‘Tis the season to read cosy books with a warm blanket, under the glow of the Christmas tree, which means it’s time once again for The Christmas Readathon!
I absolutely love this readathon every year- it gives me a perfect excuse to spend time with comfort reads and keep me motivated to read though the whole of December.
Here’s my TBR for each prompt in this year’s readathon. If you didn’t catch my post on Instagram with suggestions for each prompt, you can find it here, so you can build your own!
1. “’Twas the night before Christmas” – Read a book with a festive theme
🎄 Hogfather by Terry Pratchett
I’ve never read anything by Terry Pratchett. It never really appealed but I’ve weirdly always been a bit interested in Hogfather after being innundated by ads for a TV adaptation on Sky back in 2006 during The Simpsons marathon of Christmas episodes. We had recorded these episodes straight from the TV onto a DVD and watched it each year, becoming way too familiar with the ads too (I can still recite the Domino’s one, for instance). So, I go into this read with a sense of nostalgia of something I’ve never read!
2. “Not a creature was stirring, not even a mouse” – Read a small (under 300 pages) or fast-paced book
🎄 Ending Up by Kingsley Amis
Lucky Jim by this author is one of the books that got me back into reading in 2017, after several years away, so I have very high expectations for this one! Ending Up is a short novel about a group of hostile old people sharing a house, being snarky at each other during the holidays. And if that doesn’t absolutely scream ‘Christmas’, I don’t know what does!
3. “The children were nestled all snug in their beds” – Read a book of your choice at night
🎄 Dubliners by James Joyce
This is one of two books that I will be reading as part of readalongs. My husband and I joined Henry Eliot’s Substack for his monthly and year-long readalongs of classics. For December we are all reading Dubliners, which will be my first book by James Joyce. It’s a collection of short stories, one of which, The Dead, is set at Christmas.
4. “While visions of sugar-plums danced in their heads” – Read a book that features food
🎄 The Land of Milk and Honey by C. Pam Zhang
The second of my readalong books, this one for Jen Campbell’s Patreon reading club (highly reccomend it for some great picks!) It’s set in the near future when a smog has engulfed the planet. It’s meant to be beautifully written, whilst tackling big themes: climate change, class, privilege, and more within less than 300 pages.
5. “Eight tiny reindeer” – Read a book that centres around a journey
🎄 Village Christmas by Laurie Lee
I’ve had Village Christmas on my TBR for uhhhh… years. It’s meant to be a quiet, reflective wander through rural life, which sounds ideal for the colder, slower days of December. I’m hoping that I really enjoy it, but either way, it’s perfect for this prompt.
6. “Happy Christmas to all, and to all a good night!” – Jolabokaflód
Buy someone a book and spend Christmas Eve reading.
🎄 TBC
I haven’t chosen my Christmas Eve book yet, but I will be participating with my husband, as we do each year. Jolabokaflód is such a lovely reminder to take some time to slow down, and pick up a book amidst the inevitable chaos of Christmas.
I’m so excited about this year’s Christmas Readathon TBR. It’s a good mix that feels like the perfect way to end 2025. If you’re participating too, let me know what’s on your TBR- I always love adding more books to my (slightly out-of-control) list.
Happy reading, and happy start to the festive season! ✨
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