A Book Club Christmas Tradition for 40+ Years

Silent Night? Not for these readers.

For more than four decades, Anna Boorstin and the members of her monthly book club have celebrated Christmas by doing something delightfully different. Joyful, even. Their unique book club tradition combines holiday stories and the joy of discovering new Christmas books. Every December, they get together to raise their voices and create the sounds of Christmas. Not by singing, but by reading Christmas stories aloud. What began with timeless holiday classics has grown into a cherished tradition of discovering new holiday stories, remarkable authors, and new reasons to celebrate the season. In the early years, the literary-loving book club turned to familiar favorites. They revisited 'Twas the Night Before Christmas, the memorable Christmas chapter from A Christmas Carol featuring Tiny Tim's family, the magical arrival of Father Christmas in The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe, The Snow Queen, The Life and Adventures of Santa Claus by L. Frank Baum, and, of course, How the Grinch Stole Christmas. Eventually, however, they realized they had worked their way through most of the holiday classics. That discovery led them to A Literary Christmas, an anthology of contemporary fiction that opened the door to a new generation of holiday stories and authors.

A Literary Christmas features a collection of 27 holiday stories by acclaimed writers including Jane Smiley, Ron Carlson, Tobias Wolff, Raymond Carver, and many others.

To add an element of surprise to the annual program, Anna's book club introduced a bit of holiday whimsy. They wrote the title of each story on a slip of paper, tucked the paper slips into a hat, and let chance decide which story would be shared that evening. Their simple tradition has introduced them to new authors, sparked memorable conversations, and kept their December gatherings fresh year after year. Now, after 40 years, Boorstin says the tradition is one she happily shares with other readers, hoping it inspires families, friends, and book clubs to create holiday memories of their own.

It seems somehow fitting that someone who has spent four decades celebrating books at the holidays and year-round would also write a novel of her own. When Anna isn't reading books, she is busy writing them.  Through her lifelong love of literature as both a reader and a novelist, Anna Boorstin celebrates the power that stories have to bring people together.

No Place Like by Anna Boorstin is a thoughtful gift for readers who believe in second chances. The novel is set within a cinematic multiverse where healing is possible, love echoes across realities, and an older woman unexpectedly becomes the hero of her own story. Anna reminds readers that it is never too late to discover new possibilities—or to rewrite what comes next in life.

Discover more about Anna: www.AnnaBoorstin.com

Christmas Books Anna Boorstin's Book Club Has Enjoyed:

• A Literary Christmas Great Contemporary Christmas Stories by Lilly Golden

• A Christmas Carol by Charles Dickens

• The Night Before Christmas by Clement Moore, Charles Santore (Illustrator)

• The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe (Chronicles of Narnia) by C. S. Lewis

• The Snow Queen (With Original Illustrations) by Hans Christian Andersen (Author), Vilhelm Pedersen (Illustrator), H.B. Paull (Translator)

• The Life and Adventures of Santa Claus: A Magical Origin Story of Christmas Joy and Wonder By L. Frank Baum (Illustrated & Annotated)

• How the Grinch Stole Christmas! by Dr. Seuss