Chicken Soup for the Soul: Christmas Magic Read online

  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.

  No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system or transmitted

  in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording or

  otherwise, without the written permission of the publisher.

  CSS, Chicken Soup for the Soul, and its Logo and Marks are trademarks of

  Chicken Soup for the Soul Publishing LLC.

  The publisher gratefully acknowledges the many publishers and individuals who

  granted Chicken Soup for the Soul permission to reprint the cited material.

  Front and back cover, and interior illustration courtesy of iStockphoto.com/Dirtydog_Creative

  (© Paul Bartlett). Back cover illustration courtesy of iStockphoto.com/Toonhead

  Cover and Interior Design & Layout by Pneuma Books, LLC

  For more info on Pneuma Books, visit www.pneumabooks.com

  Distributed to the booktrade by Simon & Schuster. SAN: 200-2442

  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

&n
bsp; 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. A
ll 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.