A rather narrowly-focused anthology of short stories, Upon a Midnight Clear: Queer Christmas Tales casts a gay-themed eye on the winter holidays. Editor Greg Herren collected fifteen stories from contemporary gay male writers who either take the Christmas season as their subject matter or use it as a setting. As in any anthology, the quality of the pieces varies, but overall the stories Herren presents are well-written and enjoyable to read. One of the strengths of Upon a Midnight Clear is its variety; stories dealing with coming out and family relationships share space with holiday-themed romance, while scenes of gay men developing new Christmas traditions give way to eerie tales tinged with the supernatural. Different readers will find different favorites among the stories anthologized, but I particularly enjoyed Jim Grimsley's sweetly romantic "Comfort and Joy," Andy Quan's family party in "The Gayest Christmas," and Kevin Allman's wry analysis of holiday television programs in "a very special christmas." Whether served up as a holiday read in December or savored out of season, Upon a Midnight Clear is a well-balanced collection of quality gay-themed fiction, a Santa's bag filled with enjoyable Christmas gifts. ( )