Christmas Trees & Festive Reads | December 2024

[@melanieholmes8153]

Yes please! Curling up with a book by the tree sounds delightful 🎄😊

[@SavidgeReads]

I think that will be appearing a week on Sunday 😉

[@Laura_D]

Loved this video! Definitely going to watch again to write down titles. This time through you kept me company while making Christmas cards. 🎄🎄🎄

[@SavidgeReads]

How lovely to make cards. I’ve stopped doing card giving the last few years (the whole paper, environmental thing - not to sounds a kill joy) and it does make me feel like a Scrooge. I need to think how I could do something eco-ish next year. Maybe that paper that you can plant and grow flowers as then it’s kind of a present too… oooh you’ve helped me solve my own puzzle.

[@krisann3035]

I loved this blog. You’re very good at creating a mood.

[@SavidgeReads]

Awww thank you soooooo much.

[@klefk9235]

Festive Hoarding - great phrase I’m adding to my repertoire 😂

[@SavidgeReads]

Hahaha. Glad you liked it 😉

[@hollyb118]

I would totally read with you in the background with your tree! And crackling fire sounds? 🤩

[@SavidgeReads]

I’ll see what I can do 😉

[@andreajdarling]

Nigel Slater’s Christmas Chronicles is one of my all time favourite books. It’s wonderful and for the last few years it’s very much part of my Christmas tradition to read it like you said, day by day. The writing and photography is fantastic and it would make such a brilliant gift for book and food lovers. I hope you’ll enjoy it as much as I do 🎄

[@SavidgeReads]

I’ve bought it for so many people just based on how much I love Toast and the idea of the Christmas Chronicles themselves having dipped in. Hoping to make it a part of my festive traditions next year… a whole project, the traditions, themselves in 2025.

[@sharonmorris924]

I love the Christmas chronicles ,it has become a regular Christmas read in our house 🎄

[@SavidgeReads]

I’d like it to be the same in mine.

[@cecilialau_]

Okay, sold! I’ll have to read the Juno Dawson one! And what a treat to tag along for the truly fab tree search and decorating! Also, really nostalgic hearing you talk about Hans Christian Andersen’s stories, hope you enjoy them when you get to them 🥰🎄 - I’ll have to be annoying and remind you of the Nigel Slater before Nov. next year, lol, sorry in advance, bc I’d love to hear about it, and I think a diary-esque sort of book like you’ve vlogged about before have been ace x

[@SavidgeReads]

You must must must must read the Juno Dawson book. It’s my festive favourite. So please remind me about The Christmas Chronicles next year. I’ll forget again if people don’t nudge me in November. Pop an alarm on. Lol.

[@cecilialau_]

@ oh I have 😜 And I am reading the book this month! ☃️

[@leeh4343]

Yay Christmas tree content! Thankyou - the tree looks fab! 🎄💕 a read with me by the tree video would be lovely.

[@SavidgeReads]

I’m glad you like it. It’s quite understated this year… as it wasn’t my turn to decorate it 🤣🤣

[@sbeale276]

Great video 😊i love that you are you, if your not organised then it proves your only human, so don’t ever change!! Thank you for the recommendations as I’m always looking for new books for the festive period. I always read the Laurie lee memoir over Christmas i love his descriptions and at the moment I’m great Agatha Christie midwinter murder. Looking forward to more shenanigans

[@SavidgeReads]

Haha thank you. I think this is the most me video I have made in a while… slightly chaotic lol

[@janepeacock3704]

Fabulous Xmas video 📚🎄🤶🏻 x

[@SavidgeReads]

Thanking you 🎄🎄🎄

[@janebowell3985]

I love the Nigel Slater 🎉Chronicles and Toast.Simon, you have some great Christmas suggestions,thank you🎉

[@anneroy4560]

yes, I have bought all his books since he first appeared ... cannot go wrong.

[@SavidgeReads]

A pleasure. I just actually need to read more of them. Ha!

