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LIST OF STORIES AND SONGS:
CHRISTMAS
1) Sean Gowan's Most Important Christmas (farmer overhears animals talking about him; reforms; redemption)
2) Cobweb Christmas (participation possibilities, repetition and movement; the beginnings of tinsel)
3) The Legend of the Christmas Spider (tolerance, appreciation of diversity; the beginnings of tinsel)
4) Holiday Song Parodies (funny, participation, 5 parodies to popular holiday songs)
5) The Legend of the Christmas Rose (angel helps poor shepherd maiden find loving gift for Christ Child)
6) Gifts of Story for Christmas (The Christmas Truce; The Baker's Dozen at Aaron Shepard's website)
7) The Flower of the Holy Night aka The Legend of the Poinsettia
(a gift of a plant grown from tears for the Christ Child)
8) A Christmas Carol (by Charles Dickens; shortened version for kids)
9) The Battle of the Shoe and Stocking (very funny; shoe and stocking battle it out on who's superior)
10) 'Twas the Night Before Christmas (Star Trek-style poem)
11) 'Twas the Night Before Christmas (traditional beloved poem by Clement Clarke Moore)
12) The Real Story Behind the Christmas Bell (about the Big Guy and his reindeer)
13) Filling Santa's Shop (Santa and his elves find the true spirit of Christmas)
14) Around the World With Santa Claus (by Sandy Pomerantz; Santa and his helpers leave gifts in many countries)
15) Santa's Noisy Christmas (Santa's trying to sleep, but his house gets noisier and noisier; how the problem gets solved)
16) Santa's Noisy Christmas Puppet Play (Santa, Mrs. Claus, the Christmas Fairy, and all the animals have a noisy holiday)
17) Five Christmas Cookies (finger play participation story; funny; younger kids)
18) Santa Gets Stuck in the Chimney (a chubby Santa gets stuck; takes cooperation from all to pull him out; funny)
19) This Was the Christmas (by Ruth Sawyer; this Eldrbarry site includes many links to Christmas stories)
20)
The Little Match Girl (by Hans Christian Andersen; a poor girl selling matchsticks joins her grandmother in Heaven)
21) Yes, Virginia, There is a Santa Claus (the famous New York Times response to the age-old question)
22) Christmas Every Day (by William Dean Howells; a greedy girl learns what happens when Christmas comes too often)
23) The Legend of the Margil Vine (a tale of old San Antonio, Texas; a child learns the meaning of giving from the heart)
24) The One and Only Christmas Ghost (Christmas ghost appears at the wrong time of year; resets his alarm clock)
25) Just Frog (a frog and a duck discuss the meaning of hurt and pain and Christmas)
26) A Child's Christmas in Wales (by Dylan Thomas; link to full text; classic story of a child's Christmas)
27) Christmas Urban Legend #1 (winner of a national contest)
28) The Christmas Fairy of Strasburg (a German folktale; an angry count utters a forbidden word and loses his love forever)
29) The First Christmas Gift (by Chuck Larkin; a shepherd boy gives up his most precious possession to the baby Jesus)
30) Tom Bawcock's Eve (from Cornwall, England; on Christmas Eve, a fisherman saves his village from starvation)
31) Funny Christmas Stories (27 short stories written to bring a smile to your face)
32) Christmas Songs with Music (32 song lyrics and music)
33) Christmas Stories and Poems (35 religious stories and poems)
34) History and Lore of Christmas Bells (the importance of "Jingle Bells" to Christmas and the holiday season)
35) History of the Origin of the Song "Jingle Bells" (could the song have been written in the American South?)
36) The Troll Who Wanted to be Human (a troll learns the most important thing about being human is caring for others)
37) The Old Woman Who Wanted a Gnome in her Home (by Jeanna Oterdahl; generosity brings rewards)
38) The Shepherd Boy's Flute (by Dan Lindholm; appreciation of a shepherd's gift by the Christ Child)
39) Christmas Quotations; Season's Greetings in Different Languages
40) Christmas Stories by Chuck Larkin (link to many stories. Example included: Ms. Horse, Ms. Mule and Ms. Cow)
41) The Tale of Mad Dog's Christmas (a mean wolf learns the true meaning of friendship and Christmas from a raccoon)
42)
When the Pyrenees Were Green (shepherds turn to stone after they refuse food and shelter to a visitor)
43) A St. Nicholas Story and Will the Real St. Nicholas Please Stand Up?—And He Did! (big collection of stories and poems)
44) The Bird's Christmas Carol (a Victorian tale; a generous young girl brings happiness to all around her before she dies)
45) Brer Rabbit's Christmas (on Christmas Day, Brer Rabbit as Santa Claus tricks Brer Fox and gets his stolen carrots back)
46) A Bed Fit for a King (in Bethlehem, an old Jewish carpenter finally fulfills his dream of making a bed "fit for a king")
47) This Little Light of Mine (angels compete to place the Star of Bethlehem in the sky; a little angel and a tiny star win)
48) The Stolen Baby Jesus (it's best not to jump to conclusions until you know the whole story)
49) Teach the Children (Santa Claus tells how to teach children all over the world the true meaning of Christmas)
50) Barrington Bunny (a lonely bunny seeks love and friends and makes the ultimate sacrifice on Christmas Eve)
51) The Nosy Little Star (a nosy little star meets Santa and brings sparkling joy to children on Christmas Day)
52) Why the Chimes Rang (a small boy and his brother bring the most precious gift to the Christ child)
53) Jesus Ahatonia or 'Twas in the Moon of Wintertime or The Huron Carol (a poetic carol about the nativity, from Canada)
54) A Chapparal Christmas Gift (by O. Henry; a revenge-seeking Frio Kid plays Santa Claus and disrupts Christmas festivities)
55) A Christmas Dinner Won in Battle (by Stephen Crane 1895; Christmas on the prairie, a young hero wins his girl's heart)
56) Site Listing 389 Links to Christmas Stories (from classics to contemporary; for all ages)
57) Site Listing Hundreds of Links to Christmas Stories, Poems, Activities, Traditions, History (for all ages)
58) Christmas in the Holler (by Stephen Hollen; excerpt from and link to his delightful tale of a Christmas in Kentucky)
59) A Christmas Surprise (A cut-and-tell story; a little boy learns how to create his own Christmas tree)
60) The Gingerbread Man at the North Pole (preschool; an amusing alternate version of the classic tale)
61) A Gift From Saint Nicholas (a visit from an old, bearded stranger brings untold riches to a struggling family)
62) A Kidnapped Santa Claus (by L. Frank Baum; 5 jealous daemons kidnap Santa; fairies, knooks & pixies to the rescue!)
63) A Christmas Memory (by Truman Capote; memories of a boyhood Christmas spent with an eccentric aunt)
64) Santa's Prayer on Christmas Eve (Christian poem; Santa prays for God's blessings to help him carry out his tasks)
65) The Little Blue Dishes (a young German girl gets her Christmas wish through separate actions of her brothers)
HANUKKAH / CHANUKAH
1) The Magic Dreidels (by Eric A. Kimmel; magic dreidels, boy, goblin, busybody woman)
2) Shaikey's Hanukkah Candles (a staged reading; Israel's War of Independence)
3) The Menorah (a German holocaust survivor is reunited with his mother)
4) Pnut Butter and Jelly and Latkes (a stubborn little girl learns a lesson)
5) Remember Rivka (a school project honors a Holocaust victim)
6) Chanukah at Valley Forge (a Jewish soldier encounters George Washington in the Revolutionary War)
7) The Soul of a Menorah (by Eric A. Kimmel; a village battles over a hayfork vs. a menorah)
8) Stubborn Menorah (family cooperation helps free a stubborn menorah)
9) Potato Pancakes All Around (how a peddler makes delicious pancakes from a crust of bread)
10) In the Month of Kislev (rich man asks rabbi to make poor family pay for smelling his food)
11) Hanukkah: A Season of Lights (history and meaning of the season; stories and books available)
12) Song Parody: Children, Go Where I Send Thee (Trad. with Hannukah Lyrics by Sandy Pomerantz)
13) Song Parody: I Am a Latke (“I Am a Pizza” by Peter Alsop, new lyrics by Sandy Pomerantz.)
14) Hanukkah (background information and story written by Chuck Larkin)
15) The Story of Chanukah (how Chanukah came about; how and why it is celebrated)
16) The Untouched Oil (Yaakov Cohen's four sons give him gifts that restore his faith; they all celebrate a joyous Hanukkah)
17) Chanukah Lights Dancing (by Dr. Jackie Yaris; Chanukah's tiny lights transform fear into hope for a 57-year-old woman)
18) Out of the Closet (by Debbie Hirschmann; a young Jewish woman struggles with her true identity during the winter holidays)
19) Christmas in Brooklyn (by Rebbetzin Tzipporah Heller; a Jewish girl deals with integrating into the dominant culture)
20) The Horse That Wouldn't Eat Latkes (a traveler outwits some ungracious men in an inn)
21) The Night Before Hanukkah—A Visit from Judah Maccabee (substitute words for 'Twas the Night Before Christmas)
22) A Great Miracle Happened Here (a young Jewish boy is accused of being a thief and is beaten up by a gang of boys)
23) One Little Menorah (by Zalman Velvel; a young boy struggles with his Jewishness during the Christmas season)
KWANZAA
1) Seven Principles of Kwanzaa (and more information about Kwanzaa)
2) Why Men Have to Work (Kwanzaa principle; illustrates the consequences of greed)
3) Kwanzaa Stories (fitting all the principles)
4) The Father, his Sons, and the Bundle of Sticks (Aesop; Kwanzaa principle of Unity)
5) Kwanzaa Song Parodies (to familiar tunes such as Farmer in the Dell and Twinkle, Twinkle, Little Star
6) Kwanzaa Reading Fun (list of interesting stories and books about this holiday)
OTHER STORIES IN THE FALL/WINTER HOLIDAY SPIRIT
1) Tom Turkey (Thanksgiving; paper cutouts; rhyming; for younger kids)
2) Bashful Benny (Thanksgiving; family ends up sharing dinner with turkey)
3) New Year's Hats for the Statues (spirit and rewards of giving)
4) The Fairy's Gift (magic books that reflect children's good and bad behavior)
5) The Mail Coach Passengers (joyful tale as the personified 12 months get off mail coach)
6) Queen Violet (a beautiful girl melts the heart of a cold and distant king)
7) The Selfish Giant by Oscar Wilde (a cruel Giant's heart melts for love of children, one in particular)
8) The Death of Balder (Norse myth involving gods and winter mistletoe, jealousy, murder and retribution)
9) The Twelve Months (a Slavic tale; the twelve months of the year reward goodness and punish evil)
10) The Gifts of Wali Dad (an old man's generosity changes his life and the lives of those around him)
11) Why Evergreen Trees Never Lose Their Leaves (a birch tree protects a wounded bird through the winter and is rewarded)
12) Lady of Guadalupe (from Mexico; the Virgin appears to a poor farmer asking that a church be built in her name)
13) Shingebiss and the Power of Wind (this sacred Ojibwe winter story deals with power, danger, courage and triumph)
14) Living Water (a Tofalar tale; a delightful, fanciful story of why the evergreen trees never lose their leaves in winter)
15) A Snowflake and a Story (by Margie Clary; a Native-American tale; a paper-cutting story)
CHRISTMAS
STORIES AND SONGS:
1) Sean Gowan's Most Important Christmas
(This is an original, but based on European legends of animals talking at Christmas.)
