Chicken Soup for the Soul: The Wonder of Christmas: 101 Stories about the Joy of the Season

by Amy Newmark, Shari Marshall

Share in the wonder and joy of Christmas! From holiday hijinks to magical moments, from family traditions to the spirit of giving, there’s no time of year like the holidays.You’ll laugh out loud at some stories; others will make you tear up a little. These heartwarming, fun and inspirational stories will leave you with a smile and enthusiasm for the season that will last all year long. And we didn’t forget that you can find fun and wonder in the rest of the holiday season, with stories about Thanksgiving, Hanukkah and New Year’s. There’s something for everyone in these joy-filled pages.

Genres: Christmas, Nonfiction

384 pages, Kindle Edition

Published October 16, 2018

About the author

Amy Newmark is the bestselling author, editor-in-chief, and publisher of the Chicken Soup for the Soul book series. Since 2008, she has published 191 new Chicken Soup for the Soul titles, most of them national bestsellers in the U.S. and Canada, more than doubling the number of Chicken Soup for the Soul titles in print today.

Amy is credited with revitalizing the Chicken Soup for the Soul brand, which has been a publishing industry phenomenon since the first book came out in 1993. By compiling inspirational and aspirational true stories curated from ordinary people who have had extraordinary experiences, Amy has kept the thirty-year-old Chicken Soup for the Soul brand fresh and relevant.

Follow Amy on Twitter @amynewmark. Listen to her free podcast, The Chicken Soup for the Soul Podcast, on Apple Podcasts, Google Play, the Podcasts app on iPhone, or by using your favorite podcast app on other devices.

Reviews

[Dann · Rating 3 out of 5]

Chicken Soup for the Soul: The Wonder of Christmas – 101 Stories about the Joy of the Season is a delightful holiday treat that celebrates the spirit and traditions of Christmas. The stories range from between 2-4 pages and are divided into ten chapters, each focusing on a different theme – Gifts, Thankfulness, Memories, Family, etc. Some are deeply moving and serious, covering the loss of loved ones and miraculous events, while others are lighthearted and whimsical, talking about cooking mishaps and pet hijinks. Yet there’s a surprising lack of repetitiveness; as they each have a unique quality to them. However, many of the stories are forgettable and there are a couple that just aren’t that interesting or relatable. Still, despite its weaknesses, overall Chicken Soup for the Soul: The Wonder of Christmas – 101 Stories about the Joy of the Season is inspirational and heartwarming.

[Shari Marshall · Rating 5 out of 5]

Full of beautifully written pieces that shine with emotion and leave the reader with positive messages of hope and inspiration. "The Wonder of Christmas" is a truly great gift idea for the holiday season.

[Diane · Rating 4 out of 5]

inspirational, heart-warming. really enjoyed it. lots of short stories, so you can just read as much as you have time for.

[Michael · Rating 5 out of 5]

Strictly speaking, I am not a fan of the Chicken Soup for the Soul series of books. When I have picked up any old copy and turned to a random story, I find them unnecessarily syrupy and pontificating. Believe me, I loathe pontificating.

I cannot explain why the The Chicken Soup for the Soul Christmas books differ. It may be that I already have soft spot in my brain--errr, my heart, I mean--for Christmas. It may be that, like the reformed Ebenezer Scrooge, I carry Christmas in my heart all through the year. It may be that I am a shameless, committed Christmas addict, one addiction for which I hope no one ever finds a cure. But whatever the reason, I find the CS4TS Christmas books to be pure potato chip reading. By that, I mean when I open a bag of chips, I solemnly promise that I am only going to eat a couple, one at a time. Before long, I will have worked my way to the bottom of the bag, scarfing down double fistfuls until even the inevitable crumbs at the bottom are gone. Similarly, right before I put the light out at night, I vow that I am only going to read a few stories from one of the CS4TS Christmas books and THEN I will go to sleep. But I look up at the clock and it's much too late for me to get a proper night's rest. In either case, I can only shrug and admit my weakness.