[@nathansnook]

finished up your video this morning in seoul and i am sooo keen on The Party! i love the cover so much! would love a reading by the tree video! i'm here for cozy vibes!

[@SavidgeReads]

Cozy vibes… sadly not under quite the phallic branches I know you were keen on hahaha.

[@traceyedwards350]

Congratulations, you've successfully managed to make me feel Christmassy (not an easy feat). Love the books and adore the tree, but the quartet of kittens wins every time for me :) Thank you for this festive delight.

[@SavidgeReads]

Hooray! I’m so pleased I did. I was feeling super Christmassy. Then we went away and the festive feels haven’t quite come back yet, but work has also been bonkers. I’ve yet to manage to get all four cats in a video on the channel maybe next year.

[@alexander-de]

Also, I love the jumper! You really are the King of Jumpers!

[@SavidgeReads]

Hahaha. That to me is THE greatest compliment.

[@alexander-de]

Quicker Chris cause of copyright killed me! 😂 Thank you for a lovely vlog. ☺️

[@SavidgeReads]

Hahahaha. Facts are facts 😆

[@AbiH1984]

I love this video! Please show more of Earl and Biscuit 😂 It was adorable seeing them sniffing the tree and then chilling on the sofa whilst you were decorating it!

[@SavidgeReads]

I’m hoping with vlogs next year you’ll get to see much more of Earl, Biscuit and the OG’s Mildred and Oscar who both slept upstairs nonchalantly throughout the trees arrival.

[@antineah1889]

Lovely tree, very Charlie Brown of you to want the wonky one! I love Nigel Slater’s book, unfortunately I put it away so well last year I can’t find it this December! Beautiful editions on some of those books!

[@SavidgeReads]

We didn’t get the wonky one this year BUT as Chris pointed out… someone else wanted it already and that made me happier.

[@MeMyDogAndBooks]

I love all the savidge shenannigans ;)

[@SavidgeReads]

Glad to hear it 😉

[@miaarndt9501]

Christmas Days by Jeanette Winterson is sooo good! And it has recipes so you could read a story and then hand the book to Chris to make the recipe it’s paired with 😊

[@SavidgeReads]

Now that’s a good idea… one I’ll look at doing next year.

[@cherylynlarking191]

love the british library editions about murder at christmas (usually in isolated places locked in due to snow)!!

[@SavidgeReads]

It does amaze me how so many have the same premise and yet they do so many different things with it, or sometimes not that different - I still find them hugely appealing either way!

[@MJ-in-Canada]

“The Christmas Chronicles: Notes, Stories and 100 Essential Recipes for Midwinter” by Nigel Slater is the perfect seasonal read. It’s so descriptive. I listened to the audiobook, as read by the author. I also read and enjoyed his new book, “A Thousand Feasts.”❄🎄

[@SavidgeReads]

Love you used the full title of The Christmas Chronicles. I am so excited for it next year. A Thousand Feasts might be my festive treat to myself in the coming weeks, I don’t think I can resist.

[@MeMyDogAndBooks]

love love love the tree and i love how you try and find wonky ones

[@SavidgeReads]

Annoyingly the wonky one I wanted got gazumped! However I do love the one we have. Though I do also keep thinking about the one that’s end split into two and I could have had a star and a fairy on the top! Imagine!

[@amomentwithgod5607]

Beautiful tree and beautiful room.

[@SavidgeReads]

Thank you!!!!

[@Ali-AvidReader]

Love that you’re already planning next year’s Christmas reads🤣

[@SavidgeReads]

Well I think I may not get to this years as whilst I got the Christmas tree early, work and a mini break have sort of derailed the Christmas mood and I’ve a few books for reading prompts I need to get to eek!

