Merry Christmas. Welcome to our family's favorite Christmas story read aloud. Gather the kids and find a cozy

spot to relax while I read to all of you, our family's favorite

Christmas story. Most of my kids are grown up and some even have kids of their own, so it

makes me really happy to be able to share this with you today. Years ago, my husband's mom gave us

a book of Christmas stories and songs, but this particular story seemed to be

our kids' favorite. Are you ready? It's called Christmas Eve from the 24 days before Christmas

by Madeline La Engle. When we woke up on Christmas Eve morning, we ran to the windows.

Not only was the ground white, but we couldn't even see the road.

Mother said the snowplow went through at five o'clock so the farmers could get the milk out.

And Daddy had followed the milk trucks, but the road had already filled in again.

We ate breakfast quickly, put on snow suits, and ran out to play.

The snow was soft and sticky, the very best kind for making snowmen and building forts.

We spent the morning making a Christmas snowman and started a fort around him.

John is good at cutting blocks out of snow like an Eskimo.

We weren't nearly finished, though, when Mother called us in for lunch.

After lunch, Susie said, I might as well go upstairs and have my nap and get it over with.

We have to have naps on Christmas Eve if we want to stay after

the pageant for the Christmas Eve service. Susie is very businesslike about things like naps.

Mother looked a little peculiar, but she didn't say anything, and Susie went upstairs to bed taking a

book. She can't read, but she likes looking at pictures.

Mother lit the kitchen fire and sat in front of it to read to John and me. We were just

settled and comfortable when the phone rang. Mother answered it. We listened. Yes, I was afraid of that.

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