Top Ten Thursday : Holiday Reads

I’ve only been posting infrequently, but those odd posts have made me realise I love creating this kind of content. The only problem is that, being a full-time Masters student, I have so little time to actually create it. However, I recently came across several new bookish blogs and became aware of Top Ten Tuesdays by That Artsy Reader Girl.

I love Top Ten Anything, as these kind of posts are fun to create and do not require research which I am currently unable to do. Even better, this Tuesday’s prompt is  Holiday Reads (Books you love reading during the holiday season.)

This is super fun and relevant, as holidays can be both magical and stressful. Personally, I love Christmas but had a number of emotionally tough holidays the past few years. I’m halfway through the journey of balancing self-care and other’s needs and taking care of my mental health during the festive season. I am not there yet, but I am trying. I’ve found that reading and focusing on my work and writing help, even though Christmas is most often seen as a break from work. So, I might not be the best person to give advice for surviving the festive season, but if you are also trying to make the best decisions for you and have the best time possible, some book suggestions might help.

• Fruits Basket

I very controversially decided to begin with a manga. The main reason for this is the  feeling of warmth I get out of it. The characters’ relationships are very wholesome  and the story is mostly about finding a place to belong and people to call family. There are even chapters whereby several characters’ try to decide if they should spend New Year’s with relatives as they’ve always done, although said relatives have been horrible to them. I am just too fond of those little everyday scenes that have nothing big or interesting about them, other than being relatable and true to everyday experience. Although there is nothing Christmas-y as such in Fruits Basket, I think the story is therapeutic and inspirational, especially if you are considering resolutions and new beginnings.

• The Hobbit

Or any book leaning towards the side of children’s literature. Most people love Lord of the Rings much more (it will definitely be my Christmas reading this year, being the first thing on my syllabus for after the holidays) but to me The Hobbit is an easier, fun read that I always love returning to. This year my reread happened early as I am writing an essay on it, but I got the cosy feelings all the same.

• The Harry Potter series

I am much more critical of the series than I used to be, but it’s still the ultimate festive read for me. The fact that there are so many Christmas scenes definitely helps get the warm and magical feels. I’m even studying at a uni that looks like Hogwarts now, so I get to have these feels much more often. Maybe the Prisoner of Askaban will be nice in case I miss Hogwarts while at home on holidays.

• Daughter of Smoke and Bone

My edition has a red door and some snow in the cover which just translates as Christmas in my head. The book’s magic is really inventive and it takes the reader to the beautiful, cold Prague. I have never been there, but it looks like a dream winter destination. Great for a dreamy escape- and some heartbreak.

• The Sword in the Stone

I’ve only found out about this book in 2019 (shame on me) but I’ve already read it twice because I’m also writing about this for my finals (in the same essay as The Hobbit no less). I will definitely not be rereading it so soon, but, like in many children’s books, the transformations and adventures in it help the reader reconnect with their inner child and get these feelings of both innocence and mischief that I associate with Christmas.

• Anything by Robin Hobb

Winter is ideal for huge fantasy books. As a fantasy student and I’m definitely biased on that, but if you want heart-warming animal companions, a complex protagonist, political intrigue, assassinations and castles, pick up the Farseer Trilogy. Or, if you have already done that, join me in reading one of Hobb’s subsequent trilogies taking place in the same realm.

• The Six of Crows Duology

Once you start, you cannot stop reading and a book hangover afterwards is very, very likely. The free time you may have during Christmas, along with the hot beverages (and perhaps a little booze?) will help you get through it.

• The Northern Lights (or the whole His Dark Materials trilogy

Snow. Bears. Golden things. Still not a Christmas-y  book, but having grown up with it, I love returning every now and then and winter vacation is a great time for that. (Also in my syllabus for next semester. Gotta love it when the Mlitt makes me reread my favourites).  It will also fall around the BBC series season 1 finale (I think? I’ve only had time to watch part of episode 1 so far whoops).

• The Night Circus

Doesn’t Christmas make you want to follow a magical circus with a black, white and red color scheme that smells of caramel and baked apples? No? It is just me?

• A Christmas Carol

I am being such a cliché here, because who doesn’t think of this book as The Default Christmas book? But my love for ghosts and Victorian books isn’t a secret, so this could not possibly be missing from my list. Even more interestingly, my professor mentioned Dickens’ other Christmas stories, which I have not yet read, but I’m sure will be an interesting read to try!

So yeah,  most of these aren’t even about Christmas, but to me Christmas is always associated with warmth and coziness, so I want to go back to comfy reads with characters and adventures I love.

What do you think about this list? What are your own favorite festive reads? Let me know in the comments!