[@milliemary6328]

Oh Simon I absolutely adored this reading vlog 🥰 so festive and chatty and wholesome, it's made me feel ridiculously Christmasy 😁✨️🎄✨️ the tree is stunning! And Chris makes me laugh a lot 😄 I've definitely added a few more Christmasy books to my tbr, although some may have to wait until next year as what with the Christmas wrapping and eating and drinking I'm not sure how much time for reading I'll have. Have you read Winter Love by Han Suyin? I loved it, a quiet story set over winter just after the Blitz (it's not a big epic war story) Thank you for the gorgeous vlog, I'm looking forward to the following ones very muchly ✨️🎄💖

[@SavidgeReads]

Soooooo pleased you enjoyed the video and it got you in the festive mood. It did me… then I went on holiday and seemed to have lost them since I’ve come back, well I blame work being super busy. I haven’t read Winter Love but I have it on the shelves and will add to my winter whim pile. I have advance recorded my Winter Reading Plans video, should have thought of it then. Drats! But thank you for popping it back onto my winter reading radar!

[@kjohnsto1]

I'm currently reading the Nigel Slater Christmas Chronicle - checking in every few days and it's great. I'm not much of a cook and I don't even love Christmas food but his descriptions and the mix of memoir/folk tales is really a joy to read. One of my fave books to read this time of year is a middle-grade called Greenglass House. It's set around Christmas but not overwhelmingly Christmassy - its one of those books that felt nostalgic to me the first time I read it. I'm also very much in the camp that Christmas time = murder mysteries so nice to get some more recs 😂

[@SavidgeReads]

Oooh I’ll look up Greenglass House. Thank you for the recommendation, it’s not one I’ve heard of.

[@JennieRavn]

Tove Jansson Trollvinter (no idea what it is called in English). I re-read it every December. Maybe not Christmas themed but very beautiful and very wintery. (I also re-read Sommarboken (The summer book???) every summer by the same author.)

[@SavidgeReads]

Ooh I think it’s The Winter Book in English. I’ve seen it, I shall look into it more. Thanks Jennie.

[@socaltoobie8984]

Last year I really enjoyed The Christmas Guest by Peter Swanson. Yep, it’s more of a dark book (what is it with that?! 😂). Plan to re-read this month. Love the drapes by the tree! They are gorgeous! 😍

[@SavidgeReads]

Nothing wrong with a dark book at anytime of year in my opinion… I shall go and look it up!

[@barbaralemon4170]

Your tree is beautiful! I read Tied Up in Tinsel long ago. This is a vintage classic. There are no smart phones! I liked that!

[@SavidgeReads]

Ha. Sometimes we all need to head back to those good old days… although I wouldn’t make these videos and have all these chats without my smart phone.

[@Georgesmomsu]

I love the tree. I hope the new kids leave it alone. Maybe next year you will trust them enough for tinsel. So many great christmas books. I need to read some to get in the festive spirit. I cant believe we are almost done with the year!

[@SavidgeReads]

Bar one of them trying to use it as a scratching post they’ve been very good. I think tinsel could test that theory to the max. I mentioned we should trial some and got dead eye from Chris. He hates tinsel.

[@bibliosophie]

"a little quicker bc of copyright" LOLLL i love a cookbook based on food in fiction -- i think you should def do a series 🖤

[@SavidgeReads]

I’m definitely considering it! Though it probably (well definitely) wouldn’t be me cooking it all the time 🤣🤣🤣🤣

[@martineolsenlysvand7400]

Brightly Shining by Ingvild Rishøi is fantastic! It’s a story I visit in December again and again 💫 I just wanna mention that it’s called «Stargate» in Norwegian, which is an English word of course, so it’s kinda weird that they translated the title. And Stargate is the local pub in the story.

[@SavidgeReads]

Oooh I wonder why they decided not to call it Stargate. Thanks for the title translation and the rave review of the book!

[@suzannegagne8692]

Nigel slater’s book is a must read. It would be a great present.

[@SavidgeReads]

I’ve bought it for a few people.

