Christmas Is in the Air If We Look for It

COS COB, Conn. – Jenna Glatzer could finally afford to give her five-year-old daughter the kind of Christmas she wanted instead of buying her gifts at a thrift store. She could even afford to buy a gift for another child, so when she saw an “angel tree” at the grocery store she explained what it was to her little girl and they picked out a child to help. After filling up a stocking at the dollar store and maxing out the $25 limit, they went back to the grocery store to hand in their gift. That’s when they learned that no one else was taking the tags off the angel tree. Jenna’s daughter insisted they buy gifts for more children, telling her mom she could give all her toys to them. They ended up buying gifts for five children that year, and when they delivered them and saw six tags remaining on the tree Jenna turned to Facebook and got her friends to take care of those as well.

The joy of giving and sharing runs throughout the 101 true, personal stories in Chicken Soup for the Soul: Christmas Is in the Air (Chicken Soup for the Soul, LLC; Amy Newmark; October 13, 2020, 978-1-611590708, $14.95). You’ll read about communities coming together to make Christmas special for families going through hard times, the joy of giving, and some very creative ways to make your own holidays even more fun. You’ll undoubtedly come away from these pages with new ideas for gifts and family activities.

As always, the stories in this collection are what Chicken Soup for the Soul calls “Santa safe,” meaning that they keep the magic alive even for precocious readers. Sue Mitchell, for example, tells us about the year she asked Santa for a cat and was disappointed when she received lots of cat supplies but no cat. That’s when her mom pointed out that Santa had left a letter explaining that her cat was waiting for her at the shelter. She would know which one it was when she saw it. Sure enough, Santa was right and the perfect cat chose Sue at the shelter.

This book is one of five that Chicken Soup for the Soul earmarked in 2020 as fundraisers for specific nonprofit organizations. Royalties from this book will go to the U.S. Marine Corps Reserve Toys for Tots program, which creates miracles for millions of families every year by providing holiday gifts to children in the U.S. who might not otherwise receive any. The other Chicken Soup for the Soul books published in 2020 that have supported a specific nonprofit are Chicken Soup for the Soul: The Magic of Dogs and Chicken Soup for the Soul: The Magic of Cats, both of which support American Humane, as well as Chicken Soup for the Soul: Think Positive for Preteens, Chicken Soup for the Soul: Think Positive for Teens, and Chicken Soup for the Soul: The Magic of Moms, which support several nonprofits that help families going through tough times.

“We always use royalties from our books to support nonprofit organizations,” said Amy Newmark, editor-in-chief and publisher of Chicken Soup for the Soul. “This year, the need is even greater, and we’re honored to share royalties from these books to make the holidays and the rest of the year a little more magical for American families that are struggling as a result of the pandemic.”

ABOUT CHICKEN SOUP FOR THE SOUL

Chicken Soup for the Soul publishes the famous Chicken Soup for the Soul book series. With well over 100 million books sold to date in the U.S. and Canada, more than 250 titles, and translations into more than 40 languages, the phrase “chicken soup for the soul” is known worldwide and is regularly referenced in pop culture. Today, 27 years after it first began sharing happiness, inspiration and hope through its books, this socially conscious company continues to publish a new title a month. It has also evolved beyond the bookstore, with a podcast, education programs, dog and cat food, licensed products, and video, television and movies through its subsidiary, Chicken Soup for the Soul Entertainment.

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For a review copy of Chicken Soup for the Soul: Christmas Is in the Air or an interview with Amy Newmark: