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Święta, Święta...
Pełna komicznego wdzięku i świetnych obserwacji obyczajowych powieść o współczesnych, zabieganych kobietach, miłości, przyjaźni i o świątecznym szaleństwie! Carol, redaktor naczelna miesięcznika dla kobiet, tak bardzo jest zajęta pracą, że gdyby nie jej siedmioletni synek, w ogóle nie urządzałaby żadnych świąt. Beth do Wigilii przygotowuje się od września, by zaimponować swemu niedawno poślubionemu, znacznie starszemu mężowi, dorównać jego nie żyjącej żonie i utrzeć nosa nieznośnej pasierbicy. Wszystkim przydarzy się coś, co odmieni nie tylko ich Święta, ale i dalsze życie...
334 pages, Hardcover
First published January 1, 2006
14 people are currently reading
448 people want to read
About the author
Annie Sanders
21 books51 followersAnnie Ashworth and Meg Sanders met at ante–natal classes and bonded as they learnt the benefits of raspberry leaf tea and relaxation breathing. Neither remedy worked but a friendship was born.
Annie's background is in advertising copywriting and journalism. She cut her teeth on a great little magazine called Southside, and put in the journo donkey work at Essentials, editing knitting patterns, and the late lamented Woman's Journal. Since going freelance in 1990, she has written for several publications including the Evening Standard and Homes and Gardens, as well as editing Inspector Morse for serial in the Sunday People, without giving away whodunnit. She has three boys and has built her own house on a hill in Warwickshire. She is director of the Stratford-upon-Avon Literary Festival.
Meg comes from a book publishing background, though she started out by translating thirteen volumes of robot technology from French to English. Things got more interesting when she edited and wrote a series of activity books telling children how to cover the kitchen table in glitter and PVA glue. This was obviously before she had children of her own. After a diploma in horticulture, she edited and wrote gardening books but still can't work how to prune apple trees. She is married, has twins – a boy and a girl – and lives near Stratford upon Avon.
They started out together with a mission to save the planet from grammatical horrors and badly placed apostrophes by offering their services as website content writers. Luckily they were rescued from catatonia (after a very dull foray with a government quango report) by the commission to write a book. Trade Secrets resulted, a spin off from the cult BBC2 series of the same name, and was followed by Trade Secrets Christmas, How to Beat the System, Trade Secrets Parenting, Fat Club, Celebrity Fit Club, The Property Chain, but they definitely didn't write a Channel 4 book called Am I Good In Bed? (A title that doesn't bear an answer but the research was entertaining.)
A tedious train journey spawned the germ of an idea for a novel and the rest is literary legend...
Annie's background is in advertising copywriting and journalism. She cut her teeth on a great little magazine called Southside, and put in the journo donkey work at Essentials, editing knitting patterns, and the late lamented Woman's Journal. Since going freelance in 1990, she has written for several publications including the Evening Standard and Homes and Gardens, as well as editing Inspector Morse for serial in the Sunday People, without giving away whodunnit. She has three boys and has built her own house on a hill in Warwickshire. She is director of the Stratford-upon-Avon Literary Festival.
Meg comes from a book publishing background, though she started out by translating thirteen volumes of robot technology from French to English. Things got more interesting when she edited and wrote a series of activity books telling children how to cover the kitchen table in glitter and PVA glue. This was obviously before she had children of her own. After a diploma in horticulture, she edited and wrote gardening books but still can't work how to prune apple trees. She is married, has twins – a boy and a girl – and lives near Stratford upon Avon.
They started out together with a mission to save the planet from grammatical horrors and badly placed apostrophes by offering their services as website content writers. Luckily they were rescued from catatonia (after a very dull foray with a government quango report) by the commission to write a book. Trade Secrets resulted, a spin off from the cult BBC2 series of the same name, and was followed by Trade Secrets Christmas, How to Beat the System, Trade Secrets Parenting, Fat Club, Celebrity Fit Club, The Property Chain, but they definitely didn't write a Channel 4 book called Am I Good In Bed? (A title that doesn't bear an answer but the research was entertaining.)
A tedious train journey spawned the germ of an idea for a novel and the rest is literary legend...
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 58 reviews
December 20, 2015
Another yearly Christmas must read added to my December list. This book starts off a little slow, but when all the characters come into focus it takes off and becomes a wonderful Christmas story. We all have a kooky relative or a strange tradition that can go wrong. This fun romp covers an array of all those crazy circumstances that can and do happen around the holidays. I would love to see this done into a movie if done right.
