Hello and Merry Christmas, everyone! I’m Alaina. I hope you all are having a lovely Christmas season so far. 🙂
A few years ago my sister recommended The Sixth Christmas (by Mollie E. Reeder) to me, and I’ve loved it ever since. After reading it again (today, in fact), I wanted to write a short review. This story is wonderful for those who want to read more than another happy, fluffy Christmas tale. It shows the more poignant, raw side of what some people hold in their hearts and memories around Christmastime.
synopsis
Jack doesn’t exactly hate Christmas. It’s just that the holidays are a minefield of memories and mixed feelings, and he’s better off working late than celebrating.
Then, on Christmas Eve, Jack experiences a freak accident — the catalyst for a mysterious journey that sends him thirty years into his own past. As his history unwraps itself, Jack is propelled through his most pivotal Christmas Eves — reliving lost love, family dysfunction and personal secrets, this time as a bystander in his own life.
At this holiday crossroads, Jack’s past is repeating and his future is in jeopardy, forcing him to finally confront the many past versions of himself — and maybe even the meaning of Christmas.
what I loved:
This bittersweet novelette, reminiscent of It’s a Wonderful Life and A Christmas Carol, always warms my heart.
The characters manage to be three-dimensional, lovable, and real people in only 41 pages. Jack captures your heart with his snarky, dry sense of humor, hiding a painful past and a lonely present behind his brusque demeanor. Jenna brightens the story with her precious heart, strong will, and gracious forgiveness. The other characters, while very minor, each add depth.
The prose is excellent, smooth, and easy to read. It appeals to all the senses and describes the small details, fitting together as if you were seeing it through Jack’s eyes. Mollie E. Reeder effectively draws you into the blustery, somber winter settings and weaves warmth into the happier scenes.
The “time travel” aspect is done very simply and well, showing you glimpses of Jack’s life lived in past Christmas Eves. The pacing is masterful, and—don’t worry, no spoilers here—the end is happy.
could-have-been-better:
*thinks* Honestly, nothing comes to mind. As I’ve said, the writing, characters, and plot are all excellent! 🙂 I can’t think of anything flawed with the story, nor anything which annoyed me personally.
negative content:
Several mentions of drinking, brief mentions of kisses (not descriptive at all), mentions of flirting (not descriptive at all), one mention of swearing, mentions of throwing up, divorce.
Also, as a note—this story is not explicitly Christian, though the author is, and there are undertones of the true meaning of Christmas.
in conclusion
This heartwarming novelette earns a solid 5 stars from me. 🙂 Overall I would recommend it for ages 12+, just because of some heavier themes. I would 100% recommend this to everyone looking for a short, meaningful Christmas read.
Have you ever read The Sixth Christmas? What are some of your favorite Christmas books? Got any recommendations?
Lulu’s Library 