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The Christmas Stories of Louisa May Alcott
Many great writers are defined and remembered by one piece of work that embeds itself into the culture and continues to be enjoyed by every generation since its publication. For Louisa May Alcott it was the brilliant book, Little Women. She was born in 1832, in Germantown, Pennsylvania, into an educationally progressive but poor family who were Transcendentalists. She received part of her lessons from distinguished family friends such as Henry David Thoreau, Ralph Waldo Emerson and Nathaniel Hawthorne. These influences on the young Louisa together with her early working life as seamstress, teacher, governess, domestic helper provided much of the material for her later novels. During the Civil War she worked as a nurse. The letters she wrote home from Georgetown DC were later published and brought sufficient recognition to continue writing not only her passionate novels under the nom de plume A.M. Barnard but also her beloved children's stories. However, by 1868 she received greater success with critics and audiences with the publication of the first part of the semi autobiographical, Little Women, and despite ill health continued to write until her death at the age of 55. Alcott was also a poet and a short story writer and here we have gathered together some of those Christmas stories which present her in a very different light and showcase a breadth of talent and experience that still delights to this very day
252 pages, Kindle Edition
Published October 31, 2014
152 people are currently reading
223 people want to read
About the author
Louisa May Alcott
4,130 books10.7k followersLouisa May Alcott was an American novelist, short story writer, and poet best known for writing the novel Little Women (1868) and its sequels Good Wives (1869), Little Men (1871) and Jo's Boys (1886). Raised in New England by her transcendentalist parents, Abigail May Alcott and Amos Bronson Alcott, she grew up among many well-known intellectuals of the day, including Margaret Fuller, Ralph Waldo Emerson, Nathaniel Hawthorne, Henry David Thoreau, and Henry Wadsworth Longfellow.
Alcott's family suffered from financial difficulties, and while she worked to help support the family from an early age, she also sought an outlet in writing. She began to receive critical success for her writing in the 1860s. Early in her career, she sometimes used pen names such as A.M. Barnard, under which she wrote lurid short stories and sensation novels for adults that focused on passion and revenge.
Published in 1868, Little Women is set in the Alcott family home, Orchard House, in Concord, Massachusetts, and is loosely based on Alcott's childhood experiences with her three sisters, Abigail May Alcott Nieriker, Elizabeth Sewall Alcott, and Anna Bronson Alcott Pratt. The novel was well-received at the time and is still popular today among both children and adults. It has been adapted for stage plays, films, and television many times.
Alcott was an abolitionist and a feminist and remained unmarried throughout her life. She also spent her life active in reform movements such as temperance and women's suffrage. She died from a stroke in Boston on March 6, 1888, just two days after her father's death.
Alcott's family suffered from financial difficulties, and while she worked to help support the family from an early age, she also sought an outlet in writing. She began to receive critical success for her writing in the 1860s. Early in her career, she sometimes used pen names such as A.M. Barnard, under which she wrote lurid short stories and sensation novels for adults that focused on passion and revenge.
Published in 1868, Little Women is set in the Alcott family home, Orchard House, in Concord, Massachusetts, and is loosely based on Alcott's childhood experiences with her three sisters, Abigail May Alcott Nieriker, Elizabeth Sewall Alcott, and Anna Bronson Alcott Pratt. The novel was well-received at the time and is still popular today among both children and adults. It has been adapted for stage plays, films, and television many times.
Alcott was an abolitionist and a feminist and remained unmarried throughout her life. She also spent her life active in reform movements such as temperance and women's suffrage. She died from a stroke in Boston on March 6, 1888, just two days after her father's death.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 56 reviews
December 7, 2022
Sweet stories by Louisa May Alcott which at the very least reminded me that gratitude is always the best choice in all circumstances.
My favorite was Kate’s Choice.
My favorite was Kate’s Choice.
December 14, 2022
I've been meaning to listen to this one since I bought it before Christmas last year, but it ended up on this years holiday listening stack. A treasury of Alcott short stories and poems really did bring a mood of Christmas cheer and thoughtfulness.
The narrator, Susie Berneis was new to me, but I thought she did a fabulous job voicing adults, children (mostly children actually), men and women, older and young, but also a talking animal or two. She caught the warm, charming tone of the stories.
The stories include one excerpt of the Little Women Christmas, but I believe the others were submissions to journals and magazines. There are similar themes in many- children who are poor getting a Christmas, children who are well off learning to be generous, adult love stories, servant children being shown worth to the family, and there were a few like the wartime Christmas or the talking animals that were unique. I found something to enjoy in all of them.
Those who want classic feelgood Christmas tales should give this collection a listen.
I couldn't have done a better job of listing the titles and short synopsis of each as Barb a fellow GR reviewer from whom I copied this list:
“Gwen’s Adventure in the Snow”: A group of children of varying ages go on a sleighing expedition to their country house and end up getting caught in a snowstorm with their horses running off. The children take refuge in the house and have to try to come up with food and a way to get warm.
“Rosa’s Tale”: Children discussing the legend that animals can speak for an hour after midnight on Christmas hear their horse’s life story.
“What Polly Found in Her Stocking”: a poem about a girl’s stocking presents.
“A Hospital Christmas”: a warm and caring nurse makes Christmas brighter for patients in a military hospital during the Civil War era.
“A Country Christmas”: A girl staying with her aunt in the country invites two city friends to spend the holidays with them.
“Mrs. Podgers Teapot”: A woman who feels she is making her dead husband happy by not remarrying falls in love.
“Peace From Heaven”: Another poem.
“The Quiet Little Woman”: A girl in an orphanage is taken in to a home as a servant and longs for family love.
“A Christmas Dream and How It Came True”: A spoiled little girl has a sort-of Christmas Carol experience.
