Christmas stories for children

Christmas is the festival of love, contemplation and last but not least the children’s festival. Is there anything better than the glow of children’s eyes and the anticipation of the little ones for the Christ child or Santa Claus? Christmas stories for children simply belong in this contemplative section of the year and delight not only the little ones.

Whether reading aloud or reading it yourself: If certain stories already accompany childhood at Christmas, the adult will remember it for a lifetime and indulge in beautiful childhood memories. Starting in Advent through to the actual Christmas celebration, Christmas stories are an ideal companion for toddlers and older children. Whether in the morning after getting up, in the afternoon on an uncomfortable winter day, in the evening as a bedtime story or as a present on the Christmas tree.

Delicacies and sweet temptations usually accompany us through the entire Advent season. How about if the advent calendar doesn’t contain the obligatory chocolate, but a Christmas story every day? Contemplative, funny or sad: surprise your offspring, snuggle up with him and a cup of tea on the sofa and enjoy a beautiful Christmas story together for 24 days. Glowing children’s eyes are guaranteed!

Christmas stories for toddlers and kids

Here you will find numerous Christmas stories that are suitable for children from about 3-4 years.
If there is no suitable story in the following selection, take a look at our Christmas fairy tales. There are also numerous works that are suitable for both children and adults.

A story for children
A girl and a boy drove from one village to the other in a carriage. The girl was five and the boy six. They were not siblings, but cousins and bases. Her mothers were sisters. The mothers had stayed as guests and had sent the children home with the nanny.
When they came through a village, a wheel broke on the car and the coachman said they could not continue. The bike had to be repaired and he would get it straight away.
"That fits well", said Niania, the nanny. "We drove so long that the little kids got hungry.
I will give them bread and milk, which luckily they gave us."
It was in the fall,… read more A girl and a boy drove from one village to the other in a carriage. The girl was five and the boy six. They were not siblings, but cousins and bases. Her mothers were sisters. The mothers had stayed as guests and had sent the children home with the nanny.
When they came through a village, a wheel broke on the car and the coachman said they could not continue. The bike had to be repaired and he would get it straight away.
"That fits well", said Niania, the nanny. "We drove so long that the little kids got hungry.
I will give them bread and milk, which luckily they gave us."
It was autumn and the weather was cold and rainy. The nanny walked with the children into the first farm hut that they passed.
The room was black, the stove without a flue. If these huts are heated in winter, the door will open and the smoke will come out of the door until the stove is hot.
The hut was dirty and old, with wide gaps in the floor. A picture of a saint hung in a corner, a table with benches stood in front of it. There was a big stove opposite him.
The children saw two children of the same age in the room; a barefooted girl dressed only in a dirty shirt and a fat, almost naked boy. A third child, a one-year-old girl, was lying on the stove bench and crying heartbreakingly. The mother tried to calm it down, but turned away from him when the nanny brought a bag with the flashing lock out of the car into the room. The farmers’ children marveled at the shiny castle and showed it to each other.
The nanny took a bottle of warm milk and bread from her travel bag, spread a clean towel on the table and said: "So, child, come on, you must have gotten hungry?" But the children did not answer their call. Sonja, the girl, stared at the half-naked farm children and could not take her eyes off them. She had never seen such dirty shirts and so naked children and was just amazed at them. But Petja, the boy, now looked at his base, now at the peasant children, and did not know whether he should laugh or be surprised. With special attention, Sonja looked at the little girl on the stove bench, who was still screaming loudly.
"Why is she screaming like that??" asked Sonja.
"she is hungry", said the mother.
"So give her something."
"Yes, but I have nothing."
"Now come", said Niania, who had now cut and laid out the bread.
The children answered the call and went to the table. The nurse poured milk into small glasses and gave everyone a piece of bread. But Sonja didn’t eat and pushed the glass away. And Petja looked at her and did the same. "Is it true??" asked Sonja, pointing to the farmer’s wife.
"What?" asked Niania.
"That she has no milk?"
"Who should know It’s none of your business."
"I do not want to eat", said Sonja.
"I don’t want to eat either", said Petya.
"Give her the milk", said Sonja, without taking her eyes off the little girl.
"Don’t talk nonsense", said Niania. "Drink, otherwise the milk will get cold."
"I don’t want to eat, I don’t want to!" Sonja suddenly called. "And I won’t eat at home if you don’t give her anything."
"You drink first, and if there’s anything left, I’ll give it to her."
"No, I don’t want anything until you give her something. I definitely don’t drink."
"I don’t drink either", Petja repeated.
"You are stupid and talk stupid stuff", said the nanny. "You can’t make everyone equal! It just depends on God, who gives one more than the other. God gave you a lot to your father."
"Why didn’t he give them anything??"
"It’s none of our business – as God wants", said Niania.
She poured a little milk into a cup and gave it to the farmer’s wife. The child drank and calmed down.
The two other children still didn’t calm down, and Sonja didn’t want to eat or drink at any price. "As God wants. ", she repeated. "But why does he want it that way? He is an evil god, an ugly god, I will never pray to him again."
"Ugh, how hideous!" said Niania. "Wait, I’ll tell your dad."
"You can say it calmly, I have definitely set out to do it. It can’t be, it can’t be."
"What shouldn’t be?" asked Niania.
"That some have a lot and others nothing."
"Maybe God did it on purpose", said Petja.
"No, he’s bad, bad. I don’t want to eat or drink. He is a bad god! I do not love him." Suddenly a hoarse, coughing voice came from the stove. "Little kids, little kids, you are lovely kids, but you talk nonsense."
A new coughing fit interrupted the speaker’s words. The children start up to the stove, startled, and there they see a wrinkled face and a gray head that leans down from the stove.
"God is not angry. Little child, God is good. He loves everyone. It is not his will that some people eat white bread while others do not even have black bread. No, people arranged it that way. And they did it because they forgot him."
The old man had another coughing fit.
"They have forgotten it and arranged it so that some live in abundance and others die in need and misery. If people lived according to God’s will, everyone would have what they need."
"But what should you do so that everyone has everything they need??" asked Sonja.
"What to do?" the old man whispered.
"One should obey God’s Word. God commands you to split everything in two."
"How how?" asked Petja.
"God commands you to split everything in two."
"He orders that everything be divided into two parts", Petja repeated.
"When I grow up, I will."
"I do it too", assured Sonja.
"I said it earlier than you!" cried Petja. "I will do it so that there are no more poor."
"Well, now you’ve talked enough nonsense", said Niania. "Drink the milk."
"We don’t want, don’t want, don’t want!" the children exclaimed unanimously. "When we grow up, we definitely do it."
"You are good children", said the old man, and his mouth twisted into a big laugh that the only two teeth in his lower jaw were visible. "Unfortunately I will not experience it anymore. But you have made a brave decision. God help you."
"May we do what we want with us", cried Sonja, "we do it!"
"We do it", Petja said too.
"That’s right, that’s right", said the old man, smiling and coughing again. "And I’ll be happy about you up there", he said after the cough was over. "Just make sure you don’t forget it."
"No, we don’t forget it!" exclaimed the children.
"Right, so that would be a deal."
The driver came with the news that the bike had been repaired and the children left the room.
We will see what will happen next.

The little snowflake
It was winter, thick snowflakes whirled through the air and covered the city with a thick, white blanket. Candlelights sparkled in the windows, there was baking and decorating the Christmas tree; because tomorrow was Christmas Eve. Everyone was looking forward to Christmas, children were playing happily in the garden. The streets smelled of fresh gingerbread. But not all children were happy. A sick boy was sitting at the window with sad eyes watching the snow blowing. He had a scarf wrapped around his neck and his nose was all red. While the children were catching snowflakes outside and building a big snowman, he had to lie in his bed because he had a cold and cough.

So he sat… read more It was winter, thick snowflakes whirled through the air and covered the city with a thick, white blanket. Candlelights sparkled in the windows, there was baking and decorating the Christmas tree; because tomorrow was Christmas Eve. Everyone was looking forward to Christmas, children were playing happily in the garden. The streets smelled of fresh gingerbread. But not all children were happy. A sick boy was sitting at the window with sad eyes watching the snow blowing. He had a scarf wrapped around his neck and his nose was all red. While the children were catching snowflakes outside and building a big snowman, he had to lie in his bed because he had a cold and cough.

So he sat there and watched the snowflakes that blew past his window. One of them – the smallest – sat on his windowsill to recover from flying. She saw the sick, sad boy at the window and told the other snowflakes. They made a plan. Together they flew to the sick boy and sat on the window pane. The sick boy was still looking out the window with sad eyes.

The little snowflake of the snowflake next to her whispered softly in her ear and she whispered to the next. Then they all sat on the window pane so that they looked like a large, white ice star. The sick boy’s eyes lit up; now he was no longer sad.

He reached out to the window to touch the little snowflake. The sick boy touched the glass carefully and put his hand on the snowflake star. For a few moments he could feel the little snowflake up close. And when he took his hand away again, the flakes had suddenly formed into a heart. They constantly changed their shape and delighted the sick boy with new pictures. The sick boy laughed and played with the snowflakes at his window. The next day was Christmas and he would keep looking out the window to watch the snowflakes and get well, because tomorrow was Christmas Eve.

What’s up with Santa Claus?
Winter had come early this year. It had been storming and cold in October; the first snow fell in the first week of November. For the Easter bunny, this was one more reason to go on a nice, long holiday this time, where the sun is shining and you don’t have to go to bed with cold feet.

In the past few years he had always missed flying away. But this year everything was clear, flight and hotel had been booked right after Easter – after all, the Easter bunny is just a rabbit and not a magician who can sit on a flying vacuum cleaner. His departure was supposed to be on December 1st, he would not come back until after New Year, when he was slowly pre-producing for… read more This year the winter had come quite early. It had been storming and cold in October; the first snow fell in the first week of November. For the Easter Bunny, this was one more reason to take a nice, long vacation this time, where the sun is shining and you don’t have to go to bed with cold feet.

Tonight he would have a nice 1st Advent, the candles were on, a fire in the fireplace and a pot of children’s punch would make him comfortably warm. He had just leaned back comfortably … his cell phone rang. "Such a dumb thing," he murmured, "you never have your peace."

"Hello, here is the Easter bunny," he answered.

"Yes hello," a babble of voices sounded from the receiver, "here are Santa’s elves. We -"

"moment," interrupted the Easter bunny, "always one at a time, otherwise I don’t understand a word." For a moment there was only a murmur, then a high voice came: "So, we are Santa’s elves and we have a problem. He is not here yet." And then the elf explained that Santa Claus usually started preparing for Christmas Eve from mid-October. But this time he hadn’t shown up, nobody knew where he was. He hadn’t left a vacation address either.

