Hello! Welcome to Stories Podcast. I'm your host, Amanda Weldon. Today's story is called

The Holiday Spirit. It was based on a story by Ruben Syens, which was translated by Leo Tolstoy,

and adapted for you by Daniel Hines. We have Stories Podcast merch available at

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The Holiday Spirit.

It was Christmas Eve, and although it was still afternoon, lights had begun to appear in the shops and houses of the little Russian

village, for the short winter day was nearly over. Excited children scurried indoors and now

only muffled sounds of chatter and laughter escaped from closed shutters. Every house seemed to be its own

kingdom, filled to bursting with the happy sounds of the

holidays. Old Papa Panov, the village shoemaker, stepped outside his shop to take one last look around.

The sounds of cheer, the bright lights and the faint but delicious smells of Christmas cooking

reminded him of past Christmas times when his own children had been little and living at home.

Now they had gone, moved off to bigger cities with families of their own.

They visited every holiday, but this year the snow had been too heavy.

Papa had just gotten word that no one else would be making it through the mountains before Christmas.

Papa Panoff would see his family by New Year's, but Christmas wouldn't be the same without them.

...