Enid Blyton's Christmas Stories - Just How Many?

Discuss Blyton's magazines, short stories and poetry here.
User avatar
pete9012S
Posts: 17572
Joined: 24 Jan 2010, 15:32
Favourite book/series: Five On A Treasure Island
Favourite character: Frederick Algernon Trotteville
Location: UK

Enid Blyton's Christmas Stories - Just How Many?

Post by pete9012S »

Image

Enid Blyton's Christmas Stories - How Many Did She Produce?

I like to read Enid's Christmas stories around this time of year,but how many did she actually write?


How many books and short stories are there to collect and read?
Can we list them all,including the year published and general info/location the book/s they appear in?
(My guestimate is around 100?)

I will start us off with an obvious one as well as a short story:

1.The Christmas Book (1944)
2.Good Gracious, Santa Claus! (Sunny Stories No.206 Dec 20, 1940 /Enid Blyton's Bluebell Story Book 1949)
" A kind heart always brings its own reward," said Mrs. Lee.
- The Christmas Tree Aeroplane -

Society Member
User avatar
Fiona1986
Posts: 10527
Joined: 01 Dec 2007, 15:35
Favourite book/series: Five Go to Smuggler's Top
Favourite character: Julian Kirrin
Location: Dundee, Scotland
Contact:

Re: Enid Blyton's Christmas Stories - Just How Many?

Post by Fiona1986 »

I'm in the middle of writing a blog about this.... and let me tell you... it's a lot!!
"It's the ash! It's falling!" yelled Julian, almost startling Dick out of his wits...
"Listen to its terrible groans and creaks!" yelled Julian, almost beside himself with impatience.


World of Blyton Blog

Society Member
User avatar
Eddie Muir
Posts: 14566
Joined: 13 Oct 2007, 22:28
Favourite book/series: Five Find-Outers and Dog
Favourite character: Fatty
Location: Brighton

Re: Enid Blyton's Christmas Stories - Just How Many?

Post by Eddie Muir »

1. The Christmas Book (1944)
2. Good Gracious, Santa Claus! (Sunny Stories No.206 Dec 20, 1940 /Enid Blyton's Bluebell Story Book 1949)
3. The Christmas Stocking (1949)
'Go down to the side-shows by the river this afternoon. I'll meet you somewhere in disguise. Bet you won't know me!' wrote Fatty.

Society Member
User avatar
pete9012S
Posts: 17572
Joined: 24 Jan 2010, 15:32
Favourite book/series: Five On A Treasure Island
Favourite character: Frederick Algernon Trotteville
Location: UK

Re: Enid Blyton's Christmas Stories - Just How Many?

Post by pete9012S »

Thank you for your contributions Fiona & Eddie.

I wondered if we could trace the very first Christmas Story Enid Blyton wrote and also the very last?
Items four and five below are my suggestions.Am I right,or are there any other earlier and later Christmas stories I wonder?


1. The Christmas Book (1944)
2. Good Gracious, Santa Claus! (Sunny Stories No.206 Dec 20, 1940 /Enid Blyton's Bluebell Story Book 1949)
3. The Christmas Stocking (1949)
4.The Christmas Fairies (1926) - The Teacher's Treasury (Vol. 2) (The Home Library Book Company 1926)
5.Happy Christmas, Five! {Famous Five] 1962 (Princess Gift Book for Girls 1962)
" A kind heart always brings its own reward," said Mrs. Lee.
- The Christmas Tree Aeroplane -

Society Member
Tony Summerfield
Posts: 6386
Joined: 26 Dec 2004, 12:20

Re: Enid Blyton's Christmas Stories - Just How Many?

Post by Tony Summerfield »

I was asked last year by Hodders if I could come up with some Christmas stories to go into the book that has been recently published, Christmas Tales. They had about ten that were left over from Enid Blyton's Magical Treasury, but they needed some more. I sorted out about 20 stories for them to choose from and they ended up using ten of them. I also had to source all the stories for them and as some of these were not going to be possible for them to get hold of I had to load them into the Cave. Two of these were used, 'Pantomime Wolf' and 'The Christmas Bicycle', but another one that I put into the Cave, 'The Best Christmas Tree of All', wasn't used which is why it is now sitting in the Journal!
User avatar
pete9012S
Posts: 17572
Joined: 24 Jan 2010, 15:32
Favourite book/series: Five On A Treasure Island
Favourite character: Frederick Algernon Trotteville
Location: UK

Re: Enid Blyton's Christmas Stories - Just How Many?