"And what do I have to do with it??" asked the Easter Bunny with an uneasy feeling.

"We thought you could help us distribute gifts this year. You’re the only one we can think of who knows how to do it …" For a moment the Easter bunny was silent with amazement, then he indignantly began to decline the offer. He had been planning his vacation for a long time, he had already worked well this year and he had no license for reindeer sleighs at all. The elves again all talked to him about how important Christmas was, that the children would otherwise be completely disappointed and that it wasn’t a problem with the sled, there was no official driver’s license anyway.

After discussing for over an hour – and promising to pay for his vacation (both the fancy and the new one!) – the Easter bunny was ready and agreed. Before he could turn off his phone, he heard the sound of hooves on the roof. The elves had sent him Santa’s reindeer sleigh so he could get to the North Pole. Fortunately, they had thought of bringing sweaters, blankets, and a pair of warm winter boots, otherwise the Easter bunny would have stayed at home.

Over the next three weeks, the Easter bunny was prepared for everything he had to do: steer the sled and park it properly – Santa had actually received a few tickets last year. How to slip through a fireplace. How the gifts should be distributed – there were very clear instructions as to which package had to be put down first and where. And of course how you should behave, you should get caught by a child.

The elves kept the best until the end, the costume. When the Easter bunny tried it on for the first time, he was not to be seen at all. Instead of changing the costume now, people were looking for all sorts of upholstery so that the Easter bunny would fit in. And finally he could "thickness" See the rabbit in the mirror – and burst out laughing. He just looked too ridiculous with the long ears next to the red pointed cap, the stuffed arms and legs, the huge red belly. But now he couldn’t go back, it was already the evening of December 24th – Christmas Eve. So he had to go quickly.

Well, dear children, so if you see a strange-looking Santa Claus with big ears this year, don’t laugh at him. Give him a nice carrot and a little hot punch, for which the Easter bunny will be grateful.

The most beautiful present
Only two days. Papa still has to work today, but tomorrow on Christmas Eve he’ll be home. And he had promised that they would all go out into the forest together. They wanted to choose a beautiful Christmas tree together, Papa, Mama, Tom and his little sister Sarah.

It should be a beautiful tree: large so that it reached the ceiling of the room. And wide so that he could stand in the middle of the room. You almost wanted to feel like you were outside, just much warmer. Of course, it also had to have many strong branches, otherwise you couldn’t decorate it properly.

Tom and Sarah had already gone into the forest today – but not far, because they were too scared. They wanted to see if… read on Just two more days. Papa still has to work today, but tomorrow on Christmas Eve he’ll be home. And he had promised that they would all go out into the forest together. They wanted to choose a beautiful Christmas tree together, Papa, Mama, Tom and his little sister Sarah.

Tom and Sarah had already gone into the forest today – but not far, because they were too scared. They wanted to see if they couldn’t surprise dad tomorrow. Maybe you will already find the right tree. And indeed, just a few meters from the edge of the forest was a beautiful, straight fir tree, as one had imagined.

The two children went carefully to the tree, examined it from all sides, shook the branches a little. They couldn’t see all the way up, of course, they were too small for that, but Tom said "That is correct! This will be our Christmas tree!" And Sarah agreed with her big brother. After all, he always knew what was right. Well, sometimes he was pretty nonsense, like when he threw the candy jar off the closet. But mostly he was right, after all he was her big brother!

Suddenly they heard a voice, it seemed to rustle softly, sounded like the rustle of leaves. "Thank you," said the voice, "that I like you."

"What was that, Tom??" "I don’t know, maybe just the wind." Even Sarah noticed that Tom was not quite comfortable. And then the voice came again, this time a little stronger: "I am the fir. Sorry if I scare you, I didn’t want to. I’m just happy that you find me beautiful. Most people don’t see me here."

The children were amazed. They had never heard of a Christmas tree that could talk. But for Tom that was the icing on the cake: "Man, we’ll have a talking Christmas tree in the room. If that’s not the greatest thing." It seemed a bit strange to Sarah.

And the tree didn’t seem to agree: "Excuse me, hopefully you don’t want to saw me off? I mean, a tree doesn’t belong in the house. I’m still not old, just 10 years …" Sarah said to Tom, "You, I think the tree is scared." "Oh, that’s just a tree. Dad saws it off and then Mom decorates it nicely. Then we have a beautiful tree in the room."

"That is not good," the fir rustled, "I want to get older just like you. Besides, I wouldn’t be able to speak anyway if I wasn’t rooted to my roots."

Now Sarah wanted to go home quickly, she had tears in her eyes. Not just because she was scared, she cried for the poor tree that was just as old as Tom. And she didn’t want to lose that either. "I’m sorry that you’re crying now, little one. I did not want to make you sad. You are welcome to visit me again and again and talk to me. But you can’t do that in your room." "And what about our beautifully decorated tree," cried Tom, "maybe we should get another one?" "No of course not," the fir answered in horror, "but I have an idea. How about if you decorate me out here and then celebrate Christmas with me here?" Tom thought for a moment, Sarah looked imploringly, then said, "That would be great. And we can surprise dad."

No sooner said than done, Tom and Sarah ran back to the house and discussed everything with Mom. Then they all went to the fir, packed with Christmas baubles, tinsel, little angels and sweets and began to decorate them.

The next day they kept Papa in the house, there was always something to do. Mom disappeared just before dark. And then Dad took out his big, heavy flashlight, "So now we have to hurry, otherwise we won’t find a tree anymore!" Tom and Sarah blinked at each other, but always kept close to Papa, so that they didn’t stay with the wrong tree.

