The Spirit of Christmas by Maud Van Buren

Name: The Spirit of Christmas
Author: Maud Van Buren

On Christmas Eve, after Alan, David, and little Alice help decorate the house with holly, wreaths, a bell for Santa Claus, and mistletoe, Alan doubts that Santa Claus exists. The narrator responds by telling them about Mr. Grouch, a sour, lonely old man who mocks Christmas and insists that Santa Claus is a myth. When the narrator encounters Mr. Grouch in the festive street and wishes him a Merry Christmas, he angrily calls it “Merry Nonsense” and condemns Christmas as foolishness. That night, Mr. Grouch shuts out all signs of celebration and goes to bed. He wakes to find Santa Claus in his room. Santa, who has come to restore the old man’s faith, orders him to dress and takes him through the chimney to a sleigh drawn by eight reindeer. Flying over the city, Mr. Grouch sees that Santa avoids rich homes where people already have more than they need and are “untrue to the Spirit of Christmas.” They stop at a poor little house where a widow, whose husband died two months earlier, sits grieving beside the empty stockings of her sleeping children. Santa fills the stockings with toys, candy, clothing, and a Christmas basket containing a turkey and other food. The widow’s despair changes to wonder, gratitude, and prayer. Deeply moved, Mr. Grouch wishes they could reveal themselves and greet her, but Santa explains that they must remain unseen. The journey continues across the world. Santa and Mr. Grouch bring comfort to lonely sailors, sick children in hospitals, prisoners, and others in need, while reminding the rich to remember their poorer brothers. By morning Mr. Grouch has accepted Santa Claus and declares, “Long live the spirit of Christmas!” On Christmas morning, Mr. Grouch astonishes his servant Andrew by cheerfully wishing him a Merry Christmas. Soon afterward, the narrator sees him carrying a decorated tree and distributing toys and candy to a procession of children. He joins the narrator in taking gifts to the crippled children’s hospital and then spends the day bringing toys and cheer to poor families. Over time, Mr. Grouch becomes fat, jolly, kind-eyed, and white-bearded, almost like Santa Claus himself. The story concludes that Santa Claus is real insofar as people prove the Spirit of Christmas through their words and deeds. Moved by the tale, Alan declares that he believes and proposes that the children gather toys to take to the hospital children the next day.

By Maud Van Buren · First published 1927 · Genre: Christmas Fiction, Children's Literature, Fantasy · 4,519 words

First lines

_Edith Houghton Hooker_

Everybody's hands were quite full of little pin-pricks from the holly / leaves. Alan and David and little Alice had all been helping with the / Christmas greens, and at last the wreaths were securely fastened on / tiny tacks in the windows, and sprays of holly peeped festively out / from behind each picture. There was a large red paper bell hanging from / the chandelier in the hall for Santa Claus to ring when he came in, / and beside it a sprig of mistletoe, so there would be no embarrassment / about kissing him in case he should be caught.[2]

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The Spirit of Christmas is listed on Textopian as a short story by Maud Van Buren, dated 1927 CE.

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Work type: Short story
Author: Maud Van Buren
Date: 1927 CE
Language: English
Genres: Christmas Fiction, Children's Literature, Fantasy, Moral Tale, Sentimental Fiction
Length: 4,519 words
Structure: 1 section, 67 paragraphs
Reading fit: Easy (6th Grade)

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Similar titles

Genres

Christmas Fiction — The story is explicitly set on Christmas Eve and Christmas Day, centering on Santa Claus, holiday customs, gift-giving, charity, and the moral meaning of the Christmas spirit.
Children's Literature — Its accessible language, child listeners, whimsical imagery, clear moral instruction, and reassuring resolution are directed toward young readers.
Fantasy — Santa Claus physically appears, travels by flying reindeer, enters homes through chimneys, wears a cap of darkness, and leads Mr. Grouch on a magical worldwide journey.
Moral Tale — Mr. Grouch's transformation from selfish disbelief to generosity illustrates an explicit lesson: faith in Christmas is shown through compassion, charity, and cheerful action.