DailyLit News: Flown in by Eight Tiny Reindeer Note from the Founder It's hard to believe that the holidays are fast approaching. If you're like me, your "To Do" list seems insurmountable. Just when you've tackled your holiday shopping list, decorated your tree, and planned your celebrations, suddenly the tooth fairy needs to make an appearance! I suppose it's time to take a deep breath, sneak in a few DailyLit installments -- hint, hint -- and at least try to enjoy these last few weeks of the year.
Cheers -- to happy holidays and a happy new year!
-Susan Susan Danziger
Founder and CEO, DailyLit
sdanziger@dailylit.com
Twitter: @susandanziger, @dailylit Holiday Reads Here are a few classic holiday tales to sneak in during a coffee break or while waiting in line:
-The Gift of the Magi by O.Henry
-Little Women by Louisa May Alcott
-A Christmas Carol by Charles Dickens
You can also check out the Holiday section of DailyLit for more holiday reads.
You may even want to send one of these holiday books to a friend for the holidays, together with a personalized note. You can do that on the sign-up box found on any book page where you'll find a tab that reads "Gift this book". Vacation Pauses If you're traveling this holiday season or just need a break, remember you can suspend your books and have them automatically resume for when you return. Just click on the link at the bottom of any book installment that reads: "Need a break? Suspend delivery of this book". You can also suspend your book (or multiple books) by going to "Your Settings" after logging in to DailyLit. 2012 Literary Resolutions Which book would you like to read as part of your 2012 New Year's resolution? That's our recent Question of the Week. Anyone up for tackling War and Peace? If you missed this holiday question, I asked which have been your favorite literary gifts (I'm try to get some last minute ideas); you can still answer it here. Twas the Night Before Christmas Challenge Whenever I read A Visit from St. Nicholas I think of my old, worn out pop-up book version of this poem that I loved reading and re-reading as a child. This new creative challenge asks you to finish the line "Twas the night before Christmas…" and come up with your own verse. Here's the entire poem by Clement C. Moore; I hope it brings back your own magical memories: Twas the night before Christmas, when all through the house Not a creature was stirring, not even a mouse; The stockings were hung by the chimney with care, In hopes that St. Nicholas soon would be there; The children were nestled all snug in their beds, While visions of sugar-plums danced in their heads; And mamma in her kerchief, and I in my cap, Had just settled our brains for a long winter's nap-- When out on the lawn there rose such a clatter, I sprang from my bed to see what was the matter, Away to the window I flew like a flash, Tore open the shutters and threw up the sash. The moon, on the breast of the new-fallen snow, Gave a lustre of mid-day to objects below; When, what to my wondering eyes should appear, But a miniature sleigh, and eight tiny rein-deer, With a little old driver, so lively and quick, I knew in a moment it must be St. Nick. More rapid than eagles his coursers they came, And he whistled, and shouted, and called them by name; "Now, Dasher! now, Dancer! now, Prancer and Vixen! On! Comet, on! Cupid, on! Dunder and Blitzen-- To the top of the porch, to the top of the wall! Now, dash away, dash away, dash away all!" As dry leaves that before the wild hurricane fly, When they meet with an obstacle, mount to the sky, So, up to the house-top the coursers they flew, With a sleigh full of toys--and St. Nicholas too. And then in a twinkling I heard on the roof, The prancing and pawing of each little hoof. As I drew in my head, and was turning around, Down the chimney St. Nicholas came with a bound. He was dressed all in fur from his head to his foot, And his clothes were all tarnished with ashes and soot; A bundle of toys he had flung on his back, And he looked like a peddler just opening his pack; His eyes how they twinkled! his dimples how merry! His cheeks were like roses, his nose like a cherry; His droll little month was drawn up like a bow, And the beard on his chin was as white as the snow; The stump of a pipe he held tight in his teeth, And the smoke, it encircled his head like a wreath. He had a broad face, and a little round belly That shook when he laughed, like a bowl full of jelly. He was chubby and plump--a right jolly old elf; And I laughed when I saw him in spite of myself. A wink of his eye, and a twist of his head, Soon gave me to know I had nothing to dread. He spoke not a word, but went straight to his work, And filled all the stockings; then turned with a jerk, And laying his finger aside of his nose, And giving a nod, up the chimney he rose. He sprang to his sleigh, to his team gave a whistle, And away they all flew like the down of a thistle; But I heard him exclaim, ere he drove out of sight, "Merry Christmas to all, and to all a good night!" ---- DailyLit is the leading publisher of serialized books in digital form. Selected the #1 Book Website by The Sunday Times, DailyLit has sent over 47 million book installments. DailyLit's books and series are all free and feature bestselling and award-winning titles. Installments can be read in fewer than 5 minutes wherever you receive email, including on any computer, Blackberry, tablet or iPhone. |
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