The Magi honored the Christ child with three gifts.
In honor of the magi, I read three Christmas tales each December. My Christmas reads are also part of A Literary Christmas – sponsored by In the Bookcase
A Letter from Santa Claus by Mark Twain
A letter Twain wrote to his three-year-old daughter Suzie. Writing as Santa he explains that he got her and her sister’s letters and that he would fulfill all he could. He directs Suzie to take certain actions, to which he will respond, all to keep the fantasy of Santa alive for his daughter. It is of course very sweet, with a bit of Twain’s humor coming out in Santa.
The Tailor of Gloucester by Beatrix Potter
As you would expect from the creator of Peter Rabbit, this is a sweet tale with anthropomorphized animals, kindly but sometimes inept humans, and a happy ending. The only surprise was the eventual peace and cooperation between the tailor’s cat, Simpkin, and the mice. It is beautifully illustrated by Potter.
Christmas Bells by Henry Wadsworth Longfellow
A poem, which is now the carol we know as I Heard the Bells on Christmas Day. It is one of my favorite carols, though it is absolutely essential to sing the final two stanzas (as opposed to the practice of picking a couple stanzas at random). Some hymn books do not include all seven stanzas, but I believe they always include the final two, and as I say, you cannot omit those two.
Wadsworth wrote it as the American Civil War raged. It is his lament that there was no peace on earth. I think we can relate. He was near despair, and then…
Then pealed the bells more loud and deep:
“God is not Dead; nor doth he sleep!
The Wrong shall fail,
The Right prevail
With peace on Earth, good-will to men!”
Merry Christmas
~ The Wanderer
May you be blessed with
the spirit of the season, which is Peace,
the gladness of the season, which is Hope,
and the heart of the season, which is Love
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