Post by pete9012S »

Thanks for that interesting info Tony.
Here's a link to The Best Christmas Tree of All - It can be read in the cave here: http://www.enidblytonsociety.co.uk/book ... %5B1960%5D" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;


1. The Christmas Book (1944)
2. Good Gracious, Santa Claus! (Sunny Stories No.206 Dec 20, 1940 /Enid Blyton's Bluebell Story Book 1949)
3. The Christmas Stocking (1949)
4.The Christmas Fairies (1926) - The Teacher's Treasury (Vol. 2) (The Home Library Book Company 1926)
5.Happy Christmas, Five! {Famous Five] 1962 (Princess Gift Book for Girls 1962)
6.The Best Christmas Tree of All - Sunny Stories No. 496/Collins Annual
" A kind heart always brings its own reward," said Mrs. Lee.
- The Christmas Tree Aeroplane -

Society Member
User avatar
Rob Houghton
Posts: 16029
Joined: 26 Feb 2005, 22:38
Favourite book/series: Rubadub Mystery, Famous Five and The Find-Outers
Favourite character: Snubby, Uncle Robert, George, Fatty
Location: Kings Norton, Birmingham

Re: Enid Blyton's Christmas Stories - Just How Many?

Post by Rob Houghton »

1. The Christmas Book (1944)
2. Good Gracious, Santa Claus! (Sunny Stories No.206 Dec 20, 1940 /Enid Blyton's Bluebell Story Book 1949)
3. The Christmas Stocking (1949)
4. John Jolly At Christmas (1942)
5. The First Christmas (1945)
6. Father Christmas and Belinda (1951)
7. Noddy Meets Father Christmas (1955)
8. The Who Wasn't Father Christmas ( from A Story Party at Green Hedges, 1949)
9.The Tiny Christmas Tree ( Tales after Supper, 1949)
10. The Dog That Hated Christmas (Jinkey's Joke and other stories, 1949)

In fact if you search The Cave there are 26 results in 'Books', 183 results in stories and poems, 30 results in magazines and 143 in periodicals...and these are just the stories that contain 'Christmas' in the title. 8)
'Oh voice of Spring of Youth
hearts mad delight,
Sing on, sing on, and when the sun is gone
I'll warm me with your echoes
through the night.'

(E. Blyton, Sunday Times, 1951)



Society Member
Tony Summerfield
Posts: 6386
Joined: 26 Dec 2004, 12:20

Re: Enid Blyton's Christmas Stories - Just How Many?

Post by Tony Summerfield »

pete9012S wrote: I wondered if we could trace the very first Christmas Story Enid Blyton wrote and also the very last?
Items four and five below are my suggestions.Am I right,or are there any other earlier and later Christmas stories I wonder?
I was going to suggest a story from The Teacher's Treasury (Vol 2) as one of the earliest too, Pete, 'The Capture of Santa Claus'.

Having spent some time working on two Christmas books for Hodders (Christmas Stories in 2014), I can assure you that there are a great many stories that don't actually have 'Christmas' in the title!

I think I can go one better than this, ‘The Stolen Reindeer’ first appeared in Teachers World, issue 931, 1922.

http://www.enidblytonsociety.co.uk/blyt ... e&perid=30" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;
User avatar
pete9012S
Posts: 17572
Joined: 24 Jan 2010, 15:32
Favourite book/series: Five On A Treasure Island
Favourite character: Frederick Algernon Trotteville
Location: UK

Re: Enid Blyton's Christmas Stories - Just How Many?

Post by pete9012S »

Thanks Tony and Rob.
Maybe we should try and list the stories that don't actually have Christmas in the title if possible to give ourselves more of a challenge.

Of course,all stories even the ones with Christmas in the title are welcome if anyone would like to contribute.
" A kind heart always brings its own reward," said Mrs. Lee.
- The Christmas Tree Aeroplane -

Society Member
User avatar
pete9012S
Posts: 17572
Joined: 24 Jan 2010, 15:32
Favourite book/series: Five On A Treasure Island
Favourite character: Frederick Algernon Trotteville
Location: UK

Re: Enid Blyton's Christmas Stories - Just How Many?

Post by pete9012S »

1. The Christmas Book (1944)
2. Good Gracious, Santa Claus! (Sunny Stories No.206 Dec 20, 1940 /Enid Blyton's Bluebell Story Book 1949)
3. The Christmas Stocking (1949)
4.The Christmas Fairies (1926) - The Teacher's Treasury (Vol. 2) (The Home Library Book Company 1926)
5.Happy Christmas, Five! {Famous Five] 1962 (Princess Gift Book for Girls 1962)
6.The Best Christmas Tree of All - Sunny Stories No. 496/Collins Annual
7. John Jolly At Christmas (1942)
8. The First Christmas (1945)
9. Father Christmas and Belinda (1951)
10. Noddy Meets Father Christmas (1955)
11. The Who Wasn't Father Christmas ( from A Story Party at Green Hedges, 1949)
12.The Tiny Christmas Tree ( Tales after Supper, 1949)
13. The Dog That Hated Christmas (Jinkey's Joke and other stories, 1949)
" A kind heart always brings its own reward," said Mrs. Lee.
- The Christmas Tree Aeroplane -

Society Member
Tony Summerfield
Posts: 6386
Joined: 26 Dec 2004, 12:20

Re: Enid Blyton's Christmas Stories - Just How Many?

