Christmas is more than just a holiday. It’s a time to recapture the joy and wonder of God’s greatest gift: His Son, Jesus.
21 Days of Christmas will warm your heart with stories about giving, loving, and family. These engaging tales celebrate the hope and joy that make this blessed season unique. At the end of each story you’ll find an insightful message that will help you discover anew the true meaning of this special time of year.
So grab a cup of hot apple cider with a cinnamon stick, curl up in your favorite chair beside a picture window overlooking a serene spot, and savor the true meaning of Christmas through these inspirational and encouraging stories.
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Meet Kathy Ide
Compiler and editor KATHY IDE has been a published author since 1989. She has written fiction and nonfiction books and is the author of Proofreading Secrets of Best-Selling Authors. She has ghostwritten ten nonfiction books and a series of five novels. She also writes columns of writing and editing tips for blogs and newsletters. Kathy makes her home in Orange County, California.
INTRODUCTION
The Christmas season, more than any other time of year, is known for its cherished traditions. Let me share some of mine with you.
Coming up with clever gift ideas for friends and family, then fighting crowds at the mall, scouring catalogs, and surfing the Internet to find them.
Belting out my favorite carols in the car as I drive to the grocery store to pick up the ingredients I need to make special goodies I never indulge in any other time.
Hauling out the bins stored in the guest-room closet so I can decorate the house, inside and out. Smiling at the memories triggered by nostalgic ornaments as I hang them on the tree.
Traveling “over the river and through the woods” to go from sunny California to snowy Colorado to enjoy a white Christmas with my family.
Attending Christmas services at church—especially those that end with everyone singing “Silent Night” a cappella in a candlelit sanctuary.
Watching a miniature Mary and Joseph reenact the nativity, complete with toddler angels, shepherds, and barnyard animals. Getting misty eyed at the children’s choir performance, yet holding back a grin when one little girl sings just a bit off-key and louder than everyone else, and one little boy spends his entire time on stage adjusting his collar.
And finally, reading heart-warming classics like “Twas the Night Before Christmas” and Dr. Seuss’s The Grinch Who Stole Christmas. And of course the story of Jesus’ birth from the book of Luke … which Linus recites so beautifully in A Charlie Brown Christmas.
Whatever traditions you enjoy this year, I hope you’ll take a few moments out of your busy holiday schedule to read the stories in this book. A few are fictionalized accounts of what Mary and Joseph must have gone through in that little town of Bethlehem on that oh-so-holy night. Most of the stories are about people like you and me, searching for meaning and purpose during this season of love, peace, and good will.
As you get caught up in these inspiring tales, and find yourself relating to the characters and their situations, I pray that your heart will overflow with comfort and joy. And with the source of true comfort and joy: Jesus.
—Kathy Ide
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