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'Rover Saves Christmas' by Roddy Doyle - Roddy Doyle’s playful tale tells the story of Rover, Father Christmas’ loyal dog that steps in when Rudolph calls in sick. Can he be a reindeer replacement for the most important night of the year?

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'Harry Heathcote of Gangoil' by Anthony Trollope -

Inspired by Charles Dickens's Christmas stories, ‘Harry Heathcote of Gangoil’ is a short but powerful story. Australian sheepfarmer Harry Heathcote must fend off ex-convict neighbours from setting fire to his pastures. The story was also influenced by Trollope’s visit to Australia to see his son.

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'A Christmas Tragedy' by Agatha Christie - This short story features the legendary detective Miss Marple. The plot is set at Hydro health spa, where Marple meets a guest with a deadly plot to murder his own wife.

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'Winter Solstice' by Rosamunde Pilcher - Pilcher’s captivating bestseller follows grief and loss in the winter season. The story follows Elfrida Phipps, a happy woman living in a Hampshire village. Christmas spirit takes hold when tragedy strikes.

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'Hercule Poirot's Christmas' by Agatha Christie - Agatha Christie has a slew of stories both festive and fiery. ‘Hercule Poirot’s Christmas’ is a highlight. This murder mystery takes place at a mansion. Belgian detective Poirot is on the case, facing plenty of twists and turns.

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'Sir Gawain and the Green Knight' by Simon Armitage - Simon Armitage adapted a 14th-century poem for this mystical Christmas mystery. The tale follows Sir Gawain, a knight of the round table, as he goes in search of the magical Green Knight.

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'The Ariel Poems' by T.S. Eliot - T. S. Eliot’s 43-line poem ‘Journey of the Magi’ is a spellbinding account of the nativity scene. It’s one of 38 Christmas-themed prose extracts from ‘The Ariel Poems’. Other highlights include Walter de la Mare’s ‘A Snowdrop’ and Siegfried Sasson’s ‘Nativity’. The original pamphlets are out of print, but the six poems that T. S. Eliot wrote for the series and the artworks that originally partnered them are available in one edition that would make a great gift.

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'The Dark Is Rising' by Susan Cooper - Susan Cooper’s contemporary caper takes place on Will Stanton’s 11th birthday. The boy makes a winter revelation, discovering that he’s an immortal guardian. His next challenge is combatting evil forces at play.

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'Dubliners' by James Joyce - James Joyce’s ‘Dubliners’ is work so seminal it can be appreciated all year round. But the collection that showcases 1900s working class life in Ireland takes on a new life at Christmas. Concluding story ‘The Dead’ is near novella length and deals with themes of love, loss, and Irish identity. It is regarded of one of the best short stories of all time.

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'Hogfather' by Terry Pratchett - In Terry Pratchett’s mythical Discworld, the Hogfather (Santa Claus) is suspended by ominous government auditors. His replacement? None other than the Grim Reaper. He may not seem like the perfect fit, but the Reaper’s about to give it his all.

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'The Children of Green Knowe' by Lucy M. Boston - This wintertime tale takes place in the Green Knowe mansion. Who lives there? A group of children who have apparently resided at the mansion for centuries. Something has to be up, so local elder Tolly goes to investigate.

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'The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes' by Arthur Conan Doyle -

Conan Doyle’s first collection has an essential Christmas mystery. ‘The Adventure of the Blue Carbuncle’ was first published in Strand. It concerns a priceless jewel theft that terrifies London as the city prepares for Christmas.

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'Monsieur' by Laurence Durrell -

Also titled ‘The Prince of Darkness’, ‘Monsieur’ is the first in Laurence Durrell’s quadrilogy ‘The Avignon Quintent’. The mysterious novel follows five characters/narrators, recalling rich winter scenes and reminiscing on life during the post-war era.

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'The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe' by C. S. Lewis - This is a Christmas classic. The timeless tale centres around four evacuees during World War II. The children journey to the mythical realm of Narnia, where it is always winter but never Christmas.

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'The Adventure of the Christmas Pudding' by Agatha Christie - First published by the Collins Crime Club, this is Agatha’s only collection that has stories with both Hercule Poirot and Miss Marple. The page-turning plots centre on murder mysteries during the winter season.

