Chicken Soup for the Soul: Christmas Magic
101 Holiday Tales of Inspiration, Love, and Wonder
Jack Canfield, Mark Victor Hansen, and Amy Newmark
Published by Chicken Soup for the Soul Publishing, sLLC www.chickensoup.com
Copyright © 2010 by Chicken Soup for the Soul Publishing, LLC. All Rights Reserved.
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(© Paul Bartlett). Back cover illustration courtesy of iStockphoto.com/Toonhead
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Publisher’s Cataloging-in-Publication Data
(Prepared by The Donohue Group)
Chicken soup for the soul: Christmas magic: 101 holiday tales of inspiration,
love, and wonder / [compiled by] Jack Canfield, Mark Victor Hansen, [and] Amy
Newmark.
p. ; cm.
Summary: A collection of 101 true personal stories from regular people about
Christmas and the holiday season.
ISBN: 978-1-935096-54-2
eISBN: 978-1-6115-9135-4
1. Christmas--Literary collections. 2. Christmas--Anecdotes. 3. Holidays--Literary
collections. 4. Holidays--Anecdotes. I. Canfield, Jack, 1944- II. Hansen, Mark Victor.
III. Newmark, Amy. IV. Title: Christmas magic
PN6071.C6 C45 2010
808.8/02/03942663
2010931537
PRINTED IN THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA
on acid∞free paper
19 18 17 16 15 14 13 12 11 10 02 03 04 05 06 07 08 09 10
www.chickensoup.com
Contents
Foreword, Santa Claus
1
~It’s Beginning to Look a Lot Like Christmas~
1. When Angels Sing, Melanie Stiles
2. Making Christmas Memories, Irene Morse
3. The Cookie Party, Deborah Shouse
4. Christmas Blues, Kathe Campbell
5. The Wreath Makers, Pamela Underhill Altendorf
6. When Christmas “Fell” on a Thursday, Bonnie Compton Hanson
7. Christmas Gift From Heaven, Cindy Holcomb
8. The Christmas Lesson, Bonnie Jarvis-Lowe
9. The Goofy Monkey, Ann M. Sheridan
2
~Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas~
10. The Missing Stocking, Teresa Ann Maxwell
11. Ex’s and Oh’s, Natalie June Reilly
12. My Special Christmas Doll, Nancy Julien Kopp
13. It’s the Size of Your Love, Joan Clayton
14. The Package, Barbara D’Amario
15. Little Boxes, Lisa Pawlak
16. Always Room in Our Inn, Gerri Wetta-Hilger
17. Pajama Day, Laurie Higgins
18. Gifts of Bloom, Susan Garrard
19. Caroling, Susan Farr-Fahncke
20. My Little Christmas Songbird, Corinne “Cori” Foley Hill
3
~Away in a Manger~
21. What Really Matters, Julia G. Powell
22. The Perfect Gift, Sandra Wood
23. A Basket of Hope, Delores Christian Liesner
24. Celebrating Christmas Away from Home, Pat Stockett Johnston
25. My First Noel, Nyx Martinez
26. A Place for Christmas, Lynetta L. Smith
27. Na’aseh V’Nishma, Jan Vallone
28. A Sign Unto You, Mimi Greenwood Knight
4
~Deck the Halls~
29. The Griswold House, Paula L. Silici
30. Lights of Hope, Kat Heckenbach
31. A Cloth Full of Memories, Glenda Carol Lee
32. The Most Expensive Bike Ever, Barbara Nicks
33. The Green Christmas Ball, Aletheia D. Lee
34. Wreathed in Tradition, Stefanie Wass
35. The Post Office, Ann Peachman
36. A New Tradition, Josephine Overhulser
37. The Wooden Soldier, Susan H. Miller
5
~There’s No Place Like Home for the Holidays~
38. Just Enough for Christmas, David J. Hull
39. Our Own Tiny Family, Beth Morrissey
