Tuesday's Top Ten - Christmas Stories

"There'll be scary ghost stories/ And tales of the glories/ Of Christmases long, long ago." - "It's the Most Wonderful Time of the Year" by Andy Williams

From November 1 until New Year's Day, I only read Christmas books. Honestly, I will read a holiday story any day, but since it's the most wonderful time of the year again, I thought I would dedicate my latest list to my favorite Christmas stories of all time - various forms of books, a short story, a beloved poem (can you guess which one?), and of course, Scripture.

1. The Nativity Story from the Bible - Luke 2:1-14 - This is not only my favorite Christmas story, but the most important one as well. Amid all of the shopping, the decorating, the movies, and the rest of the commercialism of Christmas (all of which I love, by the way), nothing means as much to me as these few lines about the true reason for the season. The birth of Jesus is why we celebrate Christmas at all, and that is the greatest gift we will ever receive. "Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, good will toward men."

2. A Visit From St. Nicholas - "'Twas the night before Christmas and all through the house..." Who doesn't love this classic poem written by Clement Clark Moore nearly 200 years ago? For as long as I can remember, I have read this story with my family right before we go to bed on Christmas Eve. When I was a child, it held all of the magic and anticipation of Santa Claus coming in just a few short hours, filling my stocking and putting a special present under the tree for me to find bright and early the next morning. Now as an adult, this poem brings me back to those innocent times when everything was magical, and reminds me to always keep some of that magic in my heart. After all, it was the father, a grown-up, who saw St. Nick in the story. Magic is all around us, especially during Christmas. There is a great line in "The Santa Clause" that says, "Seeing isn't believing, believing is seeing." Who knows? Maybe one of us grown-ups will catch a glimpse of Kris Kringle filling our stockings this year... ;)

3. The Gift of the Magi - This short story by O. Henry is one of my favorites of all time, not just during the holiday season. It's simple messages of giving being more important than receiving and putting others ahead of ourselves are timeless, and never more appropriate than during the holidays. Jim and Della Young had so little, barely enough to survive, but they sacrificed their most prized possessions so they could give something wonderful to each other. It's heartwarming and beautiful without being corny or overly sentimental. It always makes me think, what would I do if I only had one dollar and eighty seven cents with which to buy presents. I hope I would be as selfless as Della.

4. A Christmas Carol - This is the only Dickens book that I really love, and it is hands down one of my favorite Christmas stories of all time. I love the tale of redemption, how someone as miserly and sour as Ebenezer Scrooge can change their ways and become a caring, loving human being. My favorite line in the book is when Scrooge wakes up to find that he is alive on Christmas morning and says, "I will honor Christmas in my heart, and try to keep it all the year." I try to do the same thing, every single day.

5. The Biggest, Most Beautiful Christmas Tree - What? You've never heard of this fantastic children's book that I love so very much? Then chances are you were born after the '80s or were not a fan of Little Golden Books. This story, written by Amye Roseberg, was published in 1985 and has been out of print for quite a while, although there are used copies out there from sites like Amazon. The charming book is about Nina and Nutley, two little chipmunks who live in a giant fir tree with their parents and neighbors, Mr. and Mrs. Fieldmouse and Old Gray Acorn, an elderly squirrel. Every year Nina and Nutley wait for Santa to come, and every year they are disappointed. Enter Aunt Mim. She is tons of fun and decides that since the fir tree looks like every other tree in the forest, they should decorate it so Santa will notice and visit them on Christmas Eve. The illustrations are beautiful, and for the last 26 years they have stuck in my head like no other picture book I have ever read. And of course, there is a happy ending.

6. Molly's Surprise - The American Girl dolls and books were brand new when I was a kid, and Molly was my favorite. I received the doll when I was eight years old, and ever since then, I have read this book on Christmas Eve before I go to sleep. Even now, and I am 29! There is just something about this book that makes me so happy. The Molly series is set in 1944 during WWII, and Molly's dad, a doctor, is stationed at a military hospital in England. Molly's dad always loved Christmas and would come up with great surprises for his family every year, but since he is overseas, there is a chance that there will be no gifts from him that Christmas. This series gives kids a glimpse into what life was like during the '40s, with rationing, air raid drills, and how people made the best of a bad situation with a little creativity and a lot of heart. I bought this book for the girls I nanny for, so I have a feeling I will be reading it more than once this holiday season, which is fine by me!

7. The Christmas Bus - I love Melody Carlson, and this Christmas book is her best. The novella starts out with an older couple, Pastor Charles Ryan and his wife Edith, who own an inn. Their children will not be home for Christmas, so they decide to open their inn to strangers, something they have never done before during the holidays. Several interesting guests check in, and one day right before Christmas, a young couple in a psychadelic bus pulls up in front of the inn, and they are expecting a baby any minute. They don't have much and can't afford a room (sound familiar?), and the town of Christmas Valley wants them out as soon as possible. Edith takes them under her wing and shows us how important and rewarding it is to help those in need. All in all, this is a great story, a fun read, and a powerful message that is never better to hear than at Christmas.

8. The Nutcracker and the Mouse King - This story written by E. T. A. Hoffman is fantastic even without the music or ballerinas. I love the whimsy of the dream lands that Marie (Clara in the ballet) visits, the excitement of the fight with the Mouse King and his mouse soldiers, and how the Nutcracker is transformed into a prince. I also really like Drosselmeyer, the mysterious, kind of eccentric godfather who gives Marie the Nutcracker. He is a great character that has a huge impact on the story, even though he only appears for a short time. I have seen the ballet many times and have read the book over and over, and this story never gets old, even though it was written 195 years ago.

9. A Christmas Story - This book and the movie of the same name were originally a part of Jean Shepherd's "In God We Trust, All Others Pay Cash". This is my favorite Christmas movie of all time, so it's only natural that the book would be on my favorites list as well. I don't know what I find so endearing about a kid who wants a BB Gun for Christmas (an offical Red Ryder carbine-action 200 Shot Range Model Air Rifle with a compass in the stock and this thing which tells time!), but I love Ralphie Parker. This book has just the right amounts of humor, innocence, reality, and nostalgia that make it absolutely fantastic. And who can forget the part where Ralphie didn't say fudge? Haha!

10. God Rest Ye Grumpy Scroogeymen - I love this book! It was written by Laura Jensen Walker and Michael Walker, a very Christmassy couple that share their traditions for the holiday season with readers. If I needed any help getting into the holiday spirit (which I obviously don't), reading this book would kickstart the merriment for sure. Laura and Michael write about their favorite holiday music, movies, and books, talk about gifts they have made, and offer creative ways to get into the spirit of the season, remember the reason we celebrate in the first place, and spread the joy to those around us. There is even mention of having a Christmas in July party somewhere in the book, which is why I always read this book every summer. The way the book is written makes me feel like they are old friends who I haven't seen in a while, which I absolutely love. It's very personal and an easy read, and I recommend it to everyone.