“A Song”: Another Christmas poem
“Kate’s Choice”: A teenage girl in England has lost her parents and is sent to live with each of her American uncles in order to choose which one to love with.
“Bertie’s Box”: A little boy overhears his mother and aunt talking about a needy family that they might try to do something for if they remember after getting their own plans done, and he decides to take matters into his own hands.
“What Love Can Do”: As two young girls lament the meager Christmas they are facing and share their wishes, a neighbor overhears and puts a little Christmas surprise in front of their door. Another neighbor sees this and adds his own, and so on.
Tessa’s Surprises: Tessa is the oldest daughter of a poor Italian family whose mother died. As she tries to come up with a way to provide a little something for her siblings for Christmas, she decides to go with an older boy who plays a harp to various places in the city to sing and see if she can earn a few pennies.
A Christmas Turkey: A father demoralized by work problems neglects his family.The children want to do various tasks to earn money at least for a nice Christmas dinner for the family and meet with various benefactors in the process.
Becky’s Christmas Dream: Becky is a 12 year old orphan from a poorhouse bound to work for a certain family until she is eighteen. She is sad at being left behind to tend the house while the family goes out to celebrate Christmas. As the clock strikes 12, either the animals and household items start talking or Becky starts dreaming, but either way they tell how they learned contentment in their assigned tasks.
A Merry Christmas: A section from Little Women where the girls give their Christmas breakfast to a poor family and put on a play in the evening.
A New Way to Spend Christmas: An assemblage of people visit an orphanage, touched by the plight of the children and heartened by the example of one ministering to them..
Tilly’s Christmas: A poor girl rescues a bird and is rewarded by an unseen benefactor with a special Christmas.
The narrator, Susie Berneis was new to me, but I thought she did a fabulous job voicing adults, children (mostly children actually), men and women, older and young, but also a talking animal or two. She caught the warm, charming tone of the stories.
The stories include one excerpt of the Little Women Christmas, but I believe the others were submissions to journals and magazines. There are similar themes in many- children who are poor getting a Christmas, children who are well off learning to be generous, adult love stories, servant children being shown worth to the family, and there were a few like the wartime Christmas or the talking animals that were unique. I found something to enjoy in all of them.
Those who want classic feelgood Christmas tales should give this collection a listen.
I couldn't have done a better job of listing the titles and short synopsis of each as Barb a fellow GR reviewer from whom I copied this list:
“Gwen’s Adventure in the Snow”: A group of children of varying ages go on a sleighing expedition to their country house and end up getting caught in a snowstorm with their horses running off. The children take refuge in the house and have to try to come up with food and a way to get warm.
“Rosa’s Tale”: Children discussing the legend that animals can speak for an hour after midnight on Christmas hear their horse’s life story.
“What Polly Found in Her Stocking”: a poem about a girl’s stocking presents.
“A Hospital Christmas”: a warm and caring nurse makes Christmas brighter for patients in a military hospital during the Civil War era.
“A Country Christmas”: A girl staying with her aunt in the country invites two city friends to spend the holidays with them.
“Mrs. Podgers Teapot”: A woman who feels she is making her dead husband happy by not remarrying falls in love.
“Peace From Heaven”: Another poem.
“The Quiet Little Woman”: A girl in an orphanage is taken in to a home as a servant and longs for family love.
“A Christmas Dream and How It Came True”: A spoiled little girl has a sort-of Christmas Carol experience.
“A Song”: Another Christmas poem
“Kate’s Choice”: A teenage girl in England has lost her parents and is sent to live with each of her American uncles in order to choose which one to love with.
“Bertie’s Box”: A little boy overhears his mother and aunt talking about a needy family that they might try to do something for if they remember after getting their own plans done, and he decides to take matters into his own hands.
“What Love Can Do”: As two young girls lament the meager Christmas they are facing and share their wishes, a neighbor overhears and puts a little Christmas surprise in front of their door. Another neighbor sees this and adds his own, and so on.
Tessa’s Surprises: Tessa is the oldest daughter of a poor Italian family whose mother died. As she tries to come up with a way to provide a little something for her siblings for Christmas, she decides to go with an older boy who plays a harp to various places in the city to sing and see if she can earn a few pennies.
A Christmas Turkey: A father demoralized by work problems neglects his family.The children want to do various tasks to earn money at least for a nice Christmas dinner for the family and meet with various benefactors in the process.
Becky’s Christmas Dream: Becky is a 12 year old orphan from a poorhouse bound to work for a certain family until she is eighteen. She is sad at being left behind to tend the house while the family goes out to celebrate Christmas. As the clock strikes 12, either the animals and household items start talking or Becky starts dreaming, but either way they tell how they learned contentment in their assigned tasks.
A Merry Christmas: A section from Little Women where the girls give their Christmas breakfast to a poor family and put on a play in the evening.
A New Way to Spend Christmas: An assemblage of people visit an orphanage, touched by the plight of the children and heartened by the example of one ministering to them..
Tilly’s Christmas: A poor girl rescues a bird and is rewarded by an unseen benefactor with a special Christmas.
December 23, 2021
4.5 stars on the blog.
If you like Little Women you will like this Christmas anthology! As with Charles Dickens, Alcott drives home the message of gratitude and giving to the less fortunate being the true spirit of Christmas. She addresses the fact that children are not responsible for their living or economic circumstances and should be treated with kindness, love, and charity; not only during the holidays, but all year round. Alcott also points out that many hard working adults can fall on difficult times through no fault of their own, and if we have more than enough for good living we should share our good fortune.
Several of the stories are perfect for holiday read-alouds with children. I listened to the audiobook, and was remiss in copying down these titles, so I am going to purchase an ebook and I will list those stories below when I get a chance.
I read this as part of my 2020 A Year of Classics reading challenge.
