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Necessary Whimsy: Wintry Reads for Hibernating Goblins
Jan. 13th, 2026 03:00 pm![[syndicated profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/feed.png){kind=small}
tordotcom_feedNecessary Whimsy: Wintry Reads for Hibernating Goblins
Published on January 13, 2026
Hogfather cover art by Josh Kirby
Hogfather cover art by Josh Kirby
If you’ve been on this site for a minute—and by a minute, I mean many years—you might remember a handful of posts on here called Necessary Whimsy, where I talked about funny and whimsical SFF books. At the time it felt like we were all struggling and needed some joy. (Oh, past me. You had no idea what horrors lay in store.) And now… well, now we need it even more.
It made sense for me to start up again in these early days of January, in a month where darkness is shifting back into light. I live in the Pacific Northwest, friends, where sunset is at four PM as I write this, but I think we all could use a light in the darkness.
For people that don’t know me well, it might surprise some that I love the holidays so much. I mean, I used to work retail. I should hiss every time I hear a holiday song. Maybe it’s because my mother loves the holidays and passed that along to me and my brothers. Maybe it’s because there are several Muppet holiday films, and I am a die-hard Muppet fan. It could also be that I love any excuse to burrow into blankets with a hot drink, my mom’s homemade Chex mix or cookies, and read a book while surrounded by fairy lights.
Winter is made for goblin mode, and I, my friends, am all goblin.
I don’t love the stress holidays bring. The hectic pace at a time when we should be hibernating and slowing down. And for many people, the inescapable social obligations with people you’d rather not see. The holidays can be rough. So why am I, after we have survived the holiday gauntlet, offering up books featuring winter holidays? Isn’t it a little late? The thing is that some people will want to drag out the feeling of joy or catch up on the fun bits they haven’t had time for yet. For others…well, sometimes reading can help you process the bad stuff, and escaping for a few pages into a world of whimsy can do just that.
So, whether you love it or hate it, whether you delight in the early nights, or struggle with seasonal depression, here’s some whimsy from me to you. A gift with no obligations.
Hogfather by Terry Pratchett
I must, of course, start with a book that’s, “supposed to be jolly, with mistletoe and holly… and other things ending in olly.” If you’ve never read it, the Hogfather is the Discworld’s version of Father Christmas. The Hogfather has gone missing and Death has donned the suit and must deliver all the toys in his place. It’s filled with tooth fairies, wizards, assassins, and humor, of course, but because it’s Pratchett, he’s snuck in a ton of discussion about social issues, class, and poverty. What I also love is that there are great audio and film adaptations of Hogfather. This year I listened to the newer audiobook with Peter Serafinowicz as Death, Sian Clifford as the narrator, and Bill Nighy performing the footnotes, and I think they do an amazing job. If you’ve been reluctant to watch the two-part 2006 miniseries, don’t be—Sir Terry had a hand in it, and it is very faithful to the original. I watch it every year.
Sanctuary by Ilona Andrews
This is kind of a hear me out, because it doesn’t sound whimsical. Sanctuary is set in the world of Kate Daniels, following Roman, the Black Volhv, who serves Chernobog the god of destruction, darkness and death. There’s a pretty high body count in this novella for a work that’s supposed to be full of whimsy. But that’s why it’s kind of perfect—this is a story of joy in the darkness. Whimsy and gallows humor make great dancing partners as they tango their way into a solid coping mechanism. Roman might work for a dark god, but he’s also a kind person doing his best in a rough world. He’s out of eggnog, his house is full of freeloading mythical creatures who all have a different feeding time and system, and there is glitter everywhere. Even if you haven’t read any books in the series, I think you can still pick this one up as Team Andrews does a good job catching you up on any info you need to know. For audiobook fans, Chris Brinkley is the narrator on this one and I absolutely adored his performance.
A Lot Like Christmas by Connie Willis
This collection started out life as Miracle and Other Christmas Stories and is like a sampler platter of whimsy: Twelve stories packed with insight, joy, and heart. I personally felt very vindicated by the first story that has a running joke about how everyone thinks It’s a Wonderful Life is the best, except the narrator who is Team Miracle on 34th Street (the original) and same, Willis. Same. I also think the second story about a very human-like robot who wants to be a Rockette is particularly timely. Willis’ writing is very accessible and if you’ve never read her stuff before, this might be a good place to start.
Winterfair Gifts by Lois McMaster Bujold
I came to Bujold’s work late and have been making up for lost time. Her stories have really kept my sanity together the last few years and I think if you’ve read Pratchett and haven’t read Bujold, you should fix that. They’re both hilarious and kind but also sneak in some really pointed commentary that I love. Winterfair Gifts is a short read set in the world of her Vorkosigan series, but again I think you can read this without reading everything else, though you will run into some spoilers. If you want something wintery, romantic, and holiday-like, but not full of tinsel and ornaments, this is a good one. You can find this novella on its own, but I read it as part of the collection Miles in Love.
Ring the Bells by C.K. McDonnell
This is part of The Stranger Times series, which is about a motley crew of journalists, except the paper focuses on things like haunted toilets and possessed pets. In book one, the crew quickly realizes that some of their stories are very, very real. Personally, you can put the “ragtag group of heroes that becomes a slightly dysfunctional family” trope directly into my veins, thanks. And while like Sanctuary, there’s a high body count in this one—it starts out with a book club turned horrific triple murder, which I’m honestly surprised isn’t how more book clubs turn out—it’s also packed cheek to jowl with silliness and comedy. Old gods bent on vengeance, possessed Santas, delightful banter, and an ongoing incredibly awkward romance…this book has it all. Caimh McDonnell started out life as TV writer and stand-up comedian and it shows in his writing. I’ve listened to all of these books on audio, and I think Brendan McDonald, the narrator, is very engaging. (And while you will miss out on some of the series’ ongoing storyline, I do think you could read this book before the others if you so choose. Or you could find a cozy spot and just read all of them. You do you, boo.)
The Stupidest Angel by Christopher Moore
Somehow the Publishing Gods decided that Christopher Moore writes fiction, not SFF, which has baffled me on many occasions as most of his books have things like vampires, demons, giant sea monsters, gods and so forth. What I’m saying is, that if you mostly haunt the SFF section of your bookstore, you might be missing out on his work, which would be a shame. This book takes place in Pine Cove, a fictional California town, where a lot of Moore’s earlier books were set. I grew up in a small, seaside town, and Pine Cove reminds me of that—scenic, at times quaint, full of tourists, with a large percentage of absolutely unhinged locals. But, like, in a fun way.
Moore has even tucked a Pine Cove version of “The Gift of the Magi” into this book, which plays out between the town constable, Theo, and his wife, Molly. If you’ve ever wanted to read a book that has a talking fruit bat, an incompetent angel, and a zombie Santa in it, Moore has created this bite-sized morsel just for you. While it likely can be read on its own, the book probably will be funnier if you’ve read the rest of the series.[end-mark]
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