The Spirit of Christmas

Author Unknown

Long, long ago in a far away country there lived a King. For many years, he ruled his kingdom wisely and well. For a while, this was a happy kingdom where friendship and love were shared by everyone. But then something strange happened. The people became gloomy and no one laughed or smiled any more. Instead of people greeting each other kindly when they met, there were sharp words.

The King became worried and thought to himself, “Christmas will soon be here. Then the people will be happy and my kingdom will be filled with love again.” But as Christmas drew near, nothing changed. No one gathered the lovely, wild holly that grew so abundantly on the hillsides near the city. No one made wreaths to hang upon their doors. The spicy smell of holiday puddings and cakes and pies were replaced with a moldy, musty stench. Where once were heard the songs of cheerful carolers, there was now only bleak, cold silence in the air.

The King was sad indeed. “What has happened to my people? Why have they all lost the Spirit of Christmas? Something must be done! And done quickly!” So he called his sons together to ask for their help. Bryan, the eldest was very obedient. Thomas, the middle was a diligent young man. His youngest son, Michael, was very loving.

“My sons,” began the King, “I am in need of your help. The Spirit of Christmas has fled from our midst, and we must bring it back. I’ve been told that in the dark forest many miles to the north lives the Christmas Spirit. In the deepest part of the forest, you will find a special tree hidden by many other trees. You will know this tree is special because it has a golden trunk and silvery, white boughs. And it is said that anyone who has love in his heart can find it easily. People say that when someone does a good deed, its blossoms glow with a soft and beautiful light. And if many good deeds are done, the whole tree becomes a glory of light – beautiful to behold. That light can be seen for a great distance and is accompanied with beautiful music floating through the forest, and the Spirit of Christmas appears and dances for joy.

“Now, my sons, you are all good boys and it is important that I save my kingdom. Bryan, because you are the eldest, I will send you first to find the Spirit of Christmas. If you do not return in three days, Thomas will follow you. And if neither of you has come back to me within six days, I will send young Michael to search for the Spirit of Christmas. The time is short, so go quickly, Bryan, my son. You must make haste!”

Bryan set off on his quest with his father’s last words ringing in his mind, “Go quickly, my son. Make haste!” He came upon an old beggar pleading for a crust of bread to eat. But obediently, he hurried on. Then he came upon two young urchins fighting furiously in the road. He stepped around them and hurried on his way. Soon he came upon a shivering, small child who was coatless and stood in the wintery cold. He felt sorry for the child, but time was quickly passing, so he turned his face away from her. He hastened on and nearly stumbled into an old woman. She was bent beneath the heavy bundle of firewood on her back and was gathering sticks of wood. But Bryan seemed to see or hear nothing except his father’s last words, “Go quickly, my son. Make haste!”

At last he entered the dark forest to begin his search for the Spirit of Christmas. He searched all night long and all the next day until darkness fell. But he saw no glow from the special tree nor heard the sweet strains of music fill the air. Exhausted and filled with despair, he sank to the ground and fell asleep.

On the third day when his eldest son did not return, the King sent forth his second son, Thomas. He gave him the same instructions and said, “Go quickly, my son. Make haste!” Thomas sped on his way. He too passed the hungry old beggar who reached out his bony hand for food. When he saw the uncontrolled fighting of the two young urchins, Thomas simply shook his head and went on. He felt sorry for the shivering small child, but felt that he must keep his cloak because the forest would be cold and damp. He patted her head as he remembered the saddened face of his father and heard his words, “Go quickly, my son. Make haste!” Seeing the old woman bent beneath her load of firewood, Thomas politely smiled and said, “Good morning, madam.” As he entered the forest he thought of the unfortunate people he had passed on the road. “I must stop on my way home and help them,” he promised himself as he continued his search. Morning came, dusk fell, but there was not light from the special tree to guide him as he wandered deep into the forest and became lost.

When the sixth day came, the King called Michael to him and gave him the same instructions before he left on his search for the Spirit of Christmas. “My son, there are but three days left until Christmas. If you fail, there will be no Christmas in this kingdom. You must hurry, my son...hurry!”

Michael took off as if he had wings on his feet. Shortly, he came upon the old beggar asking for a crust of bread. He quickly opened his knapsack and withdrew a slice of bread for the man. The beggar’s eyes filled with tears as he thanked the young man. Michael sped on until he came upon the two young urchins, still fighting in the road. He paused for a moment and said, “My lads, why do you fight? Do you know that adding hurt to hurt does not solve your difficulty? There are better ways. Come, let us have peace!” He talked to them and helped them settle their differences, leaving them playing happily together.

As he hurried on, he saw the shivering child standing coatless in the cold. He took his cape from his shoulders and wrapped it snugly around the child. Then he hastened on his way, wondering if he had delayed too long. He thought of the saddened face of his father and the task he had to do. He remembered the words, “Go quickly, my son. Make haste!” Just then, the old woman crossed his path as she continued gathering sticks at the forest’s edge. “Here, Grandmother, let me help you. It is fast growing dark.” Then he speedily gathered the wood for her and was on his way again.

As he entered the dark forest, he saw light through the trees. Drawing nearer, he heard the sweet strains of music and saw a lovely figure dancing before a strange and beautiful tree. “That must be the Spirit of Christmas!” he exclaimed. He stood there as though entranced, wondering why he had been able to find the tree so easily. He watched the Christmas Spirit as she joyously whirled and pivoted.

When the Christmas Spirit saw him, she stopped dancing and came to him saying, “Oh, Prince! You and you alone made the tree glow again, and that has brought me such great happiness. When you shared your food with the beggar, this special flower bloomed. When you stopped to teach the urchins of peace, this flower burst forth with light. When you unselfishly gave your cape to the small child, this blossom lighted. And when you stopped to help the old woman, yet another flower glowed.

“Oh, Prince, you have no need to search for the Spirit of Christmas, because you carry it in your heart. Do you not know that the Spirit of Christmas comes from giving and sharing with others? Do you not know that it is unselfishness and love? It is the same spirit by which the Savior of the world brought great happiness to man.”

The tree glowed with its lights of unselfish love. The two other brothers, weary and hungry from their search, were drawn to the spot by the great light shining through the darkness. As the Spirit of Christmas spoke, they listened to her, and then Michael told her of his father’s special request. “Please come home with us and bring the Spirit of Christmas back to our kingdom.” Bryan and Thomas bowed their heads remorsefully, realizing that in their haste to be obedient, they had forgotten their father’s first teachings, “Serve others unselfishly and treat them with kindness.”

Together they left the dark forest to return home. As they passed through the kingdom, they saw joy and happiness return to the people. And a voice was heard as if from a far distance, “Even as ye have done it unto the least of these, yea have done it unto me.”