[@byronsbrain]

Hi Simon, the tree looks beautiful, Chris did an amazing job! I loved the Murder at Holly House, I finished it last week, I read an almost perfect Christmas which turned out to be very funny, I really hope you get to read them both 😊

[@SavidgeReads]

Let’s see if they fall into my reading path this year. I have to say I feel like I may have sort of done with reading for the year. I’ve been reading much slower, apart from my Short Story Adventure Calendar.

[@pampam8584]

Loved this vlog - like a lovely festive hug❤ I have re-read Gifts by Laura Barnett every Christmas since it came out. I don’t know if it just caught me at the right time but it has such a place in my heart I also re-read those Carol Ann Duffy books - it was Lauren that put them on my radar!

[@SavidgeReads]

Love that this felt like a lovely festive hug. That was the aim. Woohoo! 🥳 🎄 I think Lauren and her book club are reading Gifts this Christmas.

[@mradcaqbdb]

The tree is gorgeous, very elegant! Hope the new guys don’t get curious! I will pick up Mystery in White when I return from London. One of my very favorite Christmas books is Miss Marley by Vanessa LaFaye and Rebecca Mascull about Jacob Marley’s sister. Just brilliant. Can’t recommend it more highly!

[@SavidgeReads]

Oooh I haven’t heard of that one so I’ll have to look it up, thank you for the recommendation. Thankfully none of the cats have any interest in the tree at all, which is very fortuitous. Lol.

[@debbieinlondon]

Ooh I was planning to read The Party! Would love a reading The Party party…, how fab

[@SavidgeReads]

Hahaha. A The Party reading Party. What a lovely time that could be.

[@philstrand]

Thanks for all the titles to explore! My perennial Christmas read is Small Things Like These by Claire Keegan. Been meaning to read Brightly Shining by Ingvild H. Rishøi.

[@SavidgeReads]

I read Small Things Like These and think I’m one of the only people in the world who didn’t like it. I’m thrilled so many people do though.

[@jennymcevoy8961]

Loved this video....❤❤❤❤❤ I also have cats 🐈 😻 and a Christmas tree 🎄 🌲 🤣🤣🤣⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

[@SavidgeReads]

Do yours have as zero interest as mine do?

[@jennymcevoy8961]

@SavidgeReads yes they could not care less....but they are quite elderly...so I put it down to that 🤣

[@MeMyDogAndBooks]

I LOVE Stay Another Day 🎉

[@SavidgeReads]

I think it may be the best Christmas book ever!

[@smileycindy]

My suggestion for a book that's not Christmas-themed but that is set around Christmas time would be The Christmas Guest from Peter Swanson. It's a novella and I enjoyed it.

[@SavidgeReads]

The second recommendation for that book in the comments. I’ll definitely have to look into it, thank you.

[@cindyhaiken5644]

I have Murder at Holly House heading my way, along with The Party, both from Blackwell’s. Would love a reading by the tree party!! I cry every time I read A Christmas Memory. And I do reread A Christmas Carol every year. The new Nigel Slater is called A Thousand Feasts and I am really keen to read it. And the Maggie O’Farrell picture book is so lovely. Have to say that watching you and Chris hunt for, set up and decorate the tree has become part of my own holiday traditions (and the last weekend of November is not too early for the tree!). And that Ho Ho Ho sweater is excellent!

[@SavidgeReads]

@@cindyhaiken5644 you wait till you see my SEQUINED Ho Ho Ho sweater. I’ll be wearing it to my works Christmas do this week. I may wear it in the read by the tree with me video too. Although my Santa sweatshirt is my favourite of my festive clobber. Wow. I really over explained and enthused about Christmas jumpers there!

[@MJ-in-Canada]

@@SavidgeReads You could always do a costume change half-way through the read-by-the-tree. It's what Cher would do.😁

[@Victoria-Claringbold]

You have a clowder of cats ! 🥰

[@SavidgeReads]

Hahaha. Love that term.