Post by Tony Summerfield »

Another early one for you, 'Fairy's Love', stick it in the list if you want, along with 'The Stolen Reindeer' from my link above.

http://www.enidblytonsociety.co.uk/blyt ... e&perid=95" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;
User avatar
Rob Houghton
Posts: 16029
Joined: 26 Feb 2005, 22:38
Favourite book/series: Rubadub Mystery, Famous Five and The Find-Outers
Favourite character: Snubby, Uncle Robert, George, Fatty
Location: Kings Norton, Birmingham

Re: Enid Blyton's Christmas Stories - Just How Many?

Post by Rob Houghton »

One of my favourites as a child - 'The Christmas Tree Aeroplane' - which I first read in 'Fireside Tales' (1972) but originally featured in 'The Second Holiday Book' (1947)

'Happy Christmas, Five!' (1962) must be one of the last Christmas stories Enid wrote...? 8)
'Oh voice of Spring of Youth
hearts mad delight,
Sing on, sing on, and when the sun is gone
I'll warm me with your echoes
through the night.'

(E. Blyton, Sunday Times, 1951)



Society Member
User avatar
Anita Bensoussane
Forum Administrator
Posts: 26772
Joined: 30 Jan 2005, 23:25
Favourite book/series: Adventure series, Six Cousins books, Six Bad Boys
Favourite character: Jack Trent, Fatty and Elizabeth Allen
Location: UK

Re: Enid Blyton's Christmas Stories - Just How Many?

Post by Anita Bensoussane »

Neither of my two favourite Christmas-themed stories has "Christmas" in the title:

Little Mrs. Millikin (Originally published in Enid Blyton's Sunny Stories Issue 257, December 1941. I read it in Everday Stories, Purnell 1972). A truly heartwarming tale.

Santa Claus is Surprising (Originally published in Enid Blyton's Sunny Stories Issue 369, December 1945. I read it in Enid Blyton's Sunshine Book, Dean & Son 1965). A slightly shocking but compelling tale, giving young readers plenty of food for thought.
"Heyho for a starry night and a heathery bed!" - Jack, The Secret Island.

"There is no bond like the bond of having read and liked the same books."
- E. Nesbit, The Wonderful Garden.


Society Member
User avatar
Rob Houghton
Posts: 16029
Joined: 26 Feb 2005, 22:38
Favourite book/series: Rubadub Mystery, Famous Five and The Find-Outers
Favourite character: Snubby, Uncle Robert, George, Fatty
Location: Kings Norton, Birmingham

Re: Enid Blyton's Christmas Stories - Just How Many?

Post by Rob Houghton »

Little Mrs Millikin is one of my favourites too! :-) I didn't read it until an adult, when I bought The Fourth Holiday Book. :-D

Then there's

'The Enormous Christmas Stocking - (My Enid Blyton Book number 3 - 1950)

and

Good Gracious, Santa Claus! (The Bluebell Story Book, 1949)
'Oh voice of Spring of Youth
hearts mad delight,
Sing on, sing on, and when the sun is gone
I'll warm me with your echoes
through the night.'

(E. Blyton, Sunday Times, 1951)



Society Member
User avatar
IceMaiden
Posts: 2290
Joined: 07 Jan 2016, 18:49
Favourite book/series: Too many to mention! All of them!
Favourite character: George
Location: North Wales

Re: Enid Blyton's Christmas Stories - Just How Many?

Post by IceMaiden »

Those are two of my favourites as well Anita :D Enid's very good at writing stories, particularly the short ones, with a moral hidden in them. Santa Claus Gets Busy, One Christmas Eve (both from the Bright Story Book) and A Hole In Her Stocking (Sixth Holiday Book) are some of my other favourites for this time of year.
Society Member

I'm just an old fashioned girl with an old fashioned mind
Not sophisticated, I'm the sweet and simple kind
I want an old fashioned house, with an old fashioned fence
And A̶n̶ ̶o̶l̶d̶ ̶f̶a̶s̶h̶i̶o̶n̶e̶d̶ ̶m̶i̶l̶l̶i̶o̶n̶a̶i̶r̶e̶
Image
Post Reply