Story Notes and Extras  

 Love On Christmas Day

 

written and presented by Sean Hunter

 

with 

the music of Country Music Hall of Fame

and

Hee Haw member

 

Charlie McCoy

 

Talk and Discover

for parents, families, teachers and children to share and enjoy

 

What makes a gift special?

What would be a special gift for you to give to someone?

What are some of your favorite memories of winter?

 

More Talk and Discover

 

How do you honor each other with love?

 

Learning With Art

 

Draw a picture of something you might wear ice skating.

Draw a picture of a gift you could make for someone.

Draw a picture of a Christmas tree.

 

Being A Good Listener

 

What game did Paul dream of playing?

What color were Paul’s first pair of ice skates?

What did Paul’s father tell him to remember about wearing 

his sisters ice skates?

 

A Special Question

 

How do you treat something as your friend?

and

How does it bring you much happiness? 

 

From The Kitchen

 

Ideas For Special Gifts

 

Bake some cookies.

Make a pie.

Bake cup cakes and brownies.

 

Knowing More About Paul

 

http://cfstorytime.com/sparky-mccloud-meets-an-nhl-referee

 

Other Stories 

For All To Enjoy

The Grinch That Stole Christmas
The Night Before Christmas

 

Some Other Ways To Enjoy The Holidays

 

Make a Ginger Bread House.

Sing some of the traditional Christmas songs 

with family and friends.

Write a Christmas poem.

 

Sharing The Holiday Spirit

Visit someone in a hospital, or that is sick at home.
Write a note or letter to someone that you haven’t seen for a while.
 Smile.

 

Text Of Story

 

Love

 On Christmas Day

 

by Sean Hunter

 

 

    When the sky begins to tell you that snow will soon be upon the ground.  It is easy to get that joyful feeling.  Christmas Day will soon be here.

 

    And what a special moment the memories of Christmas can be.

 

    The preparing to pick and decorate the tree.  The songs to be heard and sung.  The soft, warm glow of candles coming from the windows.  The cheerful greetings from neighbors and friends.  And all the delightful aromas that would soon be coming from the kitchen.  

 

    For Christmas is indeed special.  For it is a time of joy and honoring each other with love.

 

    And for Paul, all of that was true.

 

    When Paul was a young boy winter was also a time to go skating and dream of playing hockey.  Having fun gliding about the ice.  Enjoying the fresh air and the delights of the moment.  Wearing his sisters white figure skates.

 

    For those were the only skates Paul had.  

 

    And that’s how Paul grew up.  With hand me downs being common.  Wearing those skates each day with pride. 

 

    Remembering his father’s kindness and encouragement.  “That those are still a pair of skates.”  “Treat them as your friend and they’ll bring you much happiness.”

 

     And indeed the skates did.

 

    Then one day on his way to go skating Paul passed the local sporting goods store and stopped to look in the window.  The owner seeing Paul came out and asked Paul if he could help him for a moment.  That he had a nephew just about the same size as Paul, and would Paul please tell him what he thought about the comfort and fitting of a certain pair of skates. 

 

    So Paul tried on the skates and wow!  The skates were wonderful.  And yes!  Any hockey player would be happy to have those skates.

 

    Then off Paul went.  To have a good time skating.

 

    And each day as Paul skated Christmas became a little bit closer.

 

    On Christmas morning Paul and his family gathered.    For everyone was excited      And around their tree with all it’s decorations the family began to celebrate and open their gifts.  For Santa had left gifts for everyone. 

 

    And with delight and surprise.  Tucked away somewhere behind the tree there was one more gift, and it just happened to be for Paul.  And Paul began to wonder.  What could it be?

 

    And as Paul opened his gift his eyes widened with joy.  There was a pair of brand new skates.  Just like the ones he had helped the store owner with.

 

    It was now many years later.  The snow had begun to fall and Paul was thinking of his father and their memories of Christmas.

 

    Over the years Paul had often thought about his first pair of skates.  And each year those skates became even more special.  For there were other memories that were to become a part of Christmas that Paul now remembered and cherished.  Like his father’s sweaters having patches on the elbows, and how his mother was always clipping coupons.  And walking to and from the market, when the bus went right by their door. 

 

    And with each of those memories, Paul began to see the love in the many small sacrifices his parents had so willingly made.   And now realized the true love and joy of the gift of Christmas Day

 

© - Sean Hunter – 2018