Suddenly they saw a few lights in front of them, Papa was amazed, wanted to see what was going on. They now walked right up to their tree – and it shone with a splendid shine, beautifully decorated with many, many candles. And the gifts were scattered around the tree. Mom had prepared everything nicely so that Dad was really surprised.

Sarah winked at the tree and murmured "We won’t tell anyone that you can talk. And next year we will celebrate Christmas with you again!" The tree rustled quietly, words couldn’t be distinguished, but Sarah also knew what he was saying.

Even today, Sarah has now become a mother herself and her daughter has another child, she comes to the fir every year, which miraculously still stands in the same place. Then they tell each other what happened in the past year – and look forward to many more Christmas parties.

Nick wants to see the Christ child
The five-year-old Nick stood on his sled, half-hidden behind a thick chestnut tree, staring steadily at the debris from his parents’ living room windows in the two-story house. The Christ Child had to drive past there soon on his broad-skinned, golden sledge. The mother had just locked the living room door, which was a sure sign that all the wonderful things are now beginning behind the white-lacquered door and the Christ Child is now with the servant Ruprecht and the solemnly decorated Christmas tree, the gifts from the endless wish list of little Nick and the big, festive glow would fill the room.

In the past few years… read more On his sleigh, five-year-old Nick was standing, half-hidden behind a thick chestnut tree, staring in the snow at his parents’ living room windows in the two-story house. The Christ Child had to drive past there soon on his broad-skinned, golden sledge. The mother had just locked the living room door, which was a sure sign that all the wonderful things are now beginning behind the white-lacquered door and the Christ Child is now with the servant Ruprecht and the solemnly decorated Christmas tree, the gifts from the endless wish list of little Nick and the big, festive glow would fill the room.

In previous years, Nick had tried unsuccessfully to spot some of this mysterious event through the keyhole. This year, however, he wanted to be smarter and not stare in vain through the keyhole. This time he wanted to see the Christ child arriving from his post behind the old chestnut tree, and his little face showed active determination and expectant tension. But as much as Nick stretched and stretched, the two living rooms remained gray and dark and the ringing of the bells of the heavenly sleigh could not be heard far and wide. Instead, the snow flurry became thicker and thicker, the houses were barely visible, and Nick found it increasingly difficult to keep a close eye on the living room windows. The cold crept up to him under his bobble hat and exhaustion was already noticeable. The long sight, the strained staring gnawed at the heroic steadfastness of the curious little one. How long can the Christ child wait? Would it actually come? Hopefully the parents didn’t already miss him, at least they couldn’t see him behind the mighty chestnut tree. But there, wasn’t there a sound? Something rang, rattled. This is what the Christ Child’s golden sky sleigh sounded like?

Nick jumped excitedly from his sled, peering through the snow flurries: a dark silhouette limping closer, pushing a bicycle in front of him. The retired shoemaker Hinnings, who, due to his wooden leg, only in the whole district "Back and forth" meant what was not meant maliciously. They liked him very much, the old man who loved to wear cornflower-blue socks and had an infinitely kind face with a big, wide nose and sly eyes. They grew in astonishment when they saw little Nick, who was suddenly covered in snow and freezing in his brown fur boots. "What are you dozing around here, little one? You’re already half snowed. Just run home quickly, otherwise you will get sick and maybe miss the Christ child!" Nick just looked at the friendly shoemaker, disappointed and silent, and hoped with all his heart that this person would go on.

Hinnings did him a favor and went his way. He knew that the boy was living in the brick building across the street, so he was only a few steps from home. Nick quickly got back on his scout post on the sled. It grew darker around him, a darkness that was exacerbated by the heavy snowfall. The parents’ living room windows gradually flowed into the wall of the house and became a whole. His mother came out of the garden gate, called for him, then returned to the house and came out with the father. Everyone went in a different direction, calling and looking for him. He wanted to scream. "Here I am", but the desire to find out the mystery of the Christ Child left the word in his throat.

It struck five from the large cathedral clock. Gift giving time! And the Christ Child had still not appeared. Nick’s fingers grew cold and colder, and even the thick fur boots could no longer warm his feet. His persistent, iron will was also permeated with moisture, cold and tiredness. So the boy who wanted to see the Christ child left his spy post, pushed the snow mountains off the sled with both his fists and sat on it with his arms supported by his drawn knees. Every now and then his head sank to his knees in a bobble hat, his eyes closed, little Nick tried to pull himself up again and again with the last bit of strength, but finally he fell asleep and began to dream.

Then he suddenly heard the Christmas carillon from the cathedral. The doorbell rang, a white horse, a white sledge stopped in front of his house, a lovely child was sitting in it, packages and packages were at his feet. In Nick’s dreaming eyes everything gilded to an unearthly glow, the child wore a long dress with gold stars and long blond hair; the many packages glittered and shimmered, servant Ruprecht climbed off his coach box, picked up a few of the brightly colored packages and disappeared into the house next door, while the child himself went through the garden gate to Nick’s parents’ house with some packages.

Nick’s heart widened in an overflowing feeling of happiness, he didn’t notice how his father grabbed him and carried him around the house in his arms, the mother put him in the hot tub and then in bed. Nick saw and heard nothing, he dreamed of the golden sledge with open eyes and murmured happily: "Now I have seen the Christ child."

