Two Gentle Christmas Tales For Bedtime

Hello, my dear listeners, and welcome back. Tonight, I’m so happy to share two gentle Christmas tales to help you unwind and settle in for a peaceful night’s rest. Our first story is A Christmas Star, a sweet and simple tale about the quiet magic found in small acts of kindness during the holiday season.

Then we’ll cozy up for Christmas in the Barn, where a little boy brings the spirit of Christmas to the animals he loves by decorating a tree just for them. Both stories are filled with soft winter imagery and a sense of warmth that I hope brings you comfort as you drift off.

So take a slow, deep breath… snuggle in… and let these tender holiday stories guide you toward rest.

Wishing every one of you a happy, heartfelt holiday season. May it be peaceful, gentle, and filled with moments of quiet joy.

Sweet dreams, Joanne

Transcript

Hello,

My friend,

And welcome back to Drift Off Premium.

I'm so happy you're here with me.

Tonight we'll enjoy two heartwarming Christmas tales,

A Christmas Star by Catherine Pyle and Christmas in the Barn by F.

Arnstein.

Before we begin,

Let's take a few quiet moments to relax and get comfortable.

Take a slow,

Deep breath in through your nose,

And gently breathe out through your mouth.

Allow your body to let go of the day.

Feel your shoulders drop a little lower.

Your hands rest easily by your sides,

And your breath falls into a soft,

Natural rhythm.

Let the quiet of this moment surround you,

Peaceful and still.

There's nothing you need to do,

Nowhere you need to be,

Just this simple time to rest and listen.

And when you're ready,

Let's begin.

A Christmas Star Come now,

My dear little stars,

Said Mother Moon,

And I will tell you the Christmas story.

Every morning for a week before Christmas,

Mother Moon used to call all the little stars around her and tell them a story.

It was always the same story,

But the stars never wearied of it.

It was the story of the Christmas Star,

The Star of Bethlehem.

When Mother Moon had finished the story,

The little stars always said,

And the star is shining still,

Isn't it,

Mother Moon,

Even if we can't see it?

And Mother Moon would answer,

Yes,

My dears,

Only now it shines for men's hearts instead of their eyes.

Then the stars would bid the Mother Moon goodnight and put on their little blue nightcaps and go to bed in the sky chamber,

For the star's bedtime is when people down on the earth are beginning to waken and see that it is morning.

But that particular morning,

When the little stars said goodnight and went quietly away,

One golden star still lingered beside Mother Moon.

What is the matter,

My little star?

Asked the Mother Moon.

Why don't you go with your little sisters?

Oh,

Mother Moon,

Said the golden star,

I am so sad.

I wish I could shine for someone's heart like that star of wonder that you tell us about.

Why aren't you happy up here in the sky country?

Asked Mother Moon.

Yes,

I have been very happy,

Said the star,

But tonight it seems just as if I must find some heart to shine for.

Then if that is so,

Said Mother Moon,

The time has come,

My little star,

For you to go through the wonder entry.

The wonder entry?

What is that?

Asked the star.

But the Mother Moon made no answer.

Rising,

She took the little star by the hand and led it to a door that it had never seen before.

The Mother Moon opened the door,

And there was a long,

Dark entry.

At the far end was shining a little speck of light.

What is this?

Asked the star.

It is the wonder entry,

And it is through this that you must go to find the heart where you belong,

Said the Mother Moon.

Then the little star was afraid.

It longed to go through the entry as it never longed for anything before,

And yet it was afraid and clung to the Mother Moon.

But very gently,

Almost sadly,

The Mother Moon drew her hand away.

Go,

My child,

She said.

Then,

Wondering and trembling,

The little star stepped into the wonder entry and the door of the Sky House closed behind it.

The next thing the star knew,

It was hanging in a toy shop with a whole row of other stars.

Blue and red and silver,

It itself was gold.

The shop smelled of evergreen and was full of Christmas shoppers,

Men and women and children,

But of them all,

The star looked at no one but a little boy standing in front of the counter,

For as soon as the star saw the child it knew that he was the one to whom it belonged.

The little boy was standing beside a sweet-faced woman in a long black veil,

And he was not looking at anything in particular.

The star shook and trembled on the string that held it,

Because it was afraid thus the child would not see it,

Or lest,

If he did,

He would not know it as his star.

The lady had a number of toys on the counter before her,

And she was saying,

Now,

I think we have presents for everyone.

There's the doll for Lou,

And the game for Ned,

And the music box for May,

And the rocking horse and the sled.

Suddenly,

The little boy caught her by the arm.

Oh,

Mother,

He said.

He had seen the star.

Well,

What is it,

Darling?

Asked the lady.

Oh,

Mother,

Just see that star up there.

I wish,

Oh,

I do wish I had it.

Oh,

My dear,

We have so many things for the Christmas tree,

Said the mother.

Yes,

I know,

But I do want the star,

Said the child.