If you like Little Women you will like this Christmas anthology! As with Charles Dickens, Alcott drives home the message of gratitude and giving to the less fortunate being the true spirit of Christmas. She addresses the fact that children are not responsible for their living or economic circumstances and should be treated with kindness, love, and charity; not only during the holidays, but all year round. Alcott also points out that many hard working adults can fall on difficult times through no fault of their own, and if we have more than enough for good living we should share our good fortune.
Several of the stories are perfect for holiday read-alouds with children. I listened to the audiobook, and was remiss in copying down these titles, so I am going to purchase an ebook and I will list those stories below when I get a chance.
I read this as part of my 2020 A Year of Classics reading challenge.
December 23, 2024
This is a collection of a number of short stories by LMA. I only knew the one from Little Women; everything else was new to me. I enjoyed them and some were 3 out of 5 and some 4 out of 5. It really hit me how different of a tone these are from anything written today. A sensitivity to the need to help the poor especially at Christmas time; something that most Americans now leave to the government. Makes one think....
December 6, 2022
This book was a collection of stories all surrounding Christmastime. The first one was definitely a unique story, but as it went on, you could truly see the purpose and heart of why Louisa May Alcott wrote each story. She wanted people who had the means to be able to understand and see the needs of those around them. She wanted them to show kindness and love and to bestow love to them, even if it seems not easy to do, because you may truly bless a family or an individual. They were beautiful. Some of them were based around fantasy while others were just perspectives from children. It definitely can lead to feeling more of a sense of contentedness too in reading these. You can feel thankful for what you have already.
December 24, 2024
Realistically I’d give this about a 2.5 out of 5. I wanted to love these and expected to but I was just not a big fan of the narrator, the stories were way too shallow and like forced or something. Like the forced “giving” and the materialistic and moralistic outlook was just too shallow and fake. There was no depth and the style was just not done well. I enjoyed the Quiet Little Woman and the excerpt from Little Women ok. It wasn’t the absolute worst but I had to force myself to finish it and didn’t love.
December 20, 2025
Positives: Occasionally lyrical and always wholesome.
Negatives: Her writing style cloys after a while, since it lacks emotional depth and range. Excessively sentimental. As I read, I got the sense that she had closely engaged with Dickens' books and tried to emulate them, but couldn't quite capture their charm.
Negatives: Her writing style cloys after a while, since it lacks emotional depth and range. Excessively sentimental. As I read, I got the sense that she had closely engaged with Dickens' books and tried to emulate them, but couldn't quite capture their charm.
December 26, 2025
I started this book two years ago but never finished so I re-read it this year. Some of the stories I liked more than others.
December 22, 2021
This is a tidy collection of sweet stories and poems by one of my favorite authors. While many of them show circumstances rather improbable--perhaps too good to be true--of human benevolence and earthly rewards for goodness, and everything turning out miraculously well for the protagonists, they are so worth a read as an uplifting example of hardworking, loving unselfishness. In all her writings, Louisa May Alcott so beautifully penned characters exhibiting cheerfulness, duty, trust, kindness, generosity, faithfulness, and love.
I was disappointed to find that so many of them were adapted. I have read these before, the unabridged versions, that is; but it has been so long since, that I don't recall details of the full stories that may be different than the adaptations. The main points of the stories as well as their style and voice seem all to be present in these adaptations by Stephen W. Hines. I have no idea what was left out or how they've been altered. They retain their special, old-fashioned air of goodness.
1. The Quiet Little Woman
🌟🌟🌟🌟 A poignant story that always leaves me a little sad.
2. A Hospital Christmas (adapted)
🌟🌟🌟🌟 Another bittersweet tale, sparking some food for thought.
3. What Polly Found in Her Stocking
🌟🌟🌟🌟 In this poem, a happy little girl discovers her gifts.
4. Rosa's Tale
🌟🌟🌟🌟 A horse story reminiscent of Anna Sewell's "Black Beauty."
5. Mrs. Podgers' Teapot
🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟 Funny and gladsome, this story was one of my best-enjoyed of the collection!
6. Peace from Heaven
🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟 Sweet poem about children on Christmas morning. I savored the narrator's expressions of how loved and valued these little ones are.
7. A Country Christmas
🌟🌟🌟🌟 Little nuggets of wisdom are woven into this tale of a good, hardworking, simple life.
8. Gwen's Adventure in the Snow
🌟🌟🌟🌟 A short story about resourcefulness and courage.
9. A Christmas Dream and How It Came True (adapted)
🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟 Tired of Christmas, a spoiled little girl learns the joy of giving.
10. A Song
🌟🌟🌟🌟 This poem tells of a treat-laden Christmas tree.
11. A Merry Christmas (a portion from the novel "Little Women")
🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟 The classic story of Meg, Jo, Beth, and Amy bringing their Christmas breakfast with love to a poverty-stricken family.
12. What Love Can Do
🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟 A pair of sisters is overheard by a neighbor as they lament what a poor Christmas they've been able to provide their little family that's been left without a father. Several neighbors pitch in to surprise the girls with gifts of their own.
13. Tessa's Surprises (adapted)
🌟🌟🌟🌟 A little girl determines to earn money to provide a Christmas to her younger siblings recently bereft of their mother, and receives some rewards for her sweet and generous spirit.
14. A Christmas Turkey (adapted)
🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟 This shows the redemption of a man given to drink as his hardworking family teaches him a lesson about provision, faithfulness, and love.
15. Becky's Christmas Dream (adapted)
🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟 Similar to both "The Quiet Little Woman" and "Rosa's Tale," this combines the elements of a poor girl living a lonely servant's life and a cat sharing wisdom with her during the short interval of speech given it on a magical Christmas Eve.
16. Kate's Choice
🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟 A beautiful story of noticing, loving, and valuing the lonely.
17. Bertie's Box (adapted)
🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟 The sweet generosity of a little boy provides much-needed care to a family in dire need.