Story: Sean was a well-to-do but unsociable farmer. He heard a story of animals getting the gift of speech on Christmas Eve and decided to listen in his barn. Hidden away, he heard the beasts talk; they talked about...him! They said how stingy and mean he was and therefore doomed to a lonely life and death. As the bells rang out, the animals began to sing and Sean fell asleep. He awoke a changed man, joined in community life and never spent another Christmas Eve alone.
•••••
Contributed by
Cathy Jo Smith
storyteller@dublin.com
http://www.irishteller.freeservers.com/
Central Ohio area
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2) Cobweb Christmas: The Tradition of Tinsel
[By Shirley Climo. Participation possibilities: children as spiders, mother; repeating lines
Movement: making spider webs on the tress with their hands (all audience)
Spiders running away]
Bones: On Christmas Eve, a long time ago, an old woman was busily preparing her home for the holidays. She had a lot to do—cooking, baking, cleaning. Often she stopped to talk with children who came to her door. Her Christmas tree sat in the corner and she often looked at it and thought, "The Tree! The Tree! I need to decorate the tree!" But she had so much to do!
Late that evening, all the work was done—the cookies were baked, the house was clean, windows sparkled in the candlelight. The old woman thought, "The Tree! The Tree! I need to decorate the tree!" She poured a cup of tea from the kettle steaming by the fireplace, carried her cup to her favorite rocking chair, and sat down to rest—just for a minute. Looking up, she saw one spider's web that she had missed in her cleaning. "I'll get that web with my broom as soon as I finish my tea," she thought. She stared into the fire thinking about how wonderful it would be on Christmas Day with all her grandchildren coming to visit. As she sat and sipped and rocked, she grew sleepier and sleepier. She looked at the tree and thought, "The Tree! The Tree! I need to decorate the tree!" But her eyes drooped, closed...and soon she was fast asleep.
Up in the web, the spiders were curious. Every year the old woman had run them out with her cleaning, but this year they had all hidden in that one web high up in the corner of the ceiling, and she had forgotten about them. "Why did she bring a tree in her house?" asked a little spider. "I'm not sure," answered on older, wiser spider. "Let's go down and see."
The spiders crept out of their hiding place. The swung on their webs down to the tree, and when they landed on its branches, they crawled all over it, leaving bright silver strings of webbing behind them. When they had examined every part of the tree, they still were not sure why the old woman had brought it in, and they returned to their web on the ceiling.
In the morning, when the old woman woke up, she was so surprised! Her tree was covered with spider webs. But as she looked, the sun came through the window and caught the webs in its rays. The spider webs started to sparkle and shine! They had all turned into sparkling, shimmering silver and gold. At that moment, the door burst open and in came her grandchildren. "Grandmother! Your tree is so beautiful! Look how it shines! This is even better than the decorations you usually use!" The old woman smiled, and looked up at the spider web. "I had help from many friends," she said. "I hope they come back every year to decorate my tree."
And every year after that, when the old woman cleaned her house for Christmas, she always made sure to leave one web for the spiders, and they always came to help decorate her tree on Christmas Eve.
According to legend, ever since this happened, people have hung tinsel on their Christmas trees in memory of those spiders. In many places, it is also the custom to include a spider among the decorations on the tree.
•••••
This book is available at many sites:
http://www.harperchildrens.com/teacher/catalog/book_xml.asp?isbn=0060290331
http://search.barnesandnoble.com/booksearch/isbninquiry.asp?pwb=1&ean=9780060290344
http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/0060290331/002-7349320-6965613
Contributed by
Granny Sue
Susanna Holstein
susannaholstein@yahoo.com
http://www.storyteller.net/tellers/grannysue
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3) The Legend of the Christmas Spider (see also Cobweb Christmas above)
[Source unknown -- used at church one Christmas Eve. Each child received a spider made from beads by the ladies of the church. Adults came up afterwards to ask if they could have one too. Now a spider always hangs in my Christmas tree.]
Bones:
* long ago in Germany
* mother busily cleaning house for Christmas
* believed that the Christ Child visited the house on Christmas Eve
* not a speck of dust left
* even spiders had been banished from cozy corner in ceiling
* spiders fled to farthest corner of attic.
* Christmas Eve at last
* tree was decorated
* waiting for the children to see it
* poor spiders were frantic
* they could not see the tree, nor be present for the Christ Child's visit
* oldest and wisest spider suggested "perhaps peep through crack in the door to see Him."
* silently, crept out of attic, across floor to wait in the crack in the threshold.
* suddenly, door opened a wee bit
* quickly spiders sneaked into the room
* tree towered so high
* couldn't see the ornaments on top
* in fact, eyes were so small, could see only one ornament at a time
* scurried up the trunk
* out along each branch
* filled with a happy wonder at the glittering beauty.
* every place they went, left a trail of dusty, grey web
* when at top, tree was shrouded in a dusty grey of spider webs.
* Christ Child smiled
* thought of the happy spiders seeing His tree
* knew the mother would not feel the same way
* knew she would be broken hearted
* reached out His hand
* touched the webs and blessed them
* webs turned to shimmering, sparkling silver and gold
* tree glistened in greater beauty than ever before.
* ever since we have hung tinsel on the tree
* according to the story, custom now to include a spider among the decorations on the tree.
•••••
Contributed by
Dale W. Pepin
STORY SOCKS
dalejeannine.pepin@sympatico.ca
http://pages.zdnet.com/storysocks
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4) Holiday Song Parodies
[I don't have sources for these, although you may be able to find some, if not all, in one of the Prairie Home Companion books.]
a) Toys, Beautiful Toys (tune Home on the Range)
Oh give me a bike, with a bell that I like
And a dolly that hollers, "Mama!"
A boat that can toot, and an astronaut suit,
An electrical train for Papa.
Refrain:
Toys, beautiful toys!
That turn on and make lots of noise!
That rattle and clang and go bangety-bang,
Oh toys, beautiful toys.
Oh give me a ball I can bounce down the hall,
And a drum that goes boom a boom boom,
A high flying jet and a xylophone set,
And a DVD player for my room.
Repeat refrain.
Oh give me a bat, a mechanical cat,
And a whistle that goes tweedle-dees
A monster that stalks and screeches and squawks,
And please bring a flying trapeze.
Repeat refrain.
•••••
b) Beecham's Pills (Tune: Hark the Herald Angels Sing)
Hark the herald angels sing
Beecham's Pills are just the thing
Peace on earth and mercy mild
Two for adults and one for child.
Joyful all ye nations rise
Medicate when you arise
With angelic hosts proclaim
They are worthy of acclaim.
Hark! The herald angels sing
Beecham's Pills are just the thing.
c) While Shepherds Washed Their Socks by Night (Tune: While Shepherds Watched Their Flocks by Night)
While shephers washed their socks by night
All seated 'round the tub,
A bar of Ivory Soap came down
And they began to scrub.
And they began to scrub.
d) We Three Kings (2 parodies)
We three kings of Orient are
Puffing on a big cigar.
It was loaded, it exploded,
Covering us with tar.
We three kings of Orient are
Trying to smoke a rubber cigar
It was loaded and exploded,
Blowing us all afar.
e) I'm Screaming at a White Sheepdog (Tune: I'm Dreaming of a White Christmas)
I'm screaming at a white sheepdog,
Each time he sits upon my chair.
It's a thing I'm dreading,
The way he's shedding,
And coats everything with hair.
I'm screaming at a white sheepdog,
And may he visit you some night.
May his bark be worse than his bite
And may all your furniture be white.
•••••
Contributed by
Leanne Johnson, Professional Storyteller
DayLeaG@aol.com
LeanneTells@aol.com
http://www.storytelling.org/Leanne
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5) The Legend of the Christmas Rose
Story:
* When the Magi laid their rich offerings of myrrh, frankincense, and gold, by the bed of the sleeping Christ Child, legend says that a shepherd maiden stood outside the door quietly weeping.
* also had sought the Christ Child
* also desired to bring him gifts
* had nothing to offer, for she was very poor indeed.
* in vain she searched the countryside for one little flower to bring Him
* could find neither bloom nor leaf, for the winter had been cold.
* stood weeping
* passing angel saw her sorrow
* stooping, angel brushed aside the snow at her feet.
* there sprang up on the spot a cluster of beautiful winter roses
* waxen white with pink tipped petals.
* "Nor myrrh, nor frankincense, nor gold,'' said the angel, "is offering more meet for the Christ Child than these pure Christmas Roses.''
* joyfully shepherd maiden gathered flowers
* made her offering to the Holy Child.
•••••
Contributed by
Dale W. Pepin
STORY SOCKS
dalejeannine.pepin@sympatico.ca
http://pages.zdnet.com/storysocks
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6) Gifts of Story for Christmas
As a reminder, two Gifts of Story for Christmas are offered on my Web site:
http://www.aaronshep.com
GOS #21 ~ The Christmas Truce
by Aaron Shepard
On a Christmas Eve of World War I, British and German soldiers lay down their weapons to celebrate the holiday together.
GENRE: Historical fiction
CULTURE: European (World War I)
THEME: War and peace
AUDIENCE AGES: 10 and up
LENGTH: 12 minutes
GOS #7 ~ The Baker's Dozen: A Saint Nicholas Tale
Told by Aaron Shepard
Van Amsterdam, the baker, is as honest as he can be -- but he may have something left to learn.
GENRE: Legends, St. Nicholas tales
CULTURE: American (Dutch colonial)
THEME: Generosity
AUDIENCE AGES: 5 and up
LENGTH: 6 minutes
•••••
Contributed by
Aaron Shepard
http://www.aaronshep.com/
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7) The Flower of the Holy Night* aka The Legend of the Poinsettia
[The family of plants that the poinsettia comes from has a small tree/bush where the tiny leaves turn white---really beautiful. The plant was named after a U.S. diplomat who "discovered" these plants while living in Mexico.
This story takes place on the last day of Las Posadas (The Inns). It is a 9-day event where people re-enact the story of María and José as they try to find a place to stay in Bethlehem. For 8 nights, people follow two children dressed as María and José to a house and as the children knock on the door and ask to be let in, the people sing songs. In small villages, the children and people are finally allowed in and food is served. On the 9th night, everyone goes to the church with gifts for the baby Jesus. There is a life-sized Nativity scene in the church with the two children and a baby in it (and sometime live animals, too).
The Flower of the Holy Night*
[Bare Bones version from an original retelling of this Mexican Folktale by Marcia Gutiérrez, Quilted Tales.]
Bones: Juan is an orphan. His mother died when he was a baby and his father died several years later. Juan ran away from the orphanage to look for his father and later began to go from village to village looking for work. Sometimes, when he was hungry, he would steal what he needed.
Juan was living in a makeshift tent by a river. During the day he would go to the village and find work. At night he would lay in his tent and listen to the river's song. One night while listening to the river he heard other voices, they were singing songs for Las Posadas, a 9 day festival where a boy and girl would dress as Mary and Joseph and knock on a door to be let in. Juan followed the singing and watched from the shadows as the boy and girl knocked on the door and the villagers sang. Finally the door opened and the people went inside. As the last man entered the light from the house fell upon Juan and the man saw him then shut the door. Juan stood outside and remembered when he and his father use to participate in Las Posadas, but now Juan was a child of the streets. As he turned to leave, the door opened again and the man offered him a bundle of food. For the next 7 nights Juan followed the singing and was offered food but never invited in.
On the 9th night Juan went to the village and the villagers were going to the church, each one was carrying a gift for the baby Jesus. Juan had no gift and thought of stealing something but realized that this would be worse then having no gift at all. He kneeled down upon the ground and folding his hands in prayer looked up to the sky and prayed to Mary, Mother of Jesus. He closed his eyes and began to cry. The tears fell to the ground and as they did a plant began to grow. Juan looked down and saw the most beautiful plant he had ever seen in his life. It had bright red leaves that surrounded small yellow flowers. Carefully he dug up the plant and carried it into the church where he presented it to the baby that was laying in a crib in a life sized manger.
Juan was offered a seat in the front of the church as the whole village looked upon the beautiful plant in wonder; they knew a miracle had happened. Later Juan told the story which was carried down from generation to generation and Juan was no longer a child of the streets, he lived out his life there as a member of the village where the first Flower of the Holy Night had been seen.
*Flower of the Holy Night or La Flor de la Noche Buena is the name of the poinsettia in Mexico.
The Legend of the Poinsettia
Another version of the story above: A charming story is told of Pepita, a poor Mexican girl who had no gift to present the Christ Child at Christmas Eve Services. As Pepita walked slowly to the chapel with her cousin Pedro, her heart was filled with sadness rather than joy.
"I am sure, Pepita, that even the most humble gift, if given in love, will be acceptable in His eyes," said Pedro consolingly.
Not knowing what else to do, Pepita knelt by the roadside and gathered a handful of common weeds, fashioning them into a small bouquet. Looking at the scraggly bunch of weeds, she felt more saddened and embarrassed than ever by the humbleness of her offering. She fought back a tear as she entered the small village chapel.
As she approached the alter, she remembered Pedro's kind words: "Even the most humble gift, if given in love, will be acceptable in His eyes." She felt her spirit lift as she knelt to lay the bouquet at the foot of the nativity scene.
Suddenly, the bouquet of weeds burst into blooms of yellow with leaves of brilliant red, and all who saw them were certain that they had witnessed a Christmas miracle right before their eyes.
From that day on, the bright red leaves were known as the Flores de Noche Buena, or Flowers of the Holy Night, for they bloomed each year during the Christmas season.
Today, the common name for this plant is the poinsettia!
•••••
More information may be found at:
http://www.ecke.com/html/h_corp/corp_legend.html
Extensive additional information about the role of the poinsettia in legend and myth available at this site:
http://www.greenheartfarms.com/poinsettia2.htm
•••••
Text for The Flower of the Holy Night and cultural and botanical information contributed by
Marcia Gutiérrez, Bilingual Storyteller
QuiltedTales@aol.com
http://www.northlands.net/membership/illinois. htm
http://www.storynet.org/tellers/MarciaGutierrez.htm
•••••
Bones for The Legend of the Poimsettoa adapted by
Jackie Baldwin
Story-Lovers
bubbul@vom.com
http://www.story-lovers.com
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8) The Christmas Carol by Charles Dickens (shortened version for kids)
On my site, I've added a VERY shortened version of the Dickens' story, A Christmas Carol. I had to write this for German 9-year-olds, so just a touch simplified all round.
It's here:
http://talesandmusic.de/download/christmas_carol_text.pdf
If you want to see the pictures which go with it, look here:
http://www.talesandmusic.de/resources/articles.htm
•••••
Contributed by
Richard Martin, Germany
richard@tellatale.eu
http://www.tellatale.eu
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9) The Battle of the Shoe and Stocking
[Full text found at:
http://www.dwarfnet.com/christmas/christmasstories/shoeandstockingbattle.shtml ]
Story:
The Stocking was insufferable. He was a very special Christmas stocking, appliquéd with felt cut-outs of toys, covered with sequins, quite glamorous in a flashy kind of way. When the Christmas boxes were pulled down from storage, and everything was unpacked and strewn across the living room floor, he was always one of the first things hung, on a special nail over the fireplace that waited there, all year, just for him. In this family, the stocking was hung as soon as the Christmas tree was decorated, and he stayed up until the tree was taken away. "Other stockings only work a single night," he would tell the other decorations, "but I play the living room all season." He liked to sing, too, and tell jokes which weren't funny, but all the decorations laughed because they were somewhat in awe of him. After all, he was the STOCKING. There was only one of him, and he'd been handed down now through three generations of the family.
Frequently, the girl's shoes stayed in the living room overnight. They were supposed to be put properly under her bed each night, but somehow that seldom happened. Sometimes one would be under the table, and another under the couch - and once, for reasons no one could ever understand, the left shoe was placed in the refrigerator overnight, next to some left-over spaghetti sauce. He never fully recovered, and remained silent the rest of his life. But the right shoe had a fine spirit, because she used it more than the left one, especially in kickball and neighborhood games of soccer. But he dreaded Christmas, because the stocking was so mean to him.
"Tell me I'm wonderful," the stocking would purr. And all the ornaments would obediently tell the stocking how wonderful he was, but he wasn't happy until the shoe said it as well. "You're wonderful, you're wonderful," the shoe would mutter, just to shut the stocking up.
"I'd hate to be a shoe," the stocking would gloat. "I'm displayed elegantly from the mantle, while you cool your heels under - what is it tonight? The end table?"
"You're all flash and glitter," said the shoe. "At least a shoe has a sole."
"And soon I'll be filled with toys and candy, while you get filled with a foot," said the stocking. "Time for you to toe the line around here."
"You certainly are head over heels in love with yourself," said the shoe. And all the ornaments gasped in dismay, at such audacity in talking back to the stocking, who was clearly grander than anyone else.
Now, the night before Christmas eve, everyone began cleaning up the house. Toys which had lived for several days - or, in one case, two months - under the bed, or piled on top of the desk, or riding high up on the top of the bunkbed were put where they belonged. A collection of dolls from foreign countries - France, Spain, even Japan - sat nicely in a row on the shelf next to the bed, and that night both shoes were placed properly under the bed. Unaccustomed to the new arrangement, the shoe looked around, and met the eyes of the French doll. "Your scuff marks are tres jolie, very pretty," she said. "Great soccer game today," he said, embarrassed. "Picked up some new ones."
"I have heard your stocking speak out in the great room," she said. "And I have seen him once. He is very ugly." "Truer words were never spoken," said the shoe.
"We French have a great sense of style," she said. "But in France, the stocking is nothing at Christmas. It is something which is thrown in the wash, with the lingerie." "But what do the children put up for Santa Claus then?" asked the shoe. "Their underwear?" "Mais non," said the French doll, amused. "There are the holes in the underwear for the legs to go through, and everything would fall out. Don't be a stupid shoe." "Then what?" asked the shoe. "They put out their shoes," said the French doll. "And they put out their shoes in Spain too, and in the Netherlands, and in Norway the whole family puts out all their shoes together in a long row, non?, to show that they will try to get along well in the coming year."
"You're kidding," said the shoe. "Non, I am not kidding," said the French doll. "Here they put out the stocking, but then it is a barbaric country in so many ways. The clothes, mon dieu!" "You're sure about this," asked the shoe. "Look at me. I am an antique. I have great experience in the ways of the world, and some day, if you are properly placed under the bed again, I will tell you some of my history. It may shock you but then, so little is shocking anymore these days. But now I am tired," yawned the French doll, "and you too must sleep to be ready for tomorrow's football." "We call it soccer," said the shoe, and both of them slept.
The next night was Christmas eve. The girl was so excited, that although she had promised to be tidier, she left the right shoe out again, right next to the fireplace. The stocking was doing calisthenics, quite ostentatiously, stretching itself out and rolling itself up. "Gotta get in shape," said the stocking. "I'd like a little chatter from the ornaments section. Let's get the team spirit going, guys! I'm about to go on!"