Many relatable characters and a few that took a while to grow on me but eventually became endearing. Annie Sanders did a good job narrating.
Many relatable characters and a few that took a while to grow on me but eventually became endearing. Annie Sanders did a good job narrating.
December 26, 2016
A re-read that always pulls the right strings for me over the holidays.
December 25, 2015
Имам чувството, че 4 звезди са и в повечко, но заради коледното настроение, в което съм ще и ги дам. Все пак беше нещо свежо и ново за мен. P.S. Весела Коледа!
March 22, 2008
A modern 'nativity', cleverly written by a two author combination with (almost) subtle use of Christmassy names and locations. A very amusing read.
February 24, 2019
This the first book that I've read by Annie Sanders.
There is no specific story line in this novel. However, the plot revolves around two characters, Beth - who's anxious about her organising the annual Christmas bash & Carol - A glamorous, workaholic magazine editor.
The book is very well written. It's emotional, funny and evocative. Annie Sanders is two people - Annie Ashworth & Meg Sanders. (In case, you didn't know). It is a good read. It's one of those books that give you the warm, comfy feeling while you read it. And yes, it hits the right cords during the festive season!
There is no specific story line in this novel. However, the plot revolves around two characters, Beth - who's anxious about her organising the annual Christmas bash & Carol - A glamorous, workaholic magazine editor.
The book is very well written. It's emotional, funny and evocative. Annie Sanders is two people - Annie Ashworth & Meg Sanders. (In case, you didn't know). It is a good read. It's one of those books that give you the warm, comfy feeling while you read it. And yes, it hits the right cords during the festive season!
August 15, 2024
Sometimes you need to read a Christmas novel in the middle of August to take the edge off.
November 8, 2025
this was a really lovely heartwarming book
I don't read very many 'Christmas' books but I really enjoyed this and it made me feel very festive, especially with Christmas coming up
I don't read very many 'Christmas' books but I really enjoyed this and it made me feel very festive, especially with Christmas coming up
December 15, 2014
A wonderful chick lit with a difference.
Two totally different women plan two totally different Christmases but in actuality due to circumstances their lives both collide with a big bang over the festive season.
Beth is struggling to be the "perfect" wife to Jacob who lost his wife four years previously and as this is their first married Christmas together it has to be wonderful.
Hence WI meetings, then Beth being landed with the Mistletoe meet (the province of the deceased Becca, Jacob's former wife), step children (one with an enormous chip on her shoulder and many other family calamities are all ingredients leading to a recipe for disaster for the harassed Beth.
Carol who works on the ailing magazine "Women's monthly" is struggling with deadlines, less than dedicated staff who know the magazine is literally failing so put little effort in to their work and the intricacies of juggling a high profile job with a young son at home.
Being a working single mother is hard and Carol feels she is failing at everything, work, home and her personal life so decides to book a country cottage over the holiday period as a treat for her son Tim but things don't turn out QUITE the way she planned.
At times tear jerking at others hilarious this is a wonderful read to while away the cold December nights.
A must for fans of festive chick lit.
Two totally different women plan two totally different Christmases but in actuality due to circumstances their lives both collide with a big bang over the festive season.
Beth is struggling to be the "perfect" wife to Jacob who lost his wife four years previously and as this is their first married Christmas together it has to be wonderful.
Hence WI meetings, then Beth being landed with the Mistletoe meet (the province of the deceased Becca, Jacob's former wife), step children (one with an enormous chip on her shoulder and many other family calamities are all ingredients leading to a recipe for disaster for the harassed Beth.
Carol who works on the ailing magazine "Women's monthly" is struggling with deadlines, less than dedicated staff who know the magazine is literally failing so put little effort in to their work and the intricacies of juggling a high profile job with a young son at home.
Being a working single mother is hard and Carol feels she is failing at everything, work, home and her personal life so decides to book a country cottage over the holiday period as a treat for her son Tim but things don't turn out QUITE the way she planned.
At times tear jerking at others hilarious this is a wonderful read to while away the cold December nights.
A must for fans of festive chick lit.
June 26, 2011
Yes, admittedly a little trashy, but I do love the easiness of ‘trashy’ books when I just want to relax and unwind, and this definitely did that. I also adore Christmas and all the associated hype, food, preparation and what have you, so I figured this book would be perfect for me. It didn’t grab me straight away, but I eventually got into it and thoroughly enjoyed it, everyone loves a happy ending right? It was a nice, light, frothy kind of story, not the most amazing writing but then I wasn’t expecting it to be. I might even read it again, a bit closer to Christmas.
July 26, 2023
I was expecting a fairly standard contemporary romance set at Christmas involving 2 mature women with humor and holiday festiveness. There was gentle humor and plenty of holiday festiveness, and even some romance, though very secondary to a contemporary Christmas novel filled with very real life situations and relationships that burden professional women in the 30s.
Beth, a scholar and professor of Renaissance history, has married a much older widower and finds herself struggling as a professional, a wife and a stepmother while planning the perfect first Christmas for her new family and being given the daunting task of organizing something called the Mistletoe Meet for the village for Christmas Eve. The first wife spector is overwhelming, especially when coupled with a 24 yo step-daughter who hates her.
Carol, a single parent with a charming young son, is a top notch magazine editor who was lured away from a best selling fashion magazine to save a dying DYI Women's magazine. She's working non-stop and struggling for quality time with her son, while chasing an exclusive revelatory interview with one of the world's biggest celebrities that will save the magazine and her career.
Thinking she's booked a magical getaway to a cottage for her and her son for Christmas, Carol's and Beth's paths cross rather spectacularly just a couple of days before Christmas and a blizzard that has all hands on deck to save the Mistletoe Meet. In the process, everyone's lives get sorted out and new relationships solidified.
Oh, and there's an absolutely hysterical elementary school Nativity Play which has been made ethnically and religiously diverse and painfully politically correct. I have to think a few glasses of wine over a cheese board were involved as that scene was outlined.
What pushed this story to 5 stars was the way various very serious, even unexpected, themes involving children and families were explored. One particular one had me in tears and truly elevated this to a true Story of Christmas.
Beth, a scholar and professor of Renaissance history, has married a much older widower and finds herself struggling as a professional, a wife and a stepmother while planning the perfect first Christmas for her new family and being given the daunting task of organizing something called the Mistletoe Meet for the village for Christmas Eve. The first wife spector is overwhelming, especially when coupled with a 24 yo step-daughter who hates her.
Carol, a single parent with a charming young son, is a top notch magazine editor who was lured away from a best selling fashion magazine to save a dying DYI Women's magazine. She's working non-stop and struggling for quality time with her son, while chasing an exclusive revelatory interview with one of the world's biggest celebrities that will save the magazine and her career.
Thinking she's booked a magical getaway to a cottage for her and her son for Christmas, Carol's and Beth's paths cross rather spectacularly just a couple of days before Christmas and a blizzard that has all hands on deck to save the Mistletoe Meet. In the process, everyone's lives get sorted out and new relationships solidified.
Oh, and there's an absolutely hysterical elementary school Nativity Play which has been made ethnically and religiously diverse and painfully politically correct. I have to think a few glasses of wine over a cheese board were involved as that scene was outlined.
What pushed this story to 5 stars was the way various very serious, even unexpected, themes involving children and families were explored. One particular one had me in tears and truly elevated this to a true Story of Christmas.
December 21, 2020
Christmas is all about proving ourselves as wives and mothers. It’s like an A level in showing we can do it all, and failure is not an option. Show me a woman who hasn’t obsessed about it.’
Following the stories of Beth, a university lecturer recently married to an older widower and Carol, a magazine editor and single mother, this is a slightly outdated festive novel about women trying to do everything at Christmas including reviving an ailing magazine and organising a mammoth Christmas Village party on Christmas eve. Whilst both women are highly competent, they both feel the guilt of not having enough time and the pressure of being surrounded by people who continually need them in some way and wanting to make everything absolutely perfect.
I found it quite frustrating to read at times as I just wanted the characters to stop what they were doing and talk about how they felt. Lost count of the number of meals Carol skipped and the lists Beth made. Even when they attempted to delegate it didn't work, and Beth's stepdaughter Holly actively sabotaged everything, but I think this and the 'helpful' tips at the beginning quoted from women's magazines gave a sense of the pressure. I also got a bit cheesed with the mocking the politically correct nativity play. Thankfully, most of this was addressed by the end and overall I enjoyed reading it.
Following the stories of Beth, a university lecturer recently married to an older widower and Carol, a magazine editor and single mother, this is a slightly outdated festive novel about women trying to do everything at Christmas including reviving an ailing magazine and organising a mammoth Christmas Village party on Christmas eve. Whilst both women are highly competent, they both feel the guilt of not having enough time and the pressure of being surrounded by people who continually need them in some way and wanting to make everything absolutely perfect.