18. A New Way to Spend Christmas (adapted) 🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟 A reporter accompanies a benevolent matron in her annual Christmas visit to the children cared for in orphanages and hospitals.
19. Tilly's Christmas
🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟 Some simple acts of kindness by one little soul spark good and thoughtful deeds in another.
I was disappointed to find that so many of them were adapted. I have read these before, the unabridged versions, that is; but it has been so long since, that I don't recall details of the full stories that may be different than the adaptations. The main points of the stories as well as their style and voice seem all to be present in these adaptations by Stephen W. Hines. I have no idea what was left out or how they've been altered. They retain their special, old-fashioned air of goodness.
1. The Quiet Little Woman
🌟🌟🌟🌟 A poignant story that always leaves me a little sad.
2. A Hospital Christmas (adapted)
🌟🌟🌟🌟 Another bittersweet tale, sparking some food for thought.
3. What Polly Found in Her Stocking
🌟🌟🌟🌟 In this poem, a happy little girl discovers her gifts.
4. Rosa's Tale
🌟🌟🌟🌟 A horse story reminiscent of Anna Sewell's "Black Beauty."
5. Mrs. Podgers' Teapot
🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟 Funny and gladsome, this story was one of my best-enjoyed of the collection!
6. Peace from Heaven
🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟 Sweet poem about children on Christmas morning. I savored the narrator's expressions of how loved and valued these little ones are.
7. A Country Christmas
🌟🌟🌟🌟 Little nuggets of wisdom are woven into this tale of a good, hardworking, simple life.
8. Gwen's Adventure in the Snow
🌟🌟🌟🌟 A short story about resourcefulness and courage.
9. A Christmas Dream and How It Came True (adapted)
🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟 Tired of Christmas, a spoiled little girl learns the joy of giving.
10. A Song
🌟🌟🌟🌟 This poem tells of a treat-laden Christmas tree.
11. A Merry Christmas (a portion from the novel "Little Women")
🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟 The classic story of Meg, Jo, Beth, and Amy bringing their Christmas breakfast with love to a poverty-stricken family.
12. What Love Can Do
🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟 A pair of sisters is overheard by a neighbor as they lament what a poor Christmas they've been able to provide their little family that's been left without a father. Several neighbors pitch in to surprise the girls with gifts of their own.
13. Tessa's Surprises (adapted)
🌟🌟🌟🌟 A little girl determines to earn money to provide a Christmas to her younger siblings recently bereft of their mother, and receives some rewards for her sweet and generous spirit.
14. A Christmas Turkey (adapted)
🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟 This shows the redemption of a man given to drink as his hardworking family teaches him a lesson about provision, faithfulness, and love.
15. Becky's Christmas Dream (adapted)
🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟 Similar to both "The Quiet Little Woman" and "Rosa's Tale," this combines the elements of a poor girl living a lonely servant's life and a cat sharing wisdom with her during the short interval of speech given it on a magical Christmas Eve.
16. Kate's Choice
🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟 A beautiful story of noticing, loving, and valuing the lonely.
17. Bertie's Box (adapted)
🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟 The sweet generosity of a little boy provides much-needed care to a family in dire need.
18. A New Way to Spend Christmas (adapted) 🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟 A reporter accompanies a benevolent matron in her annual Christmas visit to the children cared for in orphanages and hospitals.
19. Tilly's Christmas
🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟 Some simple acts of kindness by one little soul spark good and thoughtful deeds in another.
Read
December 31, 2016I wanted to round out my year of audiobook listening with something warm and homey. I considered listening again to Little Women by Louisa May Alcott, but then I came across a collection of her Christmas stories and thought that sounded perfect. The stories recorded here are:
My favorites were Kate’s Choice and What Love Can Do.
quiet-little-womanI actually have “The Quiet Little Woman” in book form – it’s been on my shelf for years, and I thought I had read it, but as it started, it did not sound at all familiar to me. The book contains that story as well as Tilly’s Christmas and Rosa’s Tale.
All of the stories are in much the same spirit as Little Women: there are morals; encouragements to be brave and good and kind and to work hard and to remember and give to the poor; the simple and homey is revered above the showy and rich. In some places, like Aunt Plumey’s frank opinions in “A Country Christmas, the moral comes on a little strong by today’s standards, but was well received by the hearers in the story. Some of the stories seem more steeped in sentimentally than her books – maybe because the books have other events or maybe because Christmas stories seem to bring that out.
I didn’t look up the dates of all the stories, but the ones I did search out were written after Little Women, some of them published in magazines.
I’ve seen several collections of Alcott’s Christmas stories in print form that contain some combination of these, but I don’t think there is one that matches up exactly with the audiobook. The text of some of them can be found online by searching for the story title.
The narrator gave a valiant effort, even adding a little bit of a whinny to a horse’s voice, but I didn’t quite warm up to her.
But I am glad to have come across these and familiarized myself with some of Alcott’s stories that I hadn’t known before.
“Gwen’s Adventure in the Snow”: A group of children of varying ages go on a sleighing expedition to their country house and end up getting caught in a snowstorm with their horses running off. The children take refuge in the house and have to try to come up with food and a way to get warm.
“Rosa’s Tale”: Children discussing the legend that animals can speak for an hour after midnight on Christmas hear their horse’s life story.
“What Polly Found in Her Stocking”: a poem about a girl’s stocking presents.
“A Hospital Christmas”: a warm and caring nurse makes Christmas brighter for patients in a military hospital during the Civil War era.
“A Country Christmas”: A girl staying with her aunt in the country invites two city friends to spend the holidays with them.
“Mrs. Podgers Teapot”: A woman who feels she is making her dead husband happy by not remarrying falls in love.
“Peace From Heaven”: Another poem.
“The Quiet Little Woman”: A girl in an orphanage is taken in to a home as a servant and longs for family love.
