I’m a huge fan of Nina Stibbe – the wonderful non-fiction collection of letters Love, Nina, and her two novels: Man at the Helm and Paradise Lodge (both on the blog).

This new book is an unusual collection of Xmas-themed pieces: often this would imply they had all appeared separately on previous occasions – an author might collect various old articles and cobble them together for a book. This doesn’t seem to be the case at all. They are very varied: mostly non-fictional, amusing and light pieces about Christmases in her extended family, and throughout her life. And there are a couple of seasonal short stories too, and the book rounds off with ‘An Almost Comprehensive Glossary of Christmas’.

And the whole thing is very funny, very charming, and very real. Stibbe’s family has its own wild aberrations, and weird stories, and inexplicable past events. But then every family has their own version of these, and it is fun to read about hers: recognition turning into surprise, shock, or just laughter on a regular basis. It’s a very nice book: ideal stocking filler present, or just something to read over the Christmas season.

In an earlier post I said this about Nina Stibbe’s writing:
Her books don’t resemble anyone else’s – I’m sure creative writing classes or courses would have made her change her ways. So we’re lucky that the happy chance of the Nina letters gave us the chance to read more of her - I certainly will follow her anywhere. These read like books written by someone who doesn’t know what novels are meant to be like (though we know from her story that Nina has read an awful lot of books) and all the better for that.
--and nothing has changed since then.

The picture is Berlin Boy from the Christmas Market by Franz Skarbina, from the Athenaeum.

An Almost Perfect Christmas is a series of anecdotes about the author's favourite time of year. A short book, it is filled with the author's memories of disastrous Christmas with Father Christmas, her hatred of cooking turkey and a myriad of other things that the reader will identify with. The book is threaded with love for her family and friends and tradition. Her humorous voice is ever present.

This was an interesting look into one (very large) family's Christmas's over the years.

It was ok, not really my cup of tea. Short stories

Funny and a perfect book as a Christmas present. Easy read, just what you want over holidays.

An Almost Perfect Christmas by Nina was great.
This book is Nina’s take on that perfect Christmas with great stories and chapters.
Have a read I’m sure you’ll love it.

Loved this! Perfect for getting into the Christmas spirit early! Made me laugh and I found myself nodding in recognition many times! I enjoyed reliving all the traditions of Christmas that we do every year whether we like them or not, and the gentle reminder that *that* is what makes Christmas.... well, Christmas!

Unfortunately this just wasn't a book for me.
I found it actually quite dull. And instead of making me feel all Christmassy and festive, I actually felt quite bored.

I found the stories very long winded and not interesting at all. Which was a shame, as I was expecting this to be a funny, festive read.
Shame.

What an entirely perfect Christmas read!

I loved this book. It was so funny (and I don’t just mean laugh out loud on the train funny - I mean start to randomly giggle hours later when you remember bits of it funny); it was down to earth, warm, festive and memorable. I particularly liked the story about Tim the Turkey, but there were many other superb highlights.

I hope Ms Stibbe won’t mind me saying that her writing reminds me very much of the late great Sue Townsend, and that is the highest compliment I can give. There must be something in the Leicester water, I suppose.

Thank you to Nina Stibbe, to Penguin and to NetGalley for letting me read and review this little gem. I would recommend it to anyone at this time of year and I have now purchased the rest of Ms Stibbe’s books as an early Xmas present to myself.

A family fun romp through Christmas past. Brilliant short snippets of Christmas traditions and funny stories. If you enjoy Nina’s other books you will love this. Perfect to read in the festive season.

Good fun, ideal Christmas present stuff, worth reading for the first chapter really which outlines Turkey cooking in all its glory. Lots of humorous anecdotes and stories, very much in Nina Stibbe's usual voice and amusing and seasonal.

Fabulous read from the very amusing Nina Stibbe. Her observational humour is as brilliant as ever. I loved this book and would give it as a present to anyone who was getting fretful about guests coming for lunch on Christmas Day. Superb easy read.

