Born on Christmas Day, and named in honor of the hymn Carol, Brothers, Carol, the sound of which was drifting in from the church next door just after her birth, Carol Bird was a kind-hearted, generous little girl—a true Christmas Child. Becoming ill when still quite young, she remained cheerful and bright, providing a good influence on her three brothers, and even upon her loving parents. Delighted that her beloved Uncle Jack was coming home for the holidays, Carol had a plan: to give the most wonderful Christmas to the nine Ruggles children living across the alley behind her house...

Originally privately printed in 1886, and then published in 1888, The Birds' Christmas Carol was, according to the prefatory letter in the edition I read, author Kate Douglas Wiggin's first book. It was published in order to help fund the kindergarten she founded in San Francisco, and went on to become a very popular holiday tale. I found it enjoyable, and while I recognize that its eponymous heroine might be a little too perfect at times—something which I think will irritate some contemporary readers—I just took that as it was. The depiction of the little Ruggles, and the lessons on manners given to them by their mother, added a note of hilarity to what might otherwise have been a depressing tale, and there was a happy feeling throughout, despite Carol's illness, and eventual death. I found Wiggins' prose here sometimes quite moving, with an occasional aside well worth remembering. When she writes that "Love could do nothing, and when we have said that we have said all, for it is stronger than anything else in the whole wide world," I found myself nodding in agreement. I also greatly enjoyed the illustrations of Katharine R. Wireman, which were frequently quite lovely.

All in all, I am glad to have read this holiday classic, and while I don't think I enjoyed it quite as much as some of Wiggin's Christmas romances—The Old Peabody Pew, The Romance of a Christmas Card—and certainly nowhere near as much as her best-known work, Rebecca of Sunnybrook Farm, it nevertheless made for a sweet seasonal tale. ( )

Sentimental yes, but not so mawkish even read during contemporary times. Mrs. Ruggles managing her lively brood's toilette and schooling them severely on their manners before they attend Carol's dinner party is the humorous highlight of the whole thing. ( )

A short children's novel from the late 19th century, The Birds' Christmas Carol tells the story of Carol Bird, a girl born on Christmas Day who is uncommonly sweet and kind. She is also ill, and by the time she is ten, she has been bed-ridden for years. Most of the book tells of her plans to hold a Christmas dinner party for all the children (nine of them) of the poor family next door and then of the party itself. In the end, Carol dies happy and peacefully after the dinner party has concluded and while listening to the choir at the church next door. I have vague recollections of having read this as a kid (I have a vivid memory of the cover of the yellow Apple paperback edition) and listened to it now mostly because I couldn't for anything remember whether Carol survived or not. Listening to it now, two things struck me: 1) it's properly funny in parts (especially Mrs. Ruggles getting her children ready to attend the party at the "big house") and 2) Carol, despite being the red-hot center of a morality tale for children, is genuinely sweet and pleasant rather than sickly treacly and creepily "too good." While her goodness is not quite believable, neither is it off-putting. I enjoyed the audio presentation, though I think the narrator's performance increases the twee factor--which the text itself is not free from, but which it manages not to drown in either. ( )

I was inspired by a wish to visit some classics, particularly ones available as free ebooks. I loved this one. Sweet, pretty and apt. Despite the book being christian, I did not find it alienating. Highly descriptive whilst being lovely generally. I recommend this happily. ( )

The Birds’ Christmas Carol – Kate Douglas Wiggins
3 stars

I satisfied my curiosity about this book with a free kindle download. It is a 19th century Hallmark Christmas special, and has nothing whatever to do with actual birds. Carol Bird (so called because she was born on Christmas Day) is a bed-ridden dying child with a saintly, generous nature. As her life is clearly ending, her one wish is to provide a lavish Christmas celebration for the poor Irish immigrant family that she is able to observe from her window. The story is dripping with sweetness, but I enjoyed the humorous descriptions of the Irish children. While it might be heavy handed in its message, there’s no denying the heartwarming ‘ better to give than to receive’ ending.

I was more interested in the author, Kate Douglas Wiggins, than I was in this story. She is better known as the author of Rebecca of Sunnybrook Farm. Wiggins was a resident of San Francisco and became involved with the “free Kindergarten” movement of the time. She opened the first free kindergarten in California. This book was published to help finance the venture.
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