It’s here! This will be the very last Quote Me Thursday post of 2014! I am taking off next week for Christmas, then I am also taking off the next week for New Year’s Day. We’ll be back again with more awesome quotes and social sharing on January 8th (which is my 10th wedding anniversary!).

This week, I thought I would do something a little different and share the best Christmas stories ever with you. After all, Christmas is the best time to curl up with a good, festive book!

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The Best Christmas Pageant Ever

This tale about how 6 unruly children turn the church Christmas pageant upside-down is heartwarming and reminds us that appearances are not everything. I first read this story when I was about 9 and it seemed to me that my siblings and I were a lot like the “bad” children in the story. I loved how in the end (spoilers), everyone embraced the chaos and had a great Christmas.

A Christmas Carol

What list of the best Christmas stories wouldn’t include this classic? One of my favorite things about A Christmas Carol is that it is a ghost story. In the song, “It’s the Most Wonderful Time of the Year,” the lyrics talk about how ghost stories are a part of Christmas, but we don’t do that much anymore- at least not in America. A Christmas Carol is probably the only true ghost story that anyone ever tells over Christmas. If you haven’t seen the muppet version, you need to add that to your movie list this year.

The Gift of the Magi

The Gift of the Magi is one of my favorite love stories of all time. The young couple is in-love and want to give their spouse a nice Christmas gift, but they have no money. So, they sacrifice the most important thing to them to benefit the person they love.

I first read this story when I was about 13, and now, being the cynical soulless person that I am, I figure if someone did do this, the other spouse probably would have settled for the $5 gift, and then where would they be. But it is still a sweet story.

The Little Match Girl

I suppose The Little Match Girl is sort of a ghost story. The little girl does die in the end. I don’t know why, but I loved this story even as a small child. I felt bad for the girl, but I liked the story. I was a pretty strange child.

The Adventure of the Blue Carbuncle

If there is a Christmas-themed Sherlock Holmes adventure, count me in. In The Adventure of the Blue Carbuncle a rare store goes missing around Christmas. The man who lost the jewel winds up finding it in the mouth of his Christmas goose, and Sherlock and Watson set off on an adventure to determine how it happened.

The Night Before Christmas

If you are super-traditional, you probably read this story every year on Christmas Eve. One of my favorite versions is this one, because it is full of beautiful pictures.

How the Grinch Stole Christmas

How the Grinch Stole Christmas! is one of the only Dr. Seuss stories that I actually like. I know everyone thinks he was so amazing and the art is awesome, but I’m not a huge fan of the art or books that rhyme. The Grinch, however, makes a perfect character for such a weird art style and the rhyming seems better in a Christmas story. Plus, Cindy Lou Who is cute.

Skipping Christmas

Skipping Christmaswas made into a movie in 2004 (Christmas with the Kranks). I don’t know why they changed the name. I like this book because it deals with a lot of the stress of the holiday season in a fun way as the couple tries to escape the mayhem in their traditional suburban neighborhood.

Little Women

Although not much in Little Women is about Christmas, with a first line that goes, “Christmas won’t be Christmas without any presents,” it is forever a Christmas story in my mind. Something about the old fashioned skirts, the letters, and giving their Christmas dinner to a less-fortunate family is what I remember most from this book.

Let It Snow

This Christmas anthology offers three Christmas stories written by YA masters John Green, Maureen Johnson, and Lauren Myracle. The stories are all romance-themed, which is a must during Christmas!

The Trouble with Angels

This cute story follows the adventures of three angels as they visit the City of Angels to grant three Christmas prayers- ideally without the help of divine intervention. But it isn’t long before the three angels might need divine intervention themselves.

Christmas Cookie Murder

Honestly, why wouldn’t you want to read a book called Christmas Cookie Murder? In this story, when one side of a cookie recipe rivalry is found murdered, a whole town is left wondering? Did the rival murder her for the cookie recipe?

Christmas at Thompson Hall

Christmas at Thompson Hall is an anthology of Victorian Christmas celebrations. To me, nothing says Christmas more than Victorian stories, so I love this anthology. Get the Penguin edition from this year, if you can, because it is the prettiest.

Anne of Green Gables

I know only a small portion of Anne of Green Gables takes place at Christmas, but it was such a turning point for her it seems like it is most of the book. On this Christmas, Anne’s guardians finally decide to allow her to live a little, and naturally, magic happens.

The Autobiography of Santa Claus

This is a cute “true” story on the origins of the man in the red suit. If you are big Santa lovers at your house, you will enjoy adding this book to your collection.

Quote Me Thursday Social Boost Link Up

The goal of the Quote Me Thursday link-up is to feature YOU!  All posts linked up will be shared and pinned by me! Link your neglected book and quote posts for some extra juice!

Remember, you can link up as many book or quote-related posts as you want! 

If you want to plan ahead, here are the upcoming topics:

25- Taking a break for Christmas

Jan 1- Taking a break for New Year’s

Jan 8- Love Quotes that Won’t Make You Sick

Jan 15- The Best Quotes from Oscar Wilde

As always, I will feature my favorite link-up in next week’s edition. When you share your post with me, you agree to for me to use one image from your post in next week’s QMT and have your post shared by awesome bloggers. I will also pin all link-ups to the new Quote Me Thursday Pinterest board.

This Week’s Post Features

Last week, my favorite link-up was from Big Hair and Books about New Year’s Eve books for kids! 

Will you be next week’s feature?

Link-up Rules

1. Links must be book or quote-related (reviews, quotes, book lists, author interviews, whatever!).

2. Link to your blog-specific URL, not your home page.

3. Visit some of the other posts and have some fun!

4. Use the hashtag #quotemethursday when sharing this link-up!

What are your favorite Christmas stories?