“A Christmas Dream and How It Came True”: A spoiled little girl has a sort-of Christmas Carol experience.
“A Song”: Another Christmas poem
“Kate’s Choice”: A teenage girl in England has lost her parents and is sent to live with each of her American uncles in order to choose which one to love with.
“Bertie’s Box”: A little boy overhears his mother and aunt talking about a needy family that they might try to do something for if they remember after getting their own plans done, and he decides to take matters into his own hands.
“What Love Can Do”: As two young girls lament the meager Christmas they are facing and share their wishes, a neighbor overhears and puts a little Christmas surprise in front of their door. Another neighbor sees this and adds his own, and so on.
Tessa’s Surprises: Tessa is the oldest daughter of a poor Italian family whose mother died. As she tries to come up with a way to provide a little something for her siblings for Christmas, she decides to go with an older boy who plays a harp to various places in the city to sing and see if she can earn a few pennies.
A Christmas Turkey: A father demoralized by work problems neglects his family.The children want to do various tasks to earn money at least for a nice Christmas dinner for the family and meet with various benefactors in the process.
Becky’s Christmas Dream: Becky is a 12 year old orphan from a poorhouse bound to work for a certain family until she is eighteen. She is sad at being left behind to tend the house while the family goes out to celebrate Christmas. As the clock strikes 12, either the animals and household items start talking or Becky starts dreaming, but either way they tell how they learned contentment in their assigned tasks.
A Merry Christmas: A section from Little Women where the girls give their Christmas breakfast to a poor family and put on a play in the evening.
A New Way to Spend Christmas: An assemblage of people visit an orphanage, touched by the plight of the children and heartened by the example of one ministering to them..
Tilly’s Christmas: A poor girl rescues a bird and is rewarded by an unseen benefactor with a special Christmas.
My favorites were Kate’s Choice and What Love Can Do.
quiet-little-womanI actually have “The Quiet Little Woman” in book form – it’s been on my shelf for years, and I thought I had read it, but as it started, it did not sound at all familiar to me. The book contains that story as well as Tilly’s Christmas and Rosa’s Tale.
All of the stories are in much the same spirit as Little Women: there are morals; encouragements to be brave and good and kind and to work hard and to remember and give to the poor; the simple and homey is revered above the showy and rich. In some places, like Aunt Plumey’s frank opinions in “A Country Christmas, the moral comes on a little strong by today’s standards, but was well received by the hearers in the story. Some of the stories seem more steeped in sentimentally than her books – maybe because the books have other events or maybe because Christmas stories seem to bring that out.
I didn’t look up the dates of all the stories, but the ones I did search out were written after Little Women, some of them published in magazines.
I’ve seen several collections of Alcott’s Christmas stories in print form that contain some combination of these, but I don’t think there is one that matches up exactly with the audiobook. The text of some of them can be found online by searching for the story title.
The narrator gave a valiant effort, even adding a little bit of a whinny to a horse’s voice, but I didn’t quite warm up to her.
But I am glad to have come across these and familiarized myself with some of Alcott’s stories that I hadn’t known before.
December 4, 2020
While all of the stories are filled with the cosiness and cheeriness of Louisa May Alcott, I found them very repetitive. It felt like reading the beginning of Little Women again and again.
December 23, 2025
2.5 stars
I should have expected Alcott to be sappy, but this was over the top 😂 A couple good stories were mixed in. if I ever reread, I should do 1 single story per year.
I should have expected Alcott to be sappy, but this was over the top 😂 A couple good stories were mixed in. if I ever reread, I should do 1 single story per year.
December 15, 2021
Cute Christmas stories to read to kids.
Has enough to read one a night until Christmas.
Has enough to read one a night until Christmas.
March 17, 2024
Some of these stories were wonderful and related to Christmas, some were not Christmas related at all.
This book droned on. It should have been cut up into volumes. Singularly, Alcott’s stories are endearing and show the value of how to treat others and have a servant’s heart when it comes to doing for or helping others. I would not say these capture what Christmas is about as there is no mention of the birth of Christ or why we have Christmas, but they do capture the spirit of giving and doing for others, especially those less fortunate than you. It has a great moral, giving, and following the Golden Rule aspect.
After a couple hours, the stories seemed very repetitive as if you’re reading the same story over and over with just the character names changed. It could have definitely benefited from being a volume collection to break up the monotony and repetition. They also weren’t all Christmas themed. Cutting the non Christmas stories from the collection would’ve helped this anthology receive a higher rating. Most can be summed up as someone asked for something and it was given or someone decided randomly to change their selfish ways and gave something to someone less fortunate. They either had cranky, selfish adults or caregivers who do not want to help or give to the poor/a servant and who suddenly change their mind and hearts to want to give a bunch of material things to this person OR they dealt with children helping children or children needing help. Every one was about a servant or someone’s of lower standing/station financially.
By the last two hours of the book it was incredibly boring and so repetitive it did feel like you were reading the first story for the 18th time and my interest and connection to characters was lost.
There were two that were carbon copies, down to names and situations, of L. M. Montgomery short stories (Alcott came first, L. M. M. was the copier as she was heavily influenced by Alcott) so it also felt repetitive from previous reads which lead to more dissatisfaction with this collection. This was not the fault of the author, to be clear, as her work came long before L. M. M. It’s just a personal note that made me enjoy this less since I’d read L. M. M. Earlier in the year already.
The stories had a heavy focus and voice on doing for others, mostly the poor or those less fortunate than you. They are sweet, endearing, and have a good message, however; they do not seem to promote doing for others unless they are poor. It doesn’t convey the moral character of doing for all others which was also a bore factor and a bothersome that it didn’t seem to voice the same sentiment for all people around you.
