The Best Christmas Stories EVER! Besides the First and Greatest Story

I have had a copy of a wonderful children's book called The Christmas Book by Whitman since I can remember. I don't have my original copy, but thanks to the joy that is the Internet I managed to buy one from an online mom and pop store for next to nothing. The book goes for loads on ebay, at least when I was looking.

Anyways, I adore this book, because between the covers there are a few stories that are absolutely heartwarming without the sapiness.

The Christmas Apple by Ruth Sawyer is the one of the best. It is the story of Hermann Joseph, a poor clock maker in Germany. He is the kindest man in his village and always has time to help the children and his neighbors. Hermann, for several years, was carving a grand clock to bring to the Cathedral Christmas Day to lay before the Blessed Virgin and Child. It was a custom for the people to save all the year in order to present a gift worthy for this event. There was a notion among the people of Hermann's village that if the gift pleased the Christ Child He would reach down from His Mother's arms to receive it.

Anyways, Herman was forced to sell his grand clock to help pay the bills for a sick neighbor. So on Christmas Day he was empty handed. He decided to give an apple, his dinner for the next two days. When he arrived at the Cathedral and started up the aisle, the people noticed him and saw that he had not brought the clock, but an apple. They started to shame him. He was upset with tears in his eyes yet he kept walking up to the statue of the Holy Mother and Christ Child. He couldn't see through his tears but then he heard a gasp behind him and from it came the words, "It's a Miracle! It is the Miracle!" Then Hermann looked up and saw the Christ Child, leaning far down out of the arms of His Mother, ready to take His gift.

I still get teary eyes reading that! And then it turns out the story has some basis in truth!There really is a St. Hermann Joseph who gave the Christ Child an apple!
I remember when I first read this story I was so confused, I didn't understand miracles. I knew the Resurrection happened, but although we went to mass every Saturday night I was poorly catechized. I just couldnt reason how this could be, unless The Holy Family traveled to the Tyrol. That made sense to me. Even so, it made me weepy. I couldn't comprehend miracles. You would think children would be more believing, but even though I was terribly naive I did not. I must have had some veil over my mind. When my mother told me the story of Fatima I did not believe it, scoffing at the sun twirling through the sky. At her insistence I took her word on it that every word was true. Now, I know the power of God but back then I did not. So that is another reason I like the story so much.

Another story we love is The Dwarf and The Cobbler's Sons by Mary Brecht Pulver in the same book.
Anyways, having loved this book for so many years it is only ages 9-12. I wondered if there were good Christmas stories for older children and adults. (Let me know if there is). Another homeschooler, who goes to all the discard library sales and can sniff out good books for sale cheap anywhere, AND who is a generous soul who sells off just as many books as she buys so that I can reap the benefits of her searches, often has sales of her books and I found two Christmas books, This Way to Christmas, and The Long Christmas both by Ruth Sawyer. It has the unabridged versions of both those stories above and MORE!

So here is the big question, if you know of any really classic stories for Christmas, drop me a line...I am drowning in books because I buy whatever looks good but may not be good. What is your favorite to read besides Scripture?