A Family Christmas

by Caroline Kennedy (Compiler)

"When I began assembling [this] collection, I was skeptical that I would learn anything new about Christmas, but reading and reflecting on the history and spirit of Christmas brought back many memories, and taught me a great deal. . . . The literature of Christmas ranges from the miraculous to the tragic, the profound to the ridiculous, but always represents the connection to something larger than ourselves." --Caroline Kennedy

In A Family Christmas, Caroline shares the Christmas poetry, prose, scriptural readings, and lyrics that are most dear to her, drawing on authors as diverse as Harper Lee, Nikki Giovanni, Martin Luther King Jr., Billy Collins, John and Yoko, and Charles Dickens. There are also many lesser-known gems throughout and personal treasures from her own family--including a young Caroline's Christmas list to Santa Claus and a letter from her father as President to a child concerned about Santa's well-being.

This diverse and unique anthology will become a timeless keepsake, and will enrich your heart and mind with the spirit of Christmas. A Family Christmas includes selections from: Groucho Marx, Emma Lazarus, Mark Twain, Sandra Cisneros, Pearl S. Buck, Truman Capote, Gabriela Mistral, Ogden Nash, Clement Clarke Moore, Vladimir Nabokov, Marianne Moore, Calvin Trillin, E. B. White, and many more.

Genres: Christmas, Poetry, Short Stories, Holiday, Nonfiction, Essays, Anthologies

333 pages, Hardcover

First published October 30, 2007

About the author

Librarian’s note: There is more than one author in the Goodreads database with this name.

Caroline Bouvier Kennedy is an American author and attorney. She is the daughter and only surviving child of U.S. President John F. Kennedy and his wife, Jacqueline Bouvier Kennedy Onassis. An older sister, Arabella, died shortly after her birth in 1956. Brother John F. Kennedy, Jr. died in a plane crash in 1999. Another brother, Patrick Bouvier Kennedy died two days after his birth in 1963.

Reviews

[Negin · Rating 4 out of 5]

What a lovely anthology of stories and poems to get me in the Christmas spirit! Included in this are also scripture, letters, and songs. I especially loved the letter from Santa (John F. Kennedy) to his daughter, Caroline, who created this compilation. Many of the stories were already familiar to me, but others were new.

Here is an excerpt from one of my favorite quotes, “Keeping Christmas”, by Henry Van Dyke:

“It is a good thing to observe Christmas day. The mere marking of times and seasons, when men agree to stop work and make merry together, is a wise and wholesome custom. It helps one to feel the supremacy of the common life over the individual life. It reminds a man to set his own little watch, now and then, by the great clock of humanity which runs on sun time.”

This was taken in 1962 in Palm Beach, Florida. This was President John F. Kennedy's last Christmas. He was assassinated the following November.

[Connie G · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a beautiful collection of Christmas poetry, short stories, essays, letters, and song lyrics. I spent the month of December dipping into this book for an hour here and there. The illustrated book included both traditional and contemporary works from mostly American and Western European authors. It was a lovely addition to my reading this Christmas.

[Gary · Rating 5 out of 5]

Full of poems, short stories,and Christmas carols.....some familiar, others not , (at least to me.) I refer to this book every Christmas season, since I received it as a gift from my Mom....it makes me think of her, as she passed away several years ago. It makes me feel as if I am close to her, because she tried so hard to make the Christmas season special.

If you love Christmas.....pick up this book.....

[Deborah · Rating 4 out of 5]

I love Christmas collections, and this is one of the best I have read. Caroline Kennedy chose a wonderful variety of styles and perspectives. Some were expected, but some were surprising. I especially liked Martin Luther King's "Christmas Sermon on Peace," which I had not read before.
I also enjoyed the research about Santa Claus in the Introduction.

[Shelley · Rating 1 out of 5]

I LOVE Christmas books. I hated this one. The title is misleading, the only thing I wanted to share were the lyrics to Christmas carols and the one Laura Ingalls excerpt. It wasn't family oriented to me, at least in the very long and fairly awful first half of the book. There was no loving, joyful, inspiring, giving vibe to it.
Usually when I don't like a book I will finish it in hopes that it will get better at some point or that I will find a little nugget of inspiration in it. I'm hoping to find a new home after just half of this drudgery. It was a waste of paper, ink, time and money. Ugh.

