What does the cryptic crossword clue "Book of verse to be wrapped by Christmas (5)" mean?

The definition is "Book". The wordplay uses a container (one word inside another). V (synonym="abbreviation for verse, in literary references") in NOEL (synonym="Christmas") = NOVEL; definition: "Book" The answer is NOVEL.

Book of verse to be wrapped by Christmas (5)

Independent Cryptic #12035 | 15 Down | 2025-05-06 flower

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