My Favorite Christmas Stories

You know I like to read if you are a frequent visitor here. Sometimes I like to share what I am reading on another site. If I'm not reading during the day, I'm reading at night, usually to The Boy. Books are a part of my family's life, and everyone is reading something.

Christmas time means switching gears for me. As part of getting into the season, I like to read Christmas-themed stories. Some of these stories are very well known, and others are hidden gems that I have discovered over past Christmases. Some were assigned reading in school just before Christmas Break, some are stories I've read in my leisure time whilst sitting by the fire with a cup of cheer. Some of these stories have introduced me to things that I have included in my own celebrations. For instance, reading Dickens' "A Christmas Carol" introduced me to Smoking Bishop. It's a drink I enjoy making every year. Check out the recipe and try making yourself a bowl. It's warm and delicious, and it's a nice way to end a winter's day of work or Christmas shopping or whatever it is you need to do.

Okay, here are some stories I think you should check out. If you have a favorite story (or stories), feel free to share them in the comments.

A Christmas Memory

This was assigned to me in my sophomore year of high school I read it on the last day of school before Christmas Vacation. Don't ask me how I remember these things. It was written by Truman Capote. I don't want to get into the story too much and give away spoilers. It was written almost 70 years ago, but there's a chance you haven't read it yet.

"A Christmas Memory" is autobiographical. It's a story of a boy named Buddy who lives with an older cousin. They live in poverty with relatives and the two main characters are happy because they love each other, and they enjoy the annual tradition of giving gifts for their relatives. The relatives they live with are stern, and their strict outlook on life proves to be trouble for Buddy and his cousin. The older cousin may seem a little careless when it comes to her life, but it's just the think Buddy needs as he goes through his formative years as he is able to learn you don't need a lot of money to be kind to others.

The Other Wise Man

We all know the story of the Three Kings. Henry Van Dyke writes of a fourth king who wishes to visit the new king who will save the world from sin and death. He wishes to meet up with his friends, the better known three wise men, but he is continuously delayed in his quest. Some may remember a made-for-TV movie in the 1980's where Martin Sheen played the wise man who wished to meet the baby Messiah. In this story, a man named Artaban plans to meet with three companions in a journey to meet the baby and his parents. Unfortunately for Artaban, he is delayed in his meeting with his friends but hopes to catch up. In doing so, he is faced with other obstacles that prevent him from meeting with the better known three kings. Van Dyke's story touches on the spirit of giving that is associated with Christmas. As you read, you will see the examples of giving that Artaban shows in the story as you wonder when, or if, he will ever be successful in his quest.

The Chimes

Original illustration from "The Chimes"
drawn by Clarkson Stanfield.
(charlesdickenspage.com)
This is a lesser-known story by Charles Dickens. Then again, every other story by him that takes place
around Christmas is not as renowned compared to "A Christmas Carol". "The Chimes" is about a man named Toby Veck. Toby is a ticket-porter who has a daughter. They are poor, but they love each other very much. Toby, or "Trotty" as he is known, meets well-to-do politicians who claim to be friends of the poor and help them, but their assistance is nothing more than token acts that allow them to tell their constituents they are indeed the best aid their fellow humans can expect.

"The Chimes" contains the biting social commentary Dickens is known for. He points out the plight of the poor and destitute and challenges those who are better off in their efforts to help those who need it. While "A Christmas Carol" has a happy ending of a saved and improved Ebeneezer Scrooge looking to help the less fortunate, Trotty and his daughter see other means of escaping their lot in life that doesn't include help from wealthy benefactors.


The Boy who Laughed at Santa Claus

This is a humorous, yet dark story by Ogden Nash of a boy named Jabez Dawes who doesn't believe in Santa Claus and decides to tell all of the children he sees there is no such thing. This, of course, causes the children in town much distress, as they see no reason to hang up their stockings on Christmas Eve. Then, on the night of December 24, Jabez is lying in bed when he hears a noise on the rooftop. Christmas Eve becomes a night of reckoning for a boy with rude manners and bad habits. Saint Nicholas has had enough of Jabez Dawes and he is ready to take time out of his annual duty to let him know about it.

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