Let me start by saying I love Christmas. There are so
many good things about it - hot chocolate, presents, Christmas lights, cookies,
snow. . . just talking about it makes me wish it was already here! Christmas with my
family is crazy. We usually go to my mom and dad’s Christmas Eve and spend
the night – that way we’re all there for Christmas morning. I have a lot of
brothers and sisters, but now there are in-laws and nieces and nephews too,
it’s so crowded we can hardly breath! Thankfully, my parents live in the
country so during the day we can go outside and play in the snow, shoot guns
(the older ones of us), or build a bonfire, or whatever. It’s a lot of fun. But at the end of the day, one
of my favorite things to do is sit by the fireplace and read a Christmas story.
Here is a list of my four favorite Christmas stories. I will tell you a little about them, but I won't give away too many spoilers (after all, I want you to read them!). Not only are
they fiction of the highest quality, they each are empowered with that holiday feel - you know what I’m talking about,
good cheer, glad tidings, and all of that. They
will most definitely put you in the Christmas spirit.
A Christmas Carol
by Charles Dickens
Ebenezer Scrooge. Tiny Tim. Jacob Marley. More than likely,
you’ve heard of these characters before. A
Christmas Carol is one of the most
widely known Christmas stories out there. However, no movie, animation, or
adaption comes close to the real thing. It was first published December, 1943.
Set in Victorian England during the end of the industrial revolution, it is gritty, dark,
and spooky. As much as it is a Christmas story, it is a ghost story, social
commentary, and call to benevolence. The
story is about Ebenezer Scrooge, a miserly old man with lots of money and a stingy,
cold heart. When the ghost of his former colleague, Jacob Marley, appears, he
is forced to decide if he should change his ways, or continue to shut himself
from others to protect his broken heart. At the beginning, you’ll hate him, but
at the end, you love him. There is a bit of Ebenezer Scrooge in all of us, and
the redemption he finds on Christmas morning is the redemption we all hope for.
“The Gift of the Magi” by O. Henry
O. Henry is arguably one of the greatest short story writers
ever. Born in America on September of 1862, he wrote almost 600 short stories during his life.
I’ve read a lot of them, but I've hardly come close to reading them all. I
stumbled across “The Gift of the Magi” while working my way through one of his
collections. It’s about a newly married couple who are so poor they can hardly
afford to give gifts. Desperate to show each other their love, they
both sacrifice the one thing they highly value (I won't tell you what it is). The story shows
that it’s not so much the gift, but giving from the heart, that matters.
Also, the end has a classic O. Henry’s plot twist that really leaves you
thinking. So read it and be amazed.
Little Woman by
Louisa May Alcott
I know, this isn’t a traditional “Christmas story” per se,
but it has all the elements a good Christmas story: goodwill, sacrifice,
and making merry when times are tough. It was written by Louisa May Alcott in
1868 and follows the story of four sisters growing up in New England. Yes, it’s
a story about girls, and I refused to read it when I was a kid because I didn’t
want to read a “girl books”. However, a few years ago, I broke down and did read it (I couldn’t resist a classic
piece of literature, especially one so
famous). It really is good, and it has an excellent “Christmas” section. There
are lot of great moments, but one of the best is when the family decides to
help a poor family down the street by giving up something they’ve looked
forward to for months. It’s heart-warming and inspiring to see the way this
family celebrates the holiday season. This book draws you into a world of
happiness and hardship, joy and sorrow, good times and bad, but will leave you
knowing that no matter what, family and sticking together is one of the most
important things.
Luke 2 by Luke
Yes, I saved the best for last. I know it’s cliché to say
that the birth of Christ is my favorite Christmas story, but it really is. Baby
Jesus represents so many wonderful things. Think about it, God became a human.
The most powerful being, the creator of everything, the big, scary God in
heaven, became a helpless little baby. Now that is the ultimate sacrifice - the ultimate
display of humility, giving, and love. It’s like the angels said, Jesus’s birth
is a story of “glad tidings," because if God made the effort to
reach out to humanity, it means he really cares.
It’s a mind-bending idea, and serves as the inspiration for every good Christmas
story ever written –the source of themes such as giving, sacrifice, joy, goodwill,
and so many more. Sometimes I wonder what Christmas would be like if Jesus hadn’t been
born all those years ago. And then it occurs to me, there would be no Christmas. There would be no gifts, or lights, or trees, or laughter, or hope for salvation -
none of that. Christmas day would just
be another day, and we wouldn’t know any better. Whew, this just got dark.
Thank God Jesus was born and
Christmas has become a living, breathing holiday ever since.
I think it’s time to do some Christmas shopping.
Is there a Christmas story that you love? Share it and I’ll
add it to my reading list.
Have A Merry Christmas,
Austin.
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