A Cowboy Christmas Carol: Tales of Buckshot Bill & Cactus Jack

It’s rare for a Christmas story and a Western to intersect, but they collide beautifully in Wade Chitwood’s A Cowboy Christmas Carol: Tales of Buckshot Bill and Cactus Jack, a clever Western reimagining of the Dickens classic.

It’s Christmas eve, and two old cowpokes sit beside the fire, reminiscing about Christmases past. They crave a simpler time, rocking back and forth with their Arbuckle’s and peanuts. When the ranch foreman arrives and charges the two old cowboys to deliver sacks of handmade toys to the children of Busted Flats, a small ranching community, they are unable to refuse the order.

When Buckshot Bill and Cactus Jack mount up their ponies and set off into the night, neither expects the magical journey ahead. Like Scrooge, they’ll be visited by various ghosts – though these spectral encounters have distinctly Western flavors. Their night is filled with terrifying and beautiful sights: Christmas ghosts haunting abandoned mines, a faithful little donkey for company, and mysterious music drifting across the desert. Neither sudden storms nor getting lost in the Arizona desert will deter these cowboys from their mission, and along the way they will discover that magic can be found in the most unexpected places in this cheer-filled, heartwarming holiday novella.

Each chapter is like reading an old serial starring the Lone Ranger, with exciting cliffhangers and derring-do. The story’s charm is enhanced by its delightful artwork. The images are rich, striking a perfect balance between believability and whimsy. Each illustration captures the rugged beauty of the cowboy lifestyle and the atmosphere of a supernatural Christmas Eve.

While there is a certain amount of predictability to the story, the familiar and expected are comforting as well. Buckshot Bill and Cactus Jack are somewhat stereotypical characters from Western fiction, with their colorful language and tall tales, always laughing and giving each other a hard time. But through their supernatural encounters, they learn that in pining for simpler times, they’ve overlooked the beauty and possibility of both present joys and good times yet to come.

Like Dickens’ original tale, this is a story of transformation, though it wears its spurs and cowboy hat. The storytelling strikes a tone reminiscent of Baxter Black or Hank the Cowdog. Author Wade Chitwood, through his engaging storytelling and artwork, captures both the heart of cowboy culture and the spirit of Christmas. This is a book to share with the whole family, reminding us that some Christmases are plentiful, and others are lean, but simple gestures well-meant make the biggest impact. For anyone in search of a unique holiday tradition or a Western Christmas story, this volume promises to be a welcomed addition to family Christmas celebrations.