Raven was enjoying the cold wind in his wings as he flew over the Northlands. The winter had been particularly cold and snowy that year, and the anniversary of the birth of our Savior was nigh upon world. He felt the joy of the knowledge that a Son was given for him and clucked loudly while flipping through the air.
Off in the distance, Raven spied a rising column of smoke. Curiosity overtook his joy, and he flew toward the anomaly. This was too far north for any of the humans to have inhabited; yet, the smoke was a sure sign that Man had come to the north.
A house had been built out of mud and thatch next to the only tree on the plain. The snow that had fallen last night was undisturbed. A significant amount had blown against the door.
Raven looked in the window. Huddled near the hearth enjoying the fire, was a small family. The mother and father had their arms around the little girl, who clutched a worn out dolly.
As the Raven was watching, the father spoke to his daughter. “Tabitha, it doesn’t look like we will have much of a Christmas this year.”
Tabitha smiled, “That’s okay, daddy. Santa will help us.”
Her father smiled wistfully, “Well, you know Santa has a lot of deliveries to make, and we just moved here, so he may not be able to find us.”
Tabitha scrunched up her face. “Daddy, you know that Santa will find us. He has super fast reindeer, a whole bunch of elves and magic. Besides, he will have to fly over this plain, and as long as we have a fire going, I am sure he will see the smoke and come to see who lives here.”
Faced with the disarming belief of his child, the father couldn’t gainsay her. “Well, honey, Santa may not bring you everything you want this year. He’s got a lot of other kids who need things to brighten their lives…”
“I know that, daddy.” Tabitha paused, playing with her dolly’s hair. “You shouldn’t worry so much about Santa. He will be here, and he will bring the right gift.”
Her father hugged her.
Raven took to the sky thinking about what he saw.
Over the next couple of days, Raven roosted in the tree and watched the family. The cold and snow kept them inside, and they were content to spend time with each other. They didn’t have much. Meals were scant; clothes threadbare. The Christmas season would be filled with love, and while Raven knew that this would be enough for the little family, he felt that the little girl deserved something more.
He watched her particularly. Her delicate smile and generous nature touched Raven’s heart. She seemed to speak words that showed wisdom beyond her years. She loved her parents and did her best to show it. Hugs and smiles were plentiful. She helped with the cooking and the cleaning.
Raven was particularly fascinated with the way that Tabitha treated her dolly. She carried the dolly with her everywhere; never by the arm but always cradling it like an infant. When her parents were busy, Tabitha and the dolly would play games, drink tea, or just sit and chat. There were many times when Tabitha and her dolly provided the entertainment for the family.
Soon Christmas Eve was upon them. Raven saw the parents were a little down about the Christmas they would have. They knew that Tabitha would be disappointed. There just weren’t any presents to put in her stocking. Raven felt their disappointment and decided to help.
He flew far away to the nearest town and called his brethren together. Finches, cardinals, blue birds, chickadees, and many others came to hear what Raven had to say. He explained the situation and recruited many of his brothers to help. They flew all around the town grabbing things that were useful and decorative. They took shiny things that had fallen to the ground; they took things that had been left out by people who no longer cared about the items. Some were so bold as to take things directly from the people walking in the street – a woman’s hat decoration, a man’s pen knife, even a fox stole from the mayor’s wife!
One crafty old bird was able to gain the trust of a small child. After playing with the child for a little bit, the child gave the bird his rattle. He clapped as the old bird flew away in loops and spirals, all the while shaking the rattle.
The birds had all completed their mission as the moon climbed to the top of the sky. They flew out to the cabin and decorated the tree with the items they had found. At the base of the tree, they placed the small gifts they had gotten – a fox stole for the mother, a lighter for the father, an orange for Tabitha, and a rattle and hair comb for her dolly.
The birds sat in the tree waiting for the first sign of life from the cabin. As smoke began to rise from the chimney, a joyous, beautiful symphony of bird song filled the air.
Raven at the top of the tree saw Tabitha peek out the window. Her eyes got wide. She let out a shriek of joy. Her parents came to the window to see the beautifully decorated tree; the birds sang even louder and prettier. Father made a path for the family to get outside.
The family saw the presents under the tree, and joy filled their hearts. Tabitha ran into her father’s arms and hugged him with all her might. “See, daddy, I told you Santa would find us.”
