The First Christmas Tree and Other Stories

by Henry Van Dyke

For over one hundred years, the writings of Henry Van Dyke have been lovingly passed down from generation to generation. His Christmas stories, especially, are as resonant today as when the Presbyterian minister first read them to his New York City congregation in the late 1890s.

In this volume of Christmas stories and prayers, we read of courage, generosity, and the triumph of light over darkness from The First Christmas Tree, a magical tale of the Thunder Oak and the false god Thor, to the lyrical story of The Christmas Angel in the Country Beyond the Stars.

Destined to become a Christmas classic for the whole family, The First Christmas Tree and Other Stories will inspire us all, in the words of Henry Van Dyke, "to live Christmas not just Christmas day."

Genres: Christmas, Classics, Fiction

90 pages, Hardcover

First published January 1, 1905

About the author

Henry Van Dyke (1852-1933) was an American Presbyterian clergyman, educator, and author. He graduated from Princeton in 1873, and from Princeton Theological Seminary in 1874. He was pastor of the Brick Presbyterian Church, New York City (1883-99), professor of English literature at Princeton (1899-1923), and U.S. minister to the Netherlands (1913-16).

Among his popular inspirational writings is the Christmas story The Other Wise Man (1896). As President Wilson's ambassador to the Netherlands from 1913, Van Dyke was a first-hand witness to the outbreak of World War I and its progress, and was a key player in the President's diplomatic efforts to keep the U.S. out of the conflict.

Not to be confused with his father, Henry J. Van Dyke (1822-1891).

For more information, please see http://www.answers.com/topic/van-dyke...

Reviews

[Anna · Rating 4 out of 5]

very thoughtful, thought-provoking and a beautiful little book

2 short fables and an essay (sermons/homilies, really) and two poems/prayers

my favorite is "The Christmas Angel"

[booklady · Rating 4 out of 5]

My favorite of these was the first and title story. It proposed the origin of the tradition of the Christmas tree, an emblem for the Cross of Christ, as a Christmas alternative to the pagan ritual of sacrificing to the false god Thor. In Henry Van Dyke's story to his parishioners in the 1890s, St. Boniface was the source of this blessing to those long-ago peoples and to us as well.

[Alexis · Rating 3 out of 5]

I liked the story and the style, it was too brief, so it could have been better, but only because I wanted more. It is important to remember it was a simple tale first published in 1905 according to my edition. Enjoyable.

[Katy · Rating 4 out of 5]

Van Dyke is a beautiful writer and these sweet stories show his mastery of the language.

[Kathleen · Rating 3 out of 5]

A quick read with a gentle reminder of what the meaning of Christmas is truly about.

Some of my favorite passages from the book:

"Withered leaves still clung to the branches of the oak, torn and faded banners of the departed summer."

"His shaggy brows swept down over his eyes like ashes quenching flame."

"The finest Christmas gift is not the one that costs the most money, but the one that carries the most love."

[Lori · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 stars
The entries that touched my heart the most and caused me to ponder what the author was saying were:
The Introduction: Keeping Christmas
The Christmas Angel
Christmas-Giving and Christmas-Living

I will reread these again.

[Cynthia Egbert · Rating 3 out of 5]

I am not crazy about the main story, I am not a huge fan of Saint Boniface but I did appreciate The Christmas Angel story. My favorite part of this book was the introduction which is titled, "Keeping Christmas". I want to refer to it again so I am reproducing that introduction here.

"It is a good thing to observe Christmas Day. The mere marking of times and seasons, when all agree to stop work and make merry together, is a wise and wholesome custom. It helps us to feel the supremacy of the common life over the individual life. It reminds us to set our own little watch, now and then, by the great clock of humanity that runs on sun time. But there is a better thank than the observance of Christmas Day, and that is keeping Christmas. Are you willing to forget what you have done for other people, and to remember what other people have done for you; to ignore what the world owes you, and to think what you owe the world; to put your rights in the background, and your duties in the middle distance, and your chances to do a little more than your duty in the foreground; to see that your fellows are just as real as you are, and try to look behind their faces to their hearts, hungry for joy; to admit that probably the only good reason for your existence is not what yoga re going to get out of life, but what you are going to give to life; to close your book of complaints against the management of the universe, and look around you for a place where you can sow a few seeds of happiness - are you willing to do these things even for a day? Then you can keep Christmas. Are you willing to stoop down and consider the needs and desires of little children; to remember the weakness and loneliness of people who are growing old; to stop asking how much your friends love you, and ask yourself whether you love them enough; to bear in mind the things that other people have to bear on their hearts; to try to understand what those who live in the same house with you really want, without waiting for them to tell you; to trim your lamp so that it will give more light and less smoke, and to carry it in front so that your shadow will fall behind you; to make a grave for your ugly thoughts, and a garden for your kindly feelings, with the gate open - are you willing to do these things even for a day? Then you can keep Christmas. Are you willing to believe that love is the strongest thing in the world - stronger than hate, stronger than evil, stronger than death - and that the blessed life that began in Bethlehem two thousand years ago is the image and brightness of the Eternal Love? Then you can keep Christmas.

And if you can keep it for a day, why not always?

But you can never keep it alone"

[T Adams · Rating 4 out of 5]

The First Christmas Tree and The Christmas Angel are the two books included in this book, along with two sections titled: Christmas-Giving and Christmas-Living, and Christmas Prayers. The intro, "Keeping Christmas" was truly inspirational. This quote is a great summary:

"Are you willing to forget what you have done for other people, and to remember what other people have done for you; to ignore what the world owes you, and to think what you owe the world; to put your rights in the background, and your duties in the middle distance, and your chances to do a little more than your duty in the foreground; to see that your fellows are just as real as you are, and try to look behind their faces to their hearts, hungry for joy; to admit that probably the only good reason for your existence is not what you are going to get out of life, but what you are going to give to life; to close your book of complains against the management of the universe, and look around you for a place where you can sow a few seeds of happiness-are you willing to do these things even for a day?"

Other favorite quotes:

"The law of change is the secret of happiness, and the joy that ends is woven of mingled strands of labor and repose, society and solitude, music and silence."

"...the crown of folly is when the rich think they are gods, and the poor think there is no God."

"Hatred and envy and contempt are the curse of life. And for these there is no remedy but love-the will to give and to bless..."

[Rachel Robins · Rating 2 out of 5]

Well, I love Henry Van Dyke. "The Other Wiseman" and "Mansions" are brillant short stories that I love. However, the stories in this one are just okay. I was disappointed, the stories aren't "bad", they are just not that good and lack the magic and wonder I found in his other stories. Sorry Henry :-(

[Ciocido23]

Very good stories about wonderful Christian traditions.