Yes, The Christmas Room Is Seasonal Reading -- All Seasons!

The Yuletide may be behind us but reading The Christmas Room is always in season. Just yesterday a request came in for us to send out a couple of copies. And the day before, we received this very encouraging note:

“Mr. Hartford, I received a copy of your book, The Christmas Room as a gift for my birthday in October. I just wanted you to know how much I appreciated so much of it. My husband passed away 3 years ago after being in a wonderful caring center for about 8 months. I actually experienced many of the kind people that you had in your book and it made my Christmas much easier.  Thank you for writing it and I just wanted you to know it meant a great deal to me.”

Many thanks for that kind note.

The Reading Year in Review

It was an excellent year “between the covers.” Book covers, that is. My total number of books ended up at 71 with several sizable challenges among them. 

The highlights (almost all of them being re-reads) included the whole of the Sherlock Holmes canon; 3 Dickens novels and a couple of Sabatini’s; The Lord of the Rings trilogy (plus The Hobbit, of course); Lewis’ space trilogy and his Chronicles of Narnia; The Rise and Fall of the Third Reich; Ben-Hur; Cripple Creek Days; Seabiscuit; The Politically Incorrect Guide to Western Civilization; a couple of Paul Tournier’s works; Malcolm Muggeridge’s Confessions of a Twentieth Century Pilgrim; 4 of Shakespeare’s history plays; Fahrenheit 451; Killer Angels; Cal Thomas’ Watchman in the Night; 10 Books That Screwed Up the World: And 5 Others That Didn't Help; and the massive collection rightfully entitled, The Ultimate Christmas Collection.

And among the books specifically planned for the first quarter or so of this year? We Will Not Be Silenced by Erwin Lutzer; David Copperfield by Charles Dickens; No Little People: Sixteen Sermons for the 20th Century by Francis Schaeffer; Witness by Whittaker Chambers; What’s So Great about Christianity by Dinesh D’Souza; 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea by Jules Verne; Jesus Is Risen: Paul and the Early Church by David Limbaugh; Heaven by Randy Alcorn; And in the End: The Last Days of The Beatles by Ken McNab; and Cold-Case Christianity: A Homicide Detective Investigates the Claims of the Gospels by J. Warner Wallace. 

Want to join me for any of these?

Postscript: The full reading list for 2023 is below with the highest recommendations shown by 4 asterisks. 

January
*** 1) A Study in Scarlet (Arthur Conan Doyle)
*** 2) The Sign of Four (Arthur Conan Doyle)
**** 3) The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes (Arthur Conan Doyle)
**** 4) The Memoirs of Sherlock Holmes (Arthur Conan Doyle)
**** 5) The Return of Sherlock Holmes (Arthur Conan Doyle)
**** 6) The Hound of the Baskervilles (Arthur Conan Doyle)
** 7) The Valley of Fear (Arthur Conan Doyle)
**** 8) His Last Bow (Arthur Conan Doyle)
*** 9) The Case Book of Sherlock Holmes (Arthur Conan Doyle)
*** 10) The Master of Ballantrae (Robert Louis Stevenson)
*** 11) R.U.R. (Karel Capek)
February
**** 12) Scaramouche (Rafael Sabatini)
**** 13) Henry VI Part One (William Shakespeare)
**** 14) Henry VI Part Two (William Shakespeare)
**** 15) Henry VI Part Three (William Shakespeare)
**** 16) Richard III (William Shakespeare)
March
**** 17) The Politically Incorrect Guide to Western Civilization (Anthony Esolen)
*** 18) The Legend of Sleepy Hollow (Washington Irving)
April
**** 19) Confessions of a Twentieth Century Pilgrim (Malcolm Muggeridge)
**** 20) The Old Curiosity Shop (Charles Dickens)
**** 21) The Hobbit (J.R.R. Tolkien)
**** 22) The Fellowship of the Ring (J.R.R. Tolkien)
**** 23) The Two Towers (J.R.R. Tolkien)
May
**** 24) The Return of the Ring (J.R.R. Tolkien)
**** 25) Holy Disorders (Edmund Crispin)
June
*** 26) Swan Song (Edmund Crispin)
*** 27) Out of the Silent Planet (C.S. Lewis)
*** 28) Perelandra (C.S. Lewis)
**** 29) That Hideous Strength (C.S. Lewis)
July
**** 30) The Seasons of Life (Paul Tournier)
**** 31) Fahrenheit 451 (Ray Bradbury)
**** 32) Submarine (Edward L. Beach)
**** 33) The Rise and Fall of the Third Reich (William Shirer)
August
*** 34) The Strong & the Weak (Paul Tournier)
*** 35) Gettysburg: The Confederate High Tide (Champ Clark)
**** 36) Killer Angels (Michael Shaara)
**** 37) The Stars in Their Courses (Shelby Foote)
*** 38) Watchman in the Night (Cal Thomas)
**** 39) The Snare (Rafael Sabatini)
**** 40) The Magician's Nephew (C.S. Lewis)
September & October
**** 41) The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe (C.S. Lewis)
*** 42) Fire Over England (A.E.W. Mason)
**** 43) Shaken (Tim Tebow)
**** 44) Ben-Hur (General Lew Wallace)
** 45) The White Company (Arthur Conan Doyle)
**** 46) 10 Books That Screwed Up the World: And 5 Others That Didn't Help (Benjamin Wiker)
**** 47) The Horse and His Boy (C.S. Lewis)
**** 48) Prince Caspian: The Return to Narnia (C.S. Lewis)
**** 49) Nicholas Nickelby (Charles Dickens)
*** 50) The Johnstown Flood (David McCullough)
*** 51) The Voyage of the Dawn Treader (C.S. Lewis)
*** 52) The Shepherd of the Hills (Harold Bell Wright)
November
**** 53) Bleak House (Charles Dickens)
**** 54) Seabiscuit (Lauren Hillenbrand) 
** 55) The Wolves of Willoughby Chase (Joan Aiken)
** 56) The Beast In Me and Other Animals (James Thurber)
57) Cripple Creek Days (Mabel Barbee Lee) 
December

From The Ultimate Christmas Collection:
**** 58) Christmas story collection (Louisa May Alcott) 
*** 59) Christmas story collection (Henry van Dyke, Ellis Parker Butler, O Henry, et al)
** 60) The Nutcracker and the Mouse King (ETA Hoffmann)
*** 61) Christmas story collection (Self Lagerlof, Washington Irving,William Dean Howells, et al)
** 62) The Nutcracker & the Mouse King (E.T.A. Hoffman)
**** 63) Christmas story collection (Lucy Maud Montgomery)
*** 64) Christmas story collection (Damon Runyan, Frank Stockton, Harriet Beecher Stowe, et al)
**** 65) Christmas at Thompson Hall & Other Stories (Anthony Trollope)
*** 66) Beasley's Christmas Party (Booth Tarkington)
**** 67) The Birds' Christmas Carol & Other Stories (Kate Douglas Wiggin)
**** 68) The Silver Chair (C.S. Lewis)
**** 69) The Last Battle (C.S. Lewis)
* 70) Letter to the American Church (Eric Metaxas)
** 71) The Golden Ring (John Snyder)

The Very Best of Christmas Reading

4 Star Christmas Reading (And a Few Honorable Mentions)

With no time in this hectic (but happy) holiday season to give individual reviews, I am merely going to list my favorite Christmas reading in hopes that you will find it of value when you’re looking for literature that is high quality, wholesome, inspirational, and satisfyingly Christmassy. You’ll find in my list a wide range of genres including classic novels and short stories, theology, poetry, and history.  

