This book comprises the Christmas stories published in the Christmas Numbers of the "Household Words" and "All the Year Round" serials published by Charles Dickens between 1852 and 1867. The 1896 edition, of which this is a reprint, includes a special Introduction and Notes on the stories themselves by Charles Dickens the Younger. These stories, while published for the Christmas audience, are for the most part, not about Christmas (the exception being "The Holly-Tree Inn"). ** That was Dickens' original intention as is shown in the letter in which Charles Dickens invited the Rev. James White to contribute "short stories supposed to be told by a family sitting round the fire. I don't care about their referring to Christmas at all, nor do I design to connect them together, otherwise than by their names." ** So, while not being about Christmas itself, the stories were written to evoke the spirit of Christmas when read, or read aloud. ** Included in this book are: "The Poor Relation's Story", "The Child's Story", "The Schoolboy's Story", "Nobody's Story", "The Seven Poor Travelers", "The Holly-tree", "The Wreck of the Golden Mary", "The Perils of Certain English Prisoners", "Going into Society", "The Haunted House", "A Message from the Sea", "Tom Tiddler's Ground, Somebody's Luggage", "Mrs. Lirriper's Lodgings", "Mrs. Lirriper's Legacy", "Doctor Marigold", "Mugby Junction", and "No Thoroughfare". ** The second chapters in "The Wreck of the Golden Mary" and "The Perils of Certain English Prisoners", the fourth chapter of "A Message from the Sea", and the second Act of "No Thoroughfare" were written by Wilkie Collins; the second and third chapters of "A Message from the Sea", and the first and fourth Acts of "No Thoroughfare" were written by both Wilkie Collins and Charles Dickens; and the rest of the stories in this volume were written by Charles Dickens. ** Includes the original 16 illustrations.