Her father hugged her back and gave a silent prayer of thanks to God for the Christmas miracle that He had delivered.
Off in the distance, Raven spied a rising column of smoke. Curiosity overtook his joy, and he flew toward the anomaly. This was too far north for any of the humans to have inhabited; yet, the smoke was a sure sign that Man had come to the north.
A house had been built out of mud and thatch next to the only tree on the plain. The snow that had fallen last night was undisturbed. A significant amount had blown against the door.
Raven looked in the window. Huddled near the hearth enjoying the fire, was a small family. The mother and father had their arms around the little girl, who clutched a worn out dolly.
As the Raven was watching, the father spoke to his daughter. “Tabitha, it doesn’t look like we will have much of a Christmas this year.”
Tabitha smiled, “That’s okay, daddy. Santa will help us.”
Her father smiled wistfully, “Well, you know Santa has a lot of deliveries to make, and we just moved here, so he may not be able to find us.”
Tabitha scrunched up her face. “Daddy, you know that Santa will find us. He has super fast reindeer, a whole bunch of elves and magic. Besides, he will have to fly over this plain, and as long as we have a fire going, I am sure he will see the smoke and come to see who lives here.”
Faced with the disarming belief of his child, the father couldn’t gainsay her. “Well, honey, Santa may not bring you everything you want this year. He’s got a lot of other kids who need things to brighten their lives…”
“I know that, daddy.” Tabitha paused, playing with her dolly’s hair. “You shouldn’t worry so much about Santa. He will be here, and he will bring the right gift.”
Her father hugged her.
Raven took to the sky thinking about what he saw.
Over the next couple of days, Raven roosted in the tree and watched the family. The cold and snow kept them inside, and they were content to spend time with each other. They didn’t have much. Meals were scant; clothes threadbare. The Christmas season would be filled with love, and while Raven knew that this would be enough for the little family, he felt that the little girl deserved something more.
He watched her particularly. Her delicate smile and generous nature touched Raven’s heart. She seemed to speak words that showed wisdom beyond her years. She loved her parents and did her best to show it. Hugs and smiles were plentiful. She helped with the cooking and the cleaning.
Raven was particularly fascinated with the way that Tabitha treated her dolly. She carried the dolly with her everywhere; never by the arm but always cradling it like an infant. When her parents were busy, Tabitha and the dolly would play games, drink tea, or just sit and chat. There were many times when Tabitha and her dolly provided the entertainment for the family.
Soon Christmas Eve was upon them. Raven saw the parents were a little down about the Christmas they would have. They knew that Tabitha would be disappointed. There just weren’t any presents to put in her stocking. Raven felt their disappointment and decided to help.
He flew far away to the nearest town and called his brethren together. Finches, cardinals, blue birds, chickadees, and many others came to hear what Raven had to say. He explained the situation and recruited many of his brothers to help. They flew all around the town grabbing things that were useful and decorative. They took shiny things that had fallen to the ground; they took things that had been left out by people who no longer cared about the items. Some were so bold as to take things directly from the people walking in the street – a woman’s hat decoration, a man’s pen knife, even a fox stole from the mayor’s wife!
One crafty old bird was able to gain the trust of a small child. After playing with the child for a little bit, the child gave the bird his rattle. He clapped as the old bird flew away in loops and spirals, all the while shaking the rattle.
The birds had all completed their mission as the moon climbed to the top of the sky. They flew out to the cabin and decorated the tree with the items they had found. At the base of the tree, they placed the small gifts they had gotten – a fox stole for the mother, a lighter for the father, an orange for Tabitha, and a rattle and hair comb for her dolly.
The birds sat in the tree waiting for the first sign of life from the cabin. As smoke began to rise from the chimney, a joyous, beautiful symphony of bird song filled the air.
Raven at the top of the tree saw Tabitha peek out the window. Her eyes got wide. She let out a shriek of joy. Her parents came to the window to see the beautifully decorated tree; the birds sang even louder and prettier. Father made a path for the family to get outside.
The family saw the presents under the tree, and joy filled their hearts. Tabitha ran into her father’s arms and hugged him with all her might. “See, daddy, I told you Santa would find us.”
Her father hugged her back and gave a silent prayer of thanks to God for the Christmas miracle that He had delivered.