40. I’ll Be Home for Christmas, Brooke Linville
41. Christmas Eve Chili, Tracy G. Rasmussen
42. Back to Basics, Russell Nichols
43. A Humble Christmas, Janeen Lewis
44. Never Alone, Kristen Clark
45. A Garbage Can Christmas, Sue Smith
46. Love Fills My Shopping Cart, Janet Perez Eckles
6
~Joy to the World~
47. Love Squared, Joseph Walker
48. My New Friend, Erin McCormack
49. The Christmas Tree Sale, Teri Stohlberg
50. The Fifty-Dollar Christmas, Bridget Colern
51. Holy Night, Marla Stewart Konrad
52. A Box at Midnight, Taryn R. Hutchison
53. Just Tell Us You Love Us, Elaine Ingalls Hogg
54. Angel in a Chocolate Shop, Cheri Eplin
55. A Christmas Prayer Answered, Carrie Morris
7
~Holly Jolly Christmas~
56. It’s the Thought that Counts, Mike Morin
57. How I Spent My Christmas Vacation, Cindy Hval
58. Yeah, and I’m the Easter Bunny! Nancy Sullivan
59. The Secret’s Out, Kayla Rehme Crockett
60. I’ve Got a Secret, Ernie Witham
61. Ho Ho Ho, Ouch! D’ette Corona
62. The Gingerbread House, Barbara LoMonaco
63. Ho-Hoing in Hawaii, Chantal Meijer
64. Nothing Under the Tree, Carol Harrison
8
~O’ Christmas Tree~
65. Construction Paper Stars, Peggy Frezon
66. Tannenbaum Tumbleweed, Jackie Fleming
67. The Mermaid Tree, Carol Clarke Slamowitz
68. Tree Trunk Traditions, Elena Aitken
69. O Tannenbaum, Laurie Sontag
70. Touched by Love, Connie Sturm Cameron
71. A Joyful Surprise, Ferida Wolff
72. A Child’s Gift of Love, D. Kinza Christenson
9
~All I Want for Christmas~
73. In Anticipation of Doll Beds, Barbara Briggs Ward
74. One Good Gift, Monica A. Andermann
75. Playing with Dolls, Barbra Yardley
76. I’ve Got Your Number, Martha Miller
77. A Christmas Glove, Joseph Walker
78. A Writer’s Christmas, Marian Gormley
79. The Samaritan’s Table, Lil Blosfield
80. Danny’s Christmas Gift, Cynthia M. Hamond
81. The Butterscotch Bear, Paula F. Blevins
82. The Gift, Heather Block
83. Winston’s Boy, Lisa Preston
10
~Santa Claus Is Coming to Town~
84. Santa’s Key, Erin Solej
85. Too Many Santas, Michelle D. Halperin
86. Reindeer Magic, Marilyn Ross
87. Some Assembly Required, Laurie Sontag
88. The Voice of Santa Claus, Sally Baggett Griffis
89. A Trip to Santasy Land, Tsgoyna Tanzman
90. Santa Sent Me, Diane Stark
91. Santa’s Secret, Rebecca C. Emrich
92. Three Little Girls, Beverly F. Walker
11
~It’s the Most Wonderful Time of the Year~
93. The Twelve Days of Christmas, D’ette Corona
94. No Hostess Gifts Please, Tom Knight
95. Love and a Christmas Fruitcake, Robert Hill
96. The Best Gift of All, Dallas Woodburn
97. Keeping Things in Perspective, Jean Brody
98. The Gift of Forgiveness, Beverly A. Golberg
99. Christmas on Lawrence Street, Michele Cushatt
100. This Christmas Is Different, Kathy Whirity
101. A Christmas Surprise, John P. Buentello
Meet Our Contributors
Meet Our Authors
Thank You
About Chicken Soup for the Soul
Foreword
The elves at Chicken Soup for the Soul have done it again! I’m writing this foreword during my less-busy season, the summer, and I must say that these stories are making me look forward so much to the Christmas season. Mrs. Claus and I have been passing this manuscript back and forth and commenting to each other on our favorite stories.
