The time between Thanksgiving and Christmas holds a special kind of magic. There is a great deal of joy, hope, and love. Those things certainly have their place in this anthology.

When your outlook is merry and bright, however, it’s easy to forget that the holiday magic might not be the same for everyone. How it manifests itself depends on how the poet defines it. Perspective, as they say, is everything.

While many poets in this collection recount fond memories with friends and family, others write about Christmas in poverty, in abuse, in sadness, and in grief. Even when things weren’t all right, though, holiday time was, somehow, alright. They found things in childhood that made it so, and while memories of hard times are undoubtedly still on their minds, they have found moments in adulthood, too, that have created better memories.