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December 16, 2021Advent season is a time of great excitement and preparation for the coming of Jesus! It is a time when many families celebrate with the lighting of an Advent wreath, with prayer and Advent devotionals, by hanging decorations and erecting a Christmas tree. For some, like our family, the celebration includes reading family Christmas stories.
With “Kristoph and the First Christmas Tree,” we have a small book with a very powerful faith message to read this Advent season.
The story, authored by “award winning” Claudia Cangilla McAdam, and the colorful, striking illustrations provided by Dave Hill, is based upon the “legend of Saint Boniface as the creator of the first Christmas tree in the year 722.”
McAdams presents us with a story about Boniface, a German Catholic missionary priest, and Kristoph, a young orphan boy, as they hike through the countryside toward a local village. Along the way they come upon a group of pagan men in the forest. The men are worshipping an oak tree and preparing to sacrifice the son of the village chief.
Boniface decides to use the situation as an opportunity to convert the pagan men to Christianity. He asks Kristoph to use his small ax to cut down the tree. And, miraculously, Kristoph fells the tree with “one stroke” and in doing so, converted the pagan men.
Reading this book enlightened me about the first Christmas tree in Catholic tradition and the role St. Boniface played in its creation. Boniface was “martyred in 754” and has been referred to as the “Apostle to the Germans” (franciscanmedia.org). The story is quite interesting, and Dave Hill’s brilliant and colorful drawings bring “life” to the characters.
While I have read many wonderful children’s Christmas books, I had never heard of Saint Boniface and found this story to be both educational and fascinating. Our Catholic customs include many Christmas stories, and I believe “Kristoph and the First Christmas Tree” could be one passed from generation to generation.
The reading of this book by a parent or older child could become a Christmas tradition while decorating your Christmas tree. In the spirit of Advent, I close with the following Christmas tree blessing:
Lord, thank you for blessing us with the gift of faith and the coming of Jesus! Please bless this Christmas tree and its representation of Jesus and the light he shares with the world.
May the lights hung on the tree remind us to serve as light for many who struggle in darkness.
And, as we look at the tree, let us take time to appreciate the promise and hope of eternal life through Jesus Christ Our Lord. Amen!