So here to start are (in no particular order) my 4 Star Recommendations.

* Shepherds Abiding (Jan Karon)

* A Christmas Longing (Joni Eareckson-Tada)

* A Christmas Carol, Cricket on the Hearth, The Chimes, The Battle of Life, The Ghost’s Bargain, and The Haunted Man (Charles Dickens)

* Spirit of Christmas: Stories, Poems, Essays (G. K. Chesterton)

* "The Tailor of Gloucester" (Beatrix Potter)

* The Christmas Room (Denny Hartford)

* The Quiet Little Woman, Tilly’s Christmas, Rosa’s Tale, The Abbott’s Ghost, A Merry Christmas, and A Country Christmas, and more (Louisa May Alcott)

* O Little Town (Don Reid)

* Christmas Every Day (William Dean Howells)

* Joy Born at Bethlehem: 19 Christmas Sermons
(Charles Spurgeon)

* Christmas at Thompson Hall (Anthony Trollope)

* God With Us (John MacArthur)

* Snow (Calvin Miller)

* A Treasury of Christmas Stories (Including "The Other Wise Man") (Henry Van Dyke)

* "The Gift of the Magi" and Other Christmas Stories (O. Henry)

* The Freedom Train Christmas, The Winter in the Woods, and Christmas of the Talking Animals (Denny Hartford)

* "The Tailor of Gloucester" (Beatrix Potter)

* Beasley’s Christmas Party (Booth Tarkington)

* "The Beggar Boy at Christ’s Christmas Tree" (Fyodor Dostoevsky)

* Old Christmas (Washington Irving)

* The Bird’s Christmas Carol (Kate Douglas Wiggin)

* Dakota Christmas (Joseph Bottum)

* Christmas Sermons (Dietrich Bonhoeffer)

* "A Christmas Inspiration" and Other Christmas Stories (Lucy Maud Montgomery)

* A Child’s Christmas in Wales (Dylan Thomas)

Honorable Mention

* Letters from Father Christmas (J. R. R. Tolkien)

* Hercule Poirot’s Christmas (Agatha Christie)

* Christmas Stories (Selma Lagerlof)

* The Drum Goes Dead (Bess Streeter Aldrich)

* The Nutcracker & the Mouse King (E.T.A. Hoffmann)

* Good Tidings of Great Joy (Sarah Palin)

* Finding Noel (Richard Paul Evans)

* The Golden Ring: A Christmas Story (John Snyder)

* Silent Night: The Story of the World War I Christmas Truce (Stanley Weintraub)

* The Christmas Train (David Baldacci)

* "The Little Match Girl" (Hans Christian Anderson)

* Miracle on 34th Street (Valentine Davies)

* "The Adventure of the Blue Carbuncle" (Arthur Conan Doyle)

* From Babylon to Bethlehem, The Original Christmas Carol, and The Chronicles of Christmas (Pastor Stephen Davey) 

* Home for Christmas (Lloyd C. Douglas)

* A Christmas Most Foul: A Collection of Holiday Mysteries (A variety of mystery’s Golden Age authors)

* Gifts for a Joyous Christmas (Fr. Val J. Peter)

* The Twenty-four Days Before Christmas (Madeleine L’Engle)

* The Life and Adventures of Santa Claus (L. Frank Baum)

 And don’t forget, of course, the exquisite Christmas-themed poetry of G.K. Chesterton, Alfred Lord Tennyson, Dylan Thomas, Leslie Norris, Edgar Guest, T.S. Eliot, Christina Rossetti, Henry Wadsworth Longfellow, Norman Nicholson, Leslie Norris, and many more. 

Also, there are several books I love in which Christmas plays but a part. Still, because of the tender, memorable scenes of Christmas they depict therein, I’ll mention a few of my favorites: The Wind in the Willows by Kenneth Grahame; Pickwick Papers by Charles Dickens; Wuthering Heights by Emily Bronte; Little Women by Louis May Alcott; The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe by C. S. Lewis; The Long Winter by Laura Ingalls Wilder; Anne of Green Gables by Lucy Maud Montgomery; Great Expectations by Charles Dickens; and Persuasion by Jane Austen.

Merry Christmas reading!

5 Star Christmas Reading (And a Few Runners Up)

With no time in this busy but beloved holiday season to give individual reviews of the books I’m going to list, you will simply have to do with my placing them in 3 categories. The first is the 5 Star Recommendations which means they are among my ultimate favorites for Christmas reading. Indeed, several of these occupy some of our Yuletide hours almost every year. They cover a wide range of genres: theological, classic novels, juvenilia, modern inspirational, short stories, even history. 

However, I do not list here those readings which should be considered mandatory for Christmas; namely, the historical accounts of gospels Matthew and Luke as well as the classic Christmas poetry from the likes of G.K. Chesterton, Alfred Lord Tennyson, Dylan Thomas, Leslie Norris, Edgar Guest, T.S. Eliot, Christina Rossetti, Henry Wadsworth Longfellow, and many more.

The books in the second category earn 4 Stars in my reckoning as they too rate high regard. I guess that’s true of even those in the third category which I’ll simply call “Honorable Mention.” I’d recommend them all. After all, the purpose of this exercise is to provide a bit of stimulation and assistance for friends who desire to make reading an important part of their Christmas joys. So, here we go.