The shoe bided his time. He had a plan, which if it worked, would silence the stocking at least for the rest of the season. Then they heard the patter of hooves on the roof, and a great scuffling inside the chimney, and - with rather a lot of soot spilled and grunting and groaning - Santa emerged from the fireplace. He put the big toys around the tree, and then stuffed the stocking until it almost burst with small dolls and jacks and balls and piles of candy. And then, his finger next to his nose, he disappeared back up the chimney.
"Think you can handle that?" asked the shoe. "Listen," said the stocking, "this is what I do." "Here maybe," said the shoe. "Not in France." The stocking swung over to the shoe in fury. "Not in France?" "They use shoes," said the shoe. "More dependable. Less likely to run." The stocking swung back and forth, thinking. "How about Spain? They use stockings there, of course." "Shoes," said the shoe. "Same in Netherlands. You gotta have sole for Christmas in the old country."
The stocking was swinging wildly now, around and around, and the nail was almost out of the mantel. "Norway!," he shouted. "It's cold in Norway, they have extra stockings, they'd hang them up in Norway!" "They wear 'em to bed, and the whole family puts out all their SHOES in a row for St. Nicholas." said the shoe. The stocking gave a shriek, and with that, the nail fell out, the stocking crashed to the floor, and the best toys - the ones on top - fell into the shoe. The ornaments cheered, being somewhat feeble-minded, and likely to go with whoever seemed in charge.
"Life," said the shoe, "is a contact sport." And with that, he stuck his tongue out at the stocking, closed his shoelace eyelets, and slept the peaceful sleep of the victorious.
•••••
Full text found at:
http://www.dwarfnet.com/christmas/christmasstories/shoeandstockingbattle.shtml
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10) 'Twas the Night Before Christmas (Star Trek style)
Poem:
Twas a Star Trek Christmas
Twas the night before Christmas on the Enterprise-D,
On a routine short hop to Starbase 03,
With Data on duty in the command chair,
At Warp 6, the Enterprise soon would be there.
Just for something to do while the other crew slept,
He scanned where historical records were kept --
And with a blink of his eye and a cock of his head,
"Intriguing! Tomorrow is Christmas!" he said.
But no one was stirring, and he sought to find why,
And so he buzzed Geordi, who awoke with a sigh:
"Christmas? It's only an old holiday --
Now just let me get back to sleep, okay?"
"But is to wish Merry Christmas not human to do?"
And so Data wished it -- to the whole ship and crew.
Everyone on the Enterprise awoke from this clatter --
Picard rushed to the bridge to see what was the matter.
"What is the meaning of this noise, Mister Data?"
"Sir, is it not Christmas--?" "We'll discuss it much later!"
Just then Worf said, "Captain -- a Klingon Prey Bird!
Its hull has been damaged -- it's uncloaking, sir."
"On screen," said Picard, as the Klingon ship hailed:
"Federation vessel, our Life Support systems have failed!
A strange ship attacked us, inflicting the worst,
(though naturally, of course, we'd fired on it first)."
The Klingons beamed over, and the senior staff met,
To try and determine the source of the threat.
Said Picard, "Mister Data, an assignment for you:
Give all of these Klingons something to do!
They think it's the Romulans we should look for,
Get them all off the bridge, before there's a war!"
So Data departed, while the rest of the crew
Wondered: Romulans? Ferengi? If not them, then who?
Said Worf, "Sir -- disturbance on Holodeck Three!"
The entire bridge crew ran down there to see.
Roared Picard, "Mister Data, what the devil is this!!"
"Sir, I have taught the Klingons how to celebrate Christmas."
And so there they were -- on holodecks 3, 4 and 5
With synthohol, singing and Rokeg Blood Pie!
Soon the Big E was rocking with holiday cheer
Friend,foe, and family came from both far and near.
The Romulans showed up with some Romulan Ale,
The Ferengi brought goodies for free -- not for sale!
But a strange ship was coming, the captain was told,
With one crew member only, and a huge cargo hold.
Said the Klingons, "It's the strange ship that fought us -- attack!"
Said Picard, "On Christmas? -- Mister Worf, just hold back."
And then as the ship came into view,
Onscreen came its captain -- none other than Q!
He wore a white beard and a suit of deep red...
"Joyeux Noel, mon captain," was what Santa Q said.
"Tell those Klingons next time to not go so berserk.
You need good defense systems in this line of work.
Now if you'll excuse me, I'll be warping away...
Did you think anyone else could do this job in one day?"
"I'm sensing emotion," said Counselor Troi,
"Peace in the galaxy, Good Will and Joy."
And they stood on the bridge and watched Q take flight,
shouting,
"MERRY CHRISTMAS TO ALL, AND TO ALL A GOOD NIGHT!"
•••••
Source: http://www.netcore.ca/%7Egkillops/twas2.html
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11) 'Twas the Night Before Christmas (traditional poem)
['Twas the Night Before Christmas (or A Visit from St. Nicholas by Clement Clarke Moore]
Poem:
'Twas the night before Christmas, when all through the house
not a creature was stirring, not even a mouse.
The stockings were hung by the chimney with care,
in hopes that St. Nicholas soon would be there.
The children were nestled all snug in their beds,
while visions of sugar plums danced in their heads.
And Mama in her 'kerchief, and I in my cap,
had just settled our brains for a long winter's nap.
When out on the roof there arose such a clatter,
I sprang from my bed to see what was the matter.
Away to the window I flew like a flash,
tore open the shutter, and threw up the sash.
The moon on the breast of the new-fallen snow
gave the lustre of midday to objects below,
when, what to my wondering eyes should appear,
but a miniature sleigh and eight tiny reindeer.
With a little old driver, so lively and quick,
I knew in a moment it must be St. Nick.
More rapid than eagles, his courses they came,
and he whistled and shouted and called them by name:
"Now Dasher! Now Dancer!
Now, Prancer and Vixen!
On, Comet! On, Cupid!
On, Donner and Blitzen!
To the top of the porch!
To the top of the wall!
Now dash away! Dash away!
Dash away all!"
As dry leaves that before the wild hurricane fly,
when they meet with an obstacle, mount to the sky
so up to the house-top the courses they flew,
with the sleigh full of toys, and St. Nicholas too.
And then, in a twinkling, I heard on the roof
the prancing and pawing of each little hoof.
As I drew in my head and was turning around,
down the chimney St. Nicholas came with a bound.
He was dressed all in fur, from his head to his foot,
and his clothes were all tarnished with ashes and soot.
A bundle of toys he had flung on his back,
and he looked like a peddler just opening his pack.
His eyes--how they twinkled! His dimples, how merry!
His cheeks were like roses, his nose like a cherry!
His droll little mouth was drawn up like a bow,
and the beard on his chin was as white as the snow.
The stump of a pipe he held tight in his teeth,
and the smoke it encircled his head like a wreath.
He had a broad face and a little round belly,
that shook when he laughed, like a bowl full of jelly.
He was chubby and plump, a right jolly old elf,
and I laughed when I saw him, in spite of myself.
A wink of his eye and a twist of his head
soon gave me to know I had nothing to dread.
He spoke not a word, but went straight to his work,
and filled all the stockings, then turned with a jerk.
And laying his finger aside of his nose,
and giving a nod, up the chimney he rose.
He sprang to his sleigh, to his team gave a whistle,
And away they all flew like the down of a thistle.
But I heard him exclaim, 'ere he drove out of sight,
"Happy Christmas to all, and to all a good night!"
•••••
Sources and more information:
http://www.blackdog.net/holiday/christmas/twas.html
http://www.carols.org.uk/twas_the_night_before_christmas.htm
Parodies:
http://urbanlegends.about.com/library/bltwas.htm
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12) The Real Story Behind the Christmas Bell (by Katy Grant © 11/1996)
To retell, contact Katy Grant :
http://www.hometown.aol.com/cadi48/bell.html
Story:
It had been a long day, but still needing a few things for Christmas, I stopped by the store after work. The wind whistled, as it whipped around the cars parked in the almost full store lot while, street lights, here and there, were just coming to life. Even my long woolen cloak wasn't enough protection from the bitterly cold night air, as I hurried towards the building. I was just stepping up on the sidewalk when I heard a voice call out, "Psssst, Lady." I stopped and looked around. For a second, I thought I saw a head duck behind the corner of the building. I stood staring at the corner for a few more seconds before I decided it must have been a trick of the wind and shadows in the fading light. I started towards the building again but hadn't taken more then a few steps when I heard the voice again. "PSSST, PSSSSSSST, LADY!" This time I was sure I saw a cherub face with a toboggan on its head duck back out of sight, around the corner of the building. As I rounded the corner, I saw a forlorn looking little child. His head was bent down and his hat was pulled low over his ears and forehead. I placed my hand on his shoulder and squatted down to be on eye level with him as I asked, "Are you all right?" When he lifted his head, I was surprised to see a large smile on his face. At the same moment, I realized he wasn't a child at all, but a pint sized little man. In a conspiratorial whisper he said, "The big guy sent me, lady." My first reaction was to began looking around for one of the godfathers that used to visit our house at Christmas time. I must have looked puzzled because he said, " You know... red suit, beard, reindeer, ho, ho, ho." "Oh that, big guy," I said. [with a bit of a smile on my face] " I have something for ya," he said, as he took hold of my hand. At this remark I stood up. Still holding tight to my hand he looked up at me, and as he did so his toboggan slipped further down over his eyebrows. He impatiently pushed it back, revealing a pair of pointed ears. "It's a story." Now, I was caught!
I never could resist a pair of pointed ears or a story. I squatted back down to hear him better, but in truth, I could no longer hear the whistling of the wind around us. "The big guy is great but, after a couple hundred years his eye sight isn't so good any more. His hearing is great though. With Rudolph to guide the sleigh, it helped. But the other reindeer are always up to tricks and one Christmas Eve the Big Guy was almost late. The reindeer were hiding, playing silly games.
