Every week we post six lines from a work of ours, a work-in-progress or published or a recommendation of someone else’s work with at least one LGBT character. Posted at Rainbow Snippets here: https://www.facebook.com/groups/963484217054974

Last year I got a good response to posting part of Oscar Wilde’s “The Canterville Ghost” for the Holiday Season. Of course, none of his stories really have open LGBT characters but he IS Oscar Wilde. Last year’s tale fit in with the tradition of ghost stories for Christmas, this one has snow and something more appropriate for the season.

I first read “The Selfish Giant” fifty-two years ago as a picture book (with the full text) and it remains one of my favorite stories by the Irish master. Or one of my favorite stories period. I recommend anything he wrote and here’s a link to the story the snippets come from: https://www.wilde-online.info/the-selfish-giant.html

Every afternoon as they were coming from school, the children used to go and play in the Giant’s garden.

It was a large lovely garden with soft green grass. Here and there over the grass stood beautiful flowers like stars, and there were twelve peach-trees that in the spring-time broke out into fragrant blossoms of pink and pearl, and in the autumn bore rich fruit. The birds sat on the trees and sang so sweetly that the children used to stop their games in order to listen to them. “How happy we are here!” they cried to each other.

Here’s a little more of Oscar Wilde’s “The Selfish Giant.”

One day the Giant came back. He had been to visit his friend the Cornish Ogre, and had stayed with him for seven years. After the seven years were over he had said all that he had to say, for his conversation was limited and he determined to return to his own castle. When he arrived he saw the children playing in the garden.

“What are you doing here?” he cried in a very gruff voice, and the children ran away.

Sounds a little like the 19^th Century version of “Hey you kids! Get off of my lawn!” But let me assure you, what follows in this story is very touching and very lovely. And I think, perfect for this (or any other) season!

On behalf of my Husband Darryl (and Oscar Wilde) I wish you all the very best for the Holiday season and the coming year. (2023!!!)—–jeff