5 Star Recommendations

* Shepherds Abiding (Jan Karon)

* A Christmas Longing (Joni Eareckson-Tada)

* A Christmas Carol, Cricket on the Hearth, The Chimes, The Battle of Life, The Ghost’s Bargain, and The Haunted Man (Charles Dickens)

* Spirit of Christmas: Stories, Poems, Essays (G. K. Chesterton)

* The Christmas Room (Denny Hartford)

* God With Us (John MacArthur)

* Snow (Calvin Miller)

* A Treasury of Christmas Stories (Including The Other Wise Man) (Henry Van Dyke)

* The Gift of the Magi (O. Henry)

* The Freedom Train Christmas, The Winter in the Woods, and Christmas of the Talking Animals (Denny Hartford)

* Beasley’s Christmas Party (Booth Tarkington)

* Joy Born at Bethlehem: 19 Christmas Sermons (Charles Spurgeon)

4 Star Recommendations

* Letters from Father Christmas (J. R. R. Tolkien)

* Hercule Poirot’s Christmas (Agatha Christie)

* O Little Town (Don Reid)

* Christmas Every Day (William Dean Howells)

* Christmas at Thompson Hall (Anthony Trollope)

* The Drum Goes Dead (Bess Streeter Aldrich)

* The Quiet Little Woman, Tilly’s Christmas, Rosa’s Tale, The Abbott’s Ghost, A Merry Christmas, and A Country Christmas (Louisa May Alcott)

* Old Christmas (Washington Irving)

* Nutcracker (E.T.A. Hoffmann with illustrations by Maurice Sendak)

* The Bird’s Christmas Carol (Kate Douglas Wiggin)

* Dakota Christmas (Joseph Bottum)

* Christmas Sermons (Dietrich Bonhoeffer)

* Good Tidings of Great Joy (Sarah Palin)

“Honorable Mention”

* Finding Noel (Richard Paul Evans)

* The Golden Ring: A Christmas Story (John Snyder)

* The Tailor of Gloucester (Beatrix Potter)

* Silent Night: The Story of the World War I Christmas Truce (Stanley Weintraub)

* The Christmas Train (David Baldacci)

* The Beggar Boy at Christ’s Christmas Tree (Fyodor Dostoevsky)

* The Little Match Girl (Hans Christian Anderson)

* Miracle on 34th Street (Valentine Davies)

* The Adventure of the Blue Carbuncle (Arthur Conan Doyle)

* An English Murder (Cyril Hare)

* A Christmas Most Foul: A Collection of Holiday Mysteries (A variety of mystery’s Golden Age authors)

* The Twenty-four Days Before Christmas (Madeleine L’Engle)

* Big Book of Christmas Mysteries (A variety of well-known authors)

* A Christmas Inspiration (Lucy Maud Montgomery)

* The Life and Adventures of Santa Claus (L. Frank Baum)

And two more items before I close. First of all, there are several books I love in which Christmas plays but a part. Still, because of the tender, memorable scenes of Christmas they depict therein, I’ll mention a few of my favorites: The Wind in the Willows by Kenneth Grahame, Pickwick Papers by Charles Dickens, Wuthering Heights by Emily Bronte, Little Women by Louis May Alcott, The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe by C. S. Lewis, The Long Winter by Laura Ingalls Wilder, Anne of Green Gables by Lucy Maud Montgomery, Great Expectations by Charles Dickens, and Persuasion by Jane Austen.

Finally, I’m hoping that there will be some new favorites in books I have recently ordered. Those include 3 Bible studies from Pastor Stephen Davey (From Babylon to Bethlehem, The Original Christmas Carol, and  The Chronicles of Christmas); Dasher: How a Brave Little Doe Changed Christmas Forever by Matt Tavares; Twelve Nights by Urs Faes; Afterward: A Ghost Story for Christmas by Edith Wharton; The Night Before Christmas by Nikolai Gogol; and Home for Christmas by Lloyd C. Douglas. I’ll let you know which ones of these (if any) make the grade. 

Merry Christmas reading!

A Quick End-of-Year Review (In Reading)

It turned out that 2019 was a pretty good year in my reading. I hit 100 books just at the close but, even more important, my booklist included quite a lot of 5-Star reads. Yes, there were several books that had value and were pleasures to read (the Horatio Hornblower series, a couple of James Thurber, Evil Obsession by Nellie Snyder Yost, a couple of "lesser" Chesterton works, a few adventure novels, etc.), but it is only those that reached the 5-Star level that I pass along here.

In the history category:

* Wright Brothers (David McCulloch)
* Lonely Vigil (Walter Lord)
* August 1914 and  November 1916 (Alexander Solzhenitsyn). Yes, these are both novels but the material is so well researched and presented in such context that I'll go ahead and list them in this category.
* Valley Forge: George Washington and the Crucible of Victory (Newt Gingrich, William R. Forstchen, Albert S. Hanser). This too could be described in the same way as the two just above; namely, a historical novel that qualifies for this category.
* The Lion’s Gate: On the Front Lines of the Six Day War (Steven Pressfield)
* Broadway Babies Say Goodnight: Musicals Then & Now (Mark Steyn)
* Mission to Moscow (Malcolm Muggeridge)

In the fiction category:

* The Mysterious Island (Jules Verne)
* You Can’t Take It With You (George S. Kaufman & Moss Hart)
* That Printer of Udell’s (Harold Bell Wright)
* The Good Shepherd (C.S. Forester)
* Between Shades of Gray (Ruta Sepetys)
* Gone for Soldiers (Jeff Shaara)
* The Chronicles or Narnia -- the whole series (C.S. Lewis)
* The Little Minister (J.M. Barrie)
* Light from Heaven (Jan Karon)
* At Home in Mitford (Jan Karon)
* The Rim of the Prairie (Bess Streeter Aldrich)
* Mr. Beasley's Christmas Party (Booth Tarkington)
* Seventeen (Booth Tarkington)
* Great Expectations (Charles Dickens)
* Hard Times (Charles Dickens)
* Christmas Stories (Charles Dickens)
* A Christmas Carol (Charles Dickens)
* The Haunted Man (Charles Dickens)

In the theology/culture category:

* Death in the City (Francis Schaeffer)
* L’Abri (Edith Schaeffer)
* Ship of Fools (Tucker Carlson)
* Mere Churchianity (John Hampton)
* The Seasons of Life (Paul Tournier)
* Pollution & the Death of Man (Francis Schaeffer)
* Heaven: Your Real Home (Joni Eareckson Tada)
* The Great Good Thing (Andrew Klavan)
* The Life of Elijah (A.W. Pink)

Some Splendid Yuletide Reading

Among the many joys of Christmastime is using those precious hours that you find in between ministry and housework and dinner parties and Santa runs and other Yuletide social events to sit by a cozy fire with soft Christmas instrumental music playing in the background and read.  This year has been as busy as ever in all of the above-mentioned ways, yet we have still found time for reading some wonderful stuff. Let me give you a quick review.

Our December selection for the Notting Hill Napoleons was Booth Tarkington’s very funny yet very touching coming-of-age novel, Seventeen.  It was my second time reading the book and I loved it all over again.  So did our book club members and that (besides our gift exchange and enjoyment of delicious desserts) made for a most charming evening.

