Putting the YA in Holiday

When the weather begins to chill and the nights are longer than the days, it’s something spectacular to hide under a fuzzy blanket and curl up with a good book. While most of the time I’ll read my normal fantasy or realistic YA fare, I also enjoy picking up a holiday-themed book every winter.

I prefer my holiday YA fiction to be comforting and full of snow drifts and hot chocolate. There should be mistletoe, school cancellations and a barrage of snowflakes. Most of all, there should be new and cozy romances flourished by firesides in coffee shops or in the stacks of chilly libraries. The magic may have faded for these too-old-for-Santa teens, but I enjoy when they discover a new meaning in the holidays.  

As an oldest child, the meaning of Christmas for me was making sure my younger brothers still believed. On Christmas Eve, they would leave my grandparents’ house for church with my parents. I would stay behind with my grandpa and grandma to set presents under the tree. There would be endless boxes that radiated farther than the hue of the lights that adorned the tree. As a preteen, I knew Santa was a legend but I loved helping bring that legend to life for my brothers. When we returned from church, they would burst into my grandparent’s living room. The joy and surprise on their faces was enough magic for me.

Now we’re all grown and Christmas means taking time from our busy lives and spending the holiday together. The tree seems less full, now that the big boxes of Fisher Price and Lego toys have been replaced by DVDs, video games and books, but I know the magic is still there. I hope to continue bringing the holiday magic to life through tradition and fun for years to come.

If you are looking to cozy up during the holidays and experience the magic in a holiday or winter themed YA book, then I suggest grabbing some hot chocolate and a few cookies and climbing into a comfy chair with one of these:

Let It Snow by John Green, Maureen Johnson & Lauren Myracle

Dash & Lily’s Book of Dares by Rachel Cohn & David Levithan

Mistletoe by Aimee Friedman, Hailey Abbott, Nina Malkin & Melissa De La Cruz

Wintertown by Stephen Emond

Let the magic abound through snow forts and colorful lights. Let it warm your home and sparkle on the darkest days. Have a happy holiday season!