I found it quite frustrating to read at times as I just wanted the characters to stop what they were doing and talk about how they felt. Lost count of the number of meals Carol skipped and the lists Beth made. Even when they attempted to delegate it didn't work, and Beth's stepdaughter Holly actively sabotaged everything, but I think this and the 'helpful' tips at the beginning quoted from women's magazines gave a sense of the pressure. I also got a bit cheesed with the mocking the politically correct nativity play. Thankfully, most of this was addressed by the end and overall I enjoyed reading it.
January 27, 2023
Beth is a university professor, and recently married to Jacob, a colleague and a widower with two grown up children, a stepdaughter that can't stand her and is deliberately sabotaging her, and a larger-than-life dead wife that did everything perfect. Naturally, she tries to measure up to her memory and is losing her mind in the process.
Carol is a single mother and an editor in a prestigious magazine in London. She is asked to take over the editor's position in a dying women's magazine to try to save it, which is no easy task. At the same time, she is neglecting her little son due to too much work.
Typically for these cozy novels, the two women will separately pass through trials and tribulations of a hectic consumerism-oriented Christmas season and find a way to each other thanks to the mysterious works of destiny and all their troubles will be solved just in time to enjoy Christmas with their families.
I really enjoyed this cozy and funny Christmas novel about two women in their 40s trying to balance their work and private lives during Christmastime. Also, thank God I don't have to prepare Christmas for a large family.
Carol is a single mother and an editor in a prestigious magazine in London. She is asked to take over the editor's position in a dying women's magazine to try to save it, which is no easy task. At the same time, she is neglecting her little son due to too much work.
Typically for these cozy novels, the two women will separately pass through trials and tribulations of a hectic consumerism-oriented Christmas season and find a way to each other thanks to the mysterious works of destiny and all their troubles will be solved just in time to enjoy Christmas with their families.
I really enjoyed this cozy and funny Christmas novel about two women in their 40s trying to balance their work and private lives during Christmastime. Also, thank God I don't have to prepare Christmas for a large family.
March 17, 2018
I've not read any novels by Annie Sanders before to my knowledge but this has been on my tbr pile for a few years and with all the snow thought it might be nice to read a Christmas based story. The novel tells the story of two women Beth and Carol.
Beth is a university lecturer dealing with being married to an older man widowed four years ago and her relationship with his two children. Carol is a single mum juggling being a magazine editor with raising a young son.
I liked the premise of the novel but felt it's all been done before slightly better. I think the biggest problem with the plot was there was nothing particularly challenging for the characters to solve other than snow affecting the village Christmas get together.
I was also frustrated that clichés for characters names were used because of the winter setting. ...Carol....Holly. ..Noel.....
I also thought the extra story line with the world famous pop star who had put a baby up for adoption was completely superfluous.
Beth is a university lecturer dealing with being married to an older man widowed four years ago and her relationship with his two children. Carol is a single mum juggling being a magazine editor with raising a young son.
I liked the premise of the novel but felt it's all been done before slightly better. I think the biggest problem with the plot was there was nothing particularly challenging for the characters to solve other than snow affecting the village Christmas get together.
I was also frustrated that clichés for characters names were used because of the winter setting. ...Carol....Holly. ..Noel.....
I also thought the extra story line with the world famous pop star who had put a baby up for adoption was completely superfluous.
November 16, 2021
I didn't click with this one right away.
Admittedly, while I love Christmas romcoms and romances, I'm not the target audience for women's magazines or fashion. Neither for celebrity news. So I had a hard to really get hooked on the story.
The characters all seemed very shallow at first, and only later on gained some depth.
My paperback version was published in 2017, but a closer glance at the impression showed what I quickly assumed - this story is a lot older. Not just obvious for the tech side of things, but also by the way characters joke about inclusivity. Yep, the nativity art school goes all over board on it, and making fun of that makes absolute sense. The sprinkled in snide comments about other bits of pieces had me sigh every so often. Those might have been dialled down quite a bit in a more recently written book.
From the middle on, when the characters started to feel real and the story actually got going I did finally get to really dive in.
As the first half mostly didn't work for me due to personal taste, and I did enjoy the second half, I'll go with 3* over all.
Admittedly, while I love Christmas romcoms and romances, I'm not the target audience for women's magazines or fashion. Neither for celebrity news. So I had a hard to really get hooked on the story.
The characters all seemed very shallow at first, and only later on gained some depth.