My two favorite "discoveries" this December were Beasley’s Christmas Party and Christmas Sermons by Dietrich Bonhoeffer. Quite different, of course, but both greatly appreciated. The Tarkington book is a heartwarming gem and I highly recommend it to one and all.  And, if you have a Kindle, you can download it for nothing. The other was also obtained through Kindle for a very small price. These Advent sermons of the great German preacher (and heroic martyr to the Nazi's hatred of Christianity) are not easy reading, as you might guess. Nevertheless, they are enlightening, deeply moving, and spiritually challenging.

Next? Well, there are a lot of Christmas-oriented books and short stories that I read almost every December.  Among those that I got round to this year were two Charles Dickens classics -- A Christmas Carol and The Haunted Man & The Ghost's Bargain.  I also enjoyed re-reading a collection of 6 of Dicken's shorter stories.  Other cozy re-reads this December were Kenneth Grahame's Wind In the Willows, Beatrix Potter’s The Tailor of Glocester, and several stories written by Louise May Alcott including “The Abbott’s Ghost” and "A Merry Christmas."

For just $1 I downloaded a Kindle version of Cyril Hare’s An English Murder which turned out to be an enjoyable book from the tail end of England’s “golden age” of mystery reading.

And finally, sitting atop the reading table next to the fireplace and awaiting my spare hours in these last of the 12 Days of Christmas are Joy Born at Bethlehem: 19 Christmas Sermons from the Ministry of Charles Spurgeon, The Clock Strikes Twelve by Patricia Wentworth, Campion at Christmas, and A Christmas Most Foul: A Collection of Holiday Mysteries by a variety of Golden Age authors.

A nice Christmas combination, indeed.

Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas: The 3rd Lyric Change

Judy Garland's singing "Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas" in the 1944 film "Meet Me in St. Louis" made the song a Christmas standard. It's certainly one of the favorites we present in the Christmas version of "When Swing Was King" presented to senior care facilities. When we come to that number in the show, I sometimes explain that the lyrics of that song have actually been changed twice -- once at the insistence of Judy Garland herself and then again at the whim of Frank Sinatra.

Well, here's comes Joni Eareckson Tada in this morning's email devotional to describe yet a third change of lyrics. Trust me, you'll find this an interesting and memorable devotional.

Have Yourself a Blessed Christmas 

“But you, Bethlehem Ephrathah, though you are small among the clans of Judah, out of you will come for me one who will be ruler over Israel, whose origins are from of old, from ancient times.” (Micah 5:2)

One of the Christmas classics you hear so often this time of year is “Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas.” The composer of that poignant song is my friend Hugh Martin. Years ago, when Hugh came to Hollywood after leaving New York, he fell on difficult times, which led this dear man to the feet of Jesus. And sometime after his conversion, Hugh went back to the piano and composed new lyrics to his beloved classic. This time, he wanted his Lord and Savior to be honored in the music. Hugh went home to be with Jesus in 2011 at the age of ninety-six, but before he died, he was a guest on our radio program, and I sang those new lyrics for him: “Have yourself a blessed little Christmas, Christ the King is born. Let your voices ring upon this happy morn.” The old lyrics were tender and sweet; the new lyrics may go on ringing into eternity.

Thank You, Lord, for the story of Hugh Martin’s changed life. It’s a story that can be told millions upon millions of times. You change lives, King Jesus. You lift up people from darkness, heartbreak, and impossible situations and give them hope, happiness, and a new song to sing.

What Others Have Written About "The Christmas Room" (Part 1)

Are you thinking about a good Christmas read? Or perhaps a gift to pass along to the readers in your family and circle of friends? May I be so bold as to suggest you consider my novel The Christmas Room?

To help you decide I'm printing below a few of the Amazon reviews posted by persons who bought the book there.

Review 1) I recently read Denny Hartford's heartwarming novel while in the process of applying for my certification in Clinical Pastoral Education. The confluence of these two events couldn't have more timely. It's not merely that I was enlightened in regards to life in what we used to call nursing homes, but I gained insights into the kinds of people who make such institutions a success. Since I may one day soon be working in such a home, I feel better prepared for the kinds of dramas and crises that occur there.

That's reason enough for you to buy and savor this delightful story. But there's more. Hartford's book has been personally encouraging to me. It is not inconceivable that in the not distant days ahead, I may find myself a resident of such a home. To know that there are the Carolyn Kovacs and Rita Costellos all around us is immensely hopeful.

I recommend this book to pastors and lay workers who visit those in hospitals, rest homes and long-term care institutions. It might also find its way onto the training schedule of those who care for others in such places.

Review 2) Thanks to Denny Hartford for this true-to-life tale of grace and mercy.

Review 3) The Christmas Room was a delight! A very uplifting book with a cast of characters that made it hard to put down. What a joy to read a book that I could relate to and with a great message. It brought back all the wonderful memories along with some tears, after taking care of my own Mom for many years. This book is encouraging as it isn't easy to make decisions for a loved one as they are nearing the end of their life. We all need to hear that our lives matter and have meaning in this hard world we live in and this book gives readers this message.

Review 4) I loved The Christmas Room. The story is innovative and captivating, full of familial struggles and true to life stories that so many can relate to as they deal with aging parents. You'll learn and grow in your knowledge of care for the elderly and will be encouraged by the healing power of love, patience and kindness. Assisted living and nursing home employees/employers will especially enjoy how they can relate to so much in this book. Senior citizens have much to offer us!

Review 5) Great read. Denny does a great job bringing out the good as well as the bad that families face dealing with family issues while also juggling the declining health of a loved one. Going to be sending this to friends and loved ones for Christmas. Thank you!

More reviews tomorrow. And, by the way, you can purchase softcover copies of The Christmas Room for $9.99 on Amazon or at the same price from us personally. (In the latter case, copies can be autographed.) An even better deal is available for Kindle users where the book is only $2.99.

"A Morning Prayer for Christmas Day" (Robert Louis Stevenson)

O God, our loving Father, help us

Rightly to remember the birth of Jesus,

That we may share in the song of the

Angels, the gladness of the shepherds

And the worship of the wise men.

Close the door of hate and open the

Door of love all over the world.

Deliver us from evil by the blessing

That Christ brings, and teach us

To be merry with clear hearts.

May the Christmas morning make us happy

To be thy children and the Christmas

Evening bring us to our beds with

Grateful thoughts, forgiving, and

Forgiven, for Jesus' sake. 

Amen.

The Carol of the Field Mice

This delightful carol was sung by the little field mice outside Mole’s door in Chapter 5 (Dulce Domum, the Christmas chapter) of Kenneth Grahame’s classic, The Wind in the Willows. 

“Carol”

Villagers all, this frosty tide,
Let your doors swing open wide,
Though wind may follow, and snow beside,
Yet draw us in by your fire to bide;
Joy shall be yours in the morning!

Here we stand in the cold and the sleet,
Blowing fingers and stamping feet,
Come from far away you to greet--
You by the fire and we in the street--
Bidding you joy in the morning!

