The First Christmas Tree and Other Stories »

Henry Van Dyke was one of the most popular and enduring writers of the 20th century. His sermons, poems, and short stories, such as The Story of the Other Wise Man were well-loved by children and adults alike. A new volume, The First Christmas Tree and Other Stories combines two books by Van Dyke, The First Christmas Tree and The Spirit of Christmas, in a keepsake edition for the whole family.

The First Christmas Tree and Other Stories features woodcut etchings, and comes in a hardcover, gift-sized format ideal for holiday gift-giving. Children, parents, grandparents, teachers, pastors, and lovers of classic literature will welcome this new edition of a beloved Christmas classic.

The First Christmas Tree, a tale of the origin of the first Christmas tree, was first written in 1897 and read aloud to Van Dyke's congregation at Brick Presbyterian Church in New York City. Set in 722 A.D., the story tells of how Prince Gregor, "a young boy with the spirit of a man," and his hero, the daring Winfried of England, journey through treacherous land to reach the heathen people of the forest on Christmas eve. When they arrive, Winfried rescues the heathen from an unspeakable evil, destroys the great oak tree where they worshiped their false god, and points to a young fir tree, "the tree of the Christ-child," as the people's new sign of worship, symbolizing laughter, songs, and rites of love.

The Spirit of Christmas is comprised of stories and prayers including The Christmas Angel, a story of a child-angel who predicts the coming of Christ as a baby in Bethlehem, Christmas Giving and Christmas Living, a simple, charming message about how to give from the heart, and Christmas Prayers, with prayers for the home and for "lonely folks" at Christmas.

Publishers Weekly

Van Dyke's most famous Christmas story, "The Story of the Other Wise Man," is beloved of generations of readers, and this volume offers two more holiday stories from the 19th-century Presbyterian minister. The opening yarn, "The First Christmas Tree," is the better of the two, portraying in dark detail an eighth-century struggle between foresters who are clinging to the old gods and solstice festivals, and a heroic Christian who journeys far to teach them about the celebration of birth of Christ. Van Dyke's descriptions can be startling and memorable, as when he depicts "the eerie woodland, somber and limitless" that the party must pass through, or the oaks' "branches twisted and knotted as if in rage." The second story is more didactic, centering around a group of angels who sermonize to one another about what should be done about the troubles of the world. The small gift book format, woodcut illustrations and two-color design will appeal to holiday gift-givers. (Sept. 1) Copyright 2002 Cahners Business Information.