The Stories of Christmas
Posted by Michelle L. | December 3, 2008 | 28 Comments
As we we hauled the Christmas boxes up from the basement this week my children whipped into a frenzy of excitement– the stockings! the ornaments! the ribbons! the creche! the books! Poor little people, they hardly knew which to partake of first.
But once the tree was up and the stockings hung, every child hauled a stack of books upstairs to peruse at bedtime (except Gabriel, who, of course, keeps Santa Claus next to his bed for constant reference). We have a good mix of holy and secular, teary and giggly and at least a dozen beautifully illustrated versions of Luke 2. Every year I add one or two more to our growing collection.
Prized in my collection is Norman Rockwell’s Christmas Book. My parents gave it to me just weeks before I turned ten and the cover page is inscribed with my dad’s slanted elegant hand:
“For our lovely Michelle on this Christmas 1979. We wish you a very Merry Christmas and many more in the years to come with your own children. Love, Mom and Dad”
The words are simple, yet I tear up every time I read them. I was loved! And they had faith in my future- in my someday children. My father’s foresight seems remarkable to me even now.
two of my lovely boys singing carols
I devoured that book in 1979 and every year since– it is a jewel box of Christmas classics: poetry, stories, carols, recipes, scripture and of course, pages and pages of gorgeous, warm Norman Rockwell art. There I first read The Gift of the Magi, Christmas Every Day, Yes, Virginia there is a Santa Claus and poems from Milton, MacDonald, Thackeray and Shakespeare. I’ve turned the pages so often that I can find any story by memory.
Those classic stories painted my view of Christmas and have affected my celebration of it ever since. Gifts are usually low-key at my house and we focus on music, our annual nativity pageant, giving to the poor, piles of good food and yes, the sweetness of believing in Santa Claus.
The books in my basket will color my children’s future Christmases. Readers all, I think we can agree that books usually capture the best of Christmas Spirit. So my friends, it’s time for me to add a few tomes. Please tell me your favorite Christmas book and please, please tell me stories about the books you love.
Related posts:
- I Believe in Santa Claus. But, I didn’t used to.
- Reproaching ourselves at Christmas time
- The Customary Christmas
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28 Responses to “The Stories of Christmas”
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December 4th, 2008 @ 5:34 am
One that never fails to make me cry, even though my family has read it over and over and over for as long as I can remember: Why Christmas Trees Aren’t Perfect.
December 4th, 2008 @ 8:24 am
The Tale of Three Trees.
The Nativity, illustrated by Julie Vivas.
Who is coming to our house?
I feel lazy now, so I will not put in links. But I love this post, and I love Christmas stories. Thanks, Michelle.
December 4th, 2008 @ 9:31 am
We love Christmas books at our house too! It is so great to re-read them every year.
I, like Emily M, have ‘The Nativity’ illustrated by Julie Vivas. I love it.
Last year I got ‘Great Joy’ by Kate DiCamillo. I fell in love with it in the book store.
For laughs, a family favorite is ‘How Murray Saved Christmas’ by Mike Reiss, illustrated by David Catrow.
December 4th, 2008 @ 9:45 am
Wow, I’d never heard of Julie Vivas’ Nativity. I just rushed over to Amazon and it has incredible reviews.
I love Why Christmas Trees Aren’t Perfect too and The Tale of Three Trees always makes me cry. Off to check out your other recommendations.
Somehow I get the feeling I may have asked a very expensive question…
December 4th, 2008 @ 10:27 am
A Child’s Christmas in Wales by Dylan Thomas is my favorite Christmas book. We usually watch the dramatization with Denholm Elliot on Christmas Eve. There are a few different nicely illustrated editions out there.
December 4th, 2008 @ 10:45 am
I really like My first story of the first Christmas(http://deseretbook.com/store/product/4964369) mainly because it tells the Book of Mormon part of Christmas as well. I think its good for very young children. (my oldest is two) I know its not the most exciting of choices but I really like the inclusion of the story of the Nephites.
December 4th, 2008 @ 10:53 am
One of my favorites is by Alex Haley, A Different Kind of Christmas, about a son of a slave-owner who moves north to attend college and comes to challenge his belief about slavery . . . and more, but I’ll not spoil it.
December 4th, 2008 @ 11:53 am
My FAVORITE story is The Day They Gave Babies Away, by Dale Eunson. My mother read it to me, and I read this to my children each year. Each and every year, I cry. Hard.
December 4th, 2008 @ 12:07 pm
Jayne– did you know The Day They Gave Babies Away starts at $36.99? Hurray for libraries–it sounds amazing. I love A Child’s Christmas in Wales and My first story of the first Christmas too (it isn’t boring). Ooh, and A Different Kind of Christmas is only $2.69 used. I love Amazon.
December 4th, 2008 @ 1:23 pm
That Norman Rockwell book is my favorite! We had it at my house growing up for as long as I can remember, and a few years ago I found a copy for my own house. It’s a classic.
We also love the pop-up book by Tomie DePoala “The First Christmas” It’s part of the christmas eve tradition. I don’t know if it’s available anymore, but it’s wonderful.
December 4th, 2008 @ 1:38 pm
Another great Tomie DePaola Christmas book is The Story of the Poinsettia. It makes me cry every time too
December 4th, 2008 @ 2:31 pm
Michelle!! Thanks for writing this!! As a younger Mom, I am always looking for great books!! We have some of the ones mentioned, but are quickly going to add a few to our collection to be pulled out each year!! Thank you so much!!
December 4th, 2008 @ 3:38 pm
The Autobiography of Santa Claus as told to Jeff Guinn. A fantastic book of belief, history, Christianity, and magic.
It is a pretty long book — 24 chapters — one for each night in December up to Christmas.
