NTRODUCTION<br >~hen I couldn t imagine Christmas existing far beyond the high banks of<br >now that lined the streets of my hometown. The stories I first listened<br >a and those I later read only strengthened the impression that Christmas<br >/as meant to take place where I lived so easily， with the long season s<br >xpectations， sights， sounds; the increased reminders of good and evil;<br >he mandatory churchgoing; the seeking of harmony among family and<br >fiends; the belief in small miracles and in the spirits released through the<br >ages of Dickens.<br > There was always snow in Vermont--except for one frightening<br >ear--and it wasn t until I finally left home that I realized Christmas<br >fight thrive without it， that it could take place in the imagination， one<br >ropcrly stoked by memories and the rereading of a favorite book or<br >:hristmas story. The images have traveled long distances with me， to<br >olidays spent in Britain， Europe， California， New York， Washington，<br >ld once in Bethlehem， Pennsylvania.<br >When I was young we listened to stories about Christmas， read about<br >hristmas， waited with anticipation for the gift book that was always<br >rare under the tree. Oh， of course， we sang about Christmas and in<br >:hool participated in verse-speaking choirs on Christmas themes. But it<br >as through the story reading that we supported the fantasy of a season<br >;pecially made for those of us lucky<br >3or， in Vermont.<br >enough to be young， and not too<br >，ia<br >，;. x i i i "it<br >