By the time you read this, the Mrs. and I and the whole gang up at the North Pole will be in full production mode—the factory will be running 24/7, the lists will have been triple-checked, and the reindeer will be practicing their flying maneuvers. Those satellite dishes have complicated matters for us a bit in recent years.
And we know that you will all be rushing about too. Mrs. Claus and I are not alone in loving the Christmas holiday season. We watch as you reunite scattered family members, enjoy the wonder on the face of a child, feel the joy of gift giving, and remember the true meaning of Christmas. The rituals of the holiday season give a rhythm to the years and create a foundation for your family lives. We watch you gather with your communities at church, at school, and even at the mall, to share the special spirit of the season, brightening those long winter days.
As I write this foreword, I know that many of you are sweltering in above-average heat and humidity. It has been a hot summer up here at the North Pole too. But despite the heat, the Christmas spirit lives in all of us year-round. Wouldn’t it be nice if it were Christmas all the time? How about leaving a couple of those decorations up all year?
I hope you will find the time this busy holiday season to curl up in front of the fire and have a good read. And remember that Chicken Soup for the Soul’s Christmas books are always appropriate for young readers or listeners—their editors work closely with Mrs. Claus and me to keep the magic alive.
I hope you will enjoy Chicken Soup for the Soul: Christmas Magic as much we are enjoying our advance copy. Have a wonderful Christmas season and keep those cookies coming!
~Santa Claus
P.S. Please do not listen to Mrs. Claus about the cookies. My cholesterol is fine. And I get plenty of exercise on Christmas Eve. I like the cookies. I depend on you for the cookies. She won’t let me have any cookies the rest of the year....
When Angels Sing
Angels can fly directly into the heart of the matter.
~Author Unknown
Two days before her school program, my youngest announced, “I’m singing ‘Silent Night.’” Having raised two daughters ahead of her, I knew nine-year-olds aren’t particularly great on details. I delved deeper.
“Right now?” I asked.
“Nope, in the play. I’m singing solo,” she proudly proclaimed.
“What is solo?”—doing a vocab check to see if she knew what she was saying. Turns out she did. And that puzzled me. Charlotte loved to sing. She sang in the shower and the car and just about everywhere else. But, my baby had been partially tone deaf since she first opened her mouth. She could carry a tune a bit better now than last year or even the year before. Actually, I fully expected her musical ear to reach a level very close to normalcy as she grew older, but I didn’t think she’d improved enough yet to sing a solo. Not wanting to voice any lack of confidence in her abilities and reminding myself that all things are indeed possible, especially in grade school, I stopped questioning.
•••
Even though our oldest had already moved away from home, I still housed two teenagers. We picked up an extra one along the way. Due to her family’s sudden and unavoidable job relocation, my middle daughter’s best friend was living with us until the end of the school year. Forty-eight hours after Charlotte’s announcement, the proverbial plot thickened. I temporarily forgot teenagers can be worse than nine-year-olds when it comes to details. Both Monica, my daughter, and Corina, our temporary daughter, admitted that they also were to take part in a Christmas program on the same night as Charlotte. Corina was to sing a solo as well. Monica was to play a piano piece. The new question formed: how was I to be in two places at one time? My break came when I found out the older girls would be performing an hour later than the younger. I could try for both!
•••
Something had gone dreadfully wrong. Charlotte stood facing me in the auditorium five minutes after I had dropped her backstage. Her little eyes glistened with unshed tears and her mouth quivered so violently she couldn’t speak.
“What happened, baby?” I couldn’t imagine.
Just then the teacher approached.
“Mrs. Stiles, there’s been a mistake. Charlotte wasn’t picked to sing with the choir tonight and somehow she’s gotten the idea she is to sing a solo. I’m afraid there is no part cast for her. I feel just terrible about this.”
