Are there books you always read in the run up to Christmas?

Flower

Yes, Gally, in my head my house is a Good Housekeeping, Ideal Home house at Christmas. Alas I do not have a bannister to twirl reams of holly and bows around. I do not have a mantel to decorate with holly and ivy, candles and santa. I do not have a chimney (now, I have a blocked one) for the strange old man to clamber down and leave soot all over my 'beautiful cream luxury carpet' (beige and trampled on) No log fire, no extending table to decorate. In my head I do - I do.

What I do have is garlands of holly and ivy along picture tops and book cases, cards, cards and more cards, Lots of Christmas ornaments around the room for the grandchildren to amaze and wonder over (and drop) crepe paper garlands strewn across the ceiling, large paper pom poms a-dangling, one cut-it-myself (well DDH chopped it) Christmas tree which always takes at least an hour to choose. Decorated with millions of lights and baubles collected through the years along with one or two new ones each year. I LOVE CHRISTMAS

Christmas at Bullerby - a family favourite.

Lanterns Across the Snow by Susan Hill - a little gem. I cannot recommend it too highly.

I read magazines like Good Housekeeping and Ideal Home to see how I should really be doing things but I never have all the ingredients/equipment/sparkly stuff required so put silly ideas like that aside until next year when I go through the whole process again. Oh, if only I could achieve perfection with my door garlands, table settings, candelabra, beautifully wrapped presents, roaring log fires and well behaved children in smocked dresses .............

Holiday catalogues

I could say the John Lewis catalogue and the M&S food catalogue but we also always read 'The Night Before Christmas' and, lately, 'Wake Up Bear, It's Christmas'.

I always read the Miss Read Christmas compilation and Winter Solstice by Rosamunde Pilcher. They are all just relaxing, do nothing for an afternoon, stress relievers.
And I certainly enjoy them!

Yes the phone book and Post-code address book as I struggle to find addresses for the Christmas Cards. Sometimes the Argos catalogue looking for inspiration .

No time to read for PLEASURE in December. We are not supposed to enjoy the run up to Christmas, are we?