For ere one half of the night was gone,
Sudden a star has led us on,
Raining bliss and benison--
Bliss to-morrow and more anon,
Joy for every morning!

Goodman Joseph toiled through the snow--
Saw the star o'er a stable low;
Mary she might not further go--
Welcome thatch, and litter below!
Joy was hers in the morning!

And then they heard the angels tell
`Who were the first to cry NOWELL?
Animals all, as it befell,
In the stable where they did dwell!
Joy shall be theirs in the morning!'

A Most Welcome Conversion

And why does Charles Dickens’ A Christmas Carol (1843) resound so deeply within us all? Because it is a story of profound repentance and reclamation, a story that offers to our history of moral cowardice, failure, and guilty conscience the welcome hope that change for the better can occur.

And talk about a villain who so desperately needed change…

“Oh! But he was a tight-fisted hand at the grindstone, Scrooge — a squeezing, wrenching, grasping, scraping, clutching, covetous, old sinner! Hard and sharp as flint, from which no steel had ever struck out generous fire; secret, and self-contained, and solitary as an oyster. The cold within him froze his old features, nipped his pointed nose, shriveled his cheek, stiffened his gait; made his eyes red, his thin lips blue; and spoke out shrewdly in his grating voice. A frosty rime was on his head, and on his eyebrows, and his wiry chin. He carried his own low temperature always about with him; he iced his office in the dog-days; and didn’t thaw it one degree at Christmas.”

And then talk about reclamation…

“He became as good a friend, as good a master, and as good a man, as the good old city knew, or any other good old city, town, or borough, in the good old world. Some people laughed to see the alteration in him, but he let them laugh, and little heeded them; for he was wise enough to know that nothing ever happened on this globe, for good, at which some people did not have their fill of laughter in the outset; and knowing that such as these would be blind anyway, he thought it quite as well that they should wrinkle up their eyes in grins, as have the malady in less attractive forms. His own heart laughed: and that was quite enough for him. He had no further intercourse with Spirits, but lived upon the Total Abstinence Principle, ever afterwards; and it was always said of him, that he knew how to keep Christmas well, if any man alive possessed the knowledge.”

Of course, in fiction dramatic changes of this sort are as possible as they are desirable. In real life, however, the Scripture makes clear that genuine spiritual change comes only through the new birth, that act of God’s grace when a sinner surrenders his self-will, despair, and load of guilt and instead trusts in the finished work of atonement that Jesus won for mankind through His death and resurrection.

Now That's a Neat Christmas Tradition

"On Going Home for Christmas"

Here's one of my favorite Christmas poems.

“On Going Home for Christmas”
(Edgar Guest)

He little knew the sorrow that was in his vacant chair;
He never guessed they'd miss him, or he'd surely have been there;
He couldn't see his mother or the lump that filled her throat,
Or the tears that started falling as she read his hasty note;
And he couldn't see his father, sitting sorrowful and dumb,
Or he never would have written that he thought he couldn't come.

He little knew the gladness that his presence would have made,
And the joy it would have given, or he never would have stayed.
He didn't know how hungry had the little mother grown
Once again to see her baby and to claim him for her own.
He didn't guess the meaning of his visit Christmas Day
Or he never would have written that he couldn't get away.
He couldn't see the fading of the cheeks that once were pink,
And the silver in the tresses; and he didn't stop to think

How the years are passing swiftly, and next Christmas it might be
There would be no home to visit and no mother dear to see.
He didn't think about it - I'll not say he didn't care.
He was heedless and forgetful or he'd surely have been there.

Are you going home for Christmas? Have you written you'll be there?
Going home to kiss the mother and to show her that you care?
Going home to greet the father in a way to make him glad?
If you're not I hope there'll never come a time you'll wish you had.
Just sit down and write a letter - it will make their heart strings hum
With a tune of perfect gladness - if you'll tell them that you'll come.

Classic Mystery Reading for Christmas

A couple of days ago I posted over on my Facebook page a Christmas reading list that I've sent round for a few years...including here on The Book Den. You can find those recommendations right here.

But tonight I'm adding to that list a few "Golden Age mysteries" that concern Christmastime that I recently came across. Now, I haven’t read all of these so I can’t vouch for them but the ones with an * in front of the title represent ones that I have read and do recommend.

* The Egyptian Cross Mystery (1932)
Author: Ellery Queen

* The Nine Tailors (1934)
Author: Dorothy L. Sayers

Thou Shell of Death (1936)
Author: Nicholas Blake

* The Santa Klaus Murder (1936)
Author: Mavis Doriel Hay

* Mystery in White (1937)
Author: J. Jefferson Farjeon

* Hercule Poirot’s Christmas (1938)
Author: Agatha Christie

* Envious Casca (1941)
Author: Georgette Heyer

The Clock Strikes 12 (1945)
Author: Patricia Wentworth

Groaning Spinney (1950)
Author: Gladys Mitchell

An English Murder (1951)
Author: Cyril Hare

* Tied Up in Tinsel (1972)
Author: Ngaio Marsh

Happy reading!

The Latest Reading Review

For my latest reading review, one that covers the last couple of months, I will mention several books which receive my hearty recommendation.  Among these stimulating reads were a historical novel from a surprising author, return adventures to Mitford and Middle Earth, and two ambitious reads that were well worth the time.

Those two “ambitious” books — 900 and 984 pages, respectively — were Charles Dickens’ Dombey and Son and Eiji Yoshikawa’s  epic novel of late medieval Japan, Musashi. The Dickens novel was the November selection of our book club, the Notting Hill Napoleons.  By the way, come January that book club will begin its 27th year.  Pretty impressive!  Anyhow, Dombey and Son, a book we had once read before in the Napoleons, was a genuine treasure.  It is a little different than other Dickens novels – a tighter plot with less than the normal cavalcade of colorful characters – but it has its own charms, insights, and superb writing.  We thoroughly enjoyed it.

Musashi was a book I would never have tackled except that it was strongly recommended by one of the residents of a senior facility where we do our “When Swing Was King” program every month.  Tom is a doctor who served the United States in Army intelligence during World War II and is himself Japanese.  He wanted me very much to read it and so, though I had to fit it in whenever I could over a course of almost two months, I finally finished it.  And I’m glad I did.  The story concerns a traveling samurai who is looking first to sharpen his fighting skills and reputation but who eventually changes his goals to things deeper and more spiritually satisfying.  It was an excellent read, very different and provocative.

The return journeys to Mitford and Middle Earth I mentioned came via my reading of Jan Karon’s These High, Green Hills and J.R.R. Tolkien’s precursor to his Lord of the Rings trilogy, The Hobbit.  First, the Karon book. These High, Green Hills is the 3rd novel in her Mitford series. Though late to the game — Claire has loved these Karon books for a couple of decades — I have only recently started reading them. But I’m delighted I finally got round to them. Far from being the "chick-lit” I feared, they have proved to be heartwarming, fun, and spiritually challenging books in the best sense.  Indeed, I’m looking forward to spending a lot of time in Mitford in 2018.