Looking into my child’s grief-stricken face and feeling a mother’s rage, I thought: You don’t know how terrible you’re about to feel after I get done with you!
“Mama, can we go?” Her little voice finally broke through in utter anguish.
“Of course we can, baby,” I said, tossing the teacher an I’ll-deal-with-you-later look. My first concern now was how to mend my daughter’s wounded heart.
•••
Teenagers may be lousy at time with details, but they tend to pay attention to those who enter and leave their immediate environment. I think that comes from a wariness that they might get caught doing what they ought not to be doing. It took all of three minutes for both girls to figure out that we were in the high school auditorium. I offered to skip the program and take Charlotte for an ice cream, but she wanted to see her sister and Corina perform.
“You guys are here early.” They resembled two parrots. Their heads darted back and forth between Charlotte and me in unison. Perched on the backs of the seats in front of us they waited, clearly expecting an explanation. I quickly and briefly hit the high points, wary of starting a new avalanche of tears. Sincere sympathy splashed up from the countenance of both girls.
“Come with us, Charlotte. You can see backstage and meet our friends.”
The invitation to go hang out with the “cool” kids beat any flavor of ice cream—anywhere. I nodded my blessing and they disappeared.
•••
I completely forgot about picking up a program when I entered the building. I had no way of knowing in what order the girls would be performing. But, after the second act, Corina walked out to center stage. Then, she looked left and held out her hand. Out walked Charlotte. The auditorium fell silent at the sight of a younger child. The music started, Charlotte looked up and at Corina’s nod, my baby began to softly sing “Silent Night.” Corina’s smooth soprano joined her in just enough volume to cover any mistakes. The combination was ethereal. Both sang to a captivated audience. I wasn’t the only one with tears running down my cheeks.
Somewhere during their duet, Monica’s hand slipped into mine and we celebrated the true meaning of Christmas together. All of my previous agitation slipped away as I watched this magnificent moment orchestrated by God.
They simply and silently walked off stage when they were done, receiving a standing ovation as they went. Corina returned alone to do her originally planned solo. It was then I realized there was more to this Christ-filled moment than we saw being performed.
“Monica, why aren’t you backstage?” I whispered.
“Don’t need to be,” she said grinning. “I gave up my piano piece so the squirt could sing.”
How many times had I seen my two girls argue, bicker and fight? Too many to count. I couldn’t recall one time when I’d heard one tell the other “I love you” with any sort of sincerity in their voices. Until now. Not in words, but deed. My Christmas was complete before we ever went to church or opened gifts or shared our family meal. I had already witnessed the miracle of three angels singing.
~Melanie Stiles
Making Christmas Memories
Each day of our lives we make deposits in the memory banks of our children.
~Charles R. Swindoll, The Strong Family
“I’ve been to that hotel, Grandma.”
My seven-year-old grandson, Brandon, and I are driving to my mother’s house to celebrate Thanksgiving when he spots a Radisson Hotel out the car window. Realizing that all Radissons look the same, my curiosity is nevertheless piqued and I ask, “Really? When did you go there?”
“You know,” he replies. “You and Grandpa took me and Maddie there for ice cream after the music without words.”
I’m silent for a moment, mulling over “music without words.”
Ah, the symphony, I think, and glance at him in amazement. My husband Gary and I had taken two of our grandchildren to the symphony and then to the Radisson for their famous profiteroles—two years ago. Brandon is remembering an enjoyable but hardly monumental afternoon that happened when he was only five years old. I realize this is important; a small child’s pleasant memory from what to him would be the distant past deserves attention and, although I still don’t know exactly how, I know that this conversation will forever change the way our family celebrates Christmas.
My husband and I have a beautiful cornucopia of children, their spouses, and grandchildren. Our kids were essentially grown by the time we married so we bypassed many of the problems typical of “blending a family.” The issue of holidays, however, has always required creative planning. It has grown more complex as the children married and new family members and traditions were introduced into their lives.
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