They wouldn't come out until the Big Guy had found the hiding place of every last one of them. He decided right then and there that it wouldn't happen again next year. He put a few of us to work making reindeer bells. Now you know, all reindeer look alike. To make sure he knew which reindeer was which each bell has a different ring even though they look exactly alike." [Reindeer like to dress exactly the same]
"Everything went right on schedule for the next hundred years or so but, in 1933 the Big Guy noticed a change. Christmas Spirit was real low down here. So, when he came to a house with just a scrawny, little tree with no decorations, he decided to decorate with the reindeer's bells. That house just seemed to light up with Christmas Spirit. The Big Guy kept an eye on that house the next day and, we all watched as people came for miles to celebrate Christmas at that little place. That gave him another great idea. Reindeer are not only silly; they're very vain. Each year we have to make them new bells to wear; they refuse to be seen in a set of old bells. The Big Guy said, 'From now on I'm going to send some of you down there to give out reindeer bells to people who look like they know how to celebrate Christmas. They can share the bells with others and in that way spread the Christmas cheer around. Anybody who truly believes in Christmas and me will be able to hear the difference in the bell's tones.' "
"This sounds like a Chris Van Allsburg story to me," I remarked. "NO WAY, LADY! Ten years ago Van Allsburg was just another guy on the street when I handed him one of the bells. He took the idea for his story from me. And he's just now giving me some credit for it." I began to smile. "So, you really think I'm somebody who knows how to share the Christmas Spirit? That's a lovely compliment. Thank you." "Are you kidding, Lady? I've been standin' out here for hours. My feet are frozen. I want to get back to the North Pole. I'm out-a-here." And within a blink of the eye he was gone.
I was left with the bells, a story and a list that describes the tones of each bell. I've shared the bells with my friends, a few of whom have told me that they can tell which reindeer's bell they have. And now I've shared the story with you, listen closely to all silver bells you see this year and see if you too can hear a difference in their tones. I have included the list of reindeer and a description of their bell's tones to help you.
This is my Christmas present...a story for everyone. MERRY CHRISTMAS!! If you are having trouble telling the sounds apart, your Christmas Spirit needs a little work...
Dasher - one quick ring... sounds like ZING!
Goes the street car]
Dancer - first three notes of the Nutcracker
pilfered from the original playing of Tchaikovsky
Prancer - ding...dong...ding-on the scale doe, ray, me
pilfered from Julie Andrews
Vixen - a single high-c note ring
donated by Beverly Sills
Comet - one loud bursting ring that slowly fades away
in memory of Haley's comet
Cupid - light tinkling sound
caught as an angel got his wings
Donner - one loud bong
donated by Quasimodo
Blizen - an alarming ding-ding-ding...
recorded at a firehouse in old Chicago
Rudolph - one dull clunk-
compliments of snowballs thrown by children at moving carriages
•••••
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13) Filling Santa's Shop
[
I've told this story for a couple of years and have since turned it into a puppet play. It's complicated for one person behind a stage, but technically do-able since I've done it.) The story works well as audience participation since the kids have chances to suggest things to fill up Santa's shop.]
Bones:
Quick bones are Santa is feeling down in the dumps - he's getting older, is tired this year, and having a harder time getting up and down the chimneys. He wants someone else to drive the sleigh and take over. He suggests a contest among the elves to see who can come up with the best answer to his riddle of filling his workshop with Christmas cheer, but the usual provisions apply -- has to fill the shop up entirely within one day.
First elf rushes out to bring in the reindeer. Doesn't work and they leave reindeer droppings all over. Next day second elf rushes out to bring in reindeer food (works well with country kids who know how large a bale of hay is). Animals are big, but what they eat is bigger. Doesn't work. Third elf brings in all the presents from the sleigh, but they are for the kids and have to go back outside.
At this point you can have kids contribute ideas and your only problem is to come up with a hitch as to why it won't work.
Some suggestions they've come up with --
Chop down all the trees, which is why there are no trees at the North Pole anymore.
Cookies from all the houses he visits, already been eaten this year.
Snow from outside, which melts into a giant size puddle once it's inside.
Santa is getting more worried since each day that passes brings him one day closer to Christmas. Finally, the youngest elf brings out a paper bag and announces that s/he can fill the shop right away with what's inside the bag. Everyone sneers, but the lights are turned off (if possible, this is a cool touch) and out comes a candle, battery operated, of course. The workshop fills with light and Santa remarks that this is the true spirit of the season. The elf agrees but says that s/he is too young to drive. Santa laughs and says that if the young elf comes along for the ride, he won't feel so old after all.
Sliding down the mountain on a glorious snow falling day! Hooray, winter is finally here!
•••••
Contributed by
Batsy Bybell
cgale@turbonet.com
http://www.storyteller.net/tellers/batsy
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14) Around the World With Santa Claus by Sandy Pomerantz
[You can use this story as a play or as an audience participation story. Adapt it if you wish. Change or add any toys and their statements as you see fit. e.g. SPONGEBOB (then his nutty laugh?) instead of CABBAGE PATCH DOLLS? When I transferred it from my file, I noticed many of the cast didn't come out in bold, but you can tell which they are because they are in caps. The staging info below is to the best of my recollection, but I last did this production at least 15 years ago so the memory may not be perfect. I'd be honored if someone uses it.]
AS A PLAY:
COSTUMING: This included decorated cartons for the ABC BLOCKS, TEDDY BEAR masks, TICKLE-ME-ELMO masks, purple Barney masks, beard and hat for SANTA, kids hiding in back of a big cardboard SLEIGH with jingle bells, baby bottle in hand and bonnets for the heads of the CABBAGE PATCH DOLLS, REINDEER antlers on a headband modeled on a sample from a Burger King promotion, and assorted related hats or other touches for the WORLD'S CHILDREN.
STAGING: As noted above, I created a big cardboard outline of Santa's sleigh from a huge carton cut open, painted on the side facing the audience and propped up by taping it to a couple of chairs. Santa got off and on the front chair at each stop with a symbolic sack stuffed with newspaper. The REINDEER stood in front of it in pairs with thick brown yarn going from one pair to the next to the sleigh. The TOYS hid in back of the sleigh and popped up as they were mentioned, then did their line and popped back down. You can adapt to what works best for you. I created a blinking red nose for RUDOLPH with a battery and red bulb that worked with a push button and wire. It was so long ago that I've forgotten how I rigged it, but maybe you know someone who can help.
AS A STORY:
Divide the audience into the individuals, pairs, and groups in the tale and give them their lines to say when you mention their character(s). Practice with them for a couple of minutes and then be the NARRATOR, tell the tale and have fun. You might want them to pop up to say their lines and then sit down again. You might give out some jingle bells to a few for the part of the SLEIGH. It's up to you if you want to give them a touch of a costume mask, hat, etc.
Around the World with Santa Claus by Sandy Pomerantz
CAST:
INDIVIDUALS: REINDEER - DASHER, DANCER, PRANCER, VIXEN, COMET, CUPID,
DONNER, BLITZEN, and RUDOLPH, SANTA CLAUS and NARRATOR
GROUPS: SLEIGH
TICKLE-ME-ELMO DOLLS
ALPHABET BLOCKS
TEDDY BEARS
CABBAGE PATCH KIDS
BARNEYS
WORLD’S CHILDREN - MEXICO, FRANCE, NIGERIA, CHINA, HAWAII, and U.S. (AUDIENCE)
NARRATOR:
'Twas the night before Christmas and at the North Pole, SANTA CLAUS - Ho! Ho! Ho! - was busy loading up his SLEIGH -Jingle, jingle, jingle! He loaded it with TICKLE-ME ELMO DOLLS - Giggle, giggle, giggle! ALPHABET BLOCKS - (Sing) A B C D E F G! TEDDY BEARS - Grrr, grrr, grrr! - CABBAGE PATCH KIDS - Adopt me! Adopt me! - and BARNEYS - (Sing) I love you, You love me... - and lots of other toys and games for boys and girls around the world. Then SANTA CLAUS - Ho! Ho! Ho! - hitched his REINDEER -(roll call as each REINDEER calls out his/her name in order) DASHER, DANCER, PRANCER, VIXEN, COMET, CUPID, DONNER, BLITZEN, and ALL 8 REINDEER doing a sweeping gesture in order like a stadium "wave" toward front of the line). RUDOLPH! RUDOLPH! (says or pushes button to blink lit nose) - Blink, blink! - to the SLEIGH - Jingle, jingle, jingle! - and took off to deliver his presents around the world.
The first country on his list was MEXICO - Feliz Navidad! Feliz Navidad!- (pronounced: Fay leese’ nah vee dod) After delivering lots of presents in MEXICO - Feliz Navidad! Feliz Navidad! - SANTA CLAUS- Ho! Ho! Ho! - got back in his SLEIGH - Jingle, jingle, jingle! - filled with TICKLE-ME ELMO DOLLS - Giggle, giggle, giggle! - ALPHABET BLOCKS - (Sing) A B C D E F G - TEDDY BEARS - Grrr, grrr, grrr! - CABBAGE PATCH KIDS - Adopt me! Adopt me! - and BARNEYS - (Sing) I love you, You love me...And lots of other toys and games for girls and boys around the world. Then SANTA CLAUS started his REINDEER - DASHER, DANCER, PRANCER, VIXEN, COMET CUPID, DONNER, BLITZEN, and (ALL) RUDOLPH - Blink, blink! and continued on his journey to deliver presents around the world.
One of the countries he went to was FRANCE - Joyeux Noel! Joyeux Noel! - (pronounced: Joy yuh’ no el) - After he delivered some wonderful gifts in FRANCE - Joyeux Noel! Joyeux Noel! - SANTA CLAUS - Ho! Ho! Ho! - Got back
into his SLEIGH - Jingle, jingle, jingle! - Filled with TICKLE-ME ELMOS - Giggle, giggle, giggle! - ALPHABET BLOCKS - (Sing) A B C D E F G - TEDDY BEARS - Grrr, grrr, grrr! - CABBAGE PATCH KIDS - Adopt me! Adopt me! -
and BARNEYS - (Sing) I love you, You love me... - and lots of other toys and games for boys and girls around the world. Then he started his REINDEER - DASHER, DANCER, PRANCER, VIXEN, COMET, CUPID, DONNER, BLITZEN,
and (ALL) RUDOPLH - Blink, blink! and continued on his journey to deliver presents around the world.
