Christmas stories

"Christmas Stories" by Mary Jane Holmes is a collection of festive narratives written during the late 19th century. This work offers a blend of sentimentality and moral lessons, centering on themes of family, kindness, and redemption during the Christmas season. Among the prominent characters are Alice Warren, the beautiful daughter of a blind man, and Adelaide Huntington, who wrestles with issues of class conflict and pride. At the start of the book, the scene is set on Christmas Eve in the opulent parlor of the Warren household, where Alice prepares for her grand debut as a young lady. As the festivities unfold, we witness the contrasting lives of Alice and Adelaide, who is from a less fortunate background but longs to rise above her social standing. The narrative introduces Mr. Warren, Alice's blind father, whose challenges and enduring love for his daughter underscore the story’s emotional depth. The opening chapters lay the groundwork for a tale filled with compassion, highlighting the struggles of the Warrens contrasted against the aspirations of the Huntington family, setting a poignant tone for the holiday-themed stories to follow. (This is an automatically generated summary.)

Mary Jane Holmes was an American author who published 39 novels, as well as short stories. Her first novel sold 250,000 copies; and she had total sales of 2 million books in her lifetime, second only to Harriet Beecher Stowe. Her books included: "Tempest and Sunshine" (1854), "English Orphans" (1855), "Homestead on the Hillside" (1855), "Lena Rivers" (1856), "Meadow Brook" (1857), "Dora Deane" (1858), "Cousin Maude" (1860), "Marian Gray" 186^, "Hugh Worthington" (1864), "Cameron Vide" (1867). "Rose Mather" (1868), "Ethelyn’s Mistake" (1869), "Edna Browning" (1872), "Mildred" (1877), "Forest House" (1879), "Daisy Thornton," "Queenie Hetherton" (1883), "Christmas Stories" (1884), "Bessie's Fortune" (1885). "Gretchen" (1887), "Marguerite" (1891).