A Family Christmas

New York, N.Y.: Hyperion, 2007. First Edition [Stated], First Printing [Stated]. Hardcover. Very good/Very good. Jon J. Muth and Laura Hartman Maestro. xviii, 332 pages. Signed by Caroline Kennedy on the title page. Illustrated endpapers. Illustrations. Contents were selected and Introduced by Caroline Kennedy. Includes "We Need a Little Christmas'' by Jerry Herman; Letter to Santa by Caroline Kennedy, and Introduction (also by Caroline Kennedy). Contents are divided into sections: The Gracious Time; Deck the Halls; Santa Claus Is Comin' to Town; Away in a Manger; Joy to the World; Hark! The Herald Angels Sing--Hail the Heav'n Born Prince of Peace (Christmas in Wartime); We Wish You a Merry Christmas: The Christmas Feast; O Come, All Ye Faithful; and Winter Wonderland. Also contains Acknowledgments and Credits. In this book, Caroline Kennedy shares poetry, prose, scriptural passages, and lyrics, drawing on authors as diverse as Truman Capote, Groucho Marx, Martin Luther King Jr., John and Yoko, and Charles Dickens. There are many treasures throughout, including a young Caroline's Christmas list to Santa Claus, and a letter from President John F. Kennedy to a child concerned about Santa's well-being. This unique anthology will enrich your heart and mind with the spirit of Christmas. Also concludes selections from Bill Collins, Emma Lazarus, Mark Twain, Sandra Cisneros, David Sedaris, Pearl S. Buck, Gabriala Mistral, Ogden Nash, Clement Clarke Moore, Vladimir Nabokov, Marianne Moore, Calvin Trillin, E. B. White, and many more. Caroline Bouvier Kennedy (born November 27, 1957) is an American author, attorney, and diplomat who served as the United States Ambassador to Japan from 2013 to 2017. She is a member of the Kennedy family and the only surviving child of President John F. Kennedy and First Lady Jacqueline Bouvier Kennedy. Kennedy graduated from Radcliffe College and worked at Manhattan's Metropolitan Museum of Art, where she met her future husband, exhibit designer Edwin Schlossberg. She later earned a J.D. degree from Columbia Law School. Most of Kennedy's professional life has spanned law and politics, as well as education reform and charitable work. She has also acted as a spokesperson for her family's legacy and co-authored two books with Ellen Aldermanon on civil liberties. Just in time for the holidays: a collection of beloved Christmas stories and writings that every family will cherish. One of the many joys of Christmas comes from the traditions associated with it. Bestselling author Caroline Kennedy drew on her own family's traditions to create this charming collection of favorite stories, poems, and writings that celebrate the holiday spirit. In addition to excerpts and full texts of contemporary and classic writings, A Family Christmas features a letter Caroline Kennedy herself wrote to Santa Claus as well as a letter written to President Kennedy from a little girl concerned about Santa Claus. The introduction, written and read by Caroline, relates the importance of the holiday to her family, and shares how the literature in this collection is an essential part of her own tradition. This warm and personal collection will delight all who make it a part of their own family Christmas. "When I began assembling [this] collection, I was skeptical that I would learn anything new about Christmas, but reading and reflecting on the history and spirit of Christmas brought back many memories, and taught me a great deal. . . . The literature of Christmas ranges from the miraculous to the tragic, the profound to the ridiculous, but always represents the connection to something larger than ourselves." --Caroline Kennedy. In A Family Christmas, Caroline shares the Christmas poetry, prose, scriptural readings, and lyrics that are most dear to her, drawing on authors as diverse as Harper Lee, Nikki Giovanni, Martin Luther King Jr., Billy Collins, John and Yoko, and Charles Dickens. There are also many lesser-known gems throughout and personal treasures from her own family--including a young Caroline's Christmas list to Santa Claus and a letter from her father as President to a child concerned about Santa's well-being. This diverse and unique anthology will become a timeless keepsake, and will enrich your heart and mind with the spirit of Christmas. A Family Christmas includes selections from: Groucho Marx, Emma Lazarus, Mark Twain, Sandra Cisneros, Pearl S. Buck, Truman Capote, Gabriela Mistral, Ogden Nash, Clement Clarke Moore, Vladimir Nabokov, Marianne Moore, Calvin Trillin, E. B. White, and many more.