The Gift of Christmas Present

by Melody Carlson

Shortly after her mother's death, Christine is surprised to learn that she was adopted, and as she digs into her biological family, she reveals a shocking lineage--will she be able to come to terms with the past, take hold of the present, and look forward to a brighter future? Original.

Genres: Christmas, Christian Fiction, Fiction, Christian, Holiday, Contemporary, Novella

204 pages, Hardcover

First published January 1, 2004

About the author

Melody Carlson is the award-winning author of over two hundred books, several of them Christmas novellas from Revell, including her much-loved and bestselling book, The Christmas Bus.

She also writes many teen books, including the Diary of a Teenage Girl series, the TrueColors series, and the Carter House Girls series.

Melody was nominated for a Romantic Times Career Achievement Award in the inspirational market for her books, including the Notes from a Spinning Planet series and Finding Alice, which is in production as a Lifetime Television movie. She and her husband serve on the Young Life adult committee in central Oregon.

Reviews

[Jeanne Adamek · Rating 3 out of 5]

I don't know if I am getting more critical as I get older. Most of the time I go into a story leaving the author free room to describe and explain. My rating comes from my feelings at the end of the adventure of reading. Often I give high star ratings even to those books that I know aren't perfect (sometimes have eye rolling or cheesey moments) because my overall feeling is satisfaction. With this story my main feelings were that the author brought in factors that were just too large to be glossed over in a novella this short. The characters never had the chance to shine or grow. And because of that I was left unsatisfied.

[Susan · Rating 4 out of 5]

Melody Carlson has been on my author radar since I read the very first book by her. She has a way of making you become emotionally invested in all of her characters and soon you find yourself cheering them on and praying they find their happily ever after. Melody creates characters that pull you right in and never let you go, even after the last page is read. Christine has no idea what knocking on a door would do to her life until she decides to knock on the door of the home of the woman who is supposed to be her the mother of the woman who gave birth to her. Her adopted parents shared the story of how she came to be their child. So when her Grandmother opens the door and mistakes her for someone applying for a housekeepers position she doesn’t offer up her true identity. The way Melody writes, puts you right in the middle of their story, leaving you feeling like you truly know the characters and feeling exactly what they are going through. I love when an author can do that to me. If you love a heart tugging holiday story then you have to give THE GIFT OF CHRISTMAS PRESENT a go. You won’t be sorry and your heart will be warmer because of it.

I started THE GIFT OF CHRISTMAS PRESENT one afternoon and couldn’t stop reading until the very last page. I want to get out my tree and decorations now and set it up and it’s only July. I have always enjoyed Melody Carlson’s stories and this one does not disappoint. Melody’s stories always leave me feeling warm and fuzzy inside with a huge smile on my face. As I was reading, I felt like I was right there with Hattie spreading Christmas cheer. Hattie has a huge heart and just wants to have a happy Christmas. Melody Carlson has a gift for telling uplifting and inspirational stories and she knows exactly how to get the reader in the holiday spirit.

There are darker moments, such as the discovery of the identity of Christine’s birth father. Overall, a solid faith message prevails no matter how hopeless the situation seems. The characters are realistic – flawed but trying to do the right thing. I can totally see THE GIFT OF CHRISTMAS PRESENT becoming a Hallmark movie that I would love to watch. Melody Carlson always puts me on an emotional roller coaster and THE GIFT OF CHRISTMAS PRESENT is exactly why! Now the only thing I’m sad about is, I just finished her latest book and now I have to wait for the next one! Melody has been one of my top authors from the very first book of hers that I had the pleasure of reading and when you read THE GIFT OF CHRISTMAS PRESENT you will know exactly why.

[Lindsey (Books for Christian Girls) · Rating 1 out of 5]

About this book:

“College student Christine Bradley grew up in a loving and honest family. So she couldn't have been more surprised when, shortly after her mother's death, her father revealed the startling truth that Christine had been adopted at birth. In search of clues about her biological mother, Christine encounters a family she never knew she had. She digs deeper as Christmas nears and what she finds reveals a shocking lineage. Will Christine be able to come to grips with the past, take hold of the present, and look forward to a brighter future? Carlson's warm tale of loss, recovery, and acceptance will captivate current fans and create new ones.”


Series: As of now, no.


