Christmas means different things to different people. In this book the work of a number of British, European and American writers is used to evoke the traditions, memories and feelings associated with Christmas, sometimes in prose, sometimes in verse, and at other times by a carol complete with its musical setting. Using a quill pen to transcribe every page in calligraphy, Dorothy Boux has embellished each with an original drawing, making subtle use of colour to convey the different moods. The book opens with the mystic atmosphere surrounding the birth of Christ, followed by the tenderness and peace radiating from the cradle as the child is visited by the magi and shepherds. Then Christmas as a joyful family occasion round the fire, with the excitement of the children, the presents, the Christmas tree, the decorations and the food. In contrast there is the countryside in winter, the nostalgia and loneliness of a soldier at war and a sailor at sea on Christmas day. The book closes with a moving letter written during the Italian Renaissance which reads like a hymn to peace, life and love.