"Human" by Zona Gale  (21:05 - in 2 parts)
      The line is long at the local post office as townsfolk send off their last-minute Christmas gifts.  The women commiserate about the work that has gone into their hand-made presents, when a small boy in need comes in, along with three well-to-do strangers.  The locals and out-of-towners come together to put the Christmas of the child in the manger before the Christmas of the three kings.  Read by Melanie Ralston.

Part 1 (11:29 -- 10.50MB)  Part 2 (9:36 -- 8.81MB)

"A Journey in Search of Christmas" by Owen Wister (Abridged)  (53:08 - in 4 parts)

       Cowpuncher Lin McLean comes to Cheyenne to celebrate Christmas.  He is quickly disappointed in his options and takes off for Denver to get "good and drunk."  Here, he takes under his wing a young boy with a surprising connection to his own past, and finds his Responsibility to be a welcome companion.  Christmas in the Old West, featuring music by members of the Topeka Festival Singers!  Read by Tracy Schnacker.

"Old Folks' Christmas" by Ring Lardner  (22:55 - in 2 parts)

    It's Christmas Eve, and Tom and Grace Carter are waiting up for their son and daughter to get home for a re-creation of the Carters' usual family Christmas.  As one part after another of the old way of doing things falls by the wayside, Tom and Grace decide to make the most of their own "empty-nesters" celebration. 

Read by Doug Goheen.

Part 1 (11:32 -- 11.57MB)   Part 2 (11:23 -- 10.43MB)

"December Night" by Willa Cather  (16:21 - in 2 parts)
    On a lonely December night in a Catholic mission in Arizona, Bishop LaTour is sleepless with worries about his frontier ministry.  Rising to go into the church, he meets a poor Mexican woman who has braved the elements and her masters' anger to come to the church by night.  The bishop finds purpose and renewal through his pastoral care of this child of God.

                              (Used by the permission from the Willa Cather Literary Trust.)

Read by David Weyhrauch.  Vocals by Marilyn Mott. 

Part 1 (7:18 -- 6.70MB)  Part 2 (9:03 -- 8.29MB)

"Reginald's Christmas Revel" by Saki  (8:19 )
      A young Englishman is made to spend his Christmas with boring relatives, and succeeds in livening up the festivities...just before being shown the door!  Read by Ryan J. McCoy.

Part 1 (8:19 -- 13:20MB)

"How Santa Claus Came to Simpson's Bar" by Bret Harte (Abridged)  

(29:43 - in 4 parts)

    In the California mining camp of  Simpson's Bar, a group of ne'er-do-wells band together to provide an invalid boy's Christmas.  Town rowdy Dick Bullens makes an heroic midnight ride through thick and thin to bring home the goods in time!  Read by David Lundry.

Part 1 (6:18 -- 5.77MB)  Part 2 (9:22 -- 8.57MB)  Part 3 (7:55 -- 7.25MB)  Part 4 (6:08 -- 5.63MB)

"As Ye Sow..." by Dorothy Canfield Fisher (Abridged)  (31:38 - in 3 parts)
       When three schoolboys are asked not to sing with their class in the school Christmas program, a determined mother undertakes to bring the boys' musical skills up to scratch in time for them to join the chorus.  The boys succeed under her teaching, and she reaps an unexpected reward for her devoted effort.  Read by Susie Corbett. 

Part 1 (10:30 -- 9.36MB)  Part 2 (8:14 -- 7.55MB)  Part 3 (12:54 -- 11.81MB) 

Want even more Christmas-time stories?  For two spookier tales set at Christmas time, try "At Chrighton Abbey" or "The Kit Bag," found at Victorian Ghost Stories.