Terrified by a doctor's diagnosis, Oswald T. Campbell flees cold, damp Chicago south to the hospitable town of Lost Creek, where he plans to spend his last Christmas. He expects nothing good from the backwater, but reality turns out to be completely different from what he imagined. Life in Lost Creek, though measured, is quite unusual and even strange. And the town's inhabitants are quite unusual, too. The postman delivers mail by boat. A little red bird named Jack presides over the only store. The town's ladies secretly do good deeds, uniting in an esoteric society called the 'Large Peas.' And Oswald himself suddenly finds himself a leading figure in local social life. As Christmas approaches, amazing events begin to unfold that will change not only Oswald's life but also that of all the inhabitants of Lost Creek. Fannie Flagg's novel is a true Christmas fairy tale—strange, captivating, warm, and full of the most ordinary magic that many can achieve if they really want it. A book for anyone yearning for a kind word and a beautiful story.