[@anneroy4560]

I have Dramatic Murder here & am looking forward to starting it next week ... it is one of several I bought from the British Library. I love Ngaio Marsh & have Tied Up In Tinsel ... read it!

[@SavidgeReads]

I will definitely get to Tied Up In Tinsel… next year. I feel like with no tinsel in the house (with new cats) it’ll goad me with its title if I read it this year.

[@gilliansawers4593]

I have borrowed When the Lights Go Out by Carys Bray from the library as another member recommended it to me looking forward to reading it.

[@SavidgeReads]

Oooh something must be in the air with that book! The festive air maybe lol

[@nathansnook]

i'm here for phalic branches!

[@SavidgeReads]

In hindsight that should have been the one… it’s the most me. Ooer!

[@lesleygordon9634]

Quite agree you must never disturb a sleeping cat.

[@SavidgeReads]

Never ever.

[@Liz86000]

Lol, poor Chris ! He carries the tree and then does all the decorating by himself while you’re on the couch Simon ! 😂😂😂 P.S : ok, don’t mind me, just saw the rest of it. You have a system. 👍

[@SavidgeReads]

We do. Plus due to my Dercum’s I can’t lift heavy things as it leads to a flare, the perils of a chronic illness. I did help at the end though, lol.

[@Liz86000]

@ I know what it is to have a chronic illness, you have all my sympathy indeed.

[@CionMohler]

A book that might fit your criteria of not being Christmassy but takes place at Christmas time (what an awkward sentence) is a book by Kathleen Farrell called Mistletoe Malice. Jen Campbell talked about it on her channel. A family gathers for Christmas but it’s really about all the family frictions and is very amusing. Where were the other two cats?

[@SavidgeReads]

The other two cats were both asleep upstairs. They’ve never been phased by trees at all and like beds more than sofas. Funny you mention Mistletoe Malice, I read that last year when mum and I were book elves for Kate at Harris and Harris Bookshop and we had a book club after and almost everyone hated it! Hahaha.

[@libbyandbrianbundrick3270]

First comment! 🎄 Happy Christmas from Thailand ❤

[@SavidgeReads]

And a Happy Christmas to you and yours from here!

[@JenniferRosebruce]

​@@SavidgeReads also love from Bangkok Thailand. ❤😊

[@kirstyhatton1857]

Interested to know who translated the HC Andersen stories. Many of the early translations are not very good, but l would hope they are as good as the covers.

[@SavidgeReads]

So it doesn’t have a translators name on The Fir Tree but The Snow Queen is translated by Jean Hersholt. Fingers crossed it’s a good one!

[@janepeacock3704]

PS - you inspired me to order Shining Brightly via the library (think that was included in the previous video 🤔)

[@SavidgeReads]

Hope you enjoy it!

[@janepeacock3704]

Just realised it’s Brightly Shining 😉 x

[@jacquelinemcmenamin8204]

I hope Santa Claus has something special for Chris this year. Remember you getting married in a snow storm ? ❤Did you just sit and film while Chris decorated the tree?😂🤣

[@SavidgeReads]

I sat, I didn’t film, the camera was positioned so I could have a cup of tea - as I mentioned, it wasn’t my turn to do the tree this year 😇

[@sarahgreen6583]

@@SavidgeReads Someone had to to stroke the cat.🐈 ☺

[@EvieM1]

📚

[@SavidgeReads]

🎄

[@markbrown890]

lovely tree hope the cats dnt jump on it lol

[@SavidgeReads]

We have had one moment of Biscuit deciding it’s a scratching post but since that nothing. Phew.

[@markbrown890]

​@@SavidgeReadsstill time 😂😂

[@susprime7018]

Hurray Simon Vlogmas!

[@SavidgeReads]

Hahahaha. Of sorts 😉🎄

[@susprime7018]

@SavidgeReads I'm going to read some stories from Silent Nights. Your tree is 😍.