The next country he traveled to was NIGERIA - E Ku Odun! E Ku Odun! (pronounced: Ee koo’ oh dun) After he left some marvelous presents in NIGERIA - E Ku Odun! E Ku Odun! - SANTA CLAUS - Ho! Ho! Ho! - Returned to his SLEIGH - Jingle, jingle, jingle! - filled with TICKLE-ME ELMO DOLLS - Giggle, giggle, giggle! - ALPHABET BLOCKS - (Sing) A B C D E F G - TEDDY BEARS - Grrr, grrr, grrr! - CABBAGE PATCH KIDS - Adopt me! Adopt me! -- and BARNEYS - (Sing) I love you, You love me... - and lots of other toys and games for girls and boys around the world. He started his REINDEER -DASHER, DANCER, PRANCER, VIXEN, COMET, CUPID, DONNER, BLITZEN, and RUDOLPH - Blink, blink! - and continued on his journey to deliver presents around the world.
One of the next countries he came to was CHINA - Sheng tankuai loh ! Sheng tan kuai loh! (pronounced: sheng tahn kwy’ lo) After he dropped off some terrific stuff in CHINA - Sheng tan kuai loh! Sheng tan kuai loh! SANTA CLAUS - Ho! Ho! Ho! - got back in his SLEIGH - Jingle, jingle, jingle! - filled with TICKLE-ME ELMO DOLLS - Giggle, giggle, giggle! - ALPHABET BLOCKS - (Sing) A B C D E F G - TEDDY BEARS - Grrr, grrr, grrr! - CABBAGE PATCH KIDS - Adopt me! Adopt me! - BARNEYS - (Sing) I love you, You love me... and lots of other toys and games for boys and girls around the world. He started his REINDEER - DASHER, DANCER, PRANCER, VIXEN, COMET, CUPID, DONNER, BLITZEN, and RUDOLPH - Blink, blink! - and continued on his way to deliver presents around the world.
He reached the HAWAIIAN ISLANDS - Melikalikimaka! Melikalikimaka! (pronounced: Meh lee’ kah lee’ kee mah’ kah) It was nice and warm there, and he sweated in his suit as he left gifts for the children of the HAWAIIAN ISLANDS - Melikalikimaka! Melikalikimaka! - Then SANTA CLAUS - Ho! Ho! Ho! - got back into his SLEIGH - Jingle, jingle, jingle! - still holding a few TICKLE-ME ELMO DOLLS - Giggle, giggle, giggle! - a few ALPHABET BLOCKS - (Sing) A B C D E F G - a few TEDDY BEARS - Grrr, grrr, grrr! - a few CABBAGE PATCH KIDS - Adopt me! Adopt me! - a few BARNEYS - (Sing) I love you, You love me.. - and some other toys and games for the girls and boys in the rest of the world. He started his REINDEER - DASHER, DANCER, PRANCER, VIXEN, COMET,CUPID, DONNER, BLITZEN, and (ALL) RUDOLPH - Blink, blink! - and continued on his way to deliver presents to the remaining children of the world!
At last, SANTA CLAUS - Ho! Ho! Ho! - reached the final stop on his trip, and can you guess what that was? ALL - Merry Christmas! Merry Christmas! - Yes, he had reached the UNITED STATES OF AMERICA and YOUR STATE and YOUR TOWN and your house; and all of the girls and boys in the UNITED STATES OF AMERICA and YOUR STATE and YOUR TOWN said --- (cast beckons to the AUDIENCE for response)
CAST and AUDIENCE - Merry christmas! Merry Christmas!
Then SANTA CLAUS - Ho! Ho! Ho !- climbed into his - SLEIGH - Jingle, jingle, jingle! - started his REINDEER - DASHER, DANCER, PRANCER, VIXEN, COMET, CUPID, DONNER, BLITZEN, and (ALL) RUDOLPH - Blink, blink! - and before he headed back to the North Pole for another year, he called out -- SANTA CLAUS - Merry Christmas to all, and to all a good night!
THE END
•••••
Contributed by
Sandy Pomerantz
sandytelling@earthlink.net
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15) Santa's Noisy Christmas
[Adaptation by Marilyn Kinsella of The Noisy House.]
Bones: Santa is trying to get a nap before his big night out. He hears Mrs. Claus baking cookies clanging the pots and pans (clang-clang-clang) and she is singing "Christmas is coming, the goose is getting fat, Put another penny in the old man's hat." Then he hears the elves ringing the jingle bells (either have jingle bells for the audience to ring or "Jingle-jingle-jingle") They are singing "Jingle Bells, jingle bells, jingle all the way, Oh, what fun it is to ride in a one horse open sleigh - hey!") Santa sighs and wishes for some peace and quiet. The Christmas fairy appears and tells him that all he needs to do to get some sleep is to bring in the barnyard animals. So, the chickens and the cows, and the sheep come into Santa's house. As they come, they sing “Oh the weather outside is frightful, but the fire is so delightful. Since we’ve no place to go… Let it snow, let it snow, let it snow.”
* He tries to sleep but now - Mrs. Claus is clanging the pots and pans (clang-clang-clang), the elves are ringing the jingle bells (jingle-jingle-jingle), the chickens are clucking (cluck-cluck-cluck), the cow is mooing (mooooo) and the sheep are bleating (bahhhhh). Please, Christmas Fairy, come back!... (This is repeated with a new sound after each scene)
Christmas fairy comes back and to get peace and quiet, Santa needs to bring in the woodland creatures - the wolf, the fox, the squirrel, the rabbit and they are singing "Over the hills and through the woods to Santa’s house we go.The horse knows the way to carry the sleigh through the bright and drifting snow.” Santa tries to sleep but...
*(repeat noises)....and the wolf is howling (ow-ow-owwwww)....
Next the fairy tells Santa to bring in Frosty who sings “Frosty the Snowman was a jolly happy soul, With a corncob pipe and button nose and two eyes made out of coal….”. As he comes in and stands by the fire (drip, drip, drip) Santa tries to sleep, but...
*(repeat noises)...and Frosty is melting (drip-drip-drip)
Next the fairy tells Santa to bring in the reindeer. (start to sing..."You know Dasher, and Dancer and Prance and Vixon, Comet and Cupid and Donder and Blitzen, but do you recall the most famous reindeer of all (then let the others join in with the modern version add-ons)....
“…Rudolph the Red Nosed Reindeer, Has a very shiny nose. (like a light bulb)
And if you ever saw it, you would even say it glows. (like a light bulb)
All the other reindeer, used to laugh and call him names. (like Pinocchio)
They wouldn’t let poor Rudolph, play any reindeer games. (like Monopoly)
Then one foggy Christmas Eve Santa came to say,
‘Rudolph with your nose so bright, won’t you guide my sleigh tonight?’
Then how the reindeer loved him.
As they shouted out with glee. (whoopee!)
Rudolph the Red-Nose Reindeer,
You’ll go down in history.” (like George Washington)
Santa tries to sleep but...
*(repeat noises)...and the reindeer are shouting "Whoopee!" Santa yells out, "Christmas Fairy, come back!"
"What is it? Too noisy?"
"Too noisy! I should say NOT. Why, this is Christmas with all my family and friends. This is a joyous noise, the happiest of noises. Come on, Christmas Fairy, join me as we sing "We Wish You a Merry Christmas."
We wish you a Merry Christmas,
We wish you a Merry Christmas,
We wish you a Merry Christmas...
and a Happy New Year.
•••••
Contributed by
Marilyn A. Kinsella, Taleypo the Storyteller
Fairview Heights, IL
Storyteller, Writer, Puppeteer, and Workshop Presenter
markinsella19@hotmail.com
http://www.marilynkinsella.org
http://www.dulcimerguy.com/taleypo_morning.htm
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16) Santa's Noisy Christmas
[A puppet play
by Marilyn Kinsella, adapted from the story above]
PUPPETS: Santa, Elf (or person dressed as elf outside the puppet stage), Rudolph and eight reindeer - 2 each on paint sticks that can be slipped into slots on stage (or Velcro them onto stage, Frosty, Christmas Fairy, farmyard animals and woodland animals (paper animals on paint sticks or Velcro pieces to stick to back ledge of stage.)
PROPS: Pots and pans. Velcro strips across front of stage platform. Jingle bells.
*There does not need to be a Mrs. Claus since she is singing off stage.
*There is no need to change scenes as long as everything “freezes” while the fairy advises Santa.
SANTA:
Ho, ho ho! Tis the season to be jolly - but, I’m so tired I could fall asleep standing up. You wouldn’t believe the letters I received this year. Lots of new toys out there—even had to reshape Barbie. All that sawing and cutting and sanding and painting to make new toys has made me tired. And that’s not all! What with everybody wanting electronic toys, I had to go to the University of the North Pole and get an engineering degree to figure out how to put the latest video game together. But now everything is in the sleigh and ready to go. Just enough time to catch 40 winks so I’ll be wide awake for the big ride in the sky! Ahh, everything is nice and quiet. I think I’ll just lie down and….
(Santa just nods off when off stage there is the clanging of pots and pans and Mrs. Claus is singing “Christmas is coming, the geese are getting fat. Please put a shiny penny in the old man’s hat.”
SANTA (cont'd): That’s my dear wife baking another batch of her delicious Christmas cookies, but I do wish she would be more quiet. There’s just - too much noise.
(Santa just settles again when he hears the jingling of bells and Jingles enters singing “Jingle Bells” everyone joins in)
“Jingle bells, jingle bells, jingle all the way.
Oh what fun it is to ride on a one horse open sleigh - HEY”
JINGLES: (hyper and jingling bells) It’s Christmas! It’s Christmas! I can’t wait! I’m so excited.
SANTA: Yes, Jingles, I know you’re excited, too many sugar cookies no doubt, but I’d really like for it to be quiet so I can get some much needed sleep. There’s just - too much noise. (pots and pans clang and Jingles keeps shaking bells)
Oh, please Christmas fairy, help me!
