12 amazing Christmas quotes for book lovers

Jane Austen on the friendship warm and fuzzies

“This is quite the season indeed for friendly meetings. At Christmas every body invites their friends about them, and people think little of even the worst weather. I was snowed up at a friend’s house once for a week. Nothing could be pleasanter.“

- Emma

Allan Ahlberg on Royal Mail’s spiralling workload

“Once upon a Christmas Eve

Just after it had snowed,

The Jolly Postman (him again!)

Came down the jolly road;

And in the bag upon his back

An…interesting load.”

 - The Jolly Christmas Postman

Nick Hornby on your holiday plans

“It struck him that how you spent Christmas was a message to the world about where you were in life.”

- About A Boy

Roald Dahl on ‘festive’ gender inequality

“Where art thou, Mother Christmas?

I only wish I knew

Why Father should get all the praise

And no-one mentions you.”

- Roald Dahl Treasury

Clement Clarke Moore on that moment of anticipation

“Twas the night before Christmas, when all through the house

Not a creature was stirring, not even a mouse.”

- The Night Before Christmas

Jeanette Winterson on unusual family traditions

“Most kids grow up leaving something out for Santa at Christmas time when he comes down the chimney. I used to make presents for the Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse.”

- Why Be Happy When You Could Be Normal?

Markus Zusak on what’s really important

“It was the beginning of the greatest Christmas ever. Little food. No presents. But there was a snowman in their basement.”

- The Book Thief

Stella Gibbons on snow

“In the night the snow came. She awoke on Christmas morning in that unmistakeable light, coming up from the earth and shining between her curtains.”

- Christmas at Cold Comfort Farm

J.R.R. Tolkien on appreciating a good spread

“If more of us valued food and cheer and song above hoarded gold, it would be a merrier world.”

- The Hobbit

Harper Lee on the ultimate Christmas proposal

“We saw Uncle Jack every Christmas, and every Christmas he yelled across the street for Miss Maudie to come marry him. Miss Maudie would yell back, "Call a little louder, Jack Finch, and they'll hear you the post office, I haven't heard you yet!" Jem and I thought this a strange way to ask for a lady's hand in marriage, but then again Uncle Jack was rather strange.”

- To Kill A Mockingbird

Charles Dickens on keeping the magic alive

“I will honour Christmas in my heart, and try to keep it all the year.“

- A Christmas Carol