[Christine · Rating 5 out of 5]

I reacquainted myself with this book after many years of leaving it on the shelf, and I am so glad I did! It is a beautiful and eclectic collection of stories, poems, songs, and essays, chosen by Caroline Kennedy from her own lifelong family experience. The book covers a huge range of emotions. Everything from happy fables of Santa Claus to the heartbreaking grief of Nabokov in his wintery tale of losing a child are included. I especially enjoyed the entries with a political aspect to them. One little girl decided to write to President Kennedy over her concern that Santa Claus was living too close to the Russian nuclear testing going on at the time. Kennedy answered in a charmingly appropriate way. I have read a fair sized assortment of pieces all over the book and will continue to do so in future holiday seasons. You really can pick up this book at any time of the year though, and get a few moments of comfort and satisfaction from reading a short story or poem that makes you think. The list of authors found in this volume is stunning and enticing.

[Linda · Rating 4 out of 5]

I enjoyed this book. It would be a nice gift book for anyone that enjoys reading about the Kennedy’s. A combination of short stories, scriptures, poems it was an interesting and delightful read.

[Debra Shelton Windham · Rating 5 out of 5]

A delightful Christmas collection of memorable written letters, poems, songs—really all things Christmas! I bought it because I wanted Virginia’s letter to the New York Sun,as in “Yes, Virginia, there is a Santa Claus!”

[David]

This large octavo book could properly be called a "Treasury" for it is a collection of Christmas poetry, prose, scriptural readings, and lyrics, drawing on authors as diverse as Vladimir Nabokov, Harper Lee, Longfellow, Nikki Giovanni, Martin Luther King Jr., Billy Collins, John Lennon and Yoko Ono, and Charles Dickens. This diverse and unique anthology will become a timeless keepsake, and will convey the lasting history and spirit of Christmas. A Family Christmas includes selections from: Joseph Conrad, Groucho Marx, Emma Lazarus, Mark Twain, Sandra Cisneros, Pearl S. Buck, Truman Capote, Gabriela Mistral, Ogden Nash, Clement Clarke Moore, Marianne Moore, Calvin Trillin, E. B. White, Thomas Hardy's famous 'The Oxen,' and many more.

Vladimir Nabokov's 'Christmas' is my favorite, for it superbly portrays at that time of winter an elderly Russian returning home after his college-age son died, the father bringing a box of his son's mementos, notes, and a biscuit tin with a large dormant chrysalid. When the father moves the tin from the barn into the warmth of the dwelling, a moth emerges and comes to life in the final two pages - butterflies and moths being the son's favorite hobby collection, and symbolic of how the soul of the son comes alive and shall live ever with the father. It's a lovely short family tale, taking place the day before Christmas.

[Ann · Rating 4 out of 5]

After hearing an NPR book interview with Caroline Kennedy last Christmas, I bought the book and read the first few stories. It was great, but I decided to save the rest for this Christmas, and I have again been reading another story every few nights. The first story is of Kennedy Christmas (She relates that her mother wore the same dress every Christmas eve, and now she also has a dress she wears every year. I figure if it's good enough for the Kennedy's, it's good enough for me and I will be wearing my red knit suit I've had for 11 years every Christmas!) I'm enjoying the book. The stories are diverse, some amusing, some thought provoking, some sad. I'm only about 2/3 through, so will probably finish it next Christmas season.
12/2009 postscript: So it's taken me THREE Christmas seasons to finish. However, I really did enjoy the book.

[Jaksen · Rating 5 out of 5]

Love this book and me, not a sentimentalist. Especially enjoy the short story, 'A Christmas Memory' by Truman Capote, which reflects so much on the kind of person he became, how much he loved his elderly cousin and how special she made the holiday for him, and with so little. I read parts of this collection every year, just me alone with my Christmas tree on and the house quiet. It's truly a collection that warms the heart, and with me...not a sentimentalist...feeling very sentimental whenever I read or re-read it.

Lovely work, Caroline, lovely collection.

[Lisa · Rating 4 out of 5]

A beautiful book filled with stories, poems, illustrations about Christmas. A book to be handed down through generations if you have readers in your family. Very well put together.

[Meredith L. · Rating 5 out of 5]

A delightful compemdium of poems, Scriptures, song lyrics, essays and stories all centered around the Christmas season. There are classics and lesser-known fare, but each piece is a celebration of the most wonderful time of the year. Some essays are a critique of the commercialism of the holiday and some are ruminations on the way Christmas makes our hearts glad. There is a slave narrative that's particularly poignant and a sad but memorable essay on the nostalgia of a Christmas episode of an old television show that is a scathing exploration of our society's fixation on consumerism. An excerpt from A Christmas Carol, by Charles Dickens is included as well as other memorable works of literature.
Here are a list of my favorite pieces in the collection:

1. The Gracious Time, by William Shakespeare, (an excerpt from Hamlet).
2. Mr. Edwards Meets Santa Claus, by Laura Ingalls Wilder. Fun and poignant.
3. Christmas Day in the Morning, by Pearl S. Buck. A beautiful story about a son's Christmas gift to his father.
4. Christmas in the Mountains, (a collection of Appalachian folklore about Christmas.
5. A Christmas Memory, by Truman Capote. A tear-jerker of a memoir about Capote's childhood and Christmases adventures with his maiden Aunt Suke. Fruitcake baking and other activities are poignantly related.
6. Six to Eight Black Men, by David Sedaris. A hilarious essay about Christmas customs in other countries. Our Christmas celebrations surrounding Santa Clause seem pretty dull in comparison.
7. The Gift of the Magi, by O. Henry. A true favorite. What does it truly mean to give a gift? A great love story and Christmas tale combined.
8. Christmas, by Vladimir Nabokov. A story about grief around the holidays with a heart-tugging ending.
9. A Little Bit of Your Love, Just That, by Sandra Cisneros. A story of familial love and memories of a father's kindness.
10. The Cratchit's Christmas Dinner, by Charles Dickens. A beautiful excerpt from A Christmas Carol. The Cratchits do not have much, but their abundance far surpasses what one might expect.
11. 'Amos 'n' Andy Christmas Show Fails Test of Time, by Henry Gates, JR. Scathing but attention-grabbing and so very true. "The white man's still in the lead". Well worth a read.
12. A Christmas Sermon on Peace, by Martin Luther King, JR. A beautiful sermon about agape and the importance of promoting peace and love.

These are just a sampling of the delights in this stellar compendium. Recommended for those who like diverse and wonderful reflections on the holiday season.
God bless you all.

[Robin · Rating 4 out of 5]

This collection of Christmas stories, carol lyrics, poems, and correspondence resonated with me. It’s perfect for the holidays when time is limited. Reading a story or two before bedtime boosted my holiday spirit. I didn’t care for all of the stories, but that’s not surprising given that they number over 100. This nostalgic collection has something for everyone who likes Christmas, and would make an excellent gift, to be casually perused throughout the years. The cover of the hardback looks like a wrapped present, sporting an angelic gift card painted by Jackie Kennedy.

A Family Christmas contains material penned by Robert Frost, George Bernard Shaw, Garrison Keillor, Groucho Marx, E.B. White, Mark Twain, Vladimir Nabokov, Joseph Conrad, Martin Luther King, Cotton Mather, Langston Hughes, W.H. Auden, Lawrence Ferlinghetti, Ogden Nash, William Shakespeare, e.e. cummings, John Lennon, and John F. Kennedy, among others. A selection from O. Henry’s classic Gift of the Magi is included, as is the thought-provoking wartime poem by Henry Wadsworth Longfellow that became the carol “Christmas Bells.” The classic “Yes, Virginia, there really is a Santa Claus” editorial is included, of course. Caroline herself contributes a charming introductory piece, her letter to Santa from 1962.

Three of my favorite stories, which could not be more different: First, an excerpt for Laura Ingalls Wilder’s Little House on the Prairie, “Mr. Edwards Meets Santa Claus,” a reminder of simpler times when the smallest gifts were treasured. Second, Truman Capote’s “A Christmas Memory,” his nostalgic and bittersweet tale of an eccentric cousin who raised the orphaned Capote in odd and heartfelt traditions, but from whom life separated him in the end. Third, an excerpt from Incidents in the Life of a Slave Girl by Harriet A. Jacobs shows us that Christmas is not always joyful for the oppressed. The compulsory New Years’ Day slave-marketing made Christmas a poignant holiday for slaves, as they celebrated with family members for what was often the last time.

Highly recommended for the holiday season for those who like celebrating the season. Also, if you’re not sure of the lyrics to certain Christmas carols, or want to learn some more esoteric carols, A Family Christmas is a good resource.

