A Vintage Christmas: A Collection of Classic Stories and Poems

by Thomas Nelson Audio, Charles Dickens, L.M. Montgomery

During the hectic Christmas season, slow down with these heartwarming stories from some of literature’s most beloved writers.

In this collection, readers will discover lesser-known but tender stories and poems from classic authors they know and love. Each selection celebrates the beauty, mystery, and joy found in the season that commemorates Christ’s birth.

A Vintage Christmas includes stories from Louisa May Alcott, Charles Dickens, Nathaniel Hawthorne, Harriet Beecher Stowe, Mark Twain, L.M. Montgomery, and Selma Lagerlof, as well as poems from John Milton, Christina Rossetti, William Makepeace Thackeray, Anne Brontë, Henry Wadsworth Longfellow, and Samuel Taylor Coleridge.

Genres: Christmas, Classics, Short Stories, Fiction, Poetry, Holiday, Audiobook

Audiobook

First published January 1, 2018

Reviews

[Antoinette · Rating 3 out of 5]

Christmas stories and poems by various authors. My favourites were by LM Montgomery. Most of the stories had a moral- better to give than receive and be careful what you wish for. Probably would have been better read one story a day, but as it did not enthral me, I wanted to move on.

[Celeste · Rating 4 out of 5]

A Vintage Christmas is a charming and timeless collection of stories and poems from classic authors. It did a wonderful job of helping me get into the Christmas spirit during an incredibly busy and stressful year. While each segment of the collection was enjoyable, I did have favorites. I really enjoyed the stories from L. M. Montgomery and Louisa May Alcott, as well as the poetry of Henry Wadsworth Longfellow and Anne Brontë. If you’re looking for something bite-sized and wholesome to remind you of the purity of Christmas before it was overtaken by commercialism, I definitely recommend this little collection.

[Pegasus in Fire · Rating 4 out of 5]

Charming tales and poems!

[Shauna · Rating 3 out of 5]

I didn't really care for the Harriet Beecher Stowe stories but the rest were solid. I have read a few in other compilations.

[Brooke — brooklynnnnereads · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book was an excellent addition to my shelves for the holiday season and one that I know I will reread over the years.

As this is an anthology collection, there's a mixture of short stories and poems. Personally, I found some better than others but that could easily change over the years with different stories or poems resonating differently at different stages of life.

This collection is classic and timeless and I know I will reread it over the course of my lifetime.

[Brandie ♡]

This was gifted to me from a friend and was such a joy to read at Christmas time. Perfect book to dip in and out of full of heartwarming stories. I will definitely be picking up again next year 🥰

[Noha Badawi · Rating 4 out of 5]

Atmospheric, cozy and perfect for Christmas time ✨🎄

[Natasha Marie · Rating 4 out of 5]

A perfectly respectable Christmas collection of short stories and poems. I enjoyed some of the stories very much indeed, especially those by L.M. Montgomery, and “Christmas Every Day” by William Dean Howells.

[Samantha · Rating 3 out of 5]

Five stars for LM Montgomery and Ralph Henry Barbour, 2-3 stars for the rest.

[Faye · Rating 3 out of 5]

Very cute, sweet book. For some reason, I just had a hard time staying focused and interested.

[Vicki Tillman · Rating 5 out of 5]

Old classics that I like to listen to each Christmas.

[Tirzah · Rating 4 out of 5]

I love this book! It does a really good job of showing a good variety of Christmas stories. I must admit that I did get a little bored with 2 or 3 of the stories but other than that I love this book! And the poetry! Loved it! Such sweet and homey Christmas tales!

[Annah]

I loved the poetry in this collection! Some cozy short stories, but I think I prefer Christ meditations over general Christmas stories. Christmas doesn’t hold too much meaning for me with an absence of Christ.

[Krissy · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5 ⭐

As with any anthology, I enjoyed some stories more than others. Overall, it was an enjoyable read full of nostalgic Christmas vibes.

[Lynn · Rating 4 out of 5]

Fun and entertaining little book chock full of short Christmas tales from such authors as L M Montgomery, Charles Dickens, Louisa May Alcott and others. Christmas poems too. Enjoyable read.

[Elisa]

Review will follow!

[Emily Weigel · Rating 5 out of 5]

I really loved the first few stories. The poems near the end were nice, but the stories were exquisite. Great for putting me in a Christmas mood. 🎄☃️❤️💚

[Sarah Winslow]

A nice read during the season! The feel of some of the short stories got repetitive, but most of the poetry was new to me!

[Anna · Rating 3 out of 5]

A collection of classic Christmas tales and poems. It was lovely and enjoyable.

[Carrie · Rating 2 out of 5]

I originally purchased with the intention as a read aloud with the children but I myself found most of the book rather boring.

[Ceri · Rating 3 out of 5]

After a while all the stories began to blur into one but there were some absolute gems in there, especially the L.M. Montgomery stories.

[Ella · Rating 3 out of 5]

A great little festive collection of stories and poems! But I would definitely recommend reading them in bite-size pieces as it became a bit too much reading them all in one day (haha).

