The arrival of Christmas evokes a range of feelings in most of us—from intense nostalgia, to playful whimsy, to high seriousness, to simple joy. In this respect, great writers are no different. Now on display, from the Library's Berg Collection of English and American Literature, are examples of several different kinds of “holiday spirit” expressed by a small group of literary luminaries. Charles Dickens’s A Christmas Carol, a fable of personal redemption and social reform, became a Christmas favorite since its initial appearance in 1843. Some of the other expressions of Christmas sentiment displayed here are more idiosyncratic.
Sponsors
Support for The New York Public Library’s Exhibitions Program has been provided by Celeste Bartos, Sue and Edgar Wachenheim III, Mahnaz Ispahani Bartos and Adam Bartos Exhibitions Fund, Jonathan Altman, and the continuing generosity of Miriam and Ira D. Wallach.
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