Some stories were bothersome in the fact the characters couldn’t feed, clothe, or warm themselves, yet they take on pets. This is just a personal preference as it doesn’t seem responsible. If you cannot take care of yourself, how will you care for a pet?
Some stories were more on the fantasy side with animals and household objects talking to children while others were as stated above, dealing with someone helping someone less fortunate; even if they were struggling themselves.
It focused heavily on giving to the poor or the poor asking for things, yet not a single story discusses helping those less fortunate longterm such as getting them into schools or jobs.
Some just didn’t make sense and had poor choices (these were probably acceptable during the time when these were written in the 1800s) let’s put a baby on top of a tree to look like the Angel topper for a rich person while I sing for pennies. Let’s adopt two kittens when we can’t afford firewood or clothing.
Another theme heavily focused on was children caring for parents and earning money to support the family. This also just became too repetitive and frustrating that a child would bear this weight usually surrounding another parent’s death, a parent who drinks, a parent who doesn’t work. This influence undoubtedly came from Alcott’s own experience growing up of having to go to work very early in life to help support the family as her father’s radical idea for the time prevented him from holding a job long or obtaining a job. These stories were very much a reflection of her own life. This too became monotonous and boring as well as frustrating because children should not carry the responsibility for the entire family. While Alcott was a known feminist, the stories always reflected the children doing the household duties and caring for the father (making his dinner, doing his laundry, etc) as well as the women being stuck in these domestic roles vs branching out to education and other fields. Again, this is heavily influenced not just by the time, but Alcott’s personal experiences as she had to care for her siblings and ill father and was seemingly the only income earner for the family from a very young age.
The writing is indicative of the time, mid to late 1800’s. Singularly each story is decent to well written but on a whole they are regurgitations from the previous story. They are very preachy as others have noted and seem to have an air of you’re only a good person if you give to the poor and that the author looked down on others who didn’t share her views. Don’t get me wrong, I like Alcott, just in bite size pieces. A lot of her writing is repetitive so collections are hard to get through and personally do not hold my interest long.
The narration of this anthology was awful. The narrator should stick to everyday English speaking accents and adults. Every child had a lispy-gap tooth sound with overdone mispronounced words. Example a young child repeatedly saying “twismas” instead of Christmas. Personally I’ve never heard a child, even toddler, say twismas. The toddler accents were over the top baby talk and lost not just my attention but the emotional feel of the story. Her Italian and Spanish accents were just painful and sounded comical. They were verging on satirical. The accents were not well done at all and very distracting from even the shortest story and would’ve been better if the narrator had just changed tones and left the accents out. I could not connect with any of the characters because of the poorly done narration. I found myself just wanting the stories to end where the narrator attempted ridiculous accents. These are probably better as a physical read than an audiobook.
Overall, I don’t recommend using less you read over time and not all at once or within a few days. Break up Alcott’s work to get more benefit and enjoyment. Her messages while biased and not equal for all, are still worthwhile to read and enjoy. Reading her work, at least this collection is definitely the way to go. Skip the audiobook on this one.
This book droned on. It should have been cut up into volumes. Singularly, Alcott’s stories are endearing and show the value of how to treat others and have a servant’s heart when it comes to doing for or helping others. I would not say these capture what Christmas is about as there is no mention of the birth of Christ or why we have Christmas, but they do capture the spirit of giving and doing for others, especially those less fortunate than you. It has a great moral, giving, and following the Golden Rule aspect.
After a couple hours, the stories seemed very repetitive as if you’re reading the same story over and over with just the character names changed. It could have definitely benefited from being a volume collection to break up the monotony and repetition. They also weren’t all Christmas themed. Cutting the non Christmas stories from the collection would’ve helped this anthology receive a higher rating. Most can be summed up as someone asked for something and it was given or someone decided randomly to change their selfish ways and gave something to someone less fortunate. They either had cranky, selfish adults or caregivers who do not want to help or give to the poor/a servant and who suddenly change their mind and hearts to want to give a bunch of material things to this person OR they dealt with children helping children or children needing help. Every one was about a servant or someone’s of lower standing/station financially.
By the last two hours of the book it was incredibly boring and so repetitive it did feel like you were reading the first story for the 18th time and my interest and connection to characters was lost.
There were two that were carbon copies, down to names and situations, of L. M. Montgomery short stories (Alcott came first, L. M. M. was the copier as she was heavily influenced by Alcott) so it also felt repetitive from previous reads which lead to more dissatisfaction with this collection. This was not the fault of the author, to be clear, as her work came long before L. M. M. It’s just a personal note that made me enjoy this less since I’d read L. M. M. Earlier in the year already.
The stories had a heavy focus and voice on doing for others, mostly the poor or those less fortunate than you. They are sweet, endearing, and have a good message, however; they do not seem to promote doing for others unless they are poor. It doesn’t convey the moral character of doing for all others which was also a bore factor and a bothersome that it didn’t seem to voice the same sentiment for all people around you.
Some stories were bothersome in the fact the characters couldn’t feed, clothe, or warm themselves, yet they take on pets. This is just a personal preference as it doesn’t seem responsible. If you cannot take care of yourself, how will you care for a pet?
Some stories were more on the fantasy side with animals and household objects talking to children while others were as stated above, dealing with someone helping someone less fortunate; even if they were struggling themselves.
It focused heavily on giving to the poor or the poor asking for things, yet not a single story discusses helping those less fortunate longterm such as getting them into schools or jobs.
Some just didn’t make sense and had poor choices (these were probably acceptable during the time when these were written in the 1800s) let’s put a baby on top of a tree to look like the Angel topper for a rich person while I sing for pennies. Let’s adopt two kittens when we can’t afford firewood or clothing.
