The Christmas Fireside by Mark Twain

In this brief and humorous sketch, Twain satirizes sentimental Christmas traditions by recounting an absurd tale of a freezing man welcomed into a wealthy home—only to be met with cold generosity and even colder soup. The plot is a parody of Victorian holiday tropes, turning expected warmth into biting irony. Twain uses exaggeration and dry wit to question charity and hypocrisy. It’s a sharp, comic twist on the idea of holiday kindness. A small but memorable piece of social satire.