A Dixie Christmas: Holiday Stories from the South's Best Writers

by Charline R. McCord (Editor), Wyatt Waters (Illustrator), Fred Chappell (Preface)

An Algonquin tradition continues with this third stellar collection of holiday stories by some of the South's most distinguished writers. This year's volume, with a preface by the acclaimed Fred Chappell, includes stories of families, couples, children, and those on their own, illustrating the many ways that Christmas can manifest from the teacher who shows one boy how to manage the world so that it's Christmas every day to the girl who, in an attempt to best her father, buys for her mother the most magnificent necklace ever. With stories and essays by Bailey White, Rick Bass, Ellen Gilchrist, Marianne Gingher, George Singleton, Michael Parker, Steve Yarbrough, Lynne Barrett, Bret Anthony Johnston, Stephen Marion and Aaron Gwyn, A Dixie Christmas celebrates a season filled with large expectations and graced with small surprises.

Each story is accompanied by watercolors frm the award-winning Mississippi artist Wyatt Waters, specially commissioned for the anthology.

Genres: Christmas, Short Stories

208 pages, Hardcover

First published September 30, 2005

Reviews

[Maridith Geuder · Rating 4 out of 5]

I liked this book because the stories capture the ambiguities we often experience during the Christmas season—the feeling of expectations followed by letdown, the loss that some experience as well as the celebrations, the isolation as well as the fellowship of community, the tensions that arise as well as the serenity of love. It reminded me to treasure the meaning of the season.

[Angie · Rating 2 out of 5]

Some of the writing is very good, but I do not appreciate most of these stories. At no time is glorification of promiscuity or vulgar languqge good, but I especially do not appreciate it in the context of Christmas or Easter. Most of the stories in this anthology are "about Christmas" only because the authors set them in that season of the year. Most of these stories are not Christmas stories at all.

Update: 12/15/2024 - No better the second time.

[Deb Hill · Rating 1 out of 5]

The stories in this book did not leave me with the warm Christmas memories that I expected. They left me with feelings of wanting and emptiness. The stories had little to do with Christmas. Foul language has no place or purpose in a Christmas story.

[Anita · Rating 3 out of 5]

This collection of Christmas themed stories was not quite what I expected, but was still worth reading. The stories ranged from those about sweet, nostalgic memories to those filled with angst, loss, and unhappiness.

My favorites leaned to those which felt wistful, but not too dark. Those which triggered some of my own memories. They were The Yellow Rose by Marianne Gingher, A Southern Christmas by Ellen Gilchrist, In the Bleak Midwinter by Bailey White, Montana Christmas by Rick Bass, and Gift Wrap by Lynne Barrett. I'm interested in reading more of their writing.

I also enjoyed the Preface by Fred Chappell where he references one of my old favorites, The Wind in the Willows by Kenneth Grahame. He also talks about the American expectation of coziness and nostalgia versus the reality of Christmas for many people. Those who work so others can enjoy the day. The soldiers, the cooks, the clean up crews, the family members, etc. all working behind the scenes to insure the rest of us can have a happy Christmas.

[Jodie · Rating 2 out of 5]

I am a sucker for a Christmas story. This was not what I was expecting. Sounded like it was going to be a fun holiday collection of stories from the south (I was expecting something akin to A Christmas Story by Jean Shepherd) and ended up being a collection of short stories that are set in the south with very little festive or fun holiday happening. On the plus side, the illustrations are beautifully done.

[Cynthia Egbert · Rating 1 out of 5]

I thought that reading short stories would help get my reading back on track in the midst of a grieving season. Well, not these stories. These are dark and hopeless and I cannot wait to donate this book somewhere and get it out of my house. These are not what a Dixie Christmas should be about, not a book where every single story is hopeless. Ugh.

[Fran Calloway · Rating 2 out of 5]

There were only two stories I enjoyed. The others are quite depressing. I found the book a struggle to get through.

[David Ward · Rating 3 out of 5]

A Dixie Christmas: Holiday Stories From the South's Best Writers by Charline R. McCord (editor) (Algonquin Books 20005)(808.83) is a nice collection of holiday-themed short stories from a few of the South's best writers along with a few stories from hacks who have never been heard from again. Two Southern gems are represented here: Bailey White and Rick Bass. This collection introduced me to two additional distinctive and likeable Southern voices: Steve Yarbrough (for "Hungarian Stew") and Michael Parker ("The Clapton Christmas"). I read each of the selections in this volume. I deem any short story collection that makes me laugh and makes me cry to be a success; A Dixie Christmas certainly filled the bill. Happy Holidays! My rating: 6.5/10; finished 12/30/13.

[Skipr · Rating 3 out of 5]

A really diverse collection of short stories. What they have in common: they all have at least some connection to the holiday season and they're set in the South, or at least were written by an author from the South (for example, "Montana Christmas," by Rick Bass). Also, nice frontispiece illustrations by Wyatt Waters for each story.

[Mary · Rating 2 out of 5]

Set of essays by Southern authors. The first was superb, and then the next two were quite disappointing, so I didn't take the time to finish the book.