It’s Christmas! Time for a break from work, filled with plenty of moments with family, delicious food, Christmas movies and perhaps the odd glass of mulled wine. But amid the buzz and bustle, I do hope there’s some time for you, too. And if you’re anything like me, you’ll enjoy curling up in an armchair, toasty warm, with a hot drink and a good book or movie – bliss!

Today, I’m sharing Christmas-themed books and films that I find always get me in the holiday spirit. They’re ideal for festive escapism (if you’re weary of cooking, or overloading on excited children), and they also make lovely gifts. Please feel free to add any suggestions you have as well.

Books

A Christmas Carol by Charles Dickens. A classic! The Dickensian Christmas setting always feels so magical.

The Night Before Christmas by  Clement Clarke Moore. Read it aloud and the rhythms of the words transport you right back to childhood; to being five years old and lying in bed trying to fight sleep in order to be awake when Santa comes.

The Snowman by Raymond Briggs. Though the author has recently stated in an interview that he doesn’t like Christmas, you wouldn’t know it from his 1978 book, which is a classic, as is the animated film based on the book.

Louisa May Alcott’s Christmas Treasury. I love the world she created in the Little Women series. She has such a way with description. And like A Christmas Carol, this book takes you back to a time when Christmas was less commercial and more traditional.

The Gift by Cecelia Ahern. If you could wish for one gift this Christmas, what would it be? A really heart-warming book that reminds you what the season is all about.

And of course there are many excellent romance novels that focus on the theme of Christmas, especially those published by Mills & Boon for the season.

Films

The Holiday. Always guaranteed to leave you smiling.

It’s a Wonderful Life. The old ones are the best – and this one is right up there as the seminal movie to impart the Christmas sentiment.

White Christmas. Good, old-fashioned romance as Hollywood used to make. The title song will get you in the mood.

Love, Actually. A fun rom-com with the feel-good factor.

Miracle on 34th Street. Not just for children; this one will warm your cockles.

While You Were Sleeping. The juxtaposition of the isolation of the heroine and the happy, bustling home of the hero always touch me.