December 4th, 2008 @ 4:57 pm
The best Christmas book ever is “A Small Miracle” by Peter Collingsworth. It has no words, but is nonetheless a tear-jerker about giving and Christ and service. It’s such a gorgeous story. The epitome of wonderful Christmas books.
It sells like hotcakes, though, so good luck finding it!
December 4th, 2008 @ 4:59 pm
The Christmas Miracle of Jonathan Toomey- Susan Wojciechowski
A Perfect Snowman- Preston McDaniels
A Christmas Dress for Ellen- Thomas S. Monson (LOVE THIS ONE!!!)
I’m excited to check out all these recommendations, many of them I had never heard of!
December 4th, 2008 @ 5:41 pm
I love The Three Trees ,and Why Christmas Trees Aren’t Perfect. I fit is a book about Christmas I already like it.
December 4th, 2008 @ 5:54 pm
The Year of the Perfect Christmas Tree by Gloria Houston and Barbara Cooney
My mom read this to us every year, and I never understood why she had to have me finish reading the book every single time. Now I have a daughter, and I cry every single time, too. DH rolls his eyes, but I don’t care. It’s a beautiful story.
December 4th, 2008 @ 8:08 pm
This isn’t in the same spirit as the other recommendations but…my family loves the songbook, Where did they hide my presents?.
We also always read, The Best Christmas Pageant Ever and The Life of our Lord by Charles Dickens.
December 4th, 2008 @ 9:21 pm
My husband reads to the kids every night in December from “Letters from Father Christmas,” by JRR Tolkien, complete with illustrations he drew for his children. My kids love the polar bear.
We also love “The story of Holly and Ivy” by Rumer Godden as a medium-size-kid Christmas story.
December 4th, 2008 @ 9:58 pm
You have to know my dad to appreciate this comment. Every year he would read us several Christmas stories. They were always the same ones. My two favorites were “The Gift of the Magi” and “The Best Christmas Pageant Ever.” My dad was not an emotional person, but he would cry at the end of both of these books. Every single time. Oh man, I love my dad.
You are the best Michelle! Great post.
December 5th, 2008 @ 12:14 am
Every year I have to read Don’t Bite Me, I’m Santa Claus by Tom Plummer and Skipping Christmas by John Grisham. They both make me laugh out loud.
December 5th, 2008 @ 10:34 am
You guys are killing me! Is it fair to spend my whole budget on Christmas books?! Thank you so much for all of these suggestions and it reminds me I need to start reading The Best Christmas Pagent Ever aloud to my children
December 5th, 2008 @ 3:53 pm
Oh I wish I would’ve commented sooner… no one is going to read my recommendations even though MY MOM WAS A CHILDREN’S LIBRARIAN!!! We read “The Year of the Perfect Christmas Tree” by Gloria Houston every year. And I read “The Angel with The Mouth Organ” by Mattingley, I believe. I had to buy it from someone in Australia, as it is out of print. I will never forget the countless years I heard my mother cry as she read us that heart breaking, gratitude making story of war torn Europe. Classics in our house.
And have you read “I Believe in Santa Claus”? Perfect for this Santa lovin, Jesus’ birth celebratin home of ours.
December 5th, 2008 @ 4:25 pm
I love “I Believe in Santa Claus”!
December 5th, 2008 @ 7:48 pm
Carrie– rest assured that I am reading your recommendations and just added “The Year of the Perfect Christmas Tree” “The Angel with The Mouth Organ” to my wish list. Ok, I’ve never heard of “Don’t Bite Me, I’m Santa Claus”. Jendoop, I feel your pain. Linn– the story of your dad made me all teary!
December 6th, 2008 @ 9:11 am
one of my very favorites is “A Christmas Memory” by Truman Capote. it’s a story written in that funny, wistful, sweet sort of tone that i love.
my mom would make us read stories aloud as a family on Christmas eve (after reading from Luke in the bible) and the one i seem to remember most is “The Modern Magi” by Carol Lynn Pearson. i also remember that it always made us cry.
also, “Christmas Day in the Morning” by Pearl S. Buck; and of course “The Polar Express” for Luke, and “Mr. Willowby’s Christmas Tree” to my girls is loved in the Eloise/Madeleine vein.
love this post, michelle. we just took our holiday books out yesterday and had the most lovely story time ever!
December 17th, 2008 @ 12:47 am
I totally missed this post!
I can tell I need to expand my collection. We like Mr. Willoughby’s Christmas Tree (Oh, Brooke already mentioned that) and The Forgotten Carols.
I also love The Tale of Three Trees.
December 17th, 2008 @ 3:12 pm
Most Christmases my dad would read aloud The Homecoming, by Earl Hamner Jr. It’s both a coming of age story about a teenage boy and the coming together of a family at Christmas during the Depression. I love it. Actually got him to read it on cd a couple years ago so I can always listen to him read it. When I listened to it the first time, I knew I had joined the ranks of grownups by the fact that he hadn’t edited out the part about mating deer like he always had growing up.
Another of my dad’s picks was The Melodeon, by Glendon Swarthout. Another wonderful read-aloud book. Amazon’s synopsis: “A youngster relates how his grandparents donated a valuable family heirloom, their melodeon, to the church in an unselfish act of giving one Christmas during the Depression when they had nothing to give each other.”
Otherwise, the only other Christmas books I can remember are the Christmas chapters of Little House/Farmer Boy books. And “The Night Before Christmas” books, of which my grandmother had a collection; she liked to look at the different artists interpretations of the text. My 2 y o and I have enjoyed that too.
The Christmas books I’ve never liked: Scrooge and How the Grinch. What a Scrooge that makes me, eh? What a Grinch!