Read before Christmas 2021; all but the final story.

Like a tin of assorted chocolates. Be they Roses or Quality Street there are favourites and the ones left to the end after many hands have dipped. As I have grown older I have been amazed at those sweets I would never chose are first choice favourites for some people.
I guess this anthology of Christmas tales is a bit like that variety of chocolates.

There were familiar stories and authors known to me. Others I had not read or knew little about when referring at the end of the book to the contributing biographies. The magic of this collection is that it is full of traditional stories embracing folk tales, spiritual values and where the world of faith meets enchantment, fairy tales and the supernatural.

I found the whole process of reading these short stories in the build up to Christmas both informative and delightful. At times I felt a child again and in wonder for the season and the special activities associated with the birth of Christ. Where God touched the earth and angels shared in the miracles and celebrations.

There is poverty and struggle aplenty. All is not that rosy glow of a warm fire. Yet in each contribution you read of tradition, belief and the human spirit.

I was so impressed in receiving this ARC via the publishers and NetGalley I bought my own copy which will be dipped into in the years ahead in the days of Advent.

I feel sure a different tale will become my favourite and in the intervening weeks I will learn more of these authors and seek out their writing.

Vintage within Penguin books are a treasure chest of gifts that keep on giving and I am grateful to have found a wider and deeper meaning to Christmas in Scandinavian literature.

Not what I as expecting, but I loved it regardless. If like me you didn’t read the back properly and are expecting sweet, cheery Christmas tales with a Scandinavian feel then this isn’t for you, unless like me you like tales that are darker and can be depressing at times, there are still stories about family, religion, relationships and being good, but the emphasis is very much on realism than the fantastic. But overall if you know what you’re going in for, have an open mind and love Scandinavian culture you will enjoy this.

Thanks to netgalley and the publisher for a free copy for an honest opinion

Not exactly cheery for this time of year but I did enjoy immersing myself in these stories though some were difficult to read/understand with the translations. I particularly enjoyed the mix of old and new stories which kept things fresh and that there was such a feeling of magic to nearly each one.

This book is a mix of great and awful. But the good thing about short story books is you can leave individual stories if you wish

For my Christmas read this year I thought I’d try something a little different – some short stories (16, to be precise) in the form of A Scandinavian Christmas: Festive Tales for a Nordic Noël. I read a few an evening over a week, enjoying the idea of getting into the Christmas spirit in a small way each day.

However. This is where I have to say if you are looking for a heart-warming, happy Christmas vibe then A Scandinavian Christmas is not the book for you.

While themes you might associate with the positive side of Christmas are here – such as family, kindness, forgiveness, religious overtones, relationships with grandparents, the overwhelming focus is actually on stories with a much darker and sometimes quite depressing message.

The set of stories are written in a timespan from 1845 – 2003, so there is a wide scope in regards to the tone and ideas. I liked how the repeated theme of nature crops up, particularly the Christmas Rose, which featured in two of the short stories and was about as uplifting as these tales got.

I appreciate that these stories tap into the dark side of traditional fairy tales, indeed Hans Christian Anderson does write a few featured in A Scandinavian Christmas including one that I do actually remember my gran telling me. The harrowing story of The Little Match Girl – but I didn’t realise it was written by Hans Christian Anderson. So maybe there is something in generations passing on distressing tales to make you appreciate things aren’t so bad? I mean, it’s heart-breaking. If you’re in need of a good cry, give it a read.

So, don’t be fooled by its hygge inspired cover – a cheery Christmas read this is not. BUT a delve into traditional fairy-tale style storytelling it most definitely is. A fascinating glimpse into this genre and great if you want an alternative Christmas themed story!

A sweet selection of stories in a neat package. Loved the cover too. The Hans Christian Andersen stories were wonderful. The modern ones were quite dark and didn't really fit the tone of the rest of the book which was a bit of a shame, but I was glad there were more modern ones mixed in with the older stories.

