Book Review: Memorable Christmas Stories

Memorable Christmas Stories, Compiled by Leon R. Hartshorn, Deseret Book, Salt Lake CIty, Utah, 1974.

I love short stories, I love Christmas stories, and so here we have both.  This book is one to treassure.  I read a story from here for our Christmas Sing-a-long this year.  It seems like every story brings tears to you eyes.  These stories express the true meaning of Christmas, with selfless acts of services through out.  I will continue to treasure this book.  On story I really like "Trouble at the Inn."  It gives greater meaning to the spirit of Christmas.

Book Review: Chicken Soup for the Soul: Christmas Treasury for Kids

Chicken Soup for the Soul: Christmas Treasury for Kids, Jack Canfield, Mark Victor Hansen, Patty Hansen and Irene Dunlap, Health Communications, Deerfield Beach FL, 2002.
Here is an excellent book for the Christmas Spirit.  I used it this year so that spirit would linger a bit more with me.  It is designed as a story-a-day starting December 1 through December 25.  the stories are excellent.  Many deal with finding the spirit of Christmas and giving.  Some deal with pets, some with death, police officers etc.  They all leave a warm feeling, some a smile, and some tears in the corners of your eyes.  They are all designed to be short, two to three pages is all.  Excellent read for Christmas or any time.  The stories are written by children, adults and adults telling stories of their childhoods.  This is a great Christmas addition.

Christmas Book Review: How the Grinch Stole Christmas

How the grinch Stole Christmas, Dr. Seuss, Random House, New York, 1957, renewed 1985.
This is a classic.  I watch the movie annually, but neglect the original story.  I was surprised at some of the differences.  In the book the Grinch talks of the singing but does not provide lyrics.  I like the lyrics.  However in the book we have the classic word, "Maybe Christmas doesn't come from a store, Maybe Christmas...perhaps...means a little more."  The book actually moves aster than the animated version as it is right to the point.  However Little Cindy-Lou Who is in the book, although she looks so much more little.  This book is worthy of being read many times.

Book Review; The Immortal Nicholas: A Novel

The Immortal Nicholas, by Glenn Beck, Threshold Editions, New York, 2015.
Glenn Beck has written a fascinating story.  Agios had been embittered after the deaths of his wife and stillborn son.  But when his other young son passes away he is even more bitter.  He attempts to loss himself in drink, and is found by one of the wisemen, Caspar.  He by trade in an frankincense harvester, and has enough on her person, that Caspar is interested in hiring them to help them find more.  By circumstance, Agios is at the birth of Jesus, he hears the shepherd's story, and is hired, along with a new friend, who he adopts as his son, the deformed Krampus, who had been in a Roman galley ship.  They receive the assignment to follow Jesus, Joseph and Mary and keep them safe from a distance.  they accept, but in handling the job Agios causes the death of one of Herod's men searching for Jesus.  He buts the man in front of the sword of a younger guard, who kills him trying to kill Agios.
The return with Joseph and Jesus after Herod's death, but then lose track of Jesus.  However Agios encounters him at the well, in which Jesus promises living water.  He believes him in a way, and Agios drinks water from the well.  Krampus is in love with Jesus, and he and Agios begin following him again.  Agios hopes Jesus will heal Krampus as he has a heart condition.  Agios is there the night Jesus is crucified, he doesn't understand,  He is even more bitter, as he had sworn to protect Jesus; and failed.  Krampus passes away, and Agios decides to go with him, committing suicide.  However Agios drank the living water, and he has become immortal.  Now he needs to figure out what to do with his immortality.  He does not become Saint Nicholas for hundreds of years, after taking the name of a priest who brings Agios to the resurrected Christ, and also leads him to service to others.
I love the stories of Christmas, and this book retells this story in a very intriguing way.  It is very well done.  My only complaint are the few typos I cam across.

Book Review: The Truth About Santa

The Truth About Santa: Wormholes, Robots, and What Really Happens on Christmas Eve, by Gregory Mone, Bloomsbury, New York, 2009.
The author is a contributing editor to Popular Science magazine.  He uses this knowledge, and his imagination, to paint a picture of Santa Clause as a man using alien technology and also the use of wormholes and time machine, and substitute Santas, and hibernation to explain how Santa is able to deliver so many presents Christmas Eve.  The author goes to far, insinuating that Mrs Clause is less than faithful "because she is hot." and that the elves protest having to change the diapers of Santa Clause and the substitute Santas when the hibernate.  My younger brother wrote a better story about Santa's use of technology.

Book Review: Merry Christmas From...

Merry Christmas From...: !50 Christmas Cards You Wish You'd Receive, by Karen Robert, William Morrow an Imprint of Harper Collins Publishers, New York, 2008.

This book shares, as it says 150 home made cards.  Some home made card makers are very clever, and some not so much so.  I would say about 20 of the cars are really noteworthy; and the rest are sort of boring.  I like the present on the pregnant belly.  That was cute.  The naked children butts I didn't really care for.  However there some farm interpretations that are really cute.  I especially like the family with the tractor.  It looks really rural.  There were way too many dog cards, but the dogs coaxing the cat into the oven was cute.  Ginger bread triplets, and giant baby were also really clever.  I think the best is the winter wonderland card, with the winter wonderland scene painted on several feet.  Well done.
This book is good for ideas, but I don't think I would ever go to the length of actually making Christmas cards that way.  however we have put family portraits on a card at Costco before.

Children's Book Review: The Nutcracker

The Nutcracker illustrated by Graham Percy, Derrydale Books, New York, 1987.
This book adds some depth to the story of the ballet.  Among the toys Uncle Hugh brought was a castle, and dolls.  Uncle Hugh told a story of the Mouse Queen who cursed a Princess, and then also a Prince (the nutcracker).  Maybe the story set her dreaming, but in her dream the princess battles the Mouse King.  After defeating hm the go on a tour of the kingdom and arrive at the same palace.  The illustrations aren't really that great, and though the story adds some depth it is basically a retelling of the familiar story.

Audio Book A Christmas Carol from lds.org

There is a free audio book presentation of "A Christmas Carol" available from lds.org.  It is very enjoyable and produced by the church.  Sometimes the background noises interfere with hearing the book, but other than that it is very good.  The noise and music is to give some flavor to the reading.   I don't know for how long it be available but it is there now.
http://www.lds.org/media-library/audio

Movie Review: ***The Gift of the Magi (2010)

This is a remake of the O. Henry classic.  However in this version we substitute an antique car and a camera for the hair and watch.  This version adds a marital fight and separation just before the giving of gifts.  I didn't really care for this part, because if they were truly people who sacrificed so much as they did, I think they would have had more trust.  The two things did not fit in my mine.  The separation was based on a misunderstanding and lots of pride.  He saw her with a man, who in fact was her second boss at a job she took to make money for his gift.  There is a side story of the best friends of each of the main characters needing to find someone, and having been unlucky in love in the past.

Book Review: The Life and Adventures of Santa Claus: L Frank Baum

I was looking for something not Oz but Baum at the used book store, and this is what I found.  This book was published in 1902, or shortly after the Wizard of Oz and before the second Oz book The Marvelous Land of Oz.  It tells Baum's version of where Santa Claus came from, and how he came to be Santa Claus with hints into different customs.  NeClaus is the name given him by the fairy princess after he is taken in by Wood Nymph Necile.  The name means Necile's Little One.  The Ak; Master Woodsman takes a liking to him, and allows him to stay.  It is also he who shows Claus his own kind as a young man after he had lived with the immortals his entire childhood.  Claus decides to live among his own kind, but stays close to the forest people in the Laughing Valley of Hohaho.   Claus takes it upon himself to make children happy, by making them toys.  They were not any toys at the time.  In doing so he makes himself an enemy of Awgwas who like children to be miserable.  They try to kill him, and each time he is rescued by the immortals.  Finally there is a great battle and the Awgwas and their hosts are destroyed, and Claus is free to deliver toys to the people of the world.  He notices that reindeer and deliver faster than he with a sleigh.  However the reindeer are controlled by Knooks who can be grouchy.  They finally agree Claus can use reindeer on day a year, Christmas Eve.  The reindeer have a special diet and favors from the other immortals so they can perform this task. Claus is given the name Santa by the children of the world.  Finally Claus grows old and death is sure to overtake him, putting a stop to annual toy delivery.  However Ak takes pity on him, and Claus is given the cloak of immortality, and thus has the energy of a youth but the appearance of an old man.
This little book has an explanation for many Christmas traditions including the Christmas Tree, the sleigh, bells, chimneys, toys, workshop, etc. etc.  This quotes I found insightful

The Ak: Yet suffering in moderation, is the natural lot of mortals, and it is not out place to interfere with the laws of nature.

narrator: But it is the law while Evil, unopposed, may accomplish terrible deeds, the power of Good can never be overthrown when opposed to Evil.

Narrator speaking of Claus: For a generous deed lives longer than a great battle or a king's decree or a scholar's essay, because it spreads and leaves its mark on all nature and endures through many generations.

"In all this world there is nothing so beautiful as a happy child," says good old Santa Claus; and if he had his way the children would all be beautiful, for all would be happy.