Our First Christmas Tree, Henry Van Dyke
Our First Christmas Tree, Henry Van Dyke
List: $35.00 | Sale: $24.50
Club: $17.50

Our First Christmas Tree

Author: Henry Van Dyke

Narrator: Robert Noel, The Rainbow

Unabridged: 1 hr 4 min

Format: Digital Audiobook Download

Published: 09/11/2024

Synopsis

Our First Christmas Tree by Henry Van Dyke is a heartwarming holiday tale that captures the joy and wonder of the Christmas season. Published in 1897, the story is centered around a family's experience with their first Christmas tree, blending festive cheer with reflections on the deeper meaning of the holiday.
In this charming narrative, Van Dyke recounts the story of a family's preparation for Christmas as they select and decorate their first tree. The tale highlights the excitement and traditions associated with the Christmas tree, from choosing the perfect tree to adorning it with ornaments and lights. Through the family's experience, Van Dyke explores themes of joy, love, and the spirit of giving that define the holiday season.
The story is known for its warm and lyrical prose, which evokes the cozy atmosphere of Christmas and emphasizes the importance of family and togetherness. Van Dyke's writing captures the essence of the holiday spirit, making Our First Christmas Tree a timeless and cherished addition to holiday reading traditions. The book remains a beloved classic, offering readers a nostalgic look at the beauty and meaning of Christmas.

About Henry Van Dyke

Henry Van Dyke (1928-2011) was born in Allegan, Michigan, and grew up in Montgomery, Alabama, where his parents were professors at Alabama State College. He served in the Army in occupied Germany, playing flute in the 427th Marching Band. There he abandoned his early ambition to become a concert pianist and began to write. In 1958, after attending the University of Michigan on the G.I. Bill and living in Ann Arbor, he moved to New York, where he spent the rest of his life. Henry taught creative writing part-time at Kent State University from 1969 until his retirement in 1993, and was the author of four novels, including Blood of Strawberries, a sequel to Ladies of the Rachmaninoff Eyes.

Reviews

Goodreads review by D on December 24, 2021

An enthralling little book that takes the reader deep into the cold, snowy forest to witness a Pagan ritual to Thor, the god of thunder, at the base of a large oak tree where they are about to sacrifice a small child. But along comes a contingent of Roman Catholics who proceed to fell the oak tree a......more

Goodreads review by K. Anna on December 22, 2015

I arranged my thoughts on this short story into a haiku: "In service of the lord, The bloodied and unrefined May still claim a place."......more

Goodreads review by Mayda on April 25, 2023

The language in this short story will seem stilted and perhaps even off-putting to our 21st century ears. In it, a monk takes a boy with him on his journey to thwart the god Thor. In destroying Thor’s mighty tree, a new tree is born, that is, the first Christmas tree, which represents the Christ Chi......more

Goodreads review by Diane on December 21, 2021

I enjoyed this story about St. Boniface and his courage to profess Christ.......more

Goodreads review by X on February 06, 2019

First of all, I’m putting this as a children’s book on my shelves, even though I can’t find any external source confirming that this is what was intended. It simply reads like a children’s book to me, starting with a cool, heroic figure seeing something special in a child and whisking him away to go......more

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