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Amazon
Publish America
Category:
Holidays
Publisher: Abingdon Press
ISBN-10: 0687648130
Type: Non-Fiction
Pages: 95
Copyright: September 2008
ISBN-13: 9780687648139
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Over the years, Christians have built on the Scriptural account of Jesus’ birth to create dozens of charming Christmas stories: “The Light in the Well,” “The Camel’s Hump,” “The Gift of the Spider,” and more. This book uses the beauty and power of these simple stories to help bring readers of all ages a new understanding and thoughtful appreciation of the Nativity.
Author Carrie Papa presents Christmas stories from around the world, with notes about their origins, craft suggestions, and ideas for family and group activities.
“I was captivated by these fascinating Christmas legends and how one can help a child understand their inspiring lessons through simple group activities and fun-filled craft projects. A boon for parents and teachers!”
-Richard H. Schneider, author of Why Christmas Trees Aren’t Perfect
Introduction: The Power of Stories
The Christmas Story as Told in the Bible
1. Stories about Light
2. Animal Stores
3. Bird Stories
4. Stories about Spiders and Insects
5. Plant Stories
6. Flower Stories
7. Stories about Christmas Traditions
8. Stories Linking Christmas and Easter
Conclusion: Christmas Bells
Carrie Papa has always been interested in people and their history, including her work as director of Old Monroe School Museum, a one-room schoolhouse dating back nearly two centuries. She is the author of several historical and religious books including Stones and Stories: An Oral History of the Old Monroe School and Prayers of a Young Addict. She lives in Bridgewater, New Jersey.
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Click to view
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Click to view
Larger Image
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Click to view
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Over the years, Christians have built on the Scriptural account of Jesus’ birth to create dozens of charming Christmas stories: “The Light in the Well,” “The Camel’s Hump,” “The Gift of the Spider,” and more. This book uses the beauty and power of these simple stories to help bring readers of all ages a new understanding and thoughtful appreciation of the Nativity.
Author Carrie Papa presents Christmas stories from around the world, with notes about their origins, craft suggestions, and ideas for family and group activities.
“I was captivated by these fascinating Christmas legends and how one can help a child understand their inspiring lessons through simple group activities and fun-filled craft projects. A boon for parents and teachers!”
-Richard H. Schneider, author of Why Christmas Trees Aren’t Perfect
Introduction: The Power of Stories
The Christmas Story as Told in the Bible
1. Stories about Light
2. Animal Stores
3. Bird Stories
4. Stories about Spiders and Insects
5. Plant Stories
6. Flower Stories
7. Stories about Christmas Traditions
8. Stories Linking Christmas and Easter
Conclusion: Christmas Bells
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Carrie Papa has always been interested in people and their history, including her work as director of Old Monroe School Museum, a one-room schoolhouse dating back nearly two centuries. She is the author of several historical and religious books including Stones and Stories: An Oral History of the Old Monroe School and Prayers of a Young Addict. She lives in Bridgewater, New Jersey.
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Over the years, Christians have built on the Scriptural account of Jesus’ birth to create dozens of charming Christmas stories: “The Light in the Well,” “The Camel’s Hump,” “The Gift of the Spider,” and more. This book uses the beauty and power of these simple stories to help bring readers of all ages a new understanding and thoughtful appreciation of the Nativity.
Author Carrie Papa presents Christmas stories from around the world, with notes about their origins, craft suggestions, and ideas for family and group activities.
“I was captivated by these fascinating Christmas legends and how one can help a child understand their inspiring lessons through simple group activities and fun-filled craft projects. A boon for parents and teachers!”
-Richard H. Schneider, author of Why Christmas Trees Aren’t Perfect
Introduction: The Power of Stories
The Christmas Story as Told in the Bible
1. Stories about Light
2. Animal Stores
3. Bird Stories
4. Stories about Spiders and Insects
5. Plant Stories
6. Flower Stories
7. Stories about Christmas Traditions
8. Stories Linking Christmas and Easter
Conclusion: Christmas Bells
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Carrie Papa has always been interested in people and their history, including her work as director of Old Monroe School Museum, a one-room schoolhouse dating back nearly two centuries. She is the author of several historical and religious books including Stones and Stories: An Oral History of the Old Monroe School and Prayers of a Young Addict. She lives in Bridgewater, New Jersey.
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Over the years, Christians have built on the Scriptural account of Jesus’ birth to create dozens of charming Christmas stories: “The Light in the Well,” “The Camel’s Hump,” “The Gift of the Spider,” and more. This book uses the beauty and power of these simple stories to help bring readers of all ages a new understanding and thoughtful appreciation of the Nativity.
Author Carrie Papa presents Christmas stories from around the world, with notes about their origins, craft suggestions, and ideas for family and group activities.
“I was captivated by these fascinating Christmas legends and how one can help a child understand their inspiring lessons through simple group activities and fun-filled craft projects. A boon for parents and teachers!”
-Richard H. Schneider, author of Why Christmas Trees Aren’t Perfect
Introduction: The Power of Stories
The Christmas Story as Told in the Bible
1. Stories about Light
2. Animal Stores
3. Bird Stories
4. Stories about Spiders and Insects
5. Plant Stories
6. Flower Stories
7. Stories about Christmas Traditions
8. Stories Linking Christmas and Easter
Conclusion: Christmas Bells
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Carrie Papa has always been interested in people and their history, including her work as director of Old Monroe School Museum, a one-room schoolhouse dating back nearly two centuries. She is the author of several historical and religious books including Stones and Stories: An Oral History of the Old Monroe School and Prayers of a Young Addict. She lives in Bridgewater, New Jersey.
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Excerpt
The Brightest Star of All
And Other Christmas Stories
By
Carrie Papa
Contents
Introduction
The Christmas Story as Told in the Bible
1. Stories about Light
2. Animal Stores
3. Bird Stories
4. Stories about Spiders and Insects
5. Plant Stories
6. Flower Stories
7. Stories about Christmas Traditions
8. Stories Linking Christmas and Easter
Conclusion
Note to Parents and Teachers
Introduction
Among the many ways that God calls to us is through the symbolic and compelling use of stories and parables. The beauty and power of simple narratives to teach spiritual truths and moral lessons is a charming means of bringing new understanding and thoughtful appreciation to sacred writings.
The many Christmas stories that developed through the years and throughout the world have become part of our culture expressing the deep spiritual significance of the birth of Christ. Since people think in tangible pictures rather than vague theories, stories help to make abstract concepts such as beauty, faith, hope, and love real by using concrete images. These simple accounts take the plain everyday things of life to create an immediate impression that moves us from what we know to that which we have not yet thought about. Our thinking is led from the material to the spiritual as we go from the things we see to the invisible world of ideas. The dramatic stories or legends of Christmas convey a salutary message or lesson that speaks to our hearts, enlivens our sympathies, and compels us to want to follow the teaching of the legend.
Derived from the Latin, the medieval meaning of the word legend actually was “reading” or “lesson.” At a time when few people were able to read or write, earthly stories were used to convey heavenly meanings. Just as the great truths of Christianity were told through the medium of art in the majestic cathedrals of the Middle Ages that became “Bibles in Stone” legends told by one person to another became a way to make the conceptual real. These charming tales grew out of societies need to express the ideals of the Gospel. Many of the best-known stories are found throughout the Christian world; they have traveled from country to country and generation to generation. While the main character may change from a poor little shepherd girl to an impoverished Mexican boy or a small branch of mistletoe to a tall fir, the essence of the story remains the same – a mirror of virtue.
The unsophisticated personalities in these basic tales exemplify the aims and dreams of people everywhere. Their humility, generosity, and compassion overcome the evil and wickedness in the world. Whether a person, plant, or animal, the main players in these modest dramas take on human characteristics that are part of the charm of the story. They are kind, meek, forgiving. Their example makes goodness a desirable quality to be practiced in everyday life. The goal of the stories is less to show what the central figure does than to show us what we could be doing in response to God’s love. They give us a model to follow as the primary message of the story draws us nearer to God. In particular, the Nativity stories help to increase our understanding of the great spiritual truths of the Christmas narrative.
The tales present an inviting portrayal of the universe showing how all things are related to one another and act in accordance with God’s will to achieve the triumph of good over evil. They crystallize the depth and power of God’s love for all humanity through the gift of the Christ Child. These enchanting stories of Christmas lead us to respond to the Infant of Bethlehem with a new love and desire to worship Him.
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