Holiday Classics

Grab a cup of cocoa and listen to this heartwarming, hilarious tale of a young couple who desperately want to get each other the "perfect" Christmas gift.

Un grande classico di Hans Christian Andersen, la storia di un piccolo abete con troppa voglia di crescere, e del suo unico fantastico Natale!

Enjoy this classic piece, which has also been recorded with a musical interpretation in the narrator's Ring Out Wild Bells collection.

Enjoy the classic by Clement Clarke Moore with a festive and fun spirit!

A timeless Christmas story - ideal for children and adults alike to enjoy or reminisce. Saint Nicholas, reindeer, snow, fireside, gifts...all there and beautifully narrated in a classic British manner by Phillip J. Mather.

Acclaimed poet Robert Frost provides this short poem that reminds us that when it comes to Christmas, maybe money shouldn't be our top priority. Some things may be worth more than a few extra dollars. A feel-good non-rhyming poem story that may help put some perspective in the pageantry.

A beautiful essay by Charles Dickens that reflects on the real meaning of Christmas, and the joy, the love, and the remembrances of those gone and those yet to come. Filled with warm understanding and a real appreciation of the meaning of the season, this is a delightful addition to everyone's Christmas queue.

"The Adventure of the Blue Carbuncle", one of the 56 short Sherlock Holmes stories written by British author Sir Arthur Conan Doyle, is the seventh story of 12 in The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes. The story was first published in Strand Magazine in January 1892.

Annie and Willie's Prayer was written by Sophia P. Snow in 1884 and has since become a family tradition for many. It's a heartwarming story of how two children help teach their father the true meaning of Christmas.

Vasilisa had not seen her daughter for four years. Her daughter, Yefimya, had gone after her wedding to Petersburg, had sent them two letters, and since then had seemed to vanish out of their lives; there had been no sight nor sound of her. And whether the old woman was milking her cow at dawn or heating her stove or dozing at night, she was always thinking of one and the same thing - what was happening to Yefimya, whether she were alive.... Read in English, unabridged.

For God so loved the world that he sent his only begotten son... but how did He choose the star to announce the birth of the Savior? Through this moving story of humility and service to something bigger than ones self a holiday tradition is born! The story of God's servant is sure to become a staple in your holidays for years to come!

Perpetual winter comes to the beautiful garden of a selfish giant who erected a wall around it to stop children playing in the garden. Unexpected consequences follow. The birds stop singing in this garden, and both trees and flowers stop blossoming. One day the giant discovers that spring has returned to the garden, and the children have found a way in through a gap in the wall. He sees the error of his ways and resolves to destroy the wall. Read in English by Josh Verbae, unabridged.

Come along on the dramatic journey that tells about God's incredible love for us! Especially designed for kids to enjoy the miraculous story of Christmas! Includes the Old Testament prophecies of Jesus' birth, featuring the well-loved Holman Christian Standard Bible text. Celebrate the very first Christmas gift as you engage in listening that lasts a lifetime!

Peter, the naughty rabbit, helps himself to the crops from Mr. MacGregor's garden, to the dismay of all.

"A Kidnapped Santa Claus" is a Christmas-themed short story by American writer L. Frank Baum, the author of "The Wonderful Wizard of Oz"; it has been called "one of Baum's most beautiful stories".The story opens with a quick overview of Santa's castle in the Laughing Valley. Its focus soon switches to the five Caves of the Daemons in nearby mountains. These creatures are pagan daemons rather than Christian demons, in that they are not servants of Satan or necessarily evil.

Was ist das für ein Stern, der so hell strahlt und Menschen und Tiere in ganz Betlehem verzaubert? Der junge Gareb macht sich auf den Weg, den Stern zu finden, ebenso wie der Töpfer Natan und die Magd Sara. Auch drei weise Männer auf ihren Kamelen und die Hirten mit ihren Schafherden folgen dem Schein. Selbst Ochse, Esel, Ziege und Maus spüren, dass der helle Stern eine ganz besondere Botschaft übermitteln will.

Ganz gleich, ob Familie Bär, die Tiere im Zoo, die kleinen Engel in der Weihnachtswerkstatt, die Prinzessin in ihrem Schloss oder das kleine Rentier draußen im Winterwald - sie alle können es kaum erwarten, bis es endlich wieder Weihnachten wird. Und genauso geht es sicher auch allen Kindern, doch mit diesem kleinen Geschichten vergeht die Zeit bis zum Weihnachtsabend ganz sicher wie im Flug!

This is a first person narrative from Saint Nicholas' point of view of the Christmas classic. The line about his pipe has been deleted (he gave it up when it was learned to be a health hazard). A few words have also been updated. (How many people today know what "sugar plums" or "coarsers" are? How many use the word "droll"?)

Originally published in a 1892 edition of Strand Magazine, "The Adventure of the Blue Carbuncle" was one of 12 short stories to be included in the first Sherlock Holmes collection, the 1892 The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes. In this tale, Holmes and Watson investigate two cases - one involving a Christmas goose and a hat and the other, the theft of the Blue Carbuncle, a priceless jewel. The cases are quickly revealed to be intertwined, and the spirit of the holidays influences the tale's end.

On a cold New Year's Eve, a young, poor girl tries to sell matches in the street. She is already shivering from cold. She shelters in a nook and sits down. The girl lights the matches to warm herself. In their glow she sees several lovely visions, including a Christmas tree and a holiday feast. The girl looks skyward and sees a shooting star; she then remembers her grandmother saying that such a falling star means someone is dying and is going to Heaven. As she lights the next match, she sees a vision of her grandmother, the only person to have treated her with love and kindness. She strikes one match after another to keep the vision of her grandmother alive for as long as she can.