On Christmas

A seasonal anthology of Christmas-themed writings to savour during the highs and lows of Christmas Day.

This delightful anthology—described in Gyles Brandreth’s introduction as “a plum pudding stuffed with good things”—offers an array of writers, both old and new, who have expressed their thoughts about Christmas with joy, nostalgia, grumpiness, and wit. Devour in one sitting, or savor at your leisure through the long winter nights.

On Christmas includes selections from Charles Dickens, William Sandys, Deborah Bull, C.S. Lewis, Saint Bonaventure, Clement A. Miles, Robert Benchley, Quentin Crisp, the Koran, Queen Victoria, Anthony Trollope, Francis Kilvert, Samuel Pepys, Fyodor Dostoevsky, Jerome K. Jerome, Edmond de Goncourt, Mrs Beeton, Kathy Lette, Paul Fournier, Anton Chekhov, Charles Dudley Warner, Sue Townsend, O. Henry, Suhel Seth, Saki, Ali Smith, William Makepeace Thackeray, Henry Lawson, Guy de Maupassant, Will Self, and P.G. Wodehouse."This compact little book, handsomely produced, includes some enterprising choices, ranging from the Koran to Ali Smith, and concluding with an essay by P.G. Wodehouse, 'Just What I Wanted,' that was published in Vanity Fair in 1915 but remains perfectly apposite today.”  —"The Best Christmas Books of 2017," Evening Standard (UK) 

“One of the best stocking-filler books of 2017.” —The Guardian (UK)


"On Christmas, a Notting Hill anthology of yuletide essays from contributors as varied as Charles Dickens, C.S. Lewis, and Anton Chekhov, has a crimson binding vivid enough to toast the retinas like holiday chestnuts. This is obviously a publisher that likes to have fun.” —Danny Heitman, The Weekly Standard



“On Christmas: A Seasonal Anthology offers something for everyone...packing in a range of old and new voices, motley viewpoints and diverse modes of writing...this charming little book hits the spot." —Malcolm Forbes, Star Tribune


"A perfect stocking stuffer for readers is this slim, hardback anthology of superb stories of and about Christmas...it's certain to please any lover of great literature." —Bayou Catholic Monthly
Gyles Brandreth is a writer, broadcaster, former MP and government whip, chancellor of the University of Chester, president of the Oscar Wilde Society, and, with his wife, cofounder of the Teddy Bear Museum at Newby Hall in North Yorkshire. His many books include a history of Christmas pantomime and a novel about the mystery of Santa Claus, Who Is Nick Saint?