[Relyn · Rating 3 out of 5]

I admit that I skipped the poetry and skimmed some of the stories. But, I also found many Christmas stories that were a complete delight. I especially loved the ones by Lousia May Alcott and L.M. Montgomery. My favorite was "Aunt Cyrilla's Christmas Basket" by L.M. Montgomery and "A Letter From Santa Claus" by Mark Twain. Those stories were 5 stars, for sure.

[Mary · Rating 4 out of 5]

These are full of Christmas past and the way Christmas was before commercialization truly hit. Loved the stories, still not a fan of poetry, even Christmas poetry.

[Maygon Brack · Rating 5 out of 5]

12-11-25 This was my second time reading this collection. Although I’m rating it a 5 this one is my least favorite of the collection. But it’s still a 5 for me because overall it’s good Christmas reading!! I read this one first last year and last this year so I’m not sure if that made a difference but I’m sure my opinion might change from year to year also. I still plan to read all 3 of these every year.

12-15-24 Perfect Christmas classics!! This book was a perfect addition to my Christmas book collection and one that I know I will reread over the years!!
It’s a mixture of short stories and poems. I liked some better than others but that could easily change over the years with different stories or poems resonating differently at different stages of life.
This collection is classic and timeless and I know I will reread them over the course of my lifetime. And I’m looking forward to reading the other 2 books in this collection of more short stories & poems!!

[Sandy · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book was just delightful. There was only one story that I had read before which is unusual in collection of Christmas stories. They were all of the Victorian age so right up my alley.

[Donna · Rating 3 out of 5]

'A Vintage Christmas' is a classic collection of lesser-known holiday short stories and poems from well-regarded 19th-century authors, including Louisa May Alcott, L.M. Montgomery, Harriet Beacher Stowe, Charles Dickens, Mark Twain and numerous others. My favourite piece was Mark Twain's whimsical 'A Letter From Santa Claus,' written to his 3-year-old daughter. L.M. Montgomery's 'Aunt Cyrillic's Christmas Basket' and William Dean Howells' 'Christmas Every Day' were also among my favourites as they stood distinct from some of the other pieces that unfortunately blended together for me.

Best read at an unhurried pace, this collection's common themes risk becoming a tad overwhelming when read too closely together. Despite an overall 3.5-star rating, with a few 4+-star highlights, I was glad that I included 'A Vintage Christmas' in my holiday reading. I especially enjoyed the historical insights provided, e.g. the use of hot bricks for warmth in winter sleigh rides and Charles Dickens's impact on shaping Christmas as a family-centric celebration, particularly the tradition of Christmas dinner.

As this was my pick for our book club read for December, I eagerly await hearing other members' thoughts on their enjoyment (or lack thereof) of this journey into holidays past. Surprisingly, these 19th century stories revealed many core challenges that resonate timelessly with our present-day holiday experiences.

3.5 stars

[Leslie McKee · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 stars

This is a delightful book, perfect for the Christmas season.

While I've heard of many of the authors included in this compilation, I haven't read any of the stories or poems before. The book, along with its contents, has an old-fashioned feel. Overall, it's a quick read, and I could see it being used to start a new tradition during the holidays. Each story reminds the reader or the joys of the season.

The following authors are included in this charming book: Louisa May Alcott, L. M. Montgomery, William Dean Howells, Harriet Beecher Stowe, Charles Dickens, Mark Twain, Kate Douglas Wigging and Nora A. Smith, Ralph Henry Barbour, Henry Wadsworth Longfellow, Eliza Cook, Samuel Taylor Coleridge, Anne Bronte, Alfred Lord Tennyson, William Makepeace Thackeray, Christina Rossetti, Paul Laurence Dunbar, Robert Bridges, and Joyce Kilmer.

Some of my favorites:
- "A Christmas Dream, and How It Came to Be True" by Louisa May Alcott
- "A Christmas Inspiration" by L. M. Montgomery
- "A Christmas Dinner" by Charles Dickens
- "A Letter from Santa Clause" by Mark Twain
- "Music on Christmas Morning" by Anne Bronte (poem)
- "Ring Out, Wild Bells" by Alfred Lord Tennyson (poem)
- "Wartime Christmas" by Joyce Kilmer (poem)


Disclaimer: I received a complimentary copy, but I wasn't required to leave a positive review.

[Sherri · Rating 3 out of 5]

This quaint book that celebrates the Christmas holiday with samplings of many famous writers of the past was a nice treat to read. My favorite short story was the first novella of the collection,A Christmas Dream and How it Came to be True by Louise May Alcott. My second favorite is from Harriet Beecher Stowe, Christmas; or, the Good Fairy.

It is a nice collection of short stories and the ending of the book, are several poems, again by many famous poets. Other major authors in this little collection for stories are Charles Dickens, L.M. Montgomery and Mark Twain. Some poets are Henry Wadsworth Longfellow, Samuel Taylor Coleridge, Anne Brontë and many more.

[Kate · Rating 3 out of 5]

Really really loved the story Christmas Every Day by William Dean Howells. That gets 5 stars. It’s clever, funny and delightful. The others, with maybe the exception of the letter from Mark Twain, were pretty forgettable. I listened to it which was hard because I had no idea what the stories were. I ended up buying the kindle book just so I could see who wrote them, but it’s not the same book! Oh well. It does include these stories and a bunch more so can read them as well.