My paperback version was published in 2017, but a closer glance at the impression showed what I quickly assumed - this story is a lot older. Not just obvious for the tech side of things, but also by the way characters joke about inclusivity. Yep, the nativity art school goes all over board on it, and making fun of that makes absolute sense. The sprinkled in snide comments about other bits of pieces had me sigh every so often. Those might have been dialled down quite a bit in a more recently written book.
From the middle on, when the characters started to feel real and the story actually got going I did finally get to really dive in.
As the first half mostly didn't work for me due to personal taste, and I did enjoy the second half, I'll go with 3* over all.
March 1, 2018
I thought 'The Xmas Factor' by Annie Saunders (Annie Ashworth and Meg Saunders) was going to be a fluffy escapist read about Christmas celebrations in a cute English village. And I suppose it was. The story centred on newly married Beth and her efforts to give her husband and their village the best Christmas ever, and Carol, a single mum and magazine editor in London. What I really enjoyed (and did not expect) was the gently mocking, tongue-in-cheek assault on those Christmas articles beloved of women's magazines: Ten Tips for the Perfect Christmas Table; Your Party Eyes; How To Make your Own Baubles; How to Make the Perfect Turkey Stuffing; How Celebrities Will Celebrate. The titles were cringemaking and hilarious. The story became more and more farcical with family complications and misunderstandings, and galloped out of control in the final chapters which had me laughing out loud. Happy endings all round.
October 19, 2017
I've not much to say about this as the plot's nothing new, pretty much following the usual formula for this genre. Beth's character is a second wife trying to compete against the ghost of a saint & of course, there's friction between herself & her spoilt stepdaughter. That isn't to say that it's a boring book, just the opposite in fact. I found it an entertaining fun feel-good read - just get settled in a comfy chair & enjoy ;o)
December 25, 2020
This was a cute book but just didn't have enough cozy Christmas feels for me. It's really only the last few chapters that take place in December and I was just hoping for a little more.
I also found myself getting confused over all the characters... There are a lot of people involved and I kept second guessing whose perspective I was reading from.
Decent read to start getting in the festive mood!
I also found myself getting confused over all the characters... There are a lot of people involved and I kept second guessing whose perspective I was reading from.
Decent read to start getting in the festive mood!
December 18, 2021
Woman’s Own reviewed The Xmas Factor as being a heart-warming and sparkly comedy, but I must confess I wouldn’t rate this as a comedy at all. I’m not saying that it’s not a great story, it is. It is definitely heart-warming and it paints a picture perfectly of a british christmas in a realistic way showing how although it is exciting it can be very stressful too. If you want to read a Christmas themed story this year you could do far worse than this!
March 15, 2021
I randomly picked up this book at work free community library box almost 10 years ago and I’m glad I did. It's very well written and the plot was great. Add the Christmas theme - one of my favourites definitely.
*** Does anyone remember the name of the village by any chance, please? Thank you! 🙂 ***
*** Does anyone remember the name of the village by any chance, please? Thank you! 🙂 ***
September 25, 2022
Am Anfang habe ich mich etwas schwer getan, aber mit der Zeit wurde es dann besser und es entwickelte sich zu einer schönen Weihnachtsgeschichte. Klar es war etwas vorhersehbar, aber das störte eher wenig.
Ich denke, das kann man gut in der Vorweihnachtszeit lesen und sich dran erfreuen.
Ich denke, das kann man gut in der Vorweihnachtszeit lesen und sich dran erfreuen.
January 4, 2025
I really wasn't expecting to like this as much as I did, but the writing was great, all the characters were well written and likeable (ESPECIALLY TIM OMG) and overall a fun read. I was a bit more invested in Carol's story than Beth's though.
December 2, 2017
gave up too many good books to waste time
December 8, 2018
Bought this to get in the Christmas mood .It did nothing but that .So so boring .I gave up on it .
March 30, 2019
It's a breezy read.
November 2, 2019
found this one boring and had to stop half way through...
January 8, 2020
Easy reading. Nice little light hearted festive story or families being not so 2.4 and how everyone pulls together at Xmas.
December 16, 2020
Christmas fluff, was fine
January 5, 2022
Charming, chaotic, feelgood, fairytale-like. Think "Love,actually" meets "The Cottage". A pleasurable, uncomplicated read that ticks all the boxes for December.
January 11, 2022
Took a long time for this book to get going but really enjoyed the ending
December 26, 2022
A good easy chick lit, but very 2005 as some descriptions didnt age well....
Displaying 1 - 30 of 58 reviews