What Santa Claus promises to all hardworking and well-behaved children
Listen, dear children, listen very carefully! You all know what a happy time we are looking forward to.

Only a few more weeks and the wonderful Christmas Eve is back! It’s not the most beautiful evening of the year?

Do you little pranksters also know what the dear, holy Christian demands of you if he is to bring you quite a few beautiful toys and everything that will delight your little heart?

Only a few more weeks and the wonderful Christmas Eve is back! It’s not the most beautiful evening of the year?

Do you little pranksters also know what the dear, holy Christian demands of you if he is to bring you quite a few beautiful toys and everything that will delight your little heart?

God wants you to be worth so much kindness, always be diligent and obedient to your dear parents and teachers, and never be angry with naughtiness and indolence. He also demands that you keep your little hearts clean of every secret sin. You should never forget it when you think or act wrongly that Heavenly Father is everywhere and knows and sees everything. Dear God knows your most secret thoughts, you will never want to anger and grieve him, who always protects you. You will always make every effort to be very good and hard-working at home and at school. You know how good your parents and teachers are to you and how patient they are with you. You certainly have the best will to give them a lot of joy.

If you are good children, hear what your friend Santa Claus promises you. Even if the snow gathers even the tallest mountains, it still wants to work its way through to bring you a magnificent Christmas tree with lots of lights, marzipan and gold-plated apples and nuts. He promises you nice toys and also books from which you should learn so that you become clever and good people. The dear, holy Christian wants to bring you everything that gives you joy. Then he wants to hear from afar, because he can’t be seen – if you have learned your Christmas poems quite nicely: whether you siblings are also quite compatible and pleasing to each other; whether you honor all gifts properly and keep them properly, or it does like naughty children who throw everything around and split it up.

I know a little girl who once got a Noah’s ark, and think, on Christmas Eve, she already turned the heads of the little wooden women and men!

What do you think what Santa did there? –He took everything away. When the little girl woke up the next morning, all the beautiful things were gone. – You see, that’s what happens when you destroy the pretty presents. The little girl never tried that again later, she even got very neat. That is why she escaped such punishment and never had to experience such a sad Christmas morning again. –

So, my dear children, I’ve told you enough about good Santa Claus. Now receive him with cheers in your house and in your heart! Rejoice a lot and jump around happily and happily. Let all goodies taste good and get good. Dreams of all the glory all night and awakens to new joy and joy in the morning!

Farewell now and heed what I have told you, so that there are always only happy Christmas evenings with you. –

Take another warm greeting; dear god protect and guide you in the new year with his grace and faithfulness to his father!

Christmas Eve
Christmas is the most beautiful time of the year, so you dear children think! – And you are right too, long before we are reminded that the festival of joy is approaching. – Large and small Christmas trees are set up everywhere in open spaces and also in the streets, and how delightful the shop windows are with their magnificent dolls and beautiful toys.

You little ones will look up with curiosity when your dear mom comes home loaded with packages and hurries to the Christmas room, or carefully closes the mysterious purchases in her large linen closet. What a pity do you think if we could just separate the paper a little bit and see if there was anything in it for us? … Read more Christmas is the best time of the year, so you dear children think! – And you are right too, long before we are reminded that the festival of joy is approaching. – Large and small Christmas trees are set up everywhere in open spaces and also in the streets, and how delightful the shop windows are with their magnificent dolls and beautiful toys.

Patience, you little curious! It is enough if you know that you have kind parents who are eager to please and surprise you.

You just work diligently on your Christmas chores, Trudchen or Gretchen, or whatever your other name is, so that you can get ready. This enables you to prove to your dear parents that you are a grateful and hardworking daughter. Also to your dear grandma and the aunts, you want to show everyone that you thought of them in a friendly way and secretly listened to them, without them noticing, little wishes. – I’m going to tell you a Christmas story about a little, compassionate girl, and work will go so fast again. So hear: "Oh, how wonderful that Christmas Eve will be in a few days!" Dancing happily and so cheering, Klärchen came home and into her mom’s room. “I saw so many green trees on the way, and the brightly lit shop windows are too magnificent. I had to stop and take a good look at them, so I came a little later. Do not be angry about it, dear mother! See, Christmas is only once a year, and it’s the most beautiful festival that everyone looks forward to long in advance. «

"Probably not everyone," the mother interrupted her happy daughter. "How many poor people are there who do not have Christmas joy and have to starve and freeze, while in the houses of the rich and wealthy there is glory and joy." – With these words, Clarens had suddenly become very serious; she had never even thought of the fact that not everyone could be happy for Christmas. But still she had a warm heart, and now she said very sadly: "Oh, my mother, how bad of me it is that I only think of my joy. Please tell me which poor I can please and which child I could brush up a tree. Allow me to do it from my saved money; please, dear, only mama, allow me! «

The mother was a noble, good nature, who herself did a lot of good in silence. She was very happy about her daughter’s compassionate heart and was happy to give her the permission she asked for. ‘But just look around yourself, my child, you will find it even more enjoyable to find a poor child or other needy people to please. There are still a few days until Christmas, and if you want to do good, you will always have the opportunity to do so everywhere. «Even Klare found it unsearched and on the other day. When she returned from a visit to a little friend around noon, she thought that she could buy a little something for her old, loyal girl. Maybe she should choose a pretty apron, or a devotional book that she had wanted for a long time? She quickly reached into her pocket for her wallet, but – or horror! it was not to be found! Baffled and struggling with tears, she stood still for a while. What should she do – Today, where the streets were crowded with people, she would hardly find it again.

