This year for Christmas I wanted to share something very special to me. Every year as a child my dad would read us The Christmas Story that his father read to them as children. On Christmas morning my brother and I would first go and wake up my parents and my dad would read us the story before we were allowed to go open presents. It was a good way for us to remember why we celebrate Christmas – to celebrate the birth of Jesus.
While re-writing The Christmas Story this year (my version is pretty beat up) I was asking my family if they remembered when Grandpa wrote the story. He was a preacher and my dad and his brothers all remember him telling the story as a child. My uncle remembers hearing the story as far back as 1951. My dad told me that they all urged my Grandfather to write down the story so they could share it with their own children (us). My Grandfather passed away the year I was born and we’re guessing that the story was officially written down in the early 70’s before he passed.
One of my favorite memories of hearing the story was back when I was probably around 10 yrs old. We spent Christmas with family in Michigan and my Grandmother (now also in Heaven) read the story to the entire family – her children and her grandchildren. As I got older my dad would let me and my brother take turns reading the story on Christmas morning.
Now that I have children of my own I continue the tradition and read the story to my own kids on Christmas morning. I have to admit at their young age it’s difficult to get them to sit for 5 minutes while I read it so we have read it the night before some years.
I would love to share this story with you. Feel free to read it to your children on Christmas morning.
Merry Christmas friends!
I hope that you and your family have a blessed Christmas and always remember the true reason of this special day.
Do you have your own family traditions?
The Christmas Story was originally written by my Grandfather and shared with his own children. The story has been passed down to us and will hopefully be passed down to our children when they have kids of their own. You may use the story with your own family but please do not publish without permission.
Leave a Reply