Christmas Fun at the Durham Public Library

Patti’s Holiday Favorites

One of my favorite Christmas stories is The Christmas Box, by Richard Paul Evans.  It’s a touching story about the relationship between a widow and the young family she hires as caretakers of her Victorian home.  I also love the movie version, starring Maureen O’Hara, Richard Thomas, and Annette O’Toole, and watch it every year. 

Other holiday movies I watch every year are A Christmas Carol (the George C. Scott version), The Bishop’s Wife, The Holiday, A Christmas Story (you’ll shoot your eye out, kid!), It’s a Wonderful Life, and of course, How the Grinch Stole Christmas and A Charlie Brown Christmas!

More reading and viewing choices…

Call Me Mrs. Miracle, by Debbie Macomber

While working in the toy department of a family-run department store in New York City, Mrs. Miracle seizes the opportunity to connect Holly, who is searching for the perfect robot for her nephew, with Jake, the store owner's son.

A Cedar Grove Christmas, by Debbie Macomber

After a comedy of errors on Christmas Eve, a five-month pregnant woman, traveling to Cedar Cove to search for her child's father--who doesn't know she's pregnant--finds herself lodging in an apartment above a barn. The residents of Cedar Grove come to her rescue as an early labor begins.

Chesapeake Shores Christmas, by Sheryl Woods

Mick and Megan O'Brien finally make plans to walk down the aisle, but not everyone is happy about the upcoming wedding as they are. There's a good chance complications will keep this reunited couple from ever saying "I do."

Anne Perry has written lots of Christmas mysteries; even James Patterson and Glenn Beck have published Christmas books this year.

Take a break from shopping and holiday preparations with these fun films...

Four Christmases

When their flight to an exotic vacation is cancelled, a couple has no choice but to spend Christmas with each of their divorced parents and dysfunctional families. Reese Witherspoon and Vince Vaughn

Most Wonderful Time of the Year

The story of what happens when you open your heart to the power of Christmas. Disenchanted single mom Jennifer Cullen is a Scroogette when it comes to anything Christmas. In fact, even her six-year-old son, Brian, is having trouble believing in Santa Claus. But when Uncle Ralph visits and brings a fellow passenger from his flight name Morgan Derby, Jennifer's dubious heart awakens to the possibility that perhaps Christmas really does hold miracles.

Deck the Halls

Two neighbors have it out after one of them decorates his house for the holidays so brightly that it can be seen from space. Danny DeVito, Matthew Broderick, Kristin Davis, Kristin Chenoweth

Family Stone

Everett Stone brings his girlfriend home during Christmas to meet his family, who are less than welcoming to her. Clare Danes, Diane Keaton

Night Before Christmas and More Christmas Stories

Four classic Christmas and snowy winter stories. First, Clement Clarke Moore's poem that begins with "the stockings were hung by the chimney with care in hopes that St. Nicholas soon would be there." The second and third are animated Christmas stories about Rosemary Well's characters Max and Morris and their Christmas adventures. The fourth is the telling of Jane Yolen's "Owl moon." where a young girl and her father take a night-time walk in the snowy woods in search of the great horned owl.