Very well,

Said the mother,

Smiling,

Then we will take that too.

So the star was taken down from the place where it hung,

And wrapped up in a piece of paper,

And all the while it thrilled with joy,

For now it belonged to the little boy.

It was not until the afternoon before Christmas,

When the tree was being decorated,

That the golden star was unwrapped and taken out from the paper.

Here is something else,

Said the sweet-faced lady.

We must hang this on the tree.

Paul took such a fancy to it that I had to get it for him.

He will never be satisfied unless we hang it on too.

Oh,

Yes,

Said someone else who was helping to decorate the tree.

We will hang it here on the very top.

So the little star hung on the highest branch of the Christmas tree.

That evening,

All the candles were lighted on the Christmas tree,

And there were so many that they fairly dazzled the eyes,

And the gold and silver balls,

The fairies and the glass fruits,

Shone and twinkled in the light,

And high above them all shone the golden star.

At seven o'clock,

A bell was rung,

And then the folding doors of the room where the Christmas tree stood were thrown open,

And a crowd of children came trooping in.

They laughed and shouted and pointed,

And all talked together,

And after a while there was music,

And presents were taken from the tree and given to the children.

How different it was all from the great wide,

Still sky house!

But the star had never been so happy in all its life,

For the little boy was there.

He stood apart from the other children,

Looking up at the star,

With his hands clasped behind him,

And he did not seem to care for the toys and the games.

At last it was all over.

The lights were put out,

The children went home,

And the house grew still.

Then the ornaments on the tree began to talk among themselves.

So that is all over,

Said a silver ball.

It was very happy this evening,

The happiest Christmas I remember.

Yes,

Said a glass bunch of grapes,

The best of it is over.

Of course,

People will come to look at us for several days yet,

But it won't be like this evening.

And then I suppose we'll be laid away for another year,

Said a paper fairy.

Really,

It seems hardly worthwhile.

Such a few days out of the year,

And then to be shut up in the dark box again.

I almost wish I were a paper doll.

The bunch of grapes was wrong in saying that people would come to look at the Christmas tree the next few days,

For it stood neglected in the library and nobody came near it.

Everybody in the house went about very quietly,

With anxious faces,

For the little boy was ill.

At last,

One evening,

A woman came into the room with a servant.

The woman wore the cap and apron of a nurse.

That is it,

She said,

Pointing to the golden star.

The servant climbed up on some steps and took down the star and put it in the nurse's hand,

And she carried it out into the hall and upstairs to a room where the little boy lay.

The sweet-faced lady was sitting by the bed,

And as the nurse came in,

She held out her hand for the star.

Is this what you wanted,

My darling?

She asked,

Bending over the little boy.

He nodded and held out his hands for the star.

As he clasped it,

A wonderful,

Shining smile came over his face,

The happiest she'd ever seen.

The next morning,

Sunlight streamed through the window,

Touching the golden star that lay on the table beside his bed.

Its five points sparkled brightly in the light.

And when his mother came into the room,

She found the little boy sitting up,

Color in his cheeks and a sparkle in his eyes.

He smiled at her and said softly,

I feel all better now,

Mama.

And though it was only a paper star,

Something had changed.

The little star,

The one he had wished upon,

Seemed to live inside his heart now,

Filling him with a quiet joy and a light that would never fade.

Only two more days and Christmas would be here.

It had been snowing hard,

And Johnny was standing at the window,

Looking at the soft white snow which covered the ground half a foot deep.

Presently,

He heard the noise of wheels coming up the road,

And a wagon turned in at the gate and came past the window.

Johnny was very curious to know what the wagon could be bringing.

He pressed his little nose close to the cold windowpane,

And to his great surprise,

Saw two large Christmas trees.

Johnny wondered why there were two Christmas trees and turned quickly to run and tell Mama all about it,

But then remembered that Mama was not at home.

She had gone to the city to buy some Christmas presents and would not return until quite late.

Johnny began to feel that his toes and fingers had grown quite cold from standing at the window so long,

So he drew his own little chair up to the cheerful great fire and sat there quietly thinking.

Kitty,

Who had been curled up like a little bundle of wool in the very warmest corner,

Jumped up and,

Going to Johnny,

Rubbed her head against his knee to attract his attention.

He patted her gently and began to talk to her about what was in his thoughts.

He had been puzzling over the two trees which had come,

And at last had made up his mind about them.

I know now,

Kitty,

Said he,

Why there are two trees.

This morning,

When I kissed Papa goodbye at the gate,

He said he was going to buy one for me,

And Mama,

Who was busy in the house,

Did not hear him say so,

And I'm sure she must have bought the other.

But what shall we do with two Christmas trees?

Kitty jumped into his lap and purred and purred.

A plan suddenly flashed into Johnny's mind.

Would you like to have one,

Kitty?

Kitty purred more loudly,

And it seemed almost as though she had said yes.

Oh,

I will,

I will,

If Mama will let me.

