The Year Without a Santa Claus (1974)

Another Rankin Bass Christmas special. In this adorable cartoon, Santa catches a cold right before Christmas Eve. He decides that not only is he sick, but no one really cares about Christmas anymore. He decides to cancel Christmas so he can stay in bed on Christmas Eve. It is up to two young elves, Jingle and Jangle to prove to Santa that the Christmas spirit is not dead and that the world still needs him. In the midst of this they get mixed up with dogcatchers who mistake their reindeer for a stray dog and the brothers Snow Miser and Heat Miser. It is a fun movie. They made a live action remake in 2006 but it did not have the charm of this original Christmas classic.

Santa Who (2000)

Just after discovering some long lost letters in a coat pocket that he hasn’t used in decades, Santa falls out of his sleigh and hits his head. Suffering from a bad case of amnesia, he is found by reporter Peter Albright, one of those letter writers who never got his Christmas wish. Peter sets out to find “Santa” his family for Christmas, never for a moment suspecting who he truly is. It takes the imagination of his girlfriend’s son, Zack, to help Santa remember who he truly is and make sure everyone has a magical Merry Christmas.

Rudolph the Red Nosed Reindeer by Robert L. May

Begun as a promotion campaign by Montgomery Ward, Rudolph has remained a holiday classic. It is a story about a little reindeer bullied because instead of the traditional black nose, Rudolph has a big glowing red nose instead. Everyone’s opinion changes when there’s a horrible fog on Christmas Eve and Santa is having a hard time seeing to deliver the presents. When he gets to Rudolph’s house, the light from Rudolph’s shiny red nose helps guide him through the house. Santa wakes Rudolph to ask him to guide his sleigh through the fog and snow. A classic story about how we can all make a difference. The book itself has inspired countless sequels and movie adaptations.

It's a Wonderful Life (1946)

It’s a Wonderful Life is perhaps one of the most inspirational Christmas movies of all time. It shows us all that we can all make a difference in this world no matter what. When the main character, George Bailey contemplates suicide at the beginning of the movie, he doesn’t really realize how his life has affected so many people in so many little ways. It takes the intervention of his guardian angel, Clarence, to realize that the world really would be a lesser place without him. It is a lesson we all need to learn. We do matter in this world. It truly is A Wonderful Life.

The Lucky Coin by Barbara Metzger

Found in Regency Christmas Wishes, this is the story of Sir Adam Standish. Down on his luck, Sir Adam seemingly finds a magical lucky coin that gives him everything he desires. Needing money, a friend that he loaned money to years ago suddenly finds enough spare cash to pay him back in an old coat ect. Of course this is a love story, and Sir Adam does find love with Jenna. And perhaps the lucky coin works again to endear her father to his proposal even when he is still slightly down on his luck!

The Sword of Shannara by Terry Brooks

The Sword of Shannara is the first book in the Shannara chronicles. It tells the story of Shea who is the last of a long line of Elvish warriors and the only one able to wield the magical elf stones. He is recruited by a mysterious druid to find the Sword of Shannara and end the power of darkness over the land. The book is quite good, but you can defiantly see the influence of Lord of the Rings. We even have our wizard like figure “die” while falling off a bridge fighting a shadow monster! But where Lord of the Rings takes place in a mythical past, Shannara takes place in a post-apocalyptic landscape. A land where the apocalypse was so long ago that no one remembers what the world was like before the break down of society;  it is not even written down in the history books. Magic has crept back into the world and we have returned to a dark mythic world view. It is an interesting concept, and Brooks does a good job of exploring it.

Planet of Peril by Otis Adelbert Kilne

Planet of Peril, like John Carter on Mars, lies somewhere between science fiction and fantasy. Our main character, Robert Grandon, volunteers to be part of an experiment in which he will swap bodies with a Prince of Venus. He must battle horrible monsters and win the heart of the local princess. This is where the fantastical comes in because this world seems more like a fantasy world than a science fiction one. The story is fun and engaging and is part of a series of books. Some take place after Planet of Peril and others before with a different character who swapped bodies with a prince of Mars.