(Everything freezes while fairy appears. There could be some bells or some other as she enters)
CHRISTMAS FAIRY: (flies around and lands near Santa) Hello, there Big Red. All ready for tonight?
SANTA: Not exactly. I would like to take a nap and there is just too much noise. What can I do to make it more quiet, so I can sleep?
C. FAIRY: That’s easy - just bring all your barnyard animals into your house and you will see what is to be.
SANTA: Barnyard animals? Did you say barnyard animals? Do mean like a cow and a goat, and a chicken and ducks?
C. FAIRY: Exactomundo! See you later, big guy!
(When the fairy leaves all the noise resumes. Santa looks off stage and hollers for the animals to come in)
SANTA: All right! Come on in you guys. Make yourself comfortable by the fire.
ANIMALS: (Animals enter singing - “Oh the weather outside is frightful, but the fire is so delightful. Since we’ve no place to go… Let it snow, let it snow, let it snow.”
SANTA: What was that Christmas Fairy thinking? Now Mrs. Claus is - clanging the pots and pans, Jingles is - ringing the bells and now the cow is - mooing and the chickens are - squawking. There’s just - too much noise. Christmas fairy - Come back!
(Everything freezes, tinkling bells as fairy appears) How’s it going?
SANTA: How’s it going? Things are worse. I can’t stand it. I need peace and quiet.
C. FAIRY: All righty then. You must ask the woodland creatures to come in.
SANTA: Certainly you can’t mean…
C. FAIRY: Of course, I mean - wolf, fox, bear, squirrel, rabbit - all of them. Only way to peace and quiet that I know of.
SANTA: OK, OK, OK!
C. FAIRY:
Later, chief!
SANTA: (Goes to call woodland animals) Yoo-hoo! Wolf, fox , rabbit and squirrel - Come in here for a moment. That’s it just line up against that wall.
(Woodland animals are velcroed to the left side of the stage as they sing
“Over the hills and through the woods to Santa’s house we go.
The horse knows the way to carry the sleigh through the bright and drifting snow.”)
(Wolf starts howling)
SANTA:
This is even worse. Now Mrs. Claus is - clanging the pots and pans. Jingles is - ringing the jingle bells, the cow is - mooing, the chickens are - squawking, and now the wolf - is howling! There is just - too much noise. Christmas fairy...HELP!
(everything freezes as tiny bells ring as fairy appears.)
C. FAIRY: Let me guess. It’s still too noisy?
SANTA: Yes, and I do need my beauty rest. I’ve got bags under my eyes bigger than the one on my back!
C. FAIRY:
Then the next thing is to bring in Frosty.
SANTA: I won’t even ask. Thank you, Christmas Fairy (she exits)
(yells off stage) Frosty! Come here, will you?
(Frosty enters singing
“Frosty the Snowman was a jolly happy soul,
With a corncob pipe and button nose and two eyes made out of coal….”
FROSTY: Kind of warm in here, Santa. I think I’ll stay by the door. (drip, drip, drip)
SANTA: This is unbelievable! Mrs. Claus is - clanging the pot and pans, Jingles is - ringing bells, the cow is - mooing, the chickens are - squawking, the wolf is - howling, and now Frosty is - drip, drip, dripping. Aggh! There’s just too much noise! Christmas Fairy, this isn’t working. Come back, Christmas Fairy!
(Everything freezes as Fairy enters with sound of bells)
C. FAIRY: Really, Mr. C., I was right in the middle of my favorite TV show - “Have a Charlie Brown Christmas.” Now what’s the matter?
SANTA: What’s the matter? What’s the matter? All this noise is what’s the matter. I need silence, quiet, quietness, quietude, quietus. I want sleep!
C. FAIRY:
Oh, I get it. Then for the magic to really happen….
SANTA:
Please, don’t tell me. Could it be….reindeer.
C. FAIRY:
By George, Santa, methinks you’ve got it. Commercial is over I need to get back. Tootles!
(calls off stage)
(Sings as reindeer are placed in middle of puppet stage with Velcro) Oh Dasher and Dancer and Prancer and Vixen, Comet and Cupid and Donder and Blitzen. And do you recall the most famous reindeer of all…
(everybody sings as Rudolph appears
“…Rudolph the Red Nosed Reindeer, Has a very shiny nose.
And if you ever saw it, you would even say it glows.
All the other reindeer, used to laugh and call him names.
They wouldn’t let poor Rudolph, play in any reindeer games.
Then one foggy Christmas Eve, Santa came to say,
‘Rudolph with your nose so bright, won’t you guide my sleigh tonight?’
Then how the reindeer loved him.
As they shouted out with glee.
Rudolph the Red-Nose Reindeer, you’ll go down in history.”
SANTA:
Ho, ho ho. Such a merry Christmas Eve. Too bad the Christmas Fairy isn’t here to enjoy it. Mrs. Claus is - clanging the pots and pans, Jingles is - ringing bells, the cow is - mooing, the chickens are - squawking, the wolf is - howling, Frosty is - drip, drip, dripping and now the reindeer are shouting – whoopee!.
(everything freezes, bells sound as Fairy appears)
C. FAIRY: You mean there’s not too much noise?
SANTA:
Too much noise? At Christmas? Whatever gave you that silly idea? Why, all my friends and my family are here. What a joyous noise! Let’s all sing “We Wish You a Merry Christmas.”
ALL SING:
We wish you a Merry Christmas
We wish you a Merry Christmas
We wish you a Merry Christmas
And a happy New Year.
•••••
Marilyn A. Kinsella, Taleypo the Storyteller
Fairview Heights, IL
Storyteller, Writer, Puppeteer, and Workshop Presenter
markinsella19@hotmail.com
http://www.marilynkinsella.org
http://www.dulcimerguy.com/taleypo_morning.htm
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17) Five Christmas Cookies
[Here's a keeper for preschoolers: 5 Xmas cookies in the bakery shop(hold up 5 fingers.]
Bones:
5 Xmas cookies with the sprinkles on the top.(Can change this to golden latkah's with applesauce on the top)
Along came a Boy/or girl with a dollar to pay,
He/She took one Xmas cookie and ran away (arms behind back).
Leaving.......pause (wait for them to say 4) 4 Xmas cookies in the bakery shop.
Continue until all five fingers are gone.
Leaving....no Xmas cookies in the bakery or grocery shop, no Xmas cookies with the sprinkles on the top, along came a boy with a dollar to pay, but there were no Xmas cookies (say really sad)...So he ran away.
•••••
Contributed by
Linda Spitzer
Storyteller in Lake Worth, Florida
Just for the Tell of it
Floridastorygal@aol.com
http://storyqueen.com
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18) Santa Gets Stuck in the Chimney
[This story is an adaptation of The Stubborn Turnip.]
Bones:
Santa is preparing for the holidays eating Christmas cookies, candies, etc. and has put on a few extra pounds. Decides to try out the sleigh, making sure there are no holes in the bag and then practices coming down the chimney at his cottage at the North Pole. Gets stuck. Mrs. Claus...she pulls, and she pulls and she pulls pulls pulls but can't pull Santa out. Then the reindeer, Frosty, the elves and finally the gingerbread man, who is the smallest and weakest of all... and when he hooks on, Santa finally pops out of the chimney. They all celebrate, but Santa has a diet coke and carrot sticks.
•••••
•••••
Marilyn A. Kinsella, Taleypo the Storyteller
Fairview Heights, IL
Storyteller, Writer, Puppeteer, and Workshop Presenter
markinsella19@hotmail.com
http://www.marilynkinsella.org
http://www.dulcimerguy.com/taleypo_morning.htm
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19) Ruth Sawyer's This Was the Christmas - a Serbian Christmas tale by Ruth Sawyer
[from an excellent collection: Joy to the World at
http://www.eldrbarry.net/ ]
Synopsis: A fine Romanian tale of a blind gypsy child who experiences the prejudice of the village, and then a miraculous appearance of the Christ Child.
This site also contains other Christmas stories:
The Locked-Our Fairy
Barney's Tale of the Wee Red Cap
David Goes Seeking the Way to Christmas and Finds the Flagman
The Pathway to Uncle Joab and a New Santa Claus
The locked-Out Fairy Again Leads the Way and David Hears of a Christmas Promise
The Trapper's Tale of the First Birthday
The Christmas That Was Nearly Lose
St. Bridget
Full text at:
http://digital.library.upenn.edu/women/sawyer/christmas/christmas.html
More Christmas stories available at http://www.acs.ucalgary.ca/%7Edkbrown/christmas.html
The Last Christmas Tree, an original Christmas story from dads.com
A Christmas Carol, by Charles Dickens.
Dulce Domum, the Christmas chapter from The Wind in the Willows, by Kenneth Grahame.
The Gift of the Magi, by O.Henry.
Selections from Good Stories for Great Holidays, by Frances Olcott Jenkins (1914) at
http://etext.lib.virginia.edu/toc/modeng/public/OlcGood.html
* Little Piccola, after Celia Thaxter
* The Stranger Child: A Legend, by Count Franz Pocci [Translated]
* The Christmas Rose: An Old Legend, by Lizzie Deas [Adapted]
* The Wooden Shoes of Little Wolff, by François Coppée [Adapted]
* The Pine Tree, by Hans Christian Andersen [Translated]
* The Christmas Cuckoo, by Frances Browne [Adapted]
* The Christmas Fairy of Strasburg: A German Folk-Tale, by J. Stirling Coyne [Adapted]
* The Three Purses: A Legend, by William S. Walsh [Adapted]
* The Thunder Oak: A Scandinavian Legend, Willaim S. Walsh and other sources
* The Christmas Thorn of Glastonbury: A Legend of Ancient Britain, adapted from William of Malmesbury and other sources
* The Three Kings of Cologne: A Legend of the Middle Ages, by John of Hildesheim; modernized by H.S. Morris [Adapted]
* Why the Evergreen Trees Never Lose Their Leaves: An Old Legend, by Florence Holbrook
Other stories available through:
http://www.eldrbarry.net/
The Baker's Dozen: A Saint Nicholas Tale. A readers' theatre script suggested for grades 3-7. Adapted from the book by Aaron Shepard (Atheneum, New York, 1995).