[Sarah Dunmire · Rating 4 out of 5]

Wide variety of Christmas stories, lyrics, and poems collected here by Caroline Kennedy. I’m not sure that all of these are ones that meant something to her family, as there is such a wide range. The artwork felt like it was from the 1960s, so I had to keep reminding myself this was published in the 2000s. A nice collection to read around Christmastime, though. My dad got this signed by the author and kept the newspaper clipping saying when she came to town. My favorites were as follows:

Letter to Michelle Rochon (JFK)
Is there a Santa Claus? Yes, Virginia (Francis P. Church, Editor of The Sun)
A Visit from St. Nicholas (Clement Clark Moore)
The Old Scout: The Season of Letter-Perfect Families (Garrison Keillor)
White Christmas (Irving Berlin)
Relative Pronouns (E.B. White)
Mr. Edward’s Meets Santa Claus from Little House on the Prairie (LIW)
Saint Nicholas from The Christmas Encyclopedia (William D. Crump editor)
The Puppy Who Wanted a Boy (Jane Theyer)
Christmas Day in the Morning (Pearl S. Buck)
The Second of the Three Spirits from A Christmas Carol (Charles Dickens)
A Christmas Carol (Christina Rossetti)
The Gift of the Magi (O. Henry)
Blow, Blow, Thou Winter Wind (William Shakespeare)

[Jennifer Hughes · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book helped wrap up all the feelings of Christmas. Song lyrics, poems, short stories, letters, and scriptures all surrounding Christmas from around the world then and now. Just beautiful. Wonderful to share and read aloud with friends and family.

My very favorites, in random order:
-Keeping Christmas by Henry van Dyke*
-Relative Pronouns by E.B. White
-Santaland 2006 (from Santa Guide for Macy's Santa)
-The Puppy Who Wanted a Boy by Jane Thayer*
-A Christmas Memory by Truman Capote
-A Christmas Sermon on Peace by Martin Luther King, Jr.*
-Incidents in the Life of a Slave Girl by Harriet A. Jacobs
-The Real Gifts Parents Can Give to Children by Rose Fitzgerald Kennedy
-Remembrance is Sufficient by E.B. White
-Letter to Tommy, World War II by Lt. Col. Ralph Noonan

* excerpts read aloud

[Denise · Rating 3 out of 5]

As with any anthology, there are some high points, some pieces not very memorable, something old and familiar, and somethings new. It was a nice touch to have the musical pieces performed on the audio version. An interesting group of selections for holiday reading.

One of the standouts was Remembrance is Sufficient by E. B. White. It contains this exquisite phrase: "Remembrance is sufficient for the beauty we have seen."

[Abbie Taylor · Rating 4 out of 5]

Many of the pieces in this collection I read before, or they were read to me. It was fun rereading them. My favorites were Truman Capote’s “A Christmas Memory” and an excerpt from Little House on the Prairie by Laura Ingalls Wilder. The lyrics to many popular holiday songs add a nice touch. I had to laugh when I ran across the words to Mariah Carey’s “All I Want for Christmas is You.” A Family Christmas is a book you’ll want to return to every year at this time.

[Kkop12 · Rating 2 out of 5]

So I probably sound like scrooge, but it's a 2.5 for me. I liked some of the stories, Little house, the tales of WWI stopping for a day. But there were other stories that were just too long for me. And I didn't need all the holiday songs written out. I feel like this is the perfect book if you were sharing Christmas for the first time with a foreigner and they were HIGHLY interested in all aspects of the origin of Christmas :-)

[Teresa Judd · Rating 3 out of 5]

I love the format of this Christmas collection and the beautiful green ribbon bookmark. While I read stories and essays that I would never have read on my own (and I appreciate that), I finished this collection feeling distant from Christmas. It could have been the illustrations or it could have been some of the selections. I just didn’t feel the specialness of Christmas, like I feel when I read my grandmother’s copy of Ideals Christmas collection.

[Lori · Rating 5 out of 5]

I got this book years ago, when it first came out. Every few years I re-read it again, as a gift to myself. A beautiful anthology, with perfectly chosen essays, poems, articles, stories, songs, scripture, to carry through the holidays.

[June Jacobs · Rating 5 out of 5]

A delightful collection of essays, fiction, song lyrics, and poetry going back to Shakespeare.

The unique artwork featured in the book was also appealing.

I borrowed this book from the local public library.

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[Michael Lent · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a wonderful collection that our family treasures. During the holidays we read A Family Christmas together and always find new ways to enjoy its wonders.

[Kathy · Rating 4 out of 5]

Nice Christmas stories and poems

[Lorraine · Rating 4 out of 5]

What a wonderful collections of stories, poems and lyrics. Reading it was a beautiful way to celebrate the holiday.

[Chris · Rating 4 out of 5]

A collection of sacred and secular Christmas related pieces. 4 stars because I wish their would have been music for the many song lyrics in the collection.

[Mj]

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[Kelly · Rating 5 out of 5]

I would've titled this book, A Christmas Hodge Podge. I love the variety of songs, stories and poems in this book.

[Trish · Rating 4 out of 5]

I listened to this book and it was amazing. It really puts you in the mood for Christmas.

[Julie Barrett · Rating 4 out of 5]

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