The Middle Earth excursion came with my umpteenth re-reading of The Hobbit.  Every few years I revisit the Tolkien masterpieces (usually around Christmastime) but this year I had an added incentive to do so because the Napoleons had voted in the last novel of the Lord of the Rings trilogy for our January book.  So, it’s a natural thing to read the previous volumes (including the one that started off the whole thing) as part of my yuletide reading this year.

Okay, about the surprising author I referred to in the opening paragraph. That would be none other than Newt Gingrich.  Now, Mr. Gingrich, the former Speaker of the House, is a very intelligent fellow and a fine writer.  But the books I knew of were all non-fiction.  I wasn’t aware that he has, in recent years, become part of a partnership that has charted several best-selling books of historical fiction.  And since it was nearing Christmastime, I decided to try the one he did about Washington’s crossing of the Delaware. I liked the book a lot, finding it exciting, inspiring, and true to historical fact.  The title of the novel?   To Try Men’s Souls: A Novel of George Washington and the Fight for American Freedom.  I persuaded the Napoleons to vote it in as one of our books for the coming year. I would encourage you to do the same.

There were a few other books I managed to get through these last couple of months – and I enjoyed them all.  There was a theological study of the Old Testament Zechariah written by G. Coleman Luck and a splendid collection of short stories about Christmas crime called The Big Book of Christmas Mysteries. Among the classic authors included in the book are Arthur Conan Doyle, Agatha Christie, Robert Louis Stevenson, Thomas Hardy, Ngaio Marsh, John D. MacDonald, Damon Runyon, and many, many more.  It’s great pleasure reading.

And finally, let me tell you about another book I read while down in Branson. It is actually the one that tops my list of recommendations for this post.  That book is a collection of brief devotional essays written by Joni Eareckson Tada and titled Holiness in Hidden Places. I really love Joni’s books and I have for decades.  In fact, I believe she is one of the best writers, the best theologians, and the best Christian activists around. Her books therefore provide practical counsel and relevant inspiration for any Christian who truly wants to grow in their faith.  I found Holiness in Hidden Places one of the very best of all Joni’s books.  I bought a bunch of copies to give as Christmas presents this year and I’d strongly encourage you to make sure there’s one under your Christmas tree!

Okay, that’s it for this round.  December’s reading awaits.

Christmas Quiz --- Number Three

By the way, the first two parts of this Christmas quiz can be found here and here. 

1) In what year did Charles Dickens write A Christmas Carol? A) 1790 B) 1843 C) 1890 D) 1933

2) Which popular Christmas song was actually written for Thanksgiving? A) “Frosty the Snowman” B) “Winter Wonderland” C) “Jingle Bells” D) “It's the Most Wonderful Time of the Year” E) “Deck the Halls”

3) In A Charlie Brown Christmas, Linus reads about the real reason for the season from what book? A) The gospel of Luke B) The gospel of Matthew C) “The Little Drummer Boy” D) A Christmas Carol

4) After worshiping the baby Jesus, the magi from the east were warned by God in a dream not to return to: A) Egypt B) Parthia C) Jerusalem D) Bethlehem

5) “Adeste Fideles” is more commonly known as: A) “Oh, Come All Ye Faithful” B) “Frosty the Snowman” C) “The Christmas Song” D) “Silver Bells”

6) Bethlehem, the birthplace of Jesus the Savior literally means: A) Salvation B) House of bread C) Without a home D) Anointed home

7) Who wrote the short story, “The Gift of the Magi”? A) Charles Dickens B) Lewis Carroll C) O. Henry D) Clement Moore E) Mark Twain

8) The Messiah, George Frederick Handel's beloved Christmas oratorio, was first performed in 1742. In what city was it performed? A) London, England B) Jerusalem in what was then known as Palestine C) Dublin, Ireland D) Berlin, Germany

9) One of the marvelous adventures of the great detective, Sherlock Holmes, is set in the Christmas season. The story involves: A) The murder of a man disguised as Father Christmas B) A valuable gem discovered in a dead goose C) A secret message hidden in a child's doll D) A bomb in a Yule log designed to assassinate the King of England.

10) The first people to receive a “formal announcement” of Jesus' birth were common laborers who were looked down upon as social inferiors. Who were they? A) Shepherds B) Tax collectors C) Reporters D) Actors

11) How many wise men visited the stable on the night Jesus was born? A) 3 B) 7 C) 12 D) None

12) In the poem, “”Twas the Night Before Christmas,” what headgear was worn by the Momma? A) Nightcap B) Red towel C) Christmas stocking D) Kerchief

13) In Victorian times, Londoners would have been familiar with a “goose club.” What was that? A) Holly boughs wrapped up and set on the fire B) A three-stringed musical instrument C) A method of saving to buy a goose for Christmas D) A group of Christmas merry-makers, usually involved in mischief

14) For what singing cowboy was “Rudolph, the Red-Nosed Reindeer” a smash hit? A) Gene Autry B) Tex Ritter C) Hank Williams D) Roy Rogers E) Rex Allen

15) The flight into Egypt was: A) Saint Nicholas' escaping from the Turks B) The magi fleeing from Herod C) The nation of Israel being delivered from Pharaoh D) The Holy Family traveling to safety after a message from God


Answers: 1) B 2) C -- James Pierpont composed the song in 1857. It's original title? “One Horse Open Shay.” 3) A 4) C – King Herod (in Jerusalem) had told the magi to return to him and give a report on Jesus' whereabouts. However, he wanted not to worship Jesus (as he had lied), but rather to murder him. 5) A 6) B 7) C 8) C -- Handel wrote the work to aid charities in Ireland. 9) B -- In “The Adventure of the Blue Carbuncle,” Holmes recovers a gorgeous diamond and, in the charitable spirit of the Christmas season, allows the repentant thief to escape imprisonment if he promises to leave England forever. 10) A 11) D – The Bible does not say how many magi there were who came to visit and worship Jesus. Most Bible scholars believe it was probably several. However, the visit of the magi almost certainly did not occur on Christmas night but many months after Jesus' birth. 12) D 13) C -- “Goose clubs” were popular with the working-class of London, who paid a small amount every week towards the purchase of a goose or turkey to eat for Christmas dinner. 14) A 15) D

Christmas-Themed Reading Suggestions

1) Reading aloud the Christmas accounts in Matthew and Luke should be an indispensable part of a family's Christmas celebration. But Papa should also instruct his children from his study of these texts and others relevant to the Advent of Jesus. For instance, the mystery of the magi, the significance of the shepherds, the nuggets contained in the genealogies, the miracle of the virgin conception, and many other of the profound details of the first Christmas should be fully explored. Christmas literature can be tremendously inspiring and fun, but the emphasis should always be put on the historical, supernatural truths of the Savior's Advent. With that understood, then, here are a few suggestions to expand your Yuletide reading.

