Books That Matter: The Story of Santa Claus
I know that we tend to feature books for adults (or at least young adults) on this Books That Matter blog. However as
Christmas draws near I can’t help but reflect on my childhood Christmases and the books that I truly loved reading year after year. One book in particular kept my belief in the magic of the holiday alive as I got older — The Story of Santa Claus, written by “Scribbler Elf” and illustrated by the “Elves” (edited by Tim Paulson and Clement Clarke Moore; illustrations by Scott Gustafson).
The Story of Santa Claus is an awe-inspiringly illustrated tale detailing how Nicholas Claus transformed into Saint Nicholas, how he traveled to the North Pole to set up a toy workshop, how his relationship with the elves and reindeer began, and how he came to embody the Christmas spirit. When I was very little, my mom would sit my sister and me down in front of the crackling fire (often with hot chocolate in hand) and read the story to us. I can distinctly remember my amazement that this book was actually written and illustrated by elves, and that somehow my mom had it in her possession!
Besides the pure magic in the way the story is written, the illustrations are some of the most magical I’ve seen in any book. So richly detailed and just plain beautiful, the illustrations — which could be framed as paintings in their own right — so beautifully capture the magic of every element of Christmastime. One of my favorite pages in the book includes a wonderfully detailed illustration of Santa with his sleigh and reindeer flying high above a sleepy village about to descend and deliver Christmas gifts to all the good little girls and boys. Featured on this page is also Clement Clarke Moore’s famous poem, “A Visit From St. Nicholas,” better known as “’Twas the night before Christmas.”
As I got older, my mom stopped reading our Christmas books aloud to my sister and me, but year after year she would still sit them out on the coffee table in the living room. And year after year, as if drawn by some invisible force, The Story of Santa Claus would seem to catch my eye and I would sit down to rediscover its magic all over again.
The Story of Santa Claus is a book that will forever matter to me. It kept my belief in Santa Claus alive for many years, and it continues to foster my belief in the magical spirit of Christmastime and Saint Nicholas. So this holiday season, try to find a copy for yourself. Sit down and flip through its pages with a loved one and reconnect with the magic felt by children during this special time of year.