When she was wondering whether she should go back anyway, she noticed a little girl with a big basket on her arm, who came quickly towards her. "Oh, dear Miss," cried the child from afar, "you have lost something." In doing so, she took out a purse, Klärchen’s purse, from her basket. – "I saw how you didn’t like it and called, but you didn’t hear it. I couldn’t run after you because a woman was buying some of my things. ”With that she put the happy find in her hand and wanted to get out of there quickly. The little girl, however, who had been standing silently with joy at the recovered treasure, held her back. "Thank you first and take this one," she said, opening her purse and handing the youngster a coin. "What have you got in the big basket that seems too heavy for you?" – She looked pityingly at the poorly dressed child, who was frozen blue in the skinny cold in his thin skirt and looked pitiful.

"It’s Christmas things, stars and paper flowers that I sell," answered the little one. »My mother has been sick for a long time and can only do these things with difficulty in bed. We would have to go hungry during the holidays if I didn’t get rid of it. Dear God will surely send me buyers, it is still a long time until evening. «

Until the evening did your arms want to be so cold and starving at the corners? –It was too sad. – Yes, there is a lot of misery and need in the world, so our clarifiers thought. After she asked the child about her name and her apartment, she hurried home with compassion and immediately to her mother. The good mom, who was always helpful, heard with great sympathy of the sad fate of the little ones and their mother and was immediately ready to inquire about the poor family today. In the evening Frau Rat, Kläres’s mother, went to the widow’s apartment, who lived in a narrow courtyard four stairs up in a small, low attic room. What a miserable sight there was! – The patient lay on a pathetic straw storage in the cold room with the bare walls. Two chairs, an old, rickety table, an oven bench and a board with broken cookware, that was the whole arrangement of the dark room.

Astonished, the sick woman’s eyes turned to the elegant lady who had just entered. The latter approached the bed and said gently: "I have heard that you have been ill and in need for a long time, and I have come to comfort you and help you." Participating, she asked about the circumstances and found out about them for that the man, who had been a hard-working and skillful artisan, had modestly fed the family, but neatly. But his long illness, death and funeral had consumed all the savings, and the woman had to feed herself and her child with labor with her hands. For almost two months now she had been sick and had been unable to earn anything, so she had to sell everything that could be needed for household appliances and things.

"Oh," wailed the sick woman, "I would be relieved of all suffering if God took me in, but what should happen to my poor Kathe? She is only ten years old and has to work with her strength. The child is so good and good. She will be happy to take every opportunity if she can earn a few pennies and make things easier for me. ”

"Trust in God, dear lady, who wants to be helped to all those who put their hope in him. The good father of all people will not leave you either, «comforted the good woman Rat with pious confidence.

"I will assist you as much as I can, and I will probably find compassionate hearts that will help me to make sure that you do not need more and will get well soon."

After the kind lady had given consolation and courage to the poor and was about to leave, Kathe entered with her large basket on her arm. She looked a little surprised to find such a fine guest in her poor little room.

"Well, little one, did you do good business and sell all your Christmas things?" The lady addressed the child by gently returning his polite greeting.

‘Oh, no, I got rid of very little; There are so many and nicer things in the Christmas booths, so no one wanted to buy me anything, as much as I asked, «Kathe replied sadly. "If I hadn’t given me a pretty little lady 50 pfennigs, I wouldn’t be able to warm up the poor, sick mother tomorrow before I go away."

“That was my little daughter, dear child, who also told me about you. My clearing wants to ask the Christ child to come to you on Christmas Eve and give you a little tree. Just come to me every day and get lunch for you and your mother. ”

Kathe kissed the benefactor’s hand with deep gratitude.

"Now I have to hurry home," said Frau Rat, and quickly withdrew further expressions of thanks from mother and daughter.

Klärchen was very happy when the mother said: "This child really was brought in by God. There is great need and poverty, and the sick woman would surely have succumbed to misery soon if help had not come, perhaps at the right time! I will take care of the sick now, and you, my fairy tale, are thinking of giving the little ones Christmas presents. Go and look under your toys and clothes, and what you’ve found will bring me to the view. ”–Clearly, Klare hurried away and soon had a number of nice things together. Among them a dress and a coat that had become too small for her; that certainly suited the much smaller Kathe, and she hopped happily to the mother, who approved her choice. Now there was still a little tree missing, which she wanted to get from the money she had saved. The next morning she soon found a very cute fir tree, which she wanted to decorate with bright lights and sugar candy. Loaded with her treasures, she hurried home when she saw nice, warm shoes as she passed a stall. Yes, Kathe should also have warm shoes and gloves for her blue frozen hands, she thought and counted her money. There were three marks left, they would probably go for it. She thought about it back and forth, soon approached the stall and turned back. –The decision was too difficult for her! Should she sacrifice all her money saved so long? If she also saved, she could still buy the beautiful, large doll that she had recently seen at a shop window with her mother. Santa certainly didn’t bring it to her. It would have been too big for a doll, mom had said at the time. But the Christ Child brought her so many lovely things, and she had everything and much more than she needed, while poor Kathe lacked the essentials. And – her good heart won: quickly determined she went to the stall, bought shoes and gloves, and gave all her money. – Says, my little friends, was it not nice from our dear clear? Since then she had always thought about the doll and calculated when she could have so much to buy. Now she had bravely renounced her longest wish and gladly sacrificed her savings. The Lord loves a cheerful giver, and he also looked at the victim of the small clearing with pleasure and recorded their good deed in the great book of life. Whatever we have done to the least of our fellow human beings, we have done to God. He wants us all to help each other like brothers and sisters, and we can’t learn that soon enough. We not only have to be able to give from abundance, but also from little.

