A Child's Christmas in Wales

by Dylan Thomas

A new selection of Dylan Thomas's greatest stories taking us through the landmarks of the year, in an irresistible Little Clothbound Classics edition

For a boy growing up in an ordinary town in Wales, summer is 'always radiant, rainless, lazily rowdy and skyblue', and it always snows at Christmas. Weaving through the course of a year, this selection of Dylan Thomas's most evocative and bittersweet stories depicts silent winter mornings by the sea, glorious holidays in the countryside and lovelorn nights in the pub. It ends with 'A Child's Christmas in Wales', perhaps the most beautiful story of the festive season ever written.

Genres: Christmas

147 pages, Kindle Edition

Published November 6, 2025

About the author

Dylan Marlais Thomas (1914-1953) was a Welsh poet who wrote in English. Many regard him as one of the 20th century's most influential poets.

In addition to poetry, Thomas wrote short stories and scripts for film and radio, with the latter frequently performed by Thomas himself. His public readings, particularly in America, won him great acclaim; his booming, at times, ostentatious voice, with a subtle Welsh lilt, became almost as famous as his works. His best-known work includes the "play for voices" Under Milk Wood and the celebrated villanelle for his dying father, "Do not go gentle into that good night." Appreciative critics have also noted the superb craftsmanship and compression of poems such as "In my craft or sullen art" and the rhapsodic lyricism of Fern Hill.

Reviews

[Serena · Rating 1 out of 5]

just not for me

[Georgie · Rating 1 out of 5]

will rate after book club !
(1.5) safe to say not our favourite

[Tom · Rating 4 out of 5]

A great selection of Dylan Thomas' writing and includes several stories. I did buy this purely for the title story 'A Child's Christmas In Wales'. Initially I was disappointed to find this wasn't a festive collection but part of a general collection of stories. The title one being the only one relating to Christmas. But is a great collection too, some very enjoyable stories in this book.

[Ebony Guitton]

Rating after book club

[Penny Jones · Rating 3 out of 5]

The beautiful cloth cover of this gift edition is a delight and it was lovely to hold. This is a book to read slowly - otherwise the breathless, poetic richness of the prose quickly overwhelms. Despite evoking many childhood memories, and brilliantly capturing the sounds, sights and scents of a place and era, this was not quite for me. It depicts a way of life and social attitudes that I am thankful we have mostly left behind.

[Mima · Rating 5 out of 5]

Will be returning to this every year. Feels like an insight into my grandparents youth. Can imagine reading it aloud by the fire to loved ones with a sherry

[Joyce Meijs · Rating 3 out of 5]

The writing is beautiful and poetic, not sure if the stories are my cup of tea.

[Ifigenia.T]

I found it very hard to finish this book because although Dylan Thomas writes beautifully he seems to only write for the sake of beautiful prose and words and not som much for the sake of stories.