I love Christmas, as I’ve said many times, but I don’t have those wonderful memories of Christmas as a child. It’s not that my Christmases were not marvelous, I’m sure they were, my memory just honestly sucks. I remember bits and pieces, but that’s all. I think that’s part of the reason I enjoyed “Dakota Christmas” by Joseph Bottum.
In “Dakota Christmas,” Bottum shares memories of his childhood on the cold South Dakota plains, of the food and gifts, of books and toys, of family and friends, of the joy and sometimes tears of children during the holidays. He brings those memories to life with humor and sharp details. He makes me hope that our holidays are special ones that stay with Amber through the years.
Bottum also reminds us that while it’s easy to get caught up in the glitz and glitter, or plastic and jello, of the season, the focus still need to be on that babe in the manger.
And there was Freddy the Pig and The Wind in the Willows and Ivanhoe and A Canticle for Leibowitz and on and on . They always seemed to smell like an impossible abundance in the midst of a cold winter.
But isn’t that something like a symbol of Christmas? The real Christmas, I mean: God’s impossible abundance in the midst of a cold winter.
Category: Memoir- Christmas
4½ out of 5 stars
20 pages
This is available as a Kindle Single.
Source: Purchased
This sounds like a nice book to read for Christmas. I only remember a few things from Christmas’ past. I do remember always having a houseful of people.
At 20 pages, it’s really too short to be considered a book, but it’s not exactly short stories either.
Sure I have read xmas books already, but I think that something like this would be even better 🙂
I like the sound of this Christmas book for sure!
“impossible abundance in the midst of a cold winter” – A very humbling thought. Christmas is already beginning to feel like a chore when it shouldn’t be that way. I’d much prefer the sentiment in that quote.
I was just saying this morning that I’m beginning to hate December. Not true, really I love the season, but it just seems so busy this year.
I love Christmas books!
This sounds like a great book to read this time of year.
Reading your Christmas posts are making me remember so many wonderful childhood memories. Thanks!
This sounds very nice. I love this: “God’s impossible abundance in the midst of a cold winter”
This would have been perfect for my states challenge! Unfortunately I’m listening to a so-so book by Nora Roberts for South Dakota.