"I have never looked forward to Christmas Eve like that, little mother," said Klare. "I now know how true the saying we learned at school the other day is: ‘Giving is more blessed than taking’." – Touched, the mother stroked and kissed her darling and thanked God that the seed of human love in the heart her child had found such fertile soil.

On Christmas Eve, the poor widow’s chopstick looked so different today than it did a few days ago. The good Frau Rat had not only provided food and firing, she had also sent a bed for the sick woman, a comfortable, old-fashioned chair, and whatever else she needed. The hardworking Kathe had cleaned it so cleanly and nicely that the little room made a very cozy impression. The sick woman was sitting in bed reading a hymn book. She still looked very miserable, but not so sad for a long time.

It was getting dark when Kathe returned; she had earned a few pennies with courses for the neighbor’s wife and was happy to finally be home with her mother.

"Oh, dear mother," she said, greeting them tenderly, "how glad I am that you look a lot more comfortable and not as sad anymore. How good is the dear Mrs. Rat who looked after us so kindly. I pray for her and little Miss every day; if she hadn’t asked her good parents for us, how bad would it look around us today. What could I have run for the one mark I took? «

“Yes, God bless her and repay everything the noble lady has done to us. The dear little one is the Christmas angel, whom God sent us, «said the mother with a grateful look at the sky. “Dear God, who sent his son to earth for all of us today, has also taken pity on our misery. We must never forget to thank him for it, and we never want to despair again if the help is not there. Maybe next year the Christ child will come to you and light a tree for you too. «

"If you only get well, my mother, I don’t want more than that, we’re already doing so well," replied the child, who was used to need and deprivation. »When I came back from my aisles, I saw so many Christmas trees burning, I was already happy enough.«

"Silent night, holy night!" Sang so devoutly and solemnly in the poor little room with thankful hearts that they did not even hear the door being opened. Clarets with a little tree in hand and her girl, carrying a large basket on her arm, entered quietly.

Both stood silently at the door and listened to the solemn song to the end. Then Clare came to her mother and daughter in a friendly manner, shook hands with her and said: "The Christ child sends me here to give presents; you, dear Kathe, already know me; but now you have to go out quickly until I’m finished and call you. ”- Speechless with astonishment and amazement, Kathe left. She still could not understand that a tree was to be cleaned for her.

With the help of the girl, Klare quickly moved the old worm-eaten table to the bed so that the sick woman could also take part in the gift giving. Then she took a white tablecloth from the basket, covered it over the table, and placed the tree in the middle. Then she filled two plates with gingerbread, apples and nuts, put a warm dress of herself and her mother in each place, and a warm cloth, shoes and stockings on the patient’s. Also a bottle of fortifying wine for this and a Christstollen were not missing. She now built up a coat, an apron, and a warm petticoat, the conscious shoes and gloves, books, feathers and toys for Kathe. In the meantime the girl had already infected the little tree and now she could call Kathe. –There was joy and happiness on both sides, which the angels in heaven were happy about.

The happy Kathe could not understand that all these glories should belong to her. Clear was happy about the transfigured face of the little ones; she tried on every piece and everything fit as well as if it had been made for her. Mother and daughter were unable to find words to express what their grateful heart felt.

"God bless you, angel of mercy, and reward you and your noble, good parents for everything you have done to me and the child," stammered the sick woman with tears of emotion.

Let us now leave the two to their happiness and their joy and we accompany clarifiers home, where a rich gift was waiting for them. You all know, my little friends, what Christmas cheer is and what joy a clean, green Christmas tree with its festive glow of lights brings!

Our clearers stood cheering in front of their place, examining each piece with blissful delight. How the kind parents had once again fulfilled their wishes! There was a finished, new dress, matching a paletot, a lovely hat, books and games. But what was there, hidden behind the coat? – Oh, what a surprise! it was the enchantingly beautiful doll with the flexible limbs, the most beloved blond head of curls and the cornflower blue eyes. No, the joy was incredible! – Like a little princess, she enthroned on an armchair suitable for her in her fine promenade suit with her little feather hat and the cute little umbrella in her delicate hands. – Klara didn’t know what to do for joy and how to thank the good parents. Singing, she danced around with her splendor and only now noticed the delicate purse that was hung over the doll’s arm and which was now dropping it. She picked it up, opened it and – no, really, the surprise didn’t end today! There were six bare marks in it, a strip of paper next to it, and a verse was written on it.

‘Because your bag is emptied of gifts of love,
Has Christkindchen brought you this now.
Always follow the pious instinct
To practice true love of people! «

Klare understood the meaning of these words, and she was very pleased that they expressed appreciation and satisfaction of the parents. Delighted and touched by so much love and kindness from the dear parents, she would have stood delighted in front of her seat for a long time, if not her little, four-year-old brother Hans, impatient and selfish, had drawn her to his table.

