Holy Jingle Bells: these Christmas books will get you in a festive mood
Well, Sinterklaas is just behind us, but can you already not wait for Christmas? I understand that. My day gets better with every Christmas light I see outside, and honestly? My Christmas playlist has been playing overtime since the beginning of November. Are you also looking forward to Christmas, but don’t want to watch a movie for once? Then it’s time to read these books. With all those festive feel-good vibes, it will feel like it’s secretly already December 25th today. Just believe me.
Holiday Romance by Catherine Walsh
It might be a bit classic, but these two friends get stuck together in a snowstorm while trying to get home. All flights to Ireland are canceled, so they have to find another way to reach their families. This is really a big favorite on TikTok, so if you’re going to read one of these books: let it be this one. Molly and Andrew have been friends for years, but for some reason, nothing has ever happened between them. And Molly? She knows how much Christmas means to Andrew, so she’s going to race against the clock to get him home. This is such a cute story, you’ll want to read it.
Snowed In by Catherine Walsh
Yes, we’re staying in Ireland. Because in Snowed In, we meet Megan. After she leaves the ‘golden boy in town’ Isaac at the altar, the whole town hates her. She really doesn’t want any drama, so yes, if she brings someone home, she’s free from a lot of questions. Old acquaintance Christian doesn’t want to disappoint his family another year now that he doesn’t have a girlfriend to bring home again, so when he accidentally runs into Megan, they make a pact. They’re going to fake date to get through the holidays together. What could go wrong? Nothing, of course. (Spoiler alert: a lot of feelings, of course.)
Bright Lights, Big Christmas by Mary Kay Andrews
Are you more into Christmas in the big city? Then this book is for you. If Mary Kay Andrews can do one thing well, it’s writing romantic books. And especially her Christmas-themed books are to die for. In this one, we follow Kerry Tolliver, who is leaving her parents and their Christmas tree farm to help her brother in New York. He has discovered a huge gap in the market: selling Christmas trees. Everyone in the big city is crazy about the trees, and he could really use Kerry’s help. Once in the city, Kerry enjoys her new life. She has great friends and loves New York. And actually, she finds that neighbor, Patrick, quite nice. I don’t blame her. I would also fall for a sweet single dad with such a lovely son. They grow closer when an older neighbor mysteriously disappears. Someone has to solve this, so they’ll just have to do it.
The Most Wonderful Crime of the Year by Ally Carter
If you’re not really into romance, I understand that you might want to drop out. “Christmas isn’t about being in love!” I hear you shouting. Okay, I see you, I hear you. Then let’s go for the Knives Out vibes. In this story, you’ll be overwhelmed by the sharp humor, well-written characters, and a rivals-to-lovers romance between two people who can really get on each other’s nerves. Because yes, when they try to solve a mystery together, they end up growing closer. Wow. What Christmas does to you, huh?
The Plight Before Christmas by Kate Stewart
Whitney doesn’t really have a nice Christmas. In the span of three weeks, she loses her boyfriend, doesn’t get a promotion, and has to spend Christmas in her grandparents’ wooden cabin. Here she sees her super large family, which she really doesn’t want to deal with. The only way to get out of these Christmas obligations is with the help of three wise men (hello Christmas Scrooge): Johnnie Walker, Jack Daniel’s, and Jim Beam. And everything gets a bit more complicated when her ex-boyfriend Eli suddenly shows up at her door. Are you in the mood for a Christmas drama? I am.
The Doomsday Book by Connie Willis
We’re going back in time because in this book, time traveler Kivrin gets stuck in the 14th century. What does that have to do with Christmas, you ask? Well, this girl is stuck here during Christmas. As she tries to study the most deadly era in human history, she experiences it up close and personal. This is not a murder mystery or a romcom, but something quite different.
The Christmas Bookshop by Jenny Colgan
Christmas in Edinburgh? Sign me up. Christmas in Scotland is magical – and that’s exactly how this book feels. I love a story where the female protagonist is a bit chaotic and clumsy. Is this because I see myself in her? Maybe. But we won’t talk about that. This is just a heartwarming story about Carmen who loses her job. When her sister Sofia tells her she can move in with her in Edinburgh and run the cutest little bookstore ever, Carmen doesn’t think twice. Only she faces a You’ve Got Mail-like problem: the store is about to go bankrupt. And to save it? A Christmas miracle is needed.
Lovelight Farms by B.K. Borison
Do you want to read a book that really feels like one of those Hallmark Christmas movies? Then you should read Lovelight Farms. This is the ultimate Christmas romcom with a bit of spice. Fake dating seems to be a well-known Christmas trope, because in this story, two friends are going to fake date as well. To save her parents’ Christmas tree farm, Stella decides to enter an Instagram influencer contest. To win the huge cash prize, the farm needs to become the romantic getaway destination for Christmas. To increase her chances, Stella lies that she has a boyfriend. That can’t hurt, right? Uh. She thought so, because when she gets through and really has to do something, she panics. Who does she ask for help? Her best friend Luka Peters, who only came for some hot chocolate and left with a fake girlfriend.
These books are already giving me the Christmas vibes. Put on your favorite Christmas playlist, grab the softest blanket you have, and plop down on the couch to read these stories. This way, you’ll have something to do until Christmas really arrives. Because yes: how else do you get through December if you can’t even wait until the end of the month? And honestly? These stories give you such a Christmas feeling that you won’t even realize how long you still have to wait. Oh, and are you more into Dutch books? Then you also have translations.
