The Oxford Book of Christmas Poems

What better time than Christmas to ponder the passing of the year, the mystery of the birth of Christ, the traditions of the season, and the expectation of what the New Year might usher in? And what better way to reflect on such themes than through poetry? This is a thought-provoking, satisfying collection that brings together poems ranging from traditional wassailing songs to the work of contemporary poets. Illustrated in both colour and black and white by artists such as Peter Bailey, Charles Keeping and Ian Beck, it is an anthology to treasure from childhood through to adulthood.

The winter landscape at Christmas, the story of the Nativity, the celebrations of the season, and the coming of the New Year-these are explored through more than 120 poems, both old and new. Included in this wonderful illustrated collection are poems by Ted Hughes, John Betjeman, W.H. Auden, Thomas Hardy, Michael Rosen, and many more.