I'll have a Christmas tree out in the barn for you,

Kitty,

And for all the pets,

And then you'll be as happy as I shall be with my tree in the parlor.

By this time,

It had grown quite late.

There was a ring at the doorbell,

And quick as a flash,

Johnny ran,

With happy smiling face,

To meet Papa and Mama and give them each a loving kiss.

During the evening,

He told them all that he had done that day,

And also about the two big trees which the man had brought.

It was just as Johnny had thought.

Papa and Mama had each bought one,

And as it was so near Christmas,

They decided not to send either of them back.

Johnny was very glad of this,

And told them of the happy plan he had made and asked if he might have the extra tree.

Papa and Mama smiled a little as Johnny explained his plan,

But they said he might have the tree,

And Johnny went to bed feeling very happy.

That night,

His Papa fastened the tree into a block of wood so that it would stand firmly,

And then set it in the middle of the barn floor.

The next day,

When Johnny had finished his lessons,

He went to the kitchen and asked Annie,

The cook,

If she would save some bones and potato pairings,

And all the other leavings from the day's meals,

And give them to him the following morning.

He also begged her to give him several cupfuls of salt and cornmeal,

Which she did,

Putting them in paper bags for him.

Then she gave him the dishes he asked for,

A few chipped ones,

Not good enough to be used at table,

And an old wooden bowl.

Annie wanted to know what Johnny intended to do with all these things,

But he only said,

Wait until tomorrow,

Then you shall see.

He gathered up all the things which the cook had given him,

And carried them to the barn,

Placing them on a shelf in one corner,

Where he was sure no one would touch them,

And where they would all be ready for him to use the next morning.

Christmas morning came,

And,

As soon as he could,

Johnny hurried out to the barn,

Where stood the Christmas tree which he was going to trim for all his pets.

The first thing he did was to get a paper bag of oats.

This he tied to one of the branches of the tree,

For Brownie the mare.

Then he made up several bundles of hay,

And tied these on the other side of the tree,

Not quite so high up,

Where Whiteface,

The cow,

Could reach them,

And on the lowest branches some more hay for Spotty,

The calf.

Next,

Johnny hurried to the kitchen to get the things Annie had promised to save for him.

She had plenty to give.

With his arms and hands full,

He went back to the barn.

He found three lovely bones with plenty of meat on them.

These he tied together to another branch of the tree for Rover,

His big black dog.

Under the tree,

He placed the big wooden bowl and filled it well with potato pairings,

Rice and meat left from yesterday's dinner.

This was the full and tempting trough for Piggywig.

Near this,

He placed a bowl of milk for Kitty,

On one plate the salt for the pet lamb,

And on another,

The cornmeal for the dear little chickens.

On the top of the tree,

He tied a basket of nuts.

These were for his pet squirrel,

And I had almost forgotten to tell you of the bunch of carrots tied very low,

Where Softwhitebunny could reach them.

When all was done,

Johnny stood off a little way to look at this wonderful Christmas tree,

Clapping his hands with delight.

He ran to call Papa and Mama and Annie,

And they laughed aloud when they saw what he had done.

It was the funniest Christmas tree they'd ever seen.

They were sure the pets would like the presents Johnny had chosen.

Then,

There was a busy time in the barn.

Papa and Mama and Annie helped about bringing in the animals,

And before long,

Brownie,

Whiteface,

Spotty,

Rover,

Piggywig,

Kitty,

Lambkin,

The chickens,

The squirrel,

And Bunny had been led each to his own Christmas breakfast on and under the tree.

What a funny sight it was to see them all standing around looking happy and contented,

Eating and drinking with such an appetite.

While watching them,

Johnny had another thought,

And he ran quickly to the house and brought out the new trumpet which Papa had given him for Christmas.

By this time,

The animals had all finished their breakfast,

And Johnny gave a little toot on his trumpet as a signal that the tree festival was over.

Brownie went,

Neighing and prancing to her stall.

Whiteface walked demurely off with a bellow,

Which Spotty,

The calf,

Running at her heels,

Tried to imitate.

The little lamb skipped,

Bleeding away.

Piggywig walked off with a grunt.

Kitty jumped on the fence with a mew.

The squirrel still sat up in the tree,

Cracking her nuts.

Bunny hopped to her snug little quarters,

While Rover,

Barking loudly,

Chased the chickens back to their coop.

Such a hub-hub of noises!

Mama said it sounded as if they were trying to say,

Merry Christmas to you,

Johnny.

Merry Christmas to all.

Sweet dreams,

My friend.

Sleep well.

Reviews

What sweet & positive stories. Thank you, Joanne, and Merry Christmas.

Merry Christmas and thank you!
Lovely stories for Christmas Eve.

Merry Christmas Joanne! Thank you for these tales. I fell asleep before the second one, I thank you for that! Will relisten. Love your story style, as you know!
✨🌟💕🙏💫☪️