Another theme heavily focused on was children caring for parents and earning money to support the family. This also just became too repetitive and frustrating that a child would bear this weight usually surrounding another parent’s death, a parent who drinks, a parent who doesn’t work. This influence undoubtedly came from Alcott’s own experience growing up of having to go to work very early in life to help support the family as her father’s radical idea for the time prevented him from holding a job long or obtaining a job. These stories were very much a reflection of her own life. This too became monotonous and boring as well as frustrating because children should not carry the responsibility for the entire family. While Alcott was a known feminist, the stories always reflected the children doing the household duties and caring for the father (making his dinner, doing his laundry, etc) as well as the women being stuck in these domestic roles vs branching out to education and other fields. Again, this is heavily influenced not just by the time, but Alcott’s personal experiences as she had to care for her siblings and ill father and was seemingly the only income earner for the family from a very young age.
The writing is indicative of the time, mid to late 1800’s. Singularly each story is decent to well written but on a whole they are regurgitations from the previous story. They are very preachy as others have noted and seem to have an air of you’re only a good person if you give to the poor and that the author looked down on others who didn’t share her views. Don’t get me wrong, I like Alcott, just in bite size pieces. A lot of her writing is repetitive so collections are hard to get through and personally do not hold my interest long.
The narration of this anthology was awful. The narrator should stick to everyday English speaking accents and adults. Every child had a lispy-gap tooth sound with overdone mispronounced words. Example a young child repeatedly saying “twismas” instead of Christmas. Personally I’ve never heard a child, even toddler, say twismas. The toddler accents were over the top baby talk and lost not just my attention but the emotional feel of the story. Her Italian and Spanish accents were just painful and sounded comical. They were verging on satirical. The accents were not well done at all and very distracting from even the shortest story and would’ve been better if the narrator had just changed tones and left the accents out. I could not connect with any of the characters because of the poorly done narration. I found myself just wanting the stories to end where the narrator attempted ridiculous accents. These are probably better as a physical read than an audiobook.
Overall, I don’t recommend using less you read over time and not all at once or within a few days. Break up Alcott’s work to get more benefit and enjoyment. Her messages while biased and not equal for all, are still worthwhile to read and enjoy. Reading her work, at least this collection is definitely the way to go. Skip the audiobook on this one.
January 11, 2025
Even though I like Louisa May Alcott, I found this collection saccharine and excessively moralistic: for those who do good will, work hard, and put others first, blessings await them because angels and good Christmas spirits roam about on Christmas, blessing the poor innocent creatures and those who adhere to the Golden Rule. Alcott most likely was influenced by Rousseau's philosophy on children, that they are virtuous, innocent, and pure until corrupted by their society and environment, hence why most adults in these stories are cruel and selfish, until they learn from the child's loving simplicity. Almost every story consists of a poor angelic child (mostly orphans) who works hard to ensure that their family has a good Christmas, even at the cost of their own needs or health; however, in the end, because of the goodwill done to others, others return the favor.
As a Victorian writer, she writes in the style of her times, revealing the inappropriate treatment of children, orphans, animals, and the impoverished: a wealthy lady spends her Christmas visiting both an orphanage and a school for children with special needs; an orphan servant child is left behind on Christmas; a horse endures a hard life; a child helps an impoverished family, etc.
As a Victorian writer, she writes in the style of her times, revealing the inappropriate treatment of children, orphans, animals, and the impoverished: a wealthy lady spends her Christmas visiting both an orphanage and a school for children with special needs; an orphan servant child is left behind on Christmas; a horse endures a hard life; a child helps an impoverished family, etc.
May 13, 2021
This is a collection of a few poems and short stories reminding us of simpler and kinder times. Each story encourages kind thoughtfulness of others who are lacking love and in need of physical encouragement, especially at Christmas time. One excerpt is from "Little Women" - a scene from their Christmas celebration. Though none of the stories really reflect upon Christ and His birth, they do encourage giving and thoughtfulness of others and treating others with special kindness regardless of their circumstances. Some are fanciful - such as several where the animals talk to the characters and several stories encourage the characters to follow some Biblical principles, such as "love your neighbor as yourself."
dnf
December 6, 2019I feel like Ebenezer Scrooge for saying that I didn't like these stories. After all, everyone loves Little Women (which I liked it but wasn't my favorite) so of course a collection of Christmas tales by Louisa May Alcott would be delightful to read at the holidays, right? For me, not so much. These stories felt like eating a cake that looked irresistible but was actually way too sweet.
December 13, 2017
Have you read Little Women? Then you know that it opens at Christmas time, with a heartwarming story of the girls giving what little they had away to people even less fortunate. It's lovely. Now imagine reading 18 other stories that are almost exactly the same.
December 17, 2023
I listened to this audiobook as a "reset", hoping to get into a more cozy holiday spirit. However, I was struck by the problematic language in the book. Phrases like "spoiled child" and scenes that produced "othering" did not sit well with me. I was bothered by this given that the only other Alcott book I've read was "Little Women" and, like many other people, I adore it. I know that the point of these short stories is to bring people together and spark care and concern for others who may be different from us. Maybe I have been oversensitized to the critical lens we now place on language, but most of the stories did not sit well with me. I did love one, though - it personified the clock, teakettle, and hearth fire in a home at Christmastime - the clock shared that he once lamented his monotonous, never-ending, droning on and on job - which made me laugh because I would never want to be a clock! The clock talked about how he "gave up" and stopped working once - but then he became bored because the family simply stood him in a corner and ignored him. So he began ticking again and found new joy in being immensely helpful to others by keeping them on time. I have a new appreciation for clocks now. :)
January 14, 2025
Journey back in time with children's Christmas stories of old from beloved author Louisa May Alcott. The Christmas Stories of Louisa May Alcott have been compiled by Dreamscape Media and are performed by an award-winning narrator.