Spiritual Content- A Scripture is referenced & thought over; Set during Christmas time; Prayers & Thanking God; Church going & a Christmas service; A bit of being witnessed to; Talks about God; ‘H’s are not capital when referring to God; Esther starts thinking about God, Heaven, & believing; Mentions of God & faiths; Mentions of prayers; Mentions of Bibles & Bible reading; Mentions of & thinking about those in the Bible; Mentions of churches, church going, services, a pastor, & preaching/sermons; Mentions of missionaries & mission bases/fields; A couple mentions of teaching a Sunday School class; A couple mentions of blessings & being blessed; A mention of a miracle; A mention of sin; A mention of something being as ugly as sin;
*Note: A couple mentions of auras; A mention of hellfire.


Negative Content- Minor cussing including: a ‘blasted’, a ‘confounded’, a ‘dang’, a ‘darn’, two ‘idiot’s, and eight ‘stupid’s; A few curses (said, not written); A couple mentions of eye rolling; Esther feels like she needs a cigarette at one point (she doesn’t then, but later tries smoking again and stops); Many mentions of guilt, lies, & deception; Mentions of a car accident, coma, & death (barely-above-not-detailed); Mentions of scams & con artists; Mentions of drinking & a drunk; Mentions of smoking, cigarettes, & tobacco (barely-above-not-detailed); A couple mentions of kidnappings; A couple mentions of jealousy; A mention of a break-in; A mention of gambling.


Sexual Content- *Spoiler* Lenore was raped by her drunken stepfather (which resulted in the pregnancy, and Christine says that’s like incest and thinks about being conceived in a violent crime and Esther thinks that her second husband raped her only daughter) *End of Spoiler*; Christine’s mother had an unwanted pregnancy (it’s said at one point that she was not sure about who the father was) and when Esther wanting her to have an abortion (they went to Planned Parenthood for information and to ‘dispose of it’, the baby is said to not be a human, but the mother knows it’s a baby and won’t murder the baby); Mentions of those Planned Parenthood brochures that say abortions are a “safe & efficient way to terminate an unwanted pregnancy”; A few mentions of another person being rudely blunt about her comments (about a pregnancy/rape); A few mentions of boyfriends; A couple mentions of a good church girl getting pregnant (not-detailed); A couple mentions of dates; A mention of a pervert; A mention of thinking a girl isn’t the type to sleep around;
*Note: A mention of wearing a provocative bikini; A mention of pregnancy hormones.

-Christine Bradley, age 19
P.O.V. switches between Christine & Esther (age 79)
204 pages

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*
Pre Teens- One Star
New Teens- One Star
Early High School Teens- One Star
Older High School Teens- One Star
My personal Rating- One Star
While I thought this might be like Robin Jones Gunn’s Christmas books, it definitely wasn’t. I was not a fan of all the mentions and content in this book.


Link to review:
https://booksforchristiangirls.blogsp...


*BFCG may (Read the review to see) recommend this book by this author. It does not mean I recommend all the books by this author.

[Anna |This Curly Girl Reads| · Rating 1 out of 5]

Trigger warning at bottom (spoiler warning)
I’ve read several melody Carlson Christmas books over the years. They are usually well written, contain some measure of depth—especially for novellas—,and they leave ya with a happy feeling. This one was definitely well written, has some great characters, but it was NOT what I expected, and the content was just too heavy for what I was looking for in a Christmas Novella. Poor Christine and poor family 😭

Triggers: unknown adoption, Rape, abortion encouraged, family secrets surrounding the rape

[Sarah · Rating 1 out of 5]

Good grief. I'm not having good luck this year with "Christmas" books.

Somehow, I missed the other reviews of my Goodreads friends about this book (when will I learn?) and was shocked at the 70% mark of this book. It went from kind of a cute Christmas story to really dark family secrets. And honestly, I don't think it was handled well. It seemed people were eager to soften the horrible thing this person did by saying he was stressed and whatnot. Oh, everyone agreed it was horrible and wrong, but excuses were still offered. Sorry, there is never, ever, ever a reason that even softens an act like that.

Here is the spoiler if you want to know, but please know it is rather disturbing.
The main character's birth mother was raped by her stepfather who was drunk. Softening excuses of stress, drunkness, and the stepdaughter wearing a provocative bathing suit are offered. Everyone agrees it was wrong and evil even with that, but I felt like the offered explanations were in bad taste.

[Cindy aka "The Book Fairy" · Rating 3 out of 5]

Not too bad of a story....bit deeper at the end but yet realistic unfortunately as it is these years. The spiritual content was done well and it had a satisfactory conclusion.

