Chels

“Christmas won’t be Christmas without any presents,” grumbled Jo, lying on the rug.

“It’s so dreadful to be poor!” sighed Meg, looking down at her old dress.

“I don’t think it’s fair for some girls to have plenty of pretty things, and other girls nothing at all,” added little Amy, with an injured sniff.

“We’ve got Father and Mother, and each other,” said Beth contentedly from her corner.

I can’t believe it’s taken me this long to read Little Women. My childhood was filled with cosy old stories about girls – Ballet Shoes was one of the first children’s classics I loved – and the newest film adaptation was one of the last I watched in the cinema in 2020. Last Christmas, I received a beautiful copy of the novel – a special edition by Barbara Heller including handwritten letters tucked into pockets within the hardback. It’s such a stunning book, and I just knew I had to save it to read at Christmas time this year.

Little Women begins at Christmas, with the March sisters much less fortunate than they had been in years past, and their beloved father away fighting in the Civil War. Despite their own troubles, the girls spend their single dollar each to buy Christmas presents for their mother, and give away their breakfast to a family nearby living in poverty. It’s not all misfortune for them, though – their wealthy neighbour Mr Laurence hears of their kindness, and, after performing a play together, the young girls are surprised with Christmas dinner, ice cream, and flowers. They each receive a book under their pillow on Christmas morning, which they treasure and read. 

Over 160 years apart, their Christmas is so different from my own, yet the story still feels familiar and comforting. A Christmas spent with family, walking in the cold, eating good food with plenty of dessert, and diving into a good book. What more could you ask for? Even more familiar is the feeling of disappointment the morning after Jo and Meg’s New Year’s party, when all the festivities are over. 

We get to see the girls celebrate two more Christmases through the novel. The second is much cheerier than the first – despite being ill with scarlet fever, Beth feels unusually well, and their father, Mr March, finally returns home. Their celebrations may have been dampened by Mr March and Beth’s weakness, but they enjoy a big feast shared with Mr Laurence and Laurie, and it’s a real moment of joy for them.

The Christmas scenes in Little Women really exemplify the novel as a whole – finding joy and community despite troubles. A century and a half later, these themes ring true, especially around this time of year. Winter can be hard, but there’s something about seeing all the twinkly lights and wrapping up in warm pyjamas that brings me comfort and keeps me sane.

The final Christmas we follow is much different to the first, but at the same time, very familiar. Rather than the whole March family, this Christmas, we only see Amy and Laurie in Nice. It’s a bittersweet time for Amy – she knows Beth doesn’t have long left to live, but the opportunity to live in France is once in a lifetime for her, and Laurie’s familiar presence is a much-needed reminder of home. Much like the first Christmas we see, Laurie and Amy attend a ball – with Amy, Laurie dances out in the open (though he’s not disappointed to be relieved of his duty). This Christmas really shows Amy’s development; in two years, she is now old enough to attend society parties, and she has become almost a miniature Jo – she’s cheeky and assertive, with a quick wit that borders on meanness, mirroring the budding relationship that’s hinted at between Laurie and Jo at the beginning of the novel.

Now that I’ve finally read Little Women, it’s even clearer to me why the novel and the films are such staples of Christmas. The holiday scenes are so familiar and comforting, and the months between the holidays build such rich lives and stories for the March sisters.