Classic Christmas Stories

Dark Christmas Tales

The performances on this selection were fine. However, I found the stories to be less than engaging and not very festive. These are not uplifting, spirited stories of the joys of Christmastime. If you're searching for that, I highly recommend "Favorite Stories of Christmas Past."

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A bit of a mixed bag

I was in the mood for some Christmas short stories so I picked up this book.

I really liked some of them: "The Gift of the Magi" and "The Adventure of the Blue Carbuncle" (Sherlock Holmes) are old favorites that I will never get tired of and anyone with a heart would love "Susie's letter from Santa" it is just beautiful.

I had never heard "The Fir Tree" by Hans Christian Andersen and I really, really liked it. Bittersweet in true HCA style and amazingly memorable.

I found the rest of the book (basically the second half) a bit dry, hum-drum and what is the point. "Christmas in Poganuc," "How Santa Claus Came to Simpson's Bar" and "Christmas at Thompson Hall" all seemed to drone on and on with little point (not that Christmas stories need to have a point) but they were just a bit boring.

So, for $5 (member price) the first half is great. The second half... not really worth my time.

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Three of these make it worthwhile!

There were three stories that made this audiobook worth the money. The writing, along with excellent narration, had me chuckling out loud as I listened in my car.
The Best:
The amazing Sir Arthur Conan Doyle has a sweet holiday caper, Adventure of the Blue Carbuncle that was light and entertaining. Just perfect for December.
Susie's Letter from Santa is a priceless piece by Mark Twain. My favorite line: "Tell him he'll die... Someday!" It's quick, hilarious, quirky, and quintessential Mark Twain.
The Christmas at Thompson Hall by Anthony Trollope is a must read for Regency/Victorian lovers. The mess the poor heroine gets herself into is classic comedy for the time period.

There are some old classics: The Gift of the Magi and The Fir Tree. Though I tend to avoid Hans Christian Anderson at Xmas time. This one is no happier than The Little Match Girl. Not my favorite. The Burglar's Christmas by Willa Cather was a new one for me and a nice read. The rest were okay or downright boring.

Regardless of taste, every reader will find a story or two that they enjoy in this selection. I did!

Enjoyable

Several of the stories are worth the time. I loved Christmas at Thompson hall the best.

Classic holiday fare

Would you listen to Classic Christmas Stories again? Why?

I will probably listen to these stories again next Christmas. They are great classics!

What was one of the most memorable moments of Classic Christmas Stories?

I listened to these stories with my kids. It was a great way to spend some quiet time together as family during the busy holiday season. I would recommend the experience to anyone with children.

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