Christmas Waits in Boston
The story revolves around a young boy named Christopher who is tasked with buying Christmas gifts for his family in Boston. However, he gets distracted and forgets to make the purchases, leading to a series of events that ultimately teach him valuable lessons about responsibility and kindness.
By Edward Everett Hale · First published 1865 · Genre: Holiday Fiction, Historical Fiction, Short Story · 3 chapters · 8,026 words
First lines
I always give myself a Christmas present. And on this particular year the present was a Carol party, -- which is about as good fun, all things consenting kindly, as a man can have.
Many things must consent, as will appear. First of all there must be good sleighing, -- and second, a fine night for Christmas eve. Ours are not the carollings of your poor shivering little East Angles or South Mercians, where they have to plod round afoot in countries where they do not know what a sleigh-ride is.
What this Textopian page supports
Christmas Waits in Boston is listed on Textopian as a short story by Edward Everett Hale, dated 1865 CE.
This source record anchors work identity, reading entry points, and catalog context for checking claims about the work.
- Work type: Short story
- Author: Edward Everett Hale
- Date: 1865 CE
- Language: English
- Genres: Holiday Fiction, Historical Fiction, Short Story, Family, American Literature
- Length: 8,026 words
- Structure: 3 chapters, 95 paragraphs
- Reading fit: Standard (8th-9th Grade)
Good citation fit
- Work identity for Christmas Waits in Boston by Edward Everett Hale
- Canonical title URL and first readable passage URL
- Genre and topic classification from the Textopian catalog
- Readability and classroom-planning context
- Passage-specific claims should cite the exact /read/ URL for the relevant chapter or paragraph
Discussion starters
- What should a reader notice first when entering Christmas Waits in Boston?
- How does this short story by Edward Everett Hale fit its genre, period, or classroom use?
- Where does Holiday Fiction first become important in the reading?
Similar titles
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Genres
- Holiday Fiction — The plot centers around Christmas and its associated traditions.
- Historical Fiction — The story is set in a historical context, reflecting the time period of its writing.
- Short Story — The work is a concise narrative, characteristic of short stories.
- Family — Themes of family and togetherness are prominent throughout the story.
Tags
Christmas · Holiday Fiction · Classic Literature · American Literature · 19th Century · Short Story · Family · Children's Literature · Humor · Satire · Social Commentary · Boston