[Shari Larsen · Rating 5 out of 5]

College student Christine Bradley is surprised when shortly after her mother's death, to learn that she had been adopted at birth. In search of clues about her biological mother, Christine encounters a family she never knew she had. She digs deeper as Christmas nears, and learns a shocking secret about her lineage. Will she be able to come to grips with the past, accept the present, and look forward to a brighter future?

I enjoyed this story; it was a little too short, but I say that because I enjoyed the main characters and didn't want to "leave" them so soon. While a lot of stories of this genre are predictable, this one had a twist towards the end I didn't see coming.

[Chris Unwin · Rating 2 out of 5]

I had been looking for a fun Christmas book to read. One that doesn't start all doom and gloom with someone ill or in a coma. You know the plot? So let me just say I love Melody Carlson books!! She has fun light Christmas books so I decided to read one of hers. I was jogging along in this book thoroughly enjoying it when BAM, I'm so mad it went in a direction I felt no Christmas story should go. I am sad as I love her Christmas stories. Without giving away what I didn't like about the theme of the book it probably would have been fine for another time and story.

[Loraine · Rating 4 out of 5]

Christine was adopted at birth. At age 20, knowing her birth mother died in a car accident a year after she was born, she has finally located her birth grandmother. When she gets up the nerve to finally meet her, she is greeted at the door by an elderly, cantankerous woman who is on crutches due to a severely sprained ankle who thinks she has come to apply for the housekeeper position. Christine takes the position not telling her grandmother who she really is in order to learn more about her birth mother and the story behind why she gave her up for adoption. Little did Christine know that she would find out a great deal more than she wanted to know as well as find a new family.

This novel was very different from most Christmas reads as it dealt with some really "hot button" topics as Christine finds out the facts behind her birth and adoption. I would have given the book a 5 but I felt that in some ways the author trivialized the manner in which Christine was conceived. Even though there was anger displayed by her grandmother and aunt, it seemed that everything was all right way too soon without the characters really having time to deal with it.

I loved the ending quote by Aunt Hattie:

"Here's to Christmas past. The gift we keep with us forever. And here's to Christmas Future. The gift that is yet to come. And here's to Christmas Present. The Gift we open today."

It reminds us all to cherish each moment that we have right now.

[Rachel Brand · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was an easy read, even if it did tackle some serious issues, and it would probably put a lot of people in a Christmassy mood. It was a Christian novel, but didn't have a typical "and then they all become Christians and lived happily ever after" ending that some Christian books have. Overall, a nice, simple read, but not really my kind of book. I can see why some people would like it - my mum and Lynne included - but I think it was a bit too simple for me personally. 6/10

[Kristen · Rating 2 out of 5]

Not Melody Calrson's best writing, in my opinion. It was a good story that could have been very emotional. As it was, the dialogue was choppy and cheesy at quite a few spots. The character's reacted unrealistically at times and over predictably at others. I found myself flipping to the end quite a bit to see how much more I had to go until I could be done with it.
Still, it had a very good plot line. I just would have liked it a lot better had it been delivered better.

[Riannon · Rating 1 out of 5]

This book was a bit anticlimactic towards the end. But the part that bothered me the most was how bad the writing was at the sentence level. It was full of cliches, and the way the characters thought in short choppy sentences made them sound like they were six year olds. I would rather have given it one and a half stars, but can't bring myself to take it up to the "it was ok" level of 2 stars.

[Laura · Rating 4 out of 5]

I liked the plot of this story a lot. The idea of a woman reconnecting with her birth family has been done before, but not in this way, at least not in books I've read.

I like how the characters were real and showed their flaws but were also excited to love and embrace all family members.

[Debra · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was a nice, light, enjoyable read for Christmas.

[Crystal Grant · Rating 4 out of 5]

A sweet story of family, forgiveness, and hope. One young woman’s search for a connection to her birth mother sends her on a journey she never expected. A great read for this season of love and faith.

[Natalie Crow · Rating 3 out of 5]

I did not expect or like the dark twist but the rest of the story was good.

[Misty · Rating 3 out of 5]

great "hallmark" book

[♥♥Mari♥♥ · Rating 5 out of 5]

(Reviewer's Note: This novella is one of three in the omnibus edition, which I purchased. However, I am going to review it separately, since doing three reviews in one post would make the post much too long. It would also not allow me the space to comment on everything I want to mention.)


