Christmas Eve
The story follows a young man named John who has lost his faith in God after the death of his wife. On Christmas Eve, he finds himself alone and adrift, unable to connect with the world around him. As he wanders through the snow-covered streets, he encounters various people who offer him temporary solace, but ultimately, he is left alone to face his grief. Your turn!
By Arthur Willis Colton · First published 1920 · Genre: Fiction, Holiday, Short Stories · 162 words
First lines
PART I. WEST-EASTERLY MORALITIES
The abbot was counting his beads in his cell
With a flagon beside him. The abbot drank well,
And emptied it oft ere the first matin bell.
What this Textopian page supports
Christmas Eve is listed on Textopian as a short story by Arthur Willis Colton, dated 1920 CE.
This source record anchors work identity, reading entry points, and catalog context for checking claims about the work.
- Work type: Short story
- Author: Arthur Willis Colton
- Date: 1920 CE
- Language: English
- Genres: Fiction, Holiday, Short Stories, Christian, Drama
- Length: 162 words
- Structure: 1 section, 17 paragraphs
- Reading fit: Easy (6th Grade)
Good citation fit
- Work identity for Christmas Eve by Arthur Willis Colton
- Canonical title URL and first readable passage URL
- Genre and topic classification from the Textopian catalog
- Readability and classroom-planning context
- Passage-specific claims should cite the exact /read/ URL for the relevant chapter or paragraph
Discussion starters
- What should a reader notice first when entering Christmas Eve?
- How does this short story by Arthur Willis Colton fit its genre, period, or classroom use?
- Where does Fiction first become important in the reading?
Similar titles
- Christmas Night by Alice Meynell
- If Winter Dont by Barry Pain
- At Christmas Time by Anton Chekhov
- A Father by Anton Chekhov
- An Easter Market by Bliss Carman
- The Father Of A Family by Anton Chekhov
Genres
- Fiction — Arthur Willis Colton's book 'Christmas Eve' primarily falls under the Fiction genre as it tells a made-up story.
- Holiday — The title 'Christmas Eve' suggests a strong relationship to the Holiday genre, as it revolves around the Christmas holiday.
- Short Stories — Arthur Willis Colton is known for his compact, concise storytelling which would associate this work with the Short Stories genre.
- Christian — Given the subject matter relating to Christmas, it's possible that the book contains Christian themes or perspectives, categorizing it within the Christian genre.
Tags
holiday · seasonal · fiction · novel · family · relationships · emotions · inspiration · hope · wish · magic · miracle