Not as engaging or enjoyable as other Nina Stibbe books that I have read.

This hilarious book about the ups and downs of Christmas will remind you of why it's called "the silly season"! Nina Stibbe relates tales of Christmas-themed mishaps from her family over the years, that will reassure you that far from being a season of goodwill to all men, Christmas does often end up being a bit of a disaster for a lot of us! I particularly enjoyed the story about the Christmas tree she rescued and the strange florist she bought it from. It's an enjoyable and short read about what can be a very stressful time of the year (but at least you might get some funny stories out of it!). Thanks to the publisher and NetGalley for an ARC.

brilliantly written, each part funny and true to life. Loved reading it, very sad when i finished it.

The most wonderful time of the year? Maybe not. In Nina Stibbe’s essays and stories about the modern Christmas, the holidays carry an exasperating weight of expectations. Sometimes you just have to throw up your hands and accept imperfection.

The autobiographical pieces generally involve Stibbe begrudgingly coming round to things she’s resisted, from Slade’s “Merry Xmas Everybody” and a tree “complete with home-made Angel Gabriel (who looks exactly like Alan Titchmarsh) on the top” to a flaming Christmas pudding. You may be tempted to chuck these customs, but you’d miss them if they were gone, Stibbe realizes. The exception is turkey, which remains her nemesis: always dry however it’s cooked.

You may recall that the letters in the hilarious Love, Nina are addressed to her sister Vic, who also appears here. Vic adores Christmas and is a perfect advisor on festive snacks and music. It’s when Stibbe goes off-piste, spending so long amassing 15 versions of “Silent Night” for her party playlist that she runs out of time to bake mince pies, that plans go awry.

With its short chapters and stocking stuffer dimensions, this is a perfect book to dip into over the holidays. The blend of nonfiction and fiction is appropriate as Stibbe is now accomplished in both genres. The four short stories, whether nostalgic or macabre, share a wicked sense of humour. You’ll also find an acerbic shopping guide and—best of all—a tongue-in-cheek Christmas A-to-Z. Here’s a taste: “Gifts: The only excuse for not making a huge effort is that you’re in hospital, prison, or have just had twins.”

This is an exceedingly English book I’ll return to year after year. For this American expat, Stibbe, with her comic voice echoing Nora Ephron’s and Caitlin Moran’s, truly captures that typically English attitude of adhering to traditions while grumbling about them ceaselessly.

(A version of this review will appear in a forthcoming issue of Stylist magazine.)

Another book of short tales, vignettes and articles and as ever not all if them were for me. Even after reading three of Stibbe's books I'm not sure if I like her writings.

A funny book of short stories about the authors memories of Christmas. It is nostalgic and funny and had me thinking of some of my own Christmases.

This is a great example of a holiday read. Nina Stibbe’s book is a series of amusing Christmas-themed stories, ranging from her mother’s tendency to dry out the turkey, through to memories of school during the festive period.

Stibbe’s writing style is inimitable and definitely British. Also, it is likely to alienate (but not in a bad way) people of a certain generation, not just through its cultural references (I love the Bejam reminder) but also through its overall style which is hard to pinpoint. I love it - and other books I’ve read by Stibbe are the same.

This is a light, funny book - perfect for a train journey (I pretty much read it in one journey) or for a Christmas present. Perhaps it’ll be one of those ‘bulker-upper’ gifts that Stibbe mentions? It shouldn’t be - if you do give this book, it shouldn’t be an after-thought as it’s perfect for a book-lover who also relishes a warm and funny read.

An Almost Perfect Christmas is a lovely collection of festive essays and short stories on topics ranging from choosing the perfect tree, to assembling a Christmas playlist, to cooking the dreaded turkey. If that all sounds a bit frothy and lifestyle blog-y, don't be put off. Each topic is elevated by Stibbe's dry wit, and her reflections on family life - the complications of tricky adult siblings and difficult step-parents when planning Christmas gifting, for example - will have you wincing in recognition. Although I hesitate to use the cliche, this book really would make the perfect stocking filler this festive season.