You can read Dylan Thomas’ story “A Child’s Christmas in Wales” online. You can also listen to the author read a substantial excerpt from the 1952 recording. In addition, you can hear the interesting story of how this recording came to be in this NPR broadcast.
Thomas grounds the story of this long-ago Christmas in real details–snow and fire brigades and uncles–and yet he tells it as if it were a fairy tale.
The ending: “I said some words to the close and holy darkness, and then I slept.”
[Annual Christmas Eve post]
Thank you for posting these resources. This is my absolute favorite Christmas story (along with Truman Capote’s A Christmas Memory). I had no idea that you could get it online. And that last line about “the close and holy darkness” just sends chills down my spine each time I read it. Merry Christmas to you, Cynthia, and to your beautiful blog.
Thanks, Kimberly. I love this story too. Hope your holidays were merry and bright!