On Christmas Night

"The prosecutor accuses me of having wasted my time on trifles… Remember what I found when I was appointed to the New Year’s position..." — thus, in one of Chekhov’s stories, the departing old year justifies itself before the court; but the judges are unyielding: the old year is sentenced to eternal exile in Lethe. This collection unites stories by A. P. Chekhov dedicated to the New Year and the Christmas holidays. These include humorous pieces where holiday traditions are comically played out — the Christmas tree, gifts, feasts, visits to relatives and acquaintances, subscription sheets in the bosses' foyer, public festivities, omens and superstitions, scary bedtime stories, etc. It also includes works written in the genre of Christmas or holiday tales, such as the well-known stories "On the Road," "Vanka," "Champagne," "Boys," "The Shoemaker and the Evil Spirit," and others. Chekhov has happy endings and tragic finales, amusing situations and incredible coincidences. His heroes are touching in their dreams of happiness and hopes for miracles. Many of the writer’s stories unfold like parables, touching on eternal questions of human existence, prompting reflection on mercy and higher truth.