Chistmas Tales 2025

The Magi honored the Christ child with three gifts. 

In honor of the magi, I read three Christmas tales each December.

 

The Little Match Girl by Hans Chistian Anderson, 1845

 

The very short story of a poor girl selling matches, cold and shoeless, New Year’s Eve in some great European city. It felt like London, but perhaps Anderson envisioned Copenhagen. The little match girl hasn’t sold any matches and she knows her fathter will beat her if she doesn't. In despairing cold, she lights a match to warm herself and in the comfort of the flame she sees a sumptuous feast. She lights another and sees a family gathering around a beautiful Christmas tree. She lights another and sees her dear Grandmother, the only soul who ever loved her. To preserve the reverie, she lights the whole bundle of matches and is lost in the warmth of her Grandmother's love and the vision becomes reality when she is released from all suffering by the one who knows what it is to find no welcome on a winter night.

 

It is a bittersweet tale, very reminiscent of The Beggar Boy at Christ’s Christmas Tree by Dostoevsky, 1876. Perhaps Dostoevsky borrowed a bit from Anderson.

 

 

The Family under the Bridge by Natalie Savage Carlson, 1858

     Illustrated by Garth Williams

 

Armand is a hobo, roaming the streets of Paris, Christmastime very early 1900s. He is a very contented hobo with a carefree life of no work and no responsibility. He tells a friend… 

“I can’t abide children,” grumped Armand. “Starlings they are. Witless, twittering, little pests.”

His friend, kindly old Mireli… 

…shook her finger at him. “You think you don’t like children,” she said, “but it is only that you are afraid of them. You’re afraid the sly little things will steal your heart if they find out you have one.”

Forshadowing, that.

 

Armand seeks refuge in a favorite spot under a particular bridge only to find it occupied by three little “starlings”: Suzy, Evelyn, and Paul, and even a dog who "should be white" named Jojo. I bet you can’t guess what happens.

 

It is a sweet tale with surprising adventures, and a happy Christmas ending.

 

The illustrations, including the cover seen here, by Williams are marvelous.

 

 

The worst Best Christmas Pageant Ever by Barbara Robinson, 1972 

 

The Herdmans were absolutely the worst kids in the history of the world. 

So this children’s novel begins as narrated by Beth Bradley, a grade school classmate of Imogene Herdman, the notorious ringleader of the Herdman children. They steal, swear, smoke, set fires, and bully the other children and some adults. Beth’s mother is the reluctant director of the annual Christmas pageant, which is doomed to be the worst ever when the Herdmans volunteer for the lead roles. No one else volunteers under threat of violence by the Herdmans. Imogene herself will play the Virgin Mary.

 

There is of course, outrage and thoughts to abandon the pageant, but perhaps miraculously, the show goes on, and although decidedly unorthodox, there is a powerful and poignant ending that makes it the best pageant ever.

 

It is a marvelous tale, comic enough to make me laugh out loud, but oh — there is something so much more profound, so much more glorious.

But Jesus said, Suffer little children, and forbid them not, to come unto me: for of such is the Kingdom of Heaven. ~ Matthew 19:14

 

 

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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