By Trix Wilkins
Cover photo by Daria Yakovleva via Pixabay
Make “messes” like the March sisters, read books inspired by Little Women, take off on a Grand Tour…This is for all who want to celebrate Christmas Little Women style.
For Team Meg
Of course Meg did more than cook in Little Women, but these definitely made me think of the keen little homemaker in her! Here are some yummy looking recipes to try one’s hand at this Christmas.
Little Gingerbread Women from Alison’s Wonderland Recipes – and you can modify numbers (how many at your Little Women Christmas tea party…?).
Photo courtesy of Alison’s Wonderland Recipes
If you’re more of an apple-pie sort of person than gingerbread, you can try Louisa May Alcott’s Apple Slump courtesy of the Huffington Post – or if you have a sister who wants to visit a sick next-door-neighbor (but can’t make “messes” to save her life), you can make blancmange like Hannah Heath.
Photo courtesy of Hannah Heath
For Team Jo
Take off on a Little Women World Tour! This multiple city Little Women Trail is a mix of speculation touching on the various cities mentioned in Little Women Part 1 mingled with the literary routes through Concord and Boston.
Photo courtesy of Felix Broennimann via Pixabay
If money’s a bit tight, you could put on a play (you might want to check out how the experts set up the real March home at Louisa May Alcott’s Orchard House first ;)) or join fellow readers in a challenge such as the In the Bookcase A Literary Christmas reading link up.
If genius is burning, consider writing a piece for the Little Women 150th anniversary anthology due to be published next year!
Image courtesy of Pink Umbrella Publishing
For Team Beth
Visit your neighbors with both kind words and practical help (maybe offer some baby-sitting for parents keen for a much needed break).
Go to your nearest op shop and buy dolls needing a little TLC (you can ask a little woman in your life to choose some you can repair together).
If you’d like new dolls to give as gifts for the little Beths in your life, check out the Little Women Dolls and Tea Set from Louisa May Alcott’s Orchard House.
Photo courtesy of Louisa May Alcott’s Orchard House
For Team Amy
Collect some artsy framed quotes from Little Women by Bookishly – or get out your supplies and design your own!
Photo courtesy of Bookishly
And if you love limes as much as Amy, you might enjoy this Lime Tart recipe by The Little Library Café.
Photo courtesy of The Little Library Café
For Team Marmee
Discover the real Marmee and Jo, their closeness and their writings in Marmee & Louisa: the untold story of Louisa May Alcott and her mother – the author Eve LaPlante is a descendant of the Alcotts and has also designed some reading group questions to accompany her dual biography (it’s Little Women Book Club made easy).
Abigail Alcott was a prolific writer in her own right and you can also read a collection of her personal writings in My Heart is Boundless.
For Team Mr March
Ponder Literary Portals to Prayer with Louisa May Alcott alongside your Bible – then host a Bible study and literary discussions in your home.
Read your children Francine Rivers’ The Shoe Box, a lovely Christmas story about an adopted boy who discovers a treasure that can’t be taken away (our kids love this one!).
For Team If Only the Marches were Real
Savor The Little Women Letters whilst on holiday (see Team Jo entry about that Little Women Trail). This is a book for those who have wondered, “What if Jo March were real and she had kids who had kids…” and who love delightful romantic twists. The letters from Jo March are wonderful and bear multiple readings!
For Team Jo and Laurie
Check out The Courtship of Jo March, a novel for shippers of Jo and Laurie (ie: all who wish a) Jo hadn’t said no OR b) Laurie had grown up and courted Jo a bit better AND c) things had worked out differently with Jo-Laurie-Amy-Professor Bhaer). Things change for Beth, too…
I hope you are all having a wonderful Christmas – and if you have additional ideas for fellow Little Women fans would love to hear them!
This is an amazing article! I’m wanting to find out more about each of these things you mentioned. I’ve never heard of the Little Women World Tour before… now I want to go! That would be an amazing experience.
Aw! And you’re so sweet for mentioning my challenge. Thank you.
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Thanks so much! Hahaha I’m not sure if it is technically a world tour but it’s definitely Europe and North America 😉 I’d love to do it too… And you’re welcome about the challenge! 🙂
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By the way, in reply to the lovely note you wrote on my blog, my Christmas reading challenge is also open to book reviews and such that participants share on Goodreads, or anywhere else online. It doesn’t have to just be from your blog, if that helps. 🙂
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Definitely helps! Have just finished Dash and Lily Book of Dares and might link up on that one 🙂 Thanks so much for letting me know the options!
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Great! I think you’re reading Christmas books faster than I am. 🙂
…And I’m certainly trying!
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I think this one’s a case of looking at more than I can handle! 😉 Certainly lots of books on the TBR but finding not enough time…
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I just showed Little Women (Winona Ryder version) to my daughter this weekend. She sees herself as a Beth/Jo mix. 🙂
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A mix of Beth and Jo – your daughter must be a delight to spend time with! Did you both enjoy the movie?
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I love this! Thanks for including my book. 🙂
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What cute ideas! Little Women fits in so well with this time of year.
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I’m glad you like the gingerbread! Also, that lime tart looks DELICIOUS. ^.^
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It does doesn’t it?! I normally go in for chocolate desserts that I don’t bake myself, but that’s actually tempting =D
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Beautiful blog! Now I want to read the book again and find the details you talk about in your articles! Expecially the mysteries unsolved!
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Thanks so much for stopping by and the encouragement! 🙂 Yes it’s definitely worth a re-read 😉
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I love this!!
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