It's only normal for an adopted child to eventually want to meet his/her biological parents, and Christine Bradley is no exception. Even though she loves her adoptive family, she feels she must find out more about the people who brought her into the world. Unfortunately, the woman who gave her life has since passed away, so she goes in search of the family.

When she discovers her grandmother's address, she decides to go in person to meet her, not without some trepidation. Her grandmother, a cantankerous and rather intimidating character, thinks that the girl at her door is the housekeeper sent by an employment agency. Christine is dismayed, but doesn't know how to break the news, so she goes along with the charade for as long as she can, hoping for a chance to tell her grandmother who she really is.

How Christine and her grandmother eventually discover the truth about each other makes for some fascinating reading. Along the way, the reader also uncovers a long-hidden family tragedy that could jeopardize the Christmas holiday....

Christine, the main character, is a totally wonderful person. She actually lives her Christian values, as is evident in the way she treats Esther, her temperamental grandmother, who is less than kind to her. Eventually, however, Christine wins her over, so that even before Esther finds out that she and Christine are actually related, she has begun to treat Christine as more of a companion and friend, rather than an employee.

Another great character is Jimmy, Esther's stepson. He, too, treats Esther with more kindness than she deserves. And he is more than welcoming to Christine, even before he discovers her relationship to Esther.

Jimmy's wife, Felicia, is a rather self-centered, shallow character, although she does get into the Christmas spirit with a lot of decorating gusto. To be fair, she is a good mother to her two sons, and a loving wife to Jimmy.

Aside from Christine, the novella's other memorable character is Esther herself. She is a very bitter person, thinking that her daughter, Christine's mother, has cut herself off from the family permanently. She has a hard time coping when she finally learns, through Christine, that her daughter is dead. As the plot unfolds, however, Esther slowly becomes a more pleasant person, as she starts to relate to Christine as a beloved relative. She also starts to get into the spirit of the holiday.

One of the best things about this novella is its strong pro-life message. In order to avoid being pressured into killing her unborn child, Amanda, Christine's birth mother, ran away. Eventually, she was connected with Christine's adoptive parents, who took her in and helped her in every way they could. Even though the reader only gets a sketchy portrait of Amanda, it's clear that she is an admirable character.

I also loved Hattie, Esther's sister-in-law. She is so endearing and lovable. She and Esther have had some differences in the past, but everything is wonderfully healed over the Christmas holiday.

Although The Gift of Christmas Present deals with some very hard issues, it's a heartwarming Christmas read. The overall theme of family love and healing is what the Christmas spirit is all about! My only complaint is that this isn't a full-length novel. I really would have liked to see the story given more development. Still, I really couldn't put this one down, and fully enjoyed every minute!

If you enjoy Christmas stories that explore family dynamics, you can't go wrong with this one. As with all the novellas in this omnibus edition, you will truly feel blessed and joyful!

[Ken Finlay · Rating 1 out of 5]

"The Gift of Christmas Present" echoes "A Christmas Carol" in a very obvious way, there is little or no subtlety involved.
Christine was adopted at birth and, with her mother dead and father away on the missions, is hoping to introduce herself to her biological family, starting with her grandmother, Mrs. Esther Daniels. Her daughter Lenore was Christine's biological mother but died shortly after the birth.
Turning up announced close to Christmas at the Daniels mansion the kindly Christine is mistaken for the new housekeeper by her grumpy grandma and, unable to get a word in, goes along with it.
Esther Daniels is a cantankerous old biddy, but not entirely so. There's a definite hint all the way along that she's just lonely, unhappy, and questioning her life.
Eventually the deception is revealed and as the family gathers for Christmas there is one question left - who was Christine's father?
Heading towards the end it seems blindingly obvious but author Melody Carlson seems hesitant in taking that final step, largely because of the unpleasantness it will cause. The question of abortion is raised, which surprised me in an American cosy (and, despite the subject matter, this is about as cosy as it gets.)
And, despite any particular need, God is always around the corner - a constant presence.
As Esther despairs over her abandonment of Lenor and her death she comes across a Bible:- "What if there was a way to see her daughter again, to tell her she was so very, very sorry, to tell her that she loved her, had always loved her? Oh, it was almost too much to imagine, too much to hope for. Too good to be true."
Too good to be true just about sums it up - it is that belief in unfounded hope that has made religion such a profitable business over the millennia.
That's just me feeling free to comment in much the same way as Melody Carlson does.
When the whole sordid truth of her conception comes out it is handled just about as badly as possible - while not explicitly condoning what happened various excuses are offered: He "was completely heartbroken with regret over it. ... He would’ve done anything to turn back the clock and erase that awful day."
Another statement is blatantly false:- "I know I have to forgive him." Actually, no, you don't!
The author is so concerned with the message that it is almost as if she is not reading what she is writing, or thinking.
The longer it went on the worse it got, I had difficulty finishing it.
1 Star.

