Strange Holiday Reading

The holidays can be chaotic with all the shopping and crowds and the packages and weird relatives in every corner of your house. Every once and awhile you need a break--a little escape time for yourself. Why not take a few minutes to read some unconventional Christmas short stories?

Be warned! Some of these are not for the squeamish or faint of heart!

"Gift of the Magi," O. Henry, 1906.
This is one of the most popular short stories during the holiday season. It is about a young couple who saves every penny for months to buy a present for each other. They are so poor that neither has even two dollars to spend, after months of saving. In order to buy something that is worthy of their love for each other, they give up what possessions they value most. The end is a surprising test of their values and their love for each other.

"The Adventure of the Blue Carbuncle," Arthur Conan Boyle, 1892
Are you a mystery lover? Try this classic Sherlock Holmes tale. A reformed convict is framed for the theft of a rare blue carbuncle, or gem. He needs Sherlock’s help to prove his innocence. The gem ends up in a rather unusual place and Sherlock has the holiday spirit in mind as he tries to solve this case.

“Markheim,” Robert Louis Stevenson, 1886
If you are looking for a heart-warming story to fill you with Christmas spirit, this is not the story for you. This story revolves around a pawn shop owner and a thief who sells him stolen property. One day the thief claims he wants to buy a gift for someone special. The story ends with death and an encounter with what could be the devil or an angel in disguise. This story is sure to add some excitement to your day!

"How Santa Claus Came to Simpson's Bar," Bret Harte, 1870
This story is an unusual tale of Christmas. Most of the characters in this story don’t really celebrate Christmas until one night when they hear a sick young boy asking what Christmas is. He believes it is something his mother made up to aggravate him. A group of ruffians and drunkards take it upon themselves to provide the answer.

"The Fir Tree," Hans Christian Anderson, 1845
The life of a fir tree may not have seemed so interesting until now. This story is a classic fairy tale, the kind that doesn’t necessarily have a happy ending. It follows the life of a tree who always wanted to be something great like part of a ship or a Christmas tree. When it finally gets its wish, it realizes life in the forest wasn’t as bad as it once thought.