»Well, you will finally be ready to see what Santa has brought me! Look, I got all the nice things! – Where have you been so long in the afternoon? Knecht Ruprecht was here before the gift giving. I had to say my Christmas prayer and I was very good at it, ”he added proudly. “That’s why I got apples and nuts before. You haven’t seen him at all. He was wearing thick black fur that looked like dad’s on the left. He carried a large sack where all naughty children and even those who cannot do anything can get into. But because I am good and my prayer was very good, I didn’t need to go in, and that’s why Santa Claus brought me so much. – See the many soldiers, the fortress, the assembly game, this uniform, the spar and the beautiful book! I will soon learn from that and become a very clever man, "he said with an important expression," maybe still a president or a general. "

"Well, it’ll be a long time with the general, my dude," replied the father, and everyone laughed at the little prankster who was already so confident about his former size.

So with joy and joyful jokes parents and children the beautiful Christmas Eve passed too quickly.

When Klärchen wished the parents a "good night" and thanked again for all love and kindness with tender kisses and hugs, she whispered in her mother’s ear: "This was the most beautiful of all Christmas evenings. Oh, how thank you, dear mother, for reminding me not to forget the poor in my joy. Perhaps otherwise today, when I was given so much and so happy, poor Kathe and her mother should have been starving and freezing. Oh, Mamachen, you could have seen the joy of both of them. Kathe looked so transfigured as a Christmas angel, and the poor, sick woman wept with emotion and joy. No, there is no longer such a sweet mother like me anywhere in the world. "And she almost crushed her with her kisses and stormy caresses until she released herself and said with a smile:" Just don’t suffocate me, you wild catch : God willing, I would like to celebrate many more Christmas evenings with you and would be happy if my little daughter continues to practice charity. «

So, my dear little readers, now let our sweet dreams dream, and let us hope that they never stop doing works of love. We all wish that she holds on to the good, that her parents remain a good, grateful daughter and so become the decoration of the house.

But, isn’t it, you would still like to know how things went for Kathe and her mother? Your little hearts certainly felt deeply sorry for the sick, needy woman and her good daughter, who herself was hungry and cold, but spared no effort and no sacrifice and was always concerned only with the sick mother. – To your delight, I can tell you that Klärchen’s mother continued to care for the poor family. But it was only after many weeks that the sick woman, weakened by need and misery, could get out of bed. Finally, when the warm spring sun was shining, she was so far restored that she could do her domestic chores and was able to acquire something with the handiwork that the good Frau Rat gave her among her acquaintances. Kathe was now able to attend school again, which she had had to miss for so long.

Well, my little friends, still hear how nice it got. The friendly, single, old doctor whom the woman sent advice to the patient liked the nature of the quiet, gentle woman. And one fine day, when she was well again, he asked her if she wanted to run the business and move in with Kathe.

She gratefully accepted the friendly offer and moved with Kathe to the good doctor’s house, which soon became a friendly home for both of them. But the mother and daughter never forgot whom they owed their happiness to God. With devoted love and fidelity, they clung to lifes for clarity and their mother, who had become the founder of their happiness.

Gratitude is a delicious flower that can only take root and bloom in good hearts.

The King’s Christmas
Where the cathedral at Frankfurt now stands, there was already a chapel under King Ludwig of German times, the Rudtlint here, and later also at St. Salvator, and was dedicated to the Blessed Virgin Mary and Charlemagne. Ludwig the German celebrated Christmas in his Palatinate in Frankfurt am Main, and called an imperial assembly there. Then it happened that the devil, in the form of a priest and a good spirit, came to Ludwig’s son, Karl, and said to him: "Behold, you are the youngest of your brothers, and your father wants to give the kingdom to your brother Karlmann, which is determined by God for you, and wants to destroy you, God does not want to suffer this." Karl, however, was horrified by the temptation and hurried into … read more Where the cathedral at Frankfurt now stands, there was already a chapel in King Ludwig of German times, which here was the Rudtlint, as later also in St. Salvator, and was the holy virgin Dedicated to Maria and Charlemagne. Ludwig the German celebrated Christmas in his Palatinate in Frankfurt am Main, and called an imperial assembly there. Then it happened that the devil, in the form of a priest and a good spirit, came to Ludwig’s son, Karl, and said to him: "Behold, you are the youngest of your brothers, and your father wants to give the kingdom to your brother Karlmann, which is determined by God for you, and wants to destroy you, God does not want to suffer this." But Karl was horrified by the temptation and hurried to the chapel – by shouting: "Stand out, tempter! You are not a messenger from above!" – The devil followed him into the church and said: "If I were not a messenger from above, how could I enter this house of God with you? How could I carry out the sacrament of the altar, the holy sacrifice?" – And so he obeyed Karl’s mind with the deception of hell and read the mass, and handed him the blessed host, and with the host he drove into him and owned it.

Now that the Reich Assembly was there, Karl talked nonsensically in it, tore the weir from the side, hurled it together with the sword in the middle of the hall, tore off his belt and robe, and was shaken violently back and forth, so that everyone present was horrified. The bishops seized the man possessed by the evil enemy and led him to the chapel, and the archbishop began to sing mass about him. Then Karl began to complain loudly and cry out woe after woe until the mass was over, but the priests did not cease praying until the enemy departed from the king’s son and Karl was healed by God’s mercy. So King Ludwig even had a cloudy Christmas at Frankfurt. But what the devil’s wickedness whispered to the king’s son was later fulfilled, because Karlmann and Ludwig both died before him, and Karl received the crown of the German Empire, if only for a short time, because he fell into melancholy, and gave himself up completely the hands of the priests. The princes of the empire shocked him and gave it to Arnulf, a natural son of his brother Karlmann.

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