Christmas Stories from “Household Words” and “All The Year Round”

5W Charles Dickens, with eight illustrations. London, ca. 1880.

Notes

Christmas Stories from "Household Words" and "All the Year Round" is a collection of short stories written by Charles Dickens, first published in two of his periodicals: Household Words (1850–1859) and All the Year Round (1859–1870). These periodicals were platforms where Dickens could showcase his serialized works, including his famous Christmas stories, which often highlighted themes of charity, family, and social justice. The stories from these collections, such as "The Haunted Man and the Ghost's Bargain" and "The Seven Poor Travelers," typically reflect Dickens' deep concern for the struggles of the poor and his belief in the transformative power of kindness and generosity, especially during the Christmas season.

Dickens' Christmas stories from these periodicals were immensely popular and helped cement his reputation as a champion of Christmas in Victorian England. While A Christmas Carol (1843) remains his most famous holiday work, the stories in Household Words and All the Year Round further explore his festive themes and focus on the importance of compassion and community. Dickens was instrumental in reviving and shaping modern Christmas traditions, and these stories reflect his ongoing engagement with the social issues of his time, using the holiday season as a lens through which to examine human behavior and societal reform.

Description

Red canvas covered boards with black embossed decorative elements and gilt lettering on the upper board and spine. Dark stain of discoloration in the center of the upper board. Fraying to upper and lower spine. Bumped corners and rubbed extremities. Frontispiece illustration leaf detached. Some foxing throughout. Good condition overall.