Serene Christmas time

Resin Christmas stars from mittydesign.eu

Christmas is an especially serene and quiet time when many of us calm down from the excitement of every-day work and spend time with our loved ones. I still vividly remember listening to Christmas tales from Hans Christian Andersen and others that my parents read to me in the days leading up to Christmas. When I was a little older, I would get books for Christmas and spend the rest of the festivities reading myself.

I would like to encourage you to also read a story to your children before going to bed the night before Christmas, with your family in front of the Christmas tree or even just by yourself to get into Christmas mood. Let me give you some instpiration with my list of …

Most Beautiful Christmas Tales From All Around The World!

8. The Elves and the Shoemaker

A classic Christmas story by the Brothers Grimm: The Elves and the Shoemaker

There was once a shoemaker, who worked very hard and was very honest: but still he could not earn enough to live upon; and at last all he had in the world was gone, save just leather enough to make one pair of shoes.

7. THE CAT ON THE DOVREFELL (Popular Tales from the Norse) By SIR GEORGE WEBBE DASENT

The Cat on the Dovrefell is a Norse tale about a pack of Trolls harrassing poor Halvar every year during Christmas time. However, one year, the impressive “cat” scares the Trolls away him and henceforth no Troll ever dared to come back.

To find out what kind of cat it was, you have to read the short story of The Cat on the Dovrefell.

6. THE UNDERGROUND WORKERS (The Violet Fairy Book, 1889) by ANDREW LANG

In the time between Christmas and New Year the most astonishing things and encounters happen. In this time one might be able to meet the Underground Workers, as our lucky Hans did. The might even lead you to some treasure.

What Hans got from his encounter, you can read the Estonian Fairy Tale The Underground Workers collected by Andrew Lang in the Violet Fairy book.

5. CHRISTMAS TREE (Pohutukawa) by ISABEL MAUD PEACOCKE

A funny short story about the Piccaninnies and how fashion came to the bush in Christmas Tree  by Isabel Maud Peacocke. The stories about the cute Piccaninnies are especially popular with little kids.

4. Papa Panov’s Special Christmas by Leo Tolstoi

The story of Papa Panov’s Special Christmas is an excellent way to introduce young children to the principles of kindness. It is a very thoughtful story, based on the Bible text ‘I was hungry and you gave me food, I was thirsty and you gave me water’ which Jesus used to make us understand how we should serve him by serving each other.

If you love stories by Leo Tolstoi for their portrayal of Christian morals, let me also recommend the wonderful Where Love is, God Is to you.

3. A KIDNAPPED SANTA by L. Frank Baum

What happens if Daemons try to kidnapp Santa Claus to make children unhappy? Find out in Lyman Frank Baum‘s story “A kidnapped Santa“, which is definately one of Baum’s most beautiful stories and constitutes an influential contribution to the mythology of Christmas.

A whole beautiful Christmas book by L. Frank Baum is The Life and Adventures of Santa Claus. It follows Santa Claus from Youth to Old Age.

2. THE LEGEND OF THE “WHITE GIFTS” As Told by Phebe A. Curtiss

Christmas is not about presents, but about the celebration of the birthday of Jesus Christ. And how to explain it better than by “The Legend Of he White Gifts” by Phebe A. Curtiss: He never seemed to notice whether the gift was great or small; he regarded not one gift above another so long as all were white. Never had the King been so happy as he was that day and never had such real joy filled the hearts of the people.

1. THE FIR TREE by Hans Christian Andersen

The Fir Tree is a wonderful story on lost opportunity that teaches us that we should be grateful for the things we have and for our lives instead of always begin grumpy and comparing ourselves to other people. Happiness comes from gratefulness.

Read The Fir Tree on fairytalenight.com.

Not Enough stories yet?

If you like stories around Christmas, let me also suggest you the book St. Nicholas – His Legend and His Role in the Christmas Celebration and Other Popular Customs