Christmas short stories are books that are perfect reads for people who are wanting to add some festive reading into their schedule, but don’t have the time. The best short Christmas books to read are all on our ultimate list. This list of the very best short Christmas novels to read has something for everyone. Find all of the genres from contemporaries to mysteries and fantasies, and more all on this Christmas short stories list.

Last Updated: September 10, 2023

Christmas Short Stories

1. A Christmas Memory by Truman Capote

2. The Nutcracker and the Mouse King by E.T.A. Hoffmann

3. The Gift of the Magi by O. Henry

4. A Christmas Carol by Charles Dickens

5. The Elves and the Shoemaker by the Brothers Grimm

6. The Cricket on the Hearth by Charles Dickens

7. Markheim by Robert Louis Stevenson

8. The Snow Queen by Hans Christian Andersen

9. The Greatest Gift by Philip Van Soren Stern

10. At Christmas Time by Anton Chekov

11. Dave Cooks the Turkey by Stuart McLean

12. The Dead by James Joyce

13. A Kidnapped Santa Claus by L. Frank Baum

14. The Burglar’s Christmas by Willa Cather

15. A Child’s Christmas in Wales by Dylan Thomas

16. The Adventure of Blue Carbuncle by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle

17. The Fir Tree by Hans Christian Andersen

18. The Lump of Coal by Lemony Snicket

19. The Adventure of the Christmas Pudding by Agatha Christie

20. The Chimes by Charles Dickens

21. Old Christmas by Washington Irving

22. Fish Cheeks by Amy Tan

23. A Christmas Dream, and How it Came to be True by Louis May Alcott

24. Christmas at Red Butte by L.M. Montgomery

25. The Story of The Other Wise Man by Henry van Dyke

26. The Little Match Girl by Hans Christian Andersen

27. The Paper Bag Christmas by Kevin Alan Milne

28. Christmas at Thompson Hall by Anthony Trollope

29. The Tailor of Gloucester by Beatrix Potter

30. A Hint for Next Christmas by A.A. Milne

Christmas Short Stories

Christmas short stories are perfect for getting some festive reads on to your TBR. They are fantastic books to read to get you into the holiday spirit. What are some of your favourite Christmas short stories to read?