Contributed by LoiS-sez Note: This is actually the first chapter in the book by the title of The Birds’ Christmas Carol by Kate Douglas Wiggin in 1886, but it’s both an explanation of the book’s title and a wonderful Christmas story…especially for anyone born at Christmas time. It was very early Christmas morning, and in the stillness of the dawn, with the soft snow falling on the house-tops, a little child was born in the Bird household. They had intended to name the baby Lucy, if it were a girl; but they had not expected her on Christmas morning, and a real Christmas baby was not to be lightly named–the whole family agreed in that. They were consulting about itRead more

Contributed by LoiS-sez This is actually a ballad with lyrics by Thomas Haynes Bayly. I’ve never been able to find the music by Sir Henry Bishop, but I use the refrain for my own re-telling as it’s said to be based on a traditional legend. The mistletoe hung in the castle hall, The holly branch shone on the old oak wall; And the baron’s retainers were blithe and gay, And keeping their Christmas holiday. The baron beheld with a father’s pride His beautiful child, young Lovell’s bride; While she with her bright eyes seemed to be The star of the goodly company. Oh, the mistletoe bough. Oh, the mistletoe bough. “I’m weary of dancing now,” she cried; “Here, tarry aRead more

Contributed by Merry Carey Here is a fine old Christmas story from 1914 about Calliope Marsh, a woman determined to gather her entire neighborhood under one Christmas tree. A Great Tree From Neighborhood Stories by Zona Gale (1914) I never had felt so much like Christmas, said Calliope Marsh, as I did that year. “I wish’t,” I says, when it got ’most time, “I wish’t I knew somebody to have a Christmas tree with.” “Well, Calliope Marsh,” says Mis’ Postmaster Sykes, looking surprised-on-purpose, the way she does, “ain’t there enough poor and neglected folks in this world to please anybody?” “I didn’t say have a Christmas tree for,” I says back at her; “I says have one with.” “I don’tRead more

Contributed by LoiS-sez Note: Helen Hunt Jackson is a 19th century author is best known for Ramona, but her other writing often included cats including this lovely tale written in 1876. When I was a little girl, I knew two old maids who were so jolly and nice that I am always ready, beforehand, to love anybody who is called an old maid. To be sure I have never yet seen any others in the least like them and I begin to be afraid that that particular kind of old maid has died out, like the big birds called Dodos, which used to live in Australia. But I am always hoping to see two more before I die, and thatRead more

By James Keefe If you’re like most people chances are you have heard the annual holiday reference to Good King Wenceslas but you have never quite understood his story or what it has to do with Christmas. Out now from Deseret Book.com is a new illustrated children’s volume that beautifully tells the story in word and picture and includes a DVD copy of the narration of the story supplied by actress Jane Seymour, who performed the narration set to stunning music and dance as part of the annual Christmas Concert of the Mormon Tabernacle Choir and Orchestra at Temple Square in 2011. The story tells of a good king who set out on a snowy Christmas with his faithful pageRead more