunny had been dead for several weeks before we came to understand the gravity of our situation”… reading these opening lines is enough to make me firmly consider a reread of The Secret History.

The Secret History is an excellent novel to spark a hunger for classics and mystery-solving over the winter months. That said, Donna Tartt’s 2015 book, The Goldfinch, is also a fantastically immersive monument of a novel to enjoy in wintertime.

5. Animal Life by Auður Ava Ólafsdóttir

In the days leading up to Christmas, Dómhildur – the daughter of a long line of midwives – delivers her 1,922nd baby.

As a terrible storm races towards Reykjavík, Dómhildur discovers decades of letters and manuscripts hidden amongst her grandaunt’s clutter, uncovering strange and beautiful reflections on birth, death, and human nature.

With her singular warmth and humor, in Animal Life Ólafsdóttir gives us a beguiling novel that comes direct from the depths of an Icelandic winter, full of hope for spring.

6. The Year of Living Danishly: Uncovering the Secrets of the World’s Happiest Country by Helen Russell

Before moving to Denmark, I didn’t realise how central hygge really is to Danish culture. You hear it everywhere: a place is hygge, it’s hyggelig to meet someone or do something, a scary or uncomfortable situation is uhyggelig.

The Year of Living Danishly is one of my favourite books about how the Danes live (and cope with winter), even if The Little Book of Hygge makes for a more beautiful addition to your bookshelf.

7. The Woods in Winter by Stella Gibbons

…for the first time in her life, she was living as she had always unknowingly wanted to live: in freedom and solitude, with an animal for close companion. Her new life had acted upon her like a strong and delicious drug.

In this funny and poignant story for winter, Ivy Gower, a curmudgeonly middle-aged woman with witchy talents, inherits a rural cottage in Buckinghamshire and takes up residence near the tiny village of Little Warby.

Having settled in with a rescued dog and a pet pigeon, she manages, despite her anti-social instincts, to have surprising effects on her new neighbours. The Woods in Winter is a gorgeous tale of the challenges and freedoms of old age and solitude.

8. The Art of Coorie: How to Live Happy the Scottish Way by Gabriella Bennett

For a cozy non-fiction book to read in December, I love this little book about the art of coorie, Scotland’s answer to hygge to cope with long dark winters.

It’s the perfect book to snuggle up for winter with and immerse yourself in the joys and simple pleasures of Scottish winters.

9. Wintering: The Power of Rest and Retreat in Difficult Times by Katherine May

At some stages in life, we’re full of energy, ideas, and motivation. Other times, what we need most is rest, patience, and self-love.

Wintering is Katherine May’s bestselling memoir and guide to the power of rest and retreat in difficult times.

If you’re struggling with low energy, depression, or feeling lost, this is the ideal book to read in winter (or any other time of year).

10. Dubliners by James Joyce

The final words of “The Dead”, the last story in Dubliners, James Joyce’s short story collection, epitomise winter reading for me. They’re simply magical.

If I were to start my journey into Joyce’s fiction once more, it would be cold outside, I’d have a lot of time to spare, and I’d have an open mind. And perhaps a measure of whisky on hand.

11. Winter Solstice by Rosamunde Pilcher

This year, snuggle up with one of the coziest books to read in December, especially in the lead up to Christmas.

In Winter Solstice, the rippling effects of a tragedy bring five characters together in a large, neglected estate house near the Scottish fishing town of Creagan for the shortest day of the year.

It’s a slice-of-life book about love, loyalty, and rebirth, without much drama or being overwhelmingly sickly sweet. I read it recently and know I’ll be rereading it in winters to come.

12. The Bear and the Nightingale by Katherine Arden

Folk tales, snow-capped forests, and magic in the depths of winter at the edge of the Russian wilderness…

The Bear and the Nightingale is one of the best novels to read in winter, especially in the restful days around Christmas.

As her beloved village’s defenses weaken and evil creeps nearer, young Vasilisa must call upon dangerous gifts she has long concealed to protect her family and community from the threats she thought only existed in her nurse’s most frightening tales.

13. The Complete Sherlock Holmes by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle

As Sherlock Holmes himself would probably encourage as the weather gets chilly, dedicate a few hours to getting as comfortable as possible, putting your feet up, and solving some peculiar crimes.

I think Holmes and Watson are the perfect companions for warm winter reading inside from the cold.

This Barnes and Noble hardcover is my favourite edition of The Complete Sherlock Holmes, as well as the perfect easy-read classic book to read in winter.

14. Northern Lights by Philip Pullman

My reading of His Dark Materials series as a child was very much like my Harry Potter and Chronicles of Narnia reading experiences: magical, warming, and otherworldly.

In my rereads as an adult I’ve picked up on a lot I missed as a child – and it’s definitely not a lighthearted, superficial read.

That said, with its polar bears, aurora, and snow leopards, it’s still the perfect book to read in winter.

15. A Winter Book: Selected Stories by Tove Jansson

Following the success and blissful reading of The Summer Book, A Winter Book features thirteen winter stories from Tove Jansson’s first book for adults, The Sculptor’s Daughter, plus seven of the beloved Finnish writer’s most cherished later stories.

Philip Pullman describes Tove Jansson’s writing here as: “as smooth and odd and beautiful as sea-worn driftwood…” It’s the perfect collection to retreat into in winter.

What books will you read this winter? For more of the best winter books, head over to my collection of the best cozy books to read on a quiet night in, or my list of the best Christmas books to get you in the festive spirit.

The post 15 of the best books to read on cozy winter days appeared first on Tolstoy Therapy.

Last Christmas, my boyfriend’s family bought me this introduction to coorie living: The Art of Coorie: How to Live Happy the Scottish Way.

It’s Scotland’s answer to the books on hygge, päntsdrunk, and whatever else has graced coffee tables in recent years.

Coorie is a traditional Scots word meaning ‘to snuggle’ or ‘cuddle’, which author Gabriella Bennett describes as “a feeling of cool, contemporary Caledonia. One that looks forward while also paying respect to our oldest traditions”.

The aim of coorie, Gabriella writes in this book, is “to try to lead a quieter existence where the endless pursuit of work is balanced by small pleasures”.

If you have Scottish blood, you’ll love this book. But it’s a superb way for anyone to learn more Scots words and pick up some of the culture, too (do you know your bam from your braw?)

Unlike its Danish cousin, hygge, coorie is about getting outdoors, not just tucking up warm inside.

This idea of happiness is about getting into nature – for a walk by the coast, wild loch swimming, or heading into the mountains to find a bothy – before lighting a fire, grabbing a blanket and dram of whisky, and snuggling up. Coorie is about well-earned warmth after the cold.

I loved reading The Art of Coorie on my way back from Scotland to England last year, and I’ve just rediscovered it again on my shelves.

It’s a beautiful hardback, the type that guests will be bound to pick up and flick through – especially if they too love the land north of the border.

The Art of Coorie: How to Live Happy the Scottish Way is available on Amazon now.

If you’re looking for more cosy reading, you might also like my post about the best books to read in winter (or the best books for autumn, if you’re reading this in fall).

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