It was lovely to read a nice Christmas selection of stories from somewhere different. I thoroughly enjoyed it abs would recommend to others wanting a Christmas read.

A delightful collection of traditional Scandi Christmas tales. A perfect winter read to warm up by the fire with.

The tales themselves aren't too long,band it's easy to become lost in the pages of these well written stories by various authors. Hans Christian Andersen is the absolute storyteller of children's fiction, and these 3 tales don't disappoint either.

Anthology by Hans Christian Andersen, Karl Ove Knausgaard, Selma Lagerlof and Vigdis Hjorth
I do love a new book for Christmas and with the mix of history and a stunning cover, this is this year's read without a doubt. Christmas always seems more Christmassy if it's Nordic.

The book is a collection of sixteen short stories in the typically Nordic tradition with a fairy tale feel. These range from the folklore stories of Hans Christian Andersen to the modern Norwegian author Vigdis Hjorth, but they share the theme of snowy Scandinavian winters and stories set at the festive season of Christmas and the New Year. They are also a tad on the sad side, especially in the case of Andersen's tales, which I have known since my childhood. Old and new, they are a good selection and are well matched.

Like most fairy tales, there is magic and elements of wickedness. Mix these with the festive aspects with tales about a fir tree, tin soldiers, Christmas dinner and the drinking that goes with it, Christmas eve and forest witches, and a wonderful festive collection is born. My favourite is The Legend of the Christmas Rose, by Selma Lagerlof, which is based on a mythical tale that also includes a real person from history. It is the story of how the plant, the winter-flowering Christmas Rose, came into being. Storytelling, morality, folklore, history and horticulture all rolled into one lovely story.

That is Christmas sorted, just gather around the log fire with the mulled wine and let the Christmas storytelling begin.

Unfortunately I found this quite disappointing.
I was really hoping for something a lot more atmospheric. While it did have a few stories that had a nice Christmas message, quite a lot of them I just found them to be stories about nothing.

I also really didn't get along with the writing style. It was quite dated and felt a bit stagnant which may be explained by the age of some of the original tales. But even the more modern stories had a very stilted style. It'd read like a classic and then I'd get thrown when there's mention of a car or phone.

Sadly, not my cup of tea.

Lovely collection of Scandinavia Christmas stories. Enjoyable read, but some of the translations make parts difficult to read.

This was such an adorable book that was a compleyely different festove book to others that I have read recently or ever. The stories were so well written and cosy and had a really heartwarming feel. I really enjoyed it and read it really quickly.

This is a collection of traditional Scandinavian Christmas stories ranging from Hans Christian Anderson to modern day writers like Karl Ove Knausgaard.
I thought the stories flowed well and it was a great mix.
This is the sort of book that you could dip in and out of and you also wouldn't have to read them in any particular order.
I found it to be charming and some stories were touching and heart warming.
With such a beautiful cover, this would make a great Christmas gift for anyone.

A Scandinavian Christmas is a slim anthology of sixteen short stories written by a range of authors both classic and modern. It includes three very famous tales from Hans Christian Andersen (1805-1875), as well three from the first woman to win the Nobel Prize for literature, Selma Lagerlof (1858-1940).

I am a terrible sucker for a pretty cover and this one is gorgeous. The book would make a beautiful stocking filler for someone who loves classic short stories that lean towards literary fiction but it won't suit everyone. Despite the cover, these tales are not all-out 'sleigh bells and mistletoe' festive tales, but unusual, poignant and sometimes downright sad stories that just happen to be set at Christmas.

My favourites were the three Hans Christian Andersen stories - beautifully written but incredibly sad. I also enjoyed The Forest Witch (about a girl trying to outwit a witch), The Christmas Rose (about a beautiful garden that only appears at Christmas) and Christmas Eve by Vigdis Hjorth (a clever but poignant story about an alcoholic trying to get through Christmas dinner with their family).



Thank you to Vintage/Random House for my copy of this book, which I requested via NetGalley and reviewed voluntarily.