•••••
Eldrbarry's site is full of wonderful Christmas story links:
http://www.eldrbarry.net/
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20) The Little Match Girl (by Hans Christian Andersen)
[The perennial favorite.]
Story:
It was very, very cold; it snowed and it grew dark; it was the last evening of the year, New Year's Eve. In the cold and dark a poor little girl, with bare head and bare feet, was walking through the streets. When she left her own house she certainly had had slippers on; but what could they do? They were very big slippers, and her mother had used them till then, so big were they. The little maid lost them as she slipped across the road, where two carriages were rattling by terribly fast. One slipper was not to be found again, and a boy ran away with the other. He said he could use it for a cradle when he had children of his own.
So now the little girl went with her little naked feet, which were quite red and blue with the cold. In an old apron she carried a number of matches, and a bundle of them in her hand. No one had bought anything of her all day; no one had given her a copper. Hungry and cold she went, and drew herself together, poor little thing! The snowflakes fell on her long yellow hair, which curled prettily over her neck; but she did not think of that now. In all the windows lights were shining, and there was a glorious smell of roast goose out there in the street; it was no doubt New Year's Eve. Yes, she thought of that!
In a corner formed by two houses, one of which was a little farther from the street than the other, she sat down and crept close. She had drawn up her little feet, but she was still colder, and she did not dare to go home, for she had sold no matches, and she had not a single cent; her father would beat her; and besides, it was cold at home, for they had nothing over the them but a roof through which the wind whistled, though straw and rags stopped the largest holes.
Her small hands were quite numb with the cold. Ah! a little match might do her good if she only dared draw one from the bundle, and strike it against the wall, and warm her fingers at it. She drew one out. R-r-atch! how it spluttered and burned! It was a warm bright flame, like a little candle, when she held her hands over it; it was a wonderful little light! It really seemed to the little girl as if she sat before a great polished stove, with bright brass feet and a brass cover. The fire burned so nicely; it warmed her so well, -- the little girl was just putting out her feet to warm these, too, -- when out went the flame; the stove was gone; -- she sat with only the end of the burned match in her hand.
She struck another; it burned; it gave a light; and where it shone on the wall, the wall became thin like a veil, and she could see through it into the room where a table stood, spread with a white cloth, and with china on it; and the roast goose smoked gloriously, stuffed with apples and dried plums. And what was still more splendid to behold, the goose hopped down from the dish, and waddled along the floor, with a knife and fork in its breast; straight to the little girl he came. Then the match went out, and only the thick, damp, cold wall was before her.
She lighted another. Then she was sitting under a beautiful Christmas tree; it was greater and finer than the one she had seen through the glass door at the rich merchant's. Thousands of candles burned upon the green branches, and colored pictures like those in the shop windows looked down upon them. The little girl stretched forth both hands toward them; then the match went out. The Christmas lights went higher and higher. She saw that now they were stars in the sky: one of them fell and made a long line of fire.
"Now some one is dying," said the little girl, for her old grandmother, the only person who had been good to her, but who was now dead, had said: "When a star falls a soul mounts up to God."
She rubbed another match against the wall; it became bright again, and in the light there stood the old grandmother clear and shining, mild and lovely. "Grandmother!" cried the child. "Oh, take me with you! I know you will go when the match is burned out. You will go away like the warm stove, the nice roast goose, and the great glorious Christmas tree!" And she hastily rubbed the whole bundle of matches, for she wished to hold her grandmother fast. And the matches burned with such a glow that it became brighter than in the middle of the day; grandmother had never been so large or so beautiful. She took the little girl up in her arms, and both flew in the light and the joy so high, so high! and up there was no cold, nor hunger, nor care -- they were with God.
But in the corner by the house sat the little girl, with red cheeks and smiling mouth, frozen to death on the last evening of the Old Year. The New Year's sun rose upon the little body, that sat there with the matches, of which one bundle was burned. She wanted to warm herself, the people said. No one knew what fine things she had seen, and in what glory she had gone in with her grandmother to the New Year's Day.
•••••
Full text and more information available at:
http://etext.lib.virginia.edu/toc/modeng/public/OlcGood.html
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21) Yes, Virginia, There is a Santa Claus
[From The People’s Almanac, pp. 1358–9. (Originally published in The New York Sun in 1897.)]
We take pleasure in answering thus prominently the communication below, expressing at the same time our great gratification that its faithful author is numbered among the friends of The Sun:
Dear Editor—I am 8 years old. Some of my little friends say there is no Santa Claus. Papa says, “If you see it in The Sun, it’s so.” Please tell me the truth, is there a Santa Claus?
Virginia O’Hanlon
Virginia, your little friends are wrong. They have been affected by the skepticism of a skeptical age. They do not believe except they see. They think that nothing can be which is not comprehensible by their little minds. All minds, Virginia, whether they be men’s or children’s, are little. In this great universe of ours, man is a mere insect, an ant, in his intellect as compared with the boundless world about him, as measured by the intelligence capable of grasping the whole of truth and knowledge.
Yes, Virginia, there is a Santa Claus. He exists as certainly as love and generosity and devotion exist, and you know that they abound and give to your life its highest beauty and joy. Alas! how dreary would be the world if there were no Santa Claus! It would be as dreary as if there were no Virginias. There would be no childlike faith then, no poetry, no romance to make tolerable this existence. We should have no enjoyment, except in sense and sight. The external light with which childhood fills the world would be extinguished.
Not believe in Santa Claus! You might as well not believe in fairies. You might get your papa to hire men to watch in all the chimneys on Christmas eve to catch Santa Claus, but even if you did not see Santa Claus coming down, what would that prove? Nobody sees Santa Claus, but that is no sign that there is no Santa Claus. The most real things in the world are those that neither children nor men can see. Did you ever see fairies dancing on the lawn? Of course not, but that’s no proof that they are not there. Nobody can conceive or imagine all the wonders there are unseen and unseeable in the world.
You tear apart the baby’s rattle and see what makes the noise inside, but there is a veil covering the unseen world which not the strongest man, nor even the united strength of all the strongest men that ever lived could tear apart. Only faith, poetry, love, romance, can push aside that curtain and view and picture the supernal beauty and glory beyond. Is it all real? Ah, Virginia, in all this world there is nothing else real and abiding.
No Santa Claus! Thank God! he lives and lives forever. A thousand years from now, Virginia, nay 10 times 10,000 years from now, he will continue to make glad the heart of childhood.
•••••
More information at:
http://beebo.org/smackerels/yes-virginia.html
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22) Christmas Every Day (by William Dean Howells)
[Full text available at:
http://guweb2.gonzaga.edu/faculty/campbell/wdh/xmaseday.html ]
Bones:
A little girl asked her father for her usual Saturday morning story. He was very busy but started to tell the story of a pig. She interrupted him, asking for a Christmas story. So he began to tell her about the little girl who wanted it to be Christmas every day of the year.
On Thanksgiving, the girl began to write to the old Christmas Fairy asking for Christmas every day. Finally, the day before Christmas she received a letter back granting her wish for a year. Then perhaps they would make it even longer.
She had a wonderful Christmas Day. She found candy, oranges, grapes, rubber balls and many other larger and even more wonderful presents, including stationery, dolls, play stoves, hankerchiefs, skates, watercolor paints, and a big Christmas tree.
She ate so much candy she didn't want breakfast, more presents arrived during the afternoon, she visited friends taking presents to give them with her, and then she ate so much turkey, cranberry sauce and plum pudding that she got sick and went to bed.
The little girl slept heavily and was awakened by the other children dancing around her bed shouting "Christmas! Christmas!" She reminded them that yesterday had been Christmas, but was told that it was Christmas again this day.
She remember the Fairy's promise and went into the library and there it was! Books, stationery, dolls, doll houses…all over again! The Christmas tree was lit, the family opening presents, The mother was distressed, wondering what to do with everything, the father was puzzled, and the little girl again ate too much candy before breakfast, spent the day exchanging presents with friends, and ate too much turkey and cranberry sauce. She got sick again, came home with a stomach ache, and went to bed, crying.
Next day, same thing. Everybody got crosser and crosser. By the end of the week, so many people lost their tempers you could find them all over the ground. When people tried to recover them, the tempers got all mixed up.
The little girl got frightened, but kept the secret to herself. She was ashamed to ask the Fairy to take back her gift. Everything went on the same every day through Valentine's Day and Washington's Birthday, the first of April, though the tricks of that day gave a little relief.
Turkeys got scarce, selling for $1,000 a piece. Butchers passed off almost anything for turkeys—even half-grown hummingbirds. Each cranberry was sold for a diamond. All the woods and orchards were cut down for Christmas trees. Finally, people make Christmas trees out of rags. There were lots of rags because people were so poor from buying presents for each other. Everyone had to go to the poorhouse, except for the storekeepers, butchers, booksellers, candy makers, who got so rich it was shameful!
This went on for three or four months, and the little girl would sit down and cry at the sight of those great ugly, lumpy stockings at the fireplace. After six months, she couldn't even cry any longer.
On the Fourth of July, one boy woke up to discover that his firecrackers and toy pistol were nothing but sugar and candy painted up to look like fireworks. Every boy in the United States got made when he discovered that his fireworks had turned into Christmas things. When anyone tried to read the Declaration of Independence, s/he wound up singing "God rest you, merry gentlemen." It was terrible.
By the beginning of October, the little girl hated the sight of dolls and any other present, and by Thanksgiving she slammer her presents across the room. People flung their presents over fences and through windows and started writing "Take this present, you horrid old thing!" as they threw the present against the front door.
People had built barns to hold all their presents, but pretty soon the barns were full and the presents just lay out in the rain and in the gutters. Police threatened arrest if people didn't shovel their presents off the sidewalks.
The little girl had suffered so much from the experience that she had talked about it in her sleep and thus was discovered. Greedy little girl!, everyone thought. On Thanksgiving, she wanted to go to church and then have a turkey dinner, but everyone said that until she stopped the daily Christmases, they had nothing to be grateful for. They demanded that she stop this nonsense.
The day after Thanksgiving, the little girl began to write the Christmas Fairy once again, sending letters and then telegrams one after another. The Fairy didn't respond. She visited the Fairy's house, which was near, but was told "Not at home&qu