Let me say, though I know the work of Louisa May Alcott, I didn't recall that she wrote so many Christmas stories. Yet, here they are, compiled in one delightful audio collection for middle graders on up. Some of my favorites from this collection are:
"Bertie's Box,"
"A Hospital Christmas,"
"A Christmas Turkey," and
"A Merry Christmas."
With audio books, the narrator can make it or break it for me. This narrator did an amazing job!
If you are a fan of Little Women, Louisa May Alcott, or classic children's literature, you will want to listen to this charming collection.
Let me say, though I know the work of Louisa May Alcott, I didn't recall that she wrote so many Christmas stories. Yet, here they are, compiled in one delightful audio collection for middle graders on up. Some of my favorites from this collection are:
"Bertie's Box,"
"A Hospital Christmas,"
"A Christmas Turkey," and
"A Merry Christmas."
With audio books, the narrator can make it or break it for me. This narrator did an amazing job!
If you are a fan of Little Women, Louisa May Alcott, or classic children's literature, you will want to listen to this charming collection.
January 24, 2023
When taken as a whole, these stories are very repetitive and almost exchangeable.
But, taken as individual stories, my eyes were opened and heart changed. I really can't get over the stories of poverty and need. I feel more blessed than perhaps I ever have, more grateful for the many gifts we take for granted. To think of being a mother and not having anything but dried bread to give your child, and sacrificing for her and giving her all the milk. That there would be such desperation.
So, read these stories at your own risk--you may be more of who God wants you to be after reading--at least I hope I am.
But, taken as individual stories, my eyes were opened and heart changed. I really can't get over the stories of poverty and need. I feel more blessed than perhaps I ever have, more grateful for the many gifts we take for granted. To think of being a mother and not having anything but dried bread to give your child, and sacrificing for her and giving her all the milk. That there would be such desperation.
So, read these stories at your own risk--you may be more of who God wants you to be after reading--at least I hope I am.
April 21, 2024
3.65⭐
Gwen's Adventure in the Snow 3.5⭐
Rosa's Tale 4.5⭐
What Polly Found in Her Stocking 3.25⭐
A Hospital Christmas 4⭐
A Country Christmas 4⭐
Mrs. Podgers' Teapot 4.5⭐
Peace from Heaven 3⭐
The Quiet Little Women 3.75⭐
A Christmas Dream, and How It Came True 3.25⭐
A Song 2.75⭐
Kate's Choice 3.25⭐
Bertie's Box 3.5⭐
What Love Can Do 4.25⭐
Tessa's Surprises 3.5⭐
A Christmas Turkey 4.25⭐
Becky's Christmas Dream 3.5⭐
A Merry Christmas (from Little Women) 4⭐
A New Way to Spend Christmas 2.5⭐
Tilly's Christmas 4⭐
Gwen's Adventure in the Snow 3.5⭐
Rosa's Tale 4.5⭐
What Polly Found in Her Stocking 3.25⭐
A Hospital Christmas 4⭐
A Country Christmas 4⭐
Mrs. Podgers' Teapot 4.5⭐
Peace from Heaven 3⭐
The Quiet Little Women 3.75⭐
A Christmas Dream, and How It Came True 3.25⭐
A Song 2.75⭐
Kate's Choice 3.25⭐
Bertie's Box 3.5⭐
What Love Can Do 4.25⭐
Tessa's Surprises 3.5⭐
A Christmas Turkey 4.25⭐
Becky's Christmas Dream 3.5⭐
A Merry Christmas (from Little Women) 4⭐
A New Way to Spend Christmas 2.5⭐
Tilly's Christmas 4⭐
December 5, 2025
These short stories made me grateful. Each revolved around themes of family, love, charity, good will, strong character, respect and obedience to parents and grandparents. Mostly it struck me that life was so hard for people in her time. They worked hard daily to provide for their families, and often fell short, not for lack of trying. I have seen poverty like that in my life but have been so blessed to never experience it. It leaves you wanting to be the person who notices others' needs and silently fills them.
December 27, 2025
Thus ends my Louisa May Alcott December. ♥ These stories & poems were joyful, kind, uplifting little jewels; her writing style & focus on character really lends itself to short pieces. Not as good as the Little Women books, but this was a wintry, cozy, festive delight! My favorites were “A Hospital Christmas”, “A Country Christmas”, “A Merry Christmas” (from Little Women), “What Love Can Do”, & “Becky’s Christmas Dream”.
December 25, 2020
My children and I spend advent resetting our hearts to notice others by listening to this collection, Christmas with Anne and Other Stories by LM Montgomery, and Dickens’ Christmas stories when we are in the car together. Their focus on charity, contentment, kindness to others, gratitude, and family are a good antidote to the consumerism that our culture can inspire.
December 17, 2021
I listened to all the delightful holiday tales in this audible book and had an enjoyable time doing so. Each one has a message of hope and happiness and the importance of giving to those less fortunate or who are just unhappy around the holiday season. Highly recommend for all. The audible version is very nice.
December 17, 2019
I forgot I don't really care for short stories in audio format. The flow is all weird to me. That being said, this is a nice collection that focuses on family, being grateful for all that you have (even when it isn't much), and showing kindness to the poor. There are also some poems included.
December 13, 2022
Louisa May Alcott’s family gathers together to remind us the meaning of the Christmas of old. Many short stories and poems of the Alcott’s Yuletide season. A wonderful way to leave the hustle and bustle of todays worries behind.
December 29, 2023
3.5
some of these were cute, some of these were like "yeah let's put an actual baby on top of the tree as a tree topper." basically the message of every one was "if you're poor, be nice and someone will give you stuff" and/or "if you're rich, be nice and god will like you i guess"
some of these were cute, some of these were like "yeah let's put an actual baby on top of the tree as a tree topper." basically the message of every one was "if you're poor, be nice and someone will give you stuff" and/or "if you're rich, be nice and god will like you i guess"
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