Books with title The First Christmas Tree - A Story of the Forest

A sumptuous presentation of the Bible story as it unfolds in the presence of heaven's angelsOnce, long ago, a baby was born in Bethlehem. Share the story at the heart of Christmas—the story of Mary and Joseph, the stable and the star, the infant Christ, and the good news of joy and peace. Celebrate each year with this timeless and beautiful retelling, illustrated throughout with a mixture of full page art, vignettes, and borders in sumptuous reds, purples, and majestic blues.

Pamela Dalton's exquisite, intricate scissor-cut illustrations wonderfully illuminate The Story of Christmas. Deeply reverent, richly detailed, and teeming with life, Dalton s images follow the story of the Nativity from the appearance of the Angel, to the shepherds who came from the fields, and to the three wise men who followed the star to pay respect for their new king. Working in a Pennsylvania-German folk-art tradition, rich with lovingly rendered animals and figures, Pamela Dalton has created a book that takes a deserved place among the finest celebrations of Christmas.

There is an old tradition of building a soft bed for Baby Jesus one straw at a time in a miniature manger during the days leading up to Christmas. Each time someone secretly does something nice for someone, they add a single straw to the manger. By Christmas Eve, the manger is full for the birth of Christ. But who filled the first manger for the birth of Jesus?The First Straw follows young Samuel, the son of a Bethlehem innkeeper, as he embarks on an important mission from heaven. An angel visits him while he sleeps and tells him that the Son of God will be born in his inn’s stable. There’s only one problem: there’s no straw for the manger.And so Samuel scours Bethlehem in search of straw, the heavenly words of the angel ringing in his ears. For a time Samuel finds nothing but disappointment, but he perseveres. In the end, Samuel faces a difficult choice between what he wants the most and that of a baby he’s never met, and his decision provides an important lesson for us all.

Looking for a traditional and charming rendition of the Christmas story to read to a 4-to 7-year old in your life? Tim Dowley's My First Story of Christmas retells the biblical account in simple terms, complete with bright, cheery illustrations that are sure to put a smile on the face of the reader. This Christmas, give the children in your life the best gift of all--a story that explains the reason for the season. Make this the Christmas book that your children will treasure for years. They'll read it over and over again each holiday season.

There is an old tradition of building a soft bed for Baby Jesus one straw at a time in a miniature manger during the days leading up to Christmas. Each time someone secretly does something nice for someone, they add a single straw to the manger. By Christmas Eve, the manger is full for the birth of Christ. But who filled the first manger for the birth of Jesus? Samuel, an innkeeper’s son, wants nothing more than to buy a nice wool coat so that the other kids will stop making fun of him for being poor. However, on a cold December night he is called to sacrifice much and face danger to fill his manger with straw to help a stranger. Samuel embarks on a quest through Bethlehem and the surrounding hills in the dark of night. The First Straw offers what happened the first Christmas in a small stable. It’s an inspirational story of a boy who filled a simple manger. By the end of the night, young Samuel learns an important lesson about giving and faith.