Not all of the stories in the books are cheesy cheerful, and not all of them have a happy ending. But they do evoke Christmas memories of holidays long past and not-so-past. They make me feel that those of us who do celebrate Christmas have much in common; it's good to know I am not the only one who feels about Christmas the way I do. I would never presume the wherewithal to lecture someone who does not celebrate Christmas. But to anyone interested in knowing, I would say that these books have lifted my Christmas spirits when they are lagging, and have become a part of my own holiday tradition.

[Katie · Rating 5 out of 5]

It had been years since I had read a chicken soup book. I loved them as a teenage and so when I was looking for something to get me into the Christmas spirit and ran across this book i decided to give it a try. I loved the short quick stories and teared up at almost every single one. This is a great book to take a few stories to read each day to get you in the Christmas spirit while still being able to read more in depth books at the same time. I noticed there were more Christmas chicken soups so I do believe I will make these a tradition to read each Christmas season.

[Ktmattison · Rating 4 out of 5]

I used this as nightly reading with my mom, and most of it was lovely, and what you'd expect bronChitis Soup... I only leave off a star because (spoiler alert)the whole last chapter of more is filled almost exclusively stories revolving around death and loss.... Usually Chicken Soup properly warns you of such chapters,but this felt like a really unearned of situation, and a bad way to end such a sweet and otherwise pretty happy book

[Mayda · Rating 4 out of 5]

These Christmas vignettes are often humorous, sometimes sad, but mostly poignant tales from different people describing past Christmas memories. Many have the message of hope. Others illustrate the joy of giving, often to strangers. It is a delightful collection, and one that can be enjoyed more than once and shared with family and friends.

[Kelley Blair · Rating 5 out of 5]

What a wonderful collection of essays, perfect for reading at this busy time of year. I have been a fan of Chicken Soup For The Soul for many years. This book is guaranteed to get you in the holiday spirit.

[Karen Mcnicol · Rating 5 out of 5]

I have to say that of all the Chicken Soup for the Soul books, this by far my favorite. Just loved all the heartwarming stories. I took my time and only read 2-6 stories a day to make it last. Loved it!

[Brianna Blake · Rating 3 out of 5]

okay, this was great and i absolutely love chicken soup for the soul books but the only thing i didn’t like about this book - it wasn’t even about the book. it was more about me - was the fact that it to me so long to finish it.

[Dale Bennett · Rating 4 out of 5]

Many great stories.

[Sue J · Rating 5 out of 5]

Many smiles, many tears... beautiful stories!

[Elizabeth Fikar · Rating 5 out of 5]

I love these books because I can choose the stories I want to read. The ones I chose, some choked me up.

[Sisca · Rating 5 out of 5]

Always love the heartwarming stories in Chicken Soup series. Thank you to all contributors and kudos to editor team. It certainly made my 2020 Christmas more joyful.

[Cathy Boris · Rating 5 out of 5]

I enjoyed reading this Chicken Soup book.

[Donna · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5 stars

[Cindy Kanode · Rating 3 out of 5]

Sweet short stories of Christmas Magic!

[Stephanie Kirk · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was fun to read over the Christmas season. so many heartwarming stories

[Catwall · Rating 5 out of 5]

Love these "Chicken Soup for the Soul" books and this is not exception. 101 Christmas stories to read during the Christmas season.

[Matt Chlebda · Rating 4 out of 5]

(First posted December 7, 2024)

A good collection of holiday stories in here- but I am baffled why the editor included stories about Thanksgiving along. Hanukkah stories I understand, but why tales of Thanksgiving when it's after the fact? Oh well, doesn't really take away from the enjoyment of the book (I read that the other modern Christmas Chicken Soup books are guilty of this too), as the stories are what you'd expect from The Chicken Soup franchise- heartwarming, wholesome, and emotional. Just one minor complaint in an otherwise good collection of stories. Still worth looking into!

[Diana · Rating 4 out of 5]

So many stories. I truly enjoyed reading this book and because the stories are short, it's easy to read a few and put it down for a while.