Orange from Portugal: Christmas Stories from the Maritimes and Newfoundland

Often, it is said that the primary export of the Maritimes is Maritimers, and the same holds true for Newfoundland. "Going down the road" is a way of life, as is returning home for Christmas. This tradition is characterized by happiness, fun, and occasionally, more uncomfortable emotions. Given the regional fondness for storytelling, this shared experience gives rise to an abundance of tales.

In "An Orange from Portugal," editor Anne Simpson takes creative liberties with the concept of "story," resulting in a book brimming with the essence of Christmas. Many of her selections are fictional, while others are memoirs, tall tales, poems, or essays, and some defy categorization altogether. The authors featured in the collection vary in fame, with some being nationally or even internationally renowned, others well-known in the region, and a few being published for the first time. Spanning over a century of seasonal writing, the anthology includes a narrative of slaughtering a pig aboard the sailing ship Argonauta for Christmas dinner; Hugh MacLennan's tale of a Halifax waif who yearns for nothing more than a real orange from Portugal; a story by Alden Nowlan and another by Harry Bruce presenting contrasting versions of what the animals in the barn do on Christmas Eve; a story about Jewish children hanging up their stockings; and new work from young writers Lisa Moore and Michael Crummey. The collection also features beautiful poems by Lynn Davies, Milton Acorn, and others, offering something for readers of all tastes.

The roster of authors includes Wayne Johnston, Mary Pratt, David Adams Richards, Carol Bruneau, Wilfred Grenfeld, L.M. Montgomery, Paul Bowdring, Grace Ladd, Herb Curtis, Joan Clark, Ernest Buckler, Rhoda Graser, Bert Batstone, Elisabeth Harvor, David Weale, Charles G.D. Roberts, Ronald F. Hawkins, Mark Jarman, Elsie Charles Basque, Richard Cumyn, Herménégilde Chiasson, Stan Dragland, Alistair MacLeod, and Bernice Morgan. "An Orange from Portugal" is a Christmas banquet, with the aroma of turkey and the sound of laughter wafting from the kitchen, and a flurry of snow outside the window. Overall, it is a celebration of the season.

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