From angels to bells, Father Christmas to gifts, holly to ivy, lights to mid-winter, reindeer to shepherds, wassailing to oXen, and everything in-between, this gorgeous collection of carefully chosen poems and carols celebrates everything that makes this time of year special.
Across eighty-seven (I think) works, Coral Rumble, T. S. Eliot, Dave Calder, Eleanor Farjoen, E. E. Cummings and a host of others have the festive season covered as they capture the pre-Christmas anticipation, the excitement of the day, the joys of the holiday season and the hopeful beginnings at the start of of a new year.
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I’ve always wondered why Santa Claus has such a long, snowy white beard…now I know.
’Twas the night before the night before Christmas and at the North Pole there’s plenty of work still to be done. The elves are rushed off their feet making presents, reindeers need to be readied, a sleigh needs to be polished and Santa has a very long to do list. Excitement was building and Christmas was calling, but what had Santa forgotten to do… The Night the Reindeer Saved Christmas; Raj Kaur Khaira, illustrated by Kasia Nowowiejska22/12/2023 Santa has been very busy at the North Pole but finally everything is ready. Well almost. Some misplaced tinsel has caused the rockets on the sleigh to explode. With no means to power the sleigh, Christmas is going to be cancelled. Children around the world are going to be disappointed until Mrs Claus has an idea. Will her plan work? Will Santa find a Christmas miracle? Do reindeers really know how to fly…
Everyone likes a good story and Santa’s reindeer aren’t going to work without one.
It’s Christmas Eve at a snowy North Pole and Santa is dressed and ready to get to work. But where are all the reindeer? Santa’s looked far and wide, near and far, high and low; here, there and everywhere…but there’s not a single reindeer in sight. Out in the fields, Dasher’s dashing, Dancer’s dancing and Donner’s dozing. Santa needs his reindeer, and fast. Will the traditional Christmas story bring the herd together… ‘When you wish, you have to wish with your whole heart.’
Theodore is lonely, lacking in Christmas spirit and is definitely not feeling the magic of Christmas. At home with his babysitter on Christmas Eve, he adds the few tattered and tired-looking decorations to the tree. When he spots a strange object whooshing through the sky he makes a wish, a wish to be un-alone. And just like that, four ornaments spring into life. Theo has a robin, an angel, a tin soldier and a rocking horse for company. Now they need his help so he sets out into the wintry night to make their wishes come true… Just when you think you’ve seen everything in festive picture books along comes a quirky, funny and lighthearted tale of health and safety gone awry.
The animals of Jingle Bell Forest are excited to make it the best Christmas ever. But for Mouse, who suffered a traumatic bauble-related incident as a child, Christmas means only one thing…danger. Sharp pine needles, bright lights, pointy stars, open fires, loud noises and icing sugar; there are hazards everywhere. And don’t get him started on snowmen, snowballs and sledging. In fact, Christmas is so dangerous it must cancelled. Can the animals save Christmas from Mouse and his checklist before it’s too late… Sunnytown’s vehicle-loving bunnies are back! They’ve hit the road in a bus, sailed the high-seas on a boat, now they’re taking to the skies in Santa’s sleigh.
It’s Christmas Eve at the North Pole and too many candy canes have made the sweet-toothed elves most unwell. With so much to do and so little time, Chief Elf is facing a Christmas crisis. But what’s that noise outside? The crazy Christmas bunnies have arrived. Can they help Santa deliver all of the presents in time for Christmas Day… Look out, look out, Rotten Robin’s about, and this rascal is definitely on the naughty list.
With their bright red breasts and silvery songs, most robins are sweet and jolly. But there’s one who is always up to no good and his latest terrible plan is to steal Christmas. Presents, trees, decorations, food, songs...all gone. He even has his beady eyes set on kidnapping Santa. Will Rotten Robin get his wicked way or will the Christmas spirit finally take hold of the feathered fiend… Pigeon has tried to drive the bus now he has his sights set on something far grander…Santa’s sleigh.
Christmas is a busy time of year for Santa and with lots of presents to wrap he needs to step away from the sleigh for a while. But that’s not a good idea with an excitable Pigeon lurking who is very, very keen to take Santa’s sleigh for a quick spin. It should all be fine though as Santa can trust you to keep on an eye on things, right? Just don’t let the Pigeon drive the sleigh. Are you up to the challenge or will you give into the ever demanding Pigeon… Far from the bustling town, Fir Tree has a quiet and simple life in the forest. The seasons change but for the evergreen Fir Tree the next day is the same as the last. His home is lush, wild and beautiful, but when his friend, the Robin, shares stories of her travels, he yearns for adventure too. The wish is granted when he is chosen to be the town’s Christmas Tree. But what will happen when the decorations have been removed and the festivities are over…
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