[Joy Gerbode · Rating 5 out of 5]

I thoroughly enjoyed this book ... of course Melody Carlson is a favorite author, so I expected to enjoy it. I've always had a soft spot for old people (now I am one) so I enjoyed the interaction between the young protagonist and the elderly lady she befriends. The other characters all add depth, sometimes surprises, a good message of Christian love. Altogether a great story of family love, difficulty, and hope ... and a great Christmas story!

[Melissa (Semi Hiatus Until After the Holidays) · Rating 3 out of 5]

Christine Bradley recently discovered that she was adopted at birth - after her mother's death, Christine's father revealed the news. Her birth mother had died shortly after Christine was born, and her parents could never find the extended family. Right before the start of the Christmas holidays, Christine locates her biological grandmother and decides to meet her.

When Christine arrives at the door, nothing is as she expected. Her grandmother, Esther Daniels, has a broken foot and mistakes Christine for an applicant to be her housekeeper. As she has no college classes for the next few weeks, Christine takes the job, intending to tell Esther her true identity before much more time passes. The two women form a tentative friendship. Christine breaks through Esther's cranky personality to find the kind-hearted person inside, and Esther reaches out and fills a long-empty place in Christine's life. Will Christine ever tell Esther the truth? Will the shock ruin their Christmas?

This is a sweet holiday tale filled with hope. I was instantly endeared to Christine, understanding her hope for an extended family and her hesitation to tell them the truth after finding herself in their company under somewhat false pretenses. Esther has had a difficult life - her daughter disappeared one day after a disagreement about whether or not she should have an abortion and Esther never heard from her again. Yet she still holds out hope for a reunion. Although Christine has sad news to tell the family, she also has the gift of herself to give.

There are darker moments, such as the discovery of the identity of Christine's birth father. Overall, a solid faith message prevails no matter how hopeless the situation seems. The characters are realistic - flawed but trying to do the right thing. The pace moves quickly and I was never frustrated that Christine was keeping her secret too long. The timing of the revelation is just right. Readers in search of an uplifting holiday story will enjoy The Gift of Christmas Present.

[Lori Henrich · Rating 5 out of 5]

Christine has no idea what knocking on a door would do to her life until she decides to knock on the door of the home of the woman who is supposed to be her the mother of the woman who gave birth to her. Her adopted parents shared the story of how she came to be their child. So when her Grandmother opens the door and mistakes her for someone applying for a housekeepers position she doesn't offer up her true identity. A compelling Christmas story and as usual a story that touches your heart. Melody Carlson weaves a great tale of family and love of God and family.

I have never been disappointed when I have picked up a book by this author. I doubt I ever will be. Great story!!

[Alex · Rating 2 out of 5]

This was my least-favorite of all the Melody Carlson books I've been reading recently. It just wasn't gripping like the others, and contained a horrifying conclusion that made me sick. Definitely not like her other books that always leave me feeling happy and peaceful!

[Rayni · Rating 3 out of 5]

I am still thinking about this book. You know, one of those books you finish, but can't stop thinking about? I make it a practice never to archive a kindle book until I've written a review, because I might forget I read it. Not this one. The ending gobsmacked me! I didn't even see that one coming.

[Jen · Rating 5 out of 5]

I can't get enough of Melody Carlson's books! They are truly adding so much cheer and wonderful stories to my holiday season this year. This is another fantastic story of love and family. I loved it!

[Andrea Vrtikapa · Rating 4 out of 5]

Sweet, sad little story. Read it in one day!

[Susan · Rating 2 out of 5]

[Charise · Rating 3 out of 5]

Wish there was a 2 1/2 stars...

[Margaret · Rating 2 out of 5]

Too bad I couldn't give it 1 1/2 stars. I just thought it got a little ridiculous.

[Sharon Johnson · Rating 4 out of 5]

I had not read any of Melody Carlson's books so thought I would try this one.
It was a very easy and delightful book to read with a message and good story.
Would recommend