2) Joni Eareckson-Tada's A Christmas Longing. A splendid work featuring inspirational art done by mouth-artist Joni and profound biblical commentary. This is an important book for your complete enjoyment of Christmas.

3) John MacArthur's God With Us. MacArthur is one of America's best Bible scholars and he shows it to great effect in this very interesting look at Christmas.

4) Our old pal, the very talented Calvin Miller has a nifty little Christmas novel entitled Snow that I joyfully recommend.

5) Of course, Charles Dickens is indispensable to the full-bodied Christmas that we love. But besides A Christmas Carol (that most exquisite of short stories), Dickens has also given us Cricket on the Hearth, The Haunted Man, The Chimes, and many other seasonal gems. Got your library card? Or a Kindle?

6) Don't settle for just watching the movie. Why not read Valentine Davies' text produced after Miracle on 34th Street was released. You'll be pleased you did.

7) A definite must for Claire's and my holiday season is sitting down with a hot mug of something and listening to an old recording of Dylan Thomas reading his own fabulous poem, “A Child's Christmas in Wales.” I feel sorry for you if you don't have access to that experience, but you can at least read it yourself. So grab a copy at the library – or maybe whip up a batch of cookies and pay us a visit. We'll be more than happy to heat up the old Victrola!

8) Henry Van Dyke wrote several religious Christmas stories but “The Other Wise Man” is his not-to-be-missed classic. It is a perfect family read.

9) “The Gift of the Magi” is O. Henry's claim to Christmas fame and he rightly earned it. But he has several other Christmas stories you'd enjoy as well.

10) G.K. Chesterton's Christmas gifts not only include some wonderful poetry but a Father Brown detective story entitled, “The Flying Stars.”

11) Did you know that even Sherlock Holmes has a Christmas adventure? You bet! Check out Conan Doyle's “The Adventure of the Blue Carbuncle.”

12) Poetry – man, there's a gang of excellent Christmas poetry that's been written but in our post-Christian culture, you have to work hard to find it. It's another reason to cultivate friendships with old books. However, you can find a few of the best by perusing The Book Den postings listed under the Christmas category.

13) And here’s a few more suggestions from our Christmas reading of recent years: Don Reid’s O Little Town; Richard Paul Evans’ Finding Noel; Advent and Christmas: Wisdom from G. K. Chesterton; John Snyder’s The Golden Ring: A Christmas Story;  Bess Streeter Aldrich’s The Drum Goes Dead; Louisa May Alcott’s short story, “The Quiet Little Woman: A Christmas Story;” Washington Irving's Old Christmas; Fr. Val J. Peter’s Gifts for a Joyous Christmas; William Dean Howells’s short story, “Christmas Every Day;” Anthony Trollope’s Christmas at Thompson Hall; Kate Douglas Wiggin’s The Bird's Christmas Carol; and finally, Joseph Bottum's “Dakota Christmas.”

Happy Christmas, dear friends, and happy reading!

It Ain't No Mayberry: A Review of O Little Town

(I’m reposting my review of O Little Town from 2009 because the novel remains one of my heartiest of Christmas reading recommendations.)

Among the enjoyable Christmas read this year (for both Claire and I) was Don Reid’s wise and winsome little novel, O Little Town. Though set in a small southern town in the late 50’s and therefore full of details of fond interest to readers of my generation who can match them to their own experiences of that time, O Little Town is more than up-to-date in its themes.

Mt. Jefferson, for instance, isn’t Mayberry.

No, the problems emerging from this fictional town are much more than Opie playing hooky or Barney lecturing Otis on the evils of drink. Try unplanned pregnancies. Broken marriages. The pastor’s daughter caught shoplifting. And a mysterious secret finally revealed by a dying man. O Little Town is a more realistic examination of the era as the author takes very seriously the nature of man’s foibles, failures and false pride.

But can a novel that honestly deals with such matters make for cheerful reading? Doesn’t one expect a Christmas novel to be full of delight and charm and happy endings?

Or could it be that first-time novelist Don Reid manages to accomplish all of these things?

Yes, he does.

Indeed, because of his honesty in writing about sin, Reid is able to write
profoundly and persuasively about redemption. For Mt. Jefferson doesn’t contain only vice, it includes virtue too – beautiful and necessary virtues like love, humble confession, forgiveness, healing and dramatic change for the good. Because it does and because Reid is a warm-hearted and talented writer, O Little Town succeeds quite well indeed as a Christmas book. We both recommend it highly.

I’ll end this brief review, however, with the item that actually serves as the lead to most others; namely, the author's most interesting other career. Because if you don’t know (and you probably wouldn’t unless you’re an old-school country music fan), Don Reid was part of one of the genre's most successful groups of all time, The Statler Brothers.

So, writing great songs is not an unusual activity for Reid. Not too big of a surprise there. And his experience has included co-writing the scripts for The Statler Brothers’ television show and penning three non-fiction books. But a novel is a different game altogether.

Thankfully, Reid took the risk and in so doing gave us a well-crafted novel, one with humor as well as pathos, honor as well as moral failure, and inspiring lessons of life richly portrayed.

Christmas Quiz --- Number Two

Again, from the pages of our “Making the Most of Christmas” packet, here's the second Christmas quiz.

(Here is the first.)

Christmas Quiz --- Number Two

1) Electric Christmas tree lights were first used in: A) 1776 B) 1895 C) 1914 D) 1933

2) The boar's head was a favorite dish in the traditional English Christmas feast. According to legend, the choice of this dish dates back to the Middle Ages when a particularly rowdy boar was killed by: A) St. Nicholas B) St. George C) King Wenceslas D) Choking to death on a book of Greek philosophy

3) Santa Claus, Kris Kringle, and Father Christmas are all names referring to what genuine Christian hero? A) Alexander the Great B) Saint Nicholas C) Joseph of Arimathea D) Old King Cole

4) What plant is called “Flower of the Holy Night” in Mexico? A) Winter's Rose B) Navidad de Valencia C) Poinsettia D) Piccolino

5) Most countries commemorate the visit of the Magi on what day? A) December 8 B) December 14 C) December 25 D) January 6

6) What traditional Christmas dish has a name that means “to swell or raise” A) Egg nog B) Plum pudding C) Divinity D) Marzipan

7) On Christmas Eve in 1944, a terrible tragedy occurred but accurate news of the event was unavailable for a long time afterwards. What was it? A) The sinking of the S.S. Leopoldville B) The assassination of Archduke Ferdinand of Austria C) The Boxer Rebellion in China D) Amelia Earhart's airplane crashed in the South Pacific

