The Magic of Christmas Stories to Brighten the Season

COS COB, Conn. – Whatever kind of holiday you’re having—big family get-together, a socially distanced dinner for two, or something in between, it’s a magical time of year. And Chicken Soup for the Soul is back with its next collection of holiday stories, covering all the fun from Thanksgiving to Hanukkah to Christmas to New Year’s. The excitement and joy of the season run throughout the 101 true, personal stories in Chicken Soup for the Soul: The Magic of Christmas (October 11, 2022, 978-1-611590951, $14.95) Readers will learn about communities coming together to make Christmas special for families going through hard times, the joy of giving, and some creative ways to make your own holidays even more fun. As always, the stories in this collection are what Chicken Soup for the Soul calls “Santa safe,” meaning they keep the magic alive even for precocious readers.

Jesse Neve watched as her older son kept that magic alive for his little brother, who had left notes hidden all over the house asking Santa to check a box when he stopped by. Her older son declared that Santa needed some help; he went ahead and checked the boxes on all the notes when his brother wasn’t looking. Sometimes the magic is in family traditions, such as the one in Crescent LoMonaco’s family that involves the men giving each other “tacky, wacky” T-shirts each year. When the women decided to buy nice sweaters for the men instead one year, the men retaliating by secretly unwrapping the gifts, inserting tacky T-shirts under the sweaters, and then wrapping them back up again.

And speaking of traditions, what about when you want to put your own spin on an old standby? That’s what Brian Michael did when he grew tired of all those Elf on the Shelf social-media posts and created his own little fellow, Dwight on a Sprite. You might also rediscover some beloved traditions during the holidays, as Judith Hayes did when she visited the Museum of Tolerance and bought a menorah to bring Hanukkah back into her life.

This book is one of several current bestsellers from Chicken Soup for the Soul earmarked to raise funds for nonprofits. Royalties from this book go to the U.S. Marine Corps Reserve Toys for Tots program, which creates miracles for millions of families by providing holiday gifts to children in need in the U.S. The other current Chicken Soup for the Soul books that support a specific nonprofit are Chicken Soup for the Soul: My Hilarious, Heroic, Human Dog and Chicken Soup for the Soul: My Clever, Curious, Caring Cat, both of which benefit American Humane, as well as Chicken Soup for the Soul: Read, Laugh, Repeat, which supports four nonprofits that provide entertainment to patients and workers in healthcare facilities. A new pair of books about dogs and cats will come out after Christmas and those will support American Humane as well.

“We often use royalties from our books to support nonprofit organizations,” said Amy Newmark, editor-in-chief and publisher of Chicken Soup for the Soul. “The need is greater than ever now, and we’re honored to share royalties from our books to make the holidays and the rest of the year a little more magical for families and pets.”

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 300 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, 29 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: The Magic of Christmas or an interview with Amy Newmark: