Table of Contents
Introduction ix
1 The Meaning of Christmas
Christmas of My Dreams Cheryl Kirking 2
Cheap Sax Robin tee Shape 4
A Closed Highway Opened Hearts Martha Ajango 9
In Touch with My Inner Elf Loree Gold 13
It's the Simple Things Nancy Julien Kopp 18
The First Christmas Sharon Melnicer 21
The Christmas Doll Lizanne Southgate 25
Connecting at Christmas Brenda Nixon 28
The Focus Pauline Youd 31
Dad's Christmas Gift Kiviberly Welsh 34
The Gift of Tune Carol (Pearce) Forrest as told to John Forrest 39
The Nativity Story Amy Breitmann 43
2 Through the Eyes of a Child
Once a Year Lindy B. Dolan 48
Christmas in the Heart of a Child Lane Clayton Joan Clayton 50
A Little Angel's Big Prayer Phyllis Ring 52
Sarah's Christmas Wish William Livers 56
The Wish List Cheryl M. Kroner 57
Love for Tots Lynnea Bolin 59
Tree of Thanks Brenda Nixon 61
Memories of a Christmas Doll Ann Greenleaf Wirtz 67
The Christmas Gift Raymond L. Morehead 71
Christmas at Six Kerry Germain 74
Here Comes Santa Claus Carol Sue Hahn 79
Dear Santa E. M. Hector 82
Skinny Santa Elva Stoelers 84
4 The Joy of giving
The Greatest Christmas Gift Bonnie Compton Hanson 88
Christmas Spirit Lisa Beringer 89
Just One Gift Ruth Spiro 92
The Christmas Present Karen R. Kilby 94
Six Brown Eggs Jennie Spencer Baty 97
The Treasured Gifts Come Without Ribbons or Bows Cookie Curci 100
Papa's Radio Cookie Curci 104
Elvis Was Wrong! Sallie A. Rodman 109
A Christmas Moment Glorianne Swenson 111
Christmas Lost-and Found Michele Ivy Davis 114
The Doll in Burgundy Twill Emily King 116
God and Santa Elsi Dodge 119
The Twelve Days of Christmas Janet K. Brennan 123
The Gift of Normandy Beach Sheila S. Hudson 127
Caroling with the Coots Jennifer Martin 131
Bearing Gifts Mimi Greenwood Knight 136
5 Christmas Traditions
Holiday Tale Michael Jordan Segal 140
The World's Biggest Table Helen Xenakis 142
All I Want for Christmas Mice Malloy 147
Milestones in the Boughs Dayle Allen Shockley 149
Taking Down the Christmas Tree Dr. Lyla Berry 153
Christmas Found Lisa May 155
Christmas Cards Debbie Farmer 159
Paper Chains Tracy Schmid 162
The Christmas Bagel Barbara Puccia 166
6 Special Memories
A Holiday to Remember Denise Peebles 172
Ringing the Doorbells of Christmas Beth Copeland 175
The Secret of Grandma's Sugar Crock Cookie Curci 178
The Twelve Years of Christmas Jeff S. Hamilton 183
The Last Christmas Michael Jordan Segal 188
Unexpected Guests Lawrence D. Elliott 191
Oh, Christmas Tree Dahlynn McKowen 195
The Morning Santa Came Jennifer Smith 199
A Bottle of Cologne and a Handmade Handkerchief Isabel Bearman Bucher 202
A Cell-Phone Christmas Judy Lockhart DiGregorio 205
7 Insights and Lessons
The Best Noël Mark Geiger 210
Christmas Cookies Kimberly Ripley 213
The Truth About Christmas Decorations Debbie Farmer 216
Secret Santa Betty King 220
A Secondhand Christmas Perry P. Perkins 223
I Remembered Anthony Valerie J. Frost 227
Christmas Memories in a Hospital Marilyn Phillips 231
The Sound & Spirit of Christmas Through the Ears of a Deaf Woman John E. Schlimm II 235
The Matchless Gift Stephanie Ray Brown 239
When Good Things Happen to Bad Children Judy Lockhart DiGregorio 243
In-Law Survival Hot Line Mimi Greenwood Knight 247
A Lesson in Forgiveness Kayleen Reusser 250
Who Is Jack Canfield? 253
Who Is Mark Victor Hansen? 254
Contributors 255
Permissions 262