8) The famous defense of Santa Claus' existence written by the New York Sun in 1897 was written in response to a letter written by a little girl named: A) Belinda B) Mary C) Brooke D) Virginia

9) The first film version of Babes in Toyland starred what comedy team? A) The Marx Brothers B) Laurel and Hardy C) Mickey Rooney & Judy Garland D) Dean Martin & Jerry Lewis

10) When Santa is in Finland, he chooses a different form of transportation than the sleigh he uses in the U.S.A. What is it? A) A magic carpet B) A horse C) A goat named Ukko D) A white elk named Grizel

11) The details we have about the Advent of Jesus come from what New Testament books? A) All four gospels B) Matthew & Luke C) The gospel of John D) The epistles of Peter

12) In both Idaho and Indiana there is a town named: A) Christmas City B) Yuletide C) Tiny Tim D) Santa Claus

13) The day after Christmas, December 26, is known as Boxing Day in England and elsewhere. It is also the holy day associated with what saint? A) St. Stephen B) St. Nicholas C) St. Boniface D) St. Jerome

14) This traditional Christmas item was popularized by St. Francis of Assisi in 13th Century Italy. A) Crèche (nativity scene) B) Advent calendar C) Mistletoe D) Holly wreathes E) Lighted Christmas trees

15) In Charles Dickens' A Christmas Carol, which spirit leads Ebenezer Scrooge to a cemetery? A) Christmas Past B) Christmas Present C) Christmas Future D) None of the spirits took Scrooge to a cemetery. It was Tiny Tim.

Answers: 1) B. American inventor, Ralph E. Morris is credited with the first use of electric Christmas lights. His purpose was to find something safer than candles which started more house fires than one could count. 2) D. Yes, the story suggests a student saved himself from a charging boar by throwing a book of Aristotle's writings at it. The boar greedily gulped down the book, choked itself, and thus became a meal for the student and his colleagues. 3) B 4) C. The Poinsettia is named after an American ambassador to Mexico who “discovered” the pretty flower in the 1820's. 5) D. January 6 is Epiphany 6) B. By the way, there are no plums in traditional plum pudding! 7) A 8) D 9) B 10) C. Ukko is supposedly made of straw. 11) B 12) D 13) A 14) A 15) C

Christmas Quiz --- Number One

The following is just one of the Christmas quizzes we put together for our “Making the Most of Christmas” packets many years ago. I'll post the other two in the days to come. Please consider using them in your holiday get-togethers as icebreakers and conversation starters. We created these fun, non-threatening quizzes to use with friends, family members, and neighbors who may not know very much of the biblical accounts of Christmas. This way you can impart some meaningful Christmas information to them without making them feel on the spot. In fact, we will be using them at our party this weekend when we have neighbors over for a cookie exchange and to watch our Christmas edition of “When Swing Was King.”

Christmas Quiz --- Number One

1) Which Latin singer had a big Christmas hit in the 1960's with “Felize Navidad”? A) Julio Iglesias B) Desi Arnaz C) Jose Feliciano D) Carlos Santana E) Edward Schwartz

2) In what year were poinsettias first sold in Philadelphia as Christmas decorations? A) 1833 B) 1910 C) 1927 D) 1945

3) In which of these Christmas movies did Bing Crosby star? A) The Bishop's Wife B) Rudolph's Ride to Glory C) It's a Wonderful Life D) Going My Way

4) The music for what Christmas carol was written in 1818 by an Austrian priest to be played on a guitar? A) “It Came Upon a Midnight Clear” B) “Adeste Fidelis” C) “Oh Holy Night” D) “Silent Night”

5) What Christmas work was originally written for the entertainment of the author's own family and was not published for 26 years after its writing? A) A Christmas Carol by Charles Dickens B) “A Visit to St. Nicholas” ('Twas the Night Before Christmas) by Clement Moore C) “The Grinch Who Stole Christmas” by Dr. Seuss D) “White Christmas” by Irving Berlin

6) The first one of these was made in 1844 and they began to be sold commercially in 1860. Now, over 2 and 1/2 billion are used every Christmas season. What are they? A) Christmas trees B) Outdoor lights C) Candy canes D) Christmas cards

7) Who announced to Mary that she had been chosen to be the virgin mother of Jesus? A) The angel Gabriel B) Elizabeth C) She learned it in a dream D) John the Baptist

8) What is the popular Christmas custom that is attributed to Martin Luther?
A) Yule log B) Hanging stockings C) Attending church D) Christmas tree lights

9) In the story and film, A Miracle on 34th Street, who is put on trial?
A) Santa Claus B) The mayor of New York City C) A guardian angel named Clarence D) An elf named Hardrock

10) Good King Wenceslas hailed from what country? A) Syria B) England C) Bohemia D) Alsatia

11) The name of Scrooge's deceased business partner in Dickens' classic story, A Christmas Carol, was: A) Bob Cratchit B) Jacob Marley C) Mr. Posey D) Martin Chuzzlewit

12) What familiar Christmas object comes from a word meaning “to shine”?
Hints: there were seven of them in the Old Testament tabernacle and it is an important part of the Advent wreath. A) Candle B) Yule log C) Crown D) Holly wreath

13) In Tchaikovsky's beautiful ballet, The Nutcracker, the main enemy of the handsome hero is: A) Drosselmeyer the magician B) The King of the Mice C) The puppet maker D) The Blue Dragon

14) Long before Scrooge or the Grinch, there was a real villain who could be called “The Man Who Tried to Kill Christmas.” Who was he? A) Genghis Khan B) Caesar Augustus C) Ivan the Terrible D) Herod the Great

15) When did “Good King Wenceslaus” look out? A) Christmas morning
B) Epiphany C) Feast of Stephen D) Candlemas eve

Answers:

1) D 2) A 3) D Bing starred in several Christmas movies (Bells of St. Mary's, Going My Way, Holiday Inn, and White Christmas. 4) D -- “Silent Night” was written hastily for a Christmas Eve service after the priest discovered the organ was broken and that the service would have had to go without music. 5) B 6) D 7) A 8) D 9) A 10) C -- Wenceslas was actually only a 10th Century Duke of Bohemia, not an actual king. 11) B 12) A 13) B -- The King of the Mice, usually represented with seven heads, leads his troops against the nutcracker's toy soldiers, but loses the battle when Clara, the heroine, stuns him with a hurled shoe. 14) D -- Herod was Rome's “puppet ruler” over Israel at the time Jesus was born. Paranoid, vicious, and an insanely jealous tyrant, Herod murdered hundreds of people to secure his throne. It was he who ordered the murder of the infant boys of Bethlehem in an effort to end the life of Jesus, Who had come to save mankind (even Herod himself) from the curse of sin. 15) C