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'Ending Up' by Kingsley Amis - A loving account of old age and unity. The story follows a group of elderly people that share a home in the English countryside. Anticipating the return of their grandchildren for Christmas, the elders get up to mischevious cottage-based capers.

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'The Snowman' by Raymond Briggs - Author and illustrator Raymond Briggs crafted a classic with ‘The Snowman’. His magnum opus was adapted into a heartbreaking 30-minute animation that airs every Christmas. For the unfamiliar, the plot follows a young boy who adventures with his snowman. A copy of the book would make a great gift for a child who is learning to read.

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'A Christmas Carol' by Charles Dickens - This is perhaps the most classic of Christmas reads. If you think TV and film adaptations have prepared you, think again. The fateful tale of Ebenezer Scrooge takes on another life in its original text.

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'A Literary Christmas' by The British Library - This essential selection of literature is perfect for Christmas. Compiled by the British Library, ‘A Literary Christmas’ mixes poems, short stories, and prose taken from the finest British writers in history. A great one to dip in and out of over the season.

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'The Box of Delights' by John Masefield -

Poet Laureate John Masefield wrote a bizarre Christmas story back in the 1930s. The plot follows schoolboy Kay Harker, who is accosted by mythical characters when returning home. Featuring time-travelling mayhem and plenty of festive fun.

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' A Child's Christmas in Wales' by Dylan Thomas - ‘A Christmas Child in Wales’ doesn’t have the tightest plot, instead it uses evocative language. It’s a piece of prose that follows the author’s thoughts on Christmas, drawing from his experiences as a child.

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'Letters from Father Christmas' by J. R. R. Tolkien -

J. R. R. Tolkien’s children received annual letters and stories from the North Pole. In this book, Tolkien compiles the letters for a different perspective on holiday cheer.

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'The First Noel' by Jan Pieńkowski - This sleekly designed story puts a spin on the Nativity scene. The British-Polish author Jan Pieńkowski created a four-dimensional book that doubles up as a carousel. A refreshing presentation of the First Noel.

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'The Wind in the Willows' by Kenneth Grahame - The fifth chapter of ‘The Wind in the Willows' is a Christmas Eve fixture, depicting the altruistic Mole heading home for the holidays. Rat praises the charm and efficiency of Mole’s humble home and scrapes together a Christmas feast for the pair.

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'The 101 Dalmatians' by Dodie Smith - Made famous by the Disney adaptation, ‘The Hundred and One Dalmatians’ was originally a novel by Whitefield author Dodie Smith. The familiar fable follows the Dearly couple, who are left in hysteria when their Dalmatian puppies vanish out of thin air.

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'Christmas at Cold Comfort Farm' by Stella Gibbons - This short story selection is warm and witty. Lively scenes include making a Christmas pudding of doom and trailing detectives through the snow.

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'The Birds of the Air' by Alice Thomas Ellis - Jubilation and tragedy come face to face in this satirical philosopical novel. The story is based around a family’s seasonal get-together that is soured by a mother’s grief over the recent death of her son. Don’t be put off, this 1981 novel is a tale worth sinking into.

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'High Rising' by Angela Thirkell - The first in Angela Thirkell’s ‘Barsetshire’ series, ‘High Rising’ is set in a country village between the two World Wars. Protagonist Laura Morland is a likable widow who navigates winter life with her three joyous children.

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'The Faber Book of Christmas' by Simon Rae - This Christmas compilation from Simon Rae is an alternative approach to Christmas. There are classics from Thomas Hardy and Charles Dickens, arch verse from Philip Larkin and Dylan Thomas, and offerings from W.H.Auden, Wendy Cope, Jilly Cooper and more. There's something here to amuse and interest everyone.

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'The Haunted Man and the Ghost's Bargain' by Charles Dickens -

The last of the writer's Christmas novellas, ‘The Haunted Man…’ is more about the spirit of the holidays than Christmas itself. The tale focuses on Professor Redlaw and the spirits that haunt those close to him.

See also: Kids from Christmas movies: Where are they now?

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