I don't read anthologies very often but a friend gave this to me because it has a Christopher Stasheff story in it I hadn't read. Like most anthologies, it is a mixed bag, but the majority are quite pleasant reads, all related to Christmas in some form. The only sour note was Gael Baudino's "Tidings of Comfort and Joy", which had a lame story and one-dimensional characters. But the rest were charming. I think my favorite might have been "I Sing of a Maiden" by Judith Tarr, but then I always was a sucker for time travel, however subtle. If you can overlook (or skip) Baudino's story, it's a good book for reading by the fireplace. ( )