The Christmas Box [Hardcover]

Richard Paul Evans (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: November 2, 1995

Since it was first published, more than seven million people have been touched by the magic of The Christmas Box, a holiday classic that is as beloved in our time as A Christmas Carol was in Dickens's.

When Richard Paul Evans wrote The Christmas Box, he intended it as a private expression of love for his two young daughters, Jenna and Allyson. Though he often told them that he loved them, he didn't feel that they could ever really understand the depth of his feelings until they had experienced the joy of rearing their own children, and by that time their relationship would have changed forever. In writing The Christmas Box, he hoped that at some time in the future they would read the book and know of their father's love.

As Evans began to write, he was amazed at the inspiration that flowed into his mind and heart. He completed the moving story of a widow and the young family who comes to live with her in less than six weeks, and bound twenty copies to give as Christmas presents to family and friends. In the following weeks, those twenty copies were shared and passed along from family to family, from friend to friend, and what began as a tale for two little girls became a message of miracles, hope, and healing for people throughout the world.

Editorial Reviews

Amazon.com Review

Richard Paul Evans originally wrote The Christmas Box as an expression of love for his two daughters, never intending for it to be published. Many Christmas seasons (and a rich publishing contract) later, this touching tale relates the meaning of Christmas in a profound but simple way. Rick, Keri, and their 4-year-old daughter, Jenna, are hired as caretakers and are welcomed into the home of Mary, an ailing widow, just in time for the holidays. Before long, it becomes apparent that Mary cherishes their companionship, and this young family begins to understand that their relationship to Mary is more special than any one of them could have realized. These tender relationships, fraught with real-life struggles, are the backdrop for unraveling a mysterious secret that gently propels the reader through this short story. Unlike most generic Christmas stories, Evans manages to bypass triviality, imbedding these pages with humble truth and emotion. This tiny treasure will cause you to rejoice in the blessings of the season while stirring up a childlike vigor as old profundity is revealed anew. In a season often shrouded in selfishness and materialism, Evans reminds the reader that the only way that we can genuinely love one another is by accepting the greatest gift of love ever given--that of a Father who "so loved His children that He sent His son, that we might someday return to Him." --Jill Heatherly

From Publishers Weekly

Self-published in paperback during the Christmas season 1994, Evans's first novel quickly gained national media attention. Now the cleverly told tale, which the author reputedly wrote for his daughters and which revels in sentimentality, is available in hardcover. The story relates how a young couple, Richard (who narrates) and Keri, accept a position to care for a lonely widow, Mary Parkin, in her spacious Victorian mansion. As Christmas draws near, Mary becomes anxious about Richard's obsession with success and his failure to make time for his family. She urges him to reconsider his priorities, but he is always too busy to heed her advice. It is only when Mary is on her deathbed and her secret sorrow is revealed through the letter-laden Christmas box of the title that Richard realizes what she has been trying to tell him. The message concerns love, of course, and the strings Evans pulls to vivify it should squeeze sobs from even the stoniest of hearts. It's notable, however, that unlike many well-known Christmas tales (such as Dickens's), which carry that message in a basically nonsectarian manner, this is steeped in specific Christian imagery and belief as the author draws on the drama of Jesus as God's sacrifice for the world's sins, and of his crucifixion and resurrection. 750,000 first printing; BOMC, QPB, BOMC Homestyle Book Club, BOMC Craft Books Club, BOMC Children's Book Club alternates; simultaneous S & S audio and S & S Libros En Espanol edition; author tour.
Copyright 1995 Reed Business Information, Inc.

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Product Details

• Hardcover: 128 pages
• Publisher: Simon & Schuster; 1 edition (November 2, 1995)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0684814994
• ISBN-13: 978-0684814995
• Product Dimensions: 7.1 x 5.2 x 0.7 inches
• Shipping Weight: 4 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.4 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (139 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #80,828 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

53 of 57 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Read this story to your children!, December 11, 1999

By 

Robin (United States) - See all my reviews

This review is from: The Christmas Box (Hardcover)

Thirty minutes ago, I finished reading this to my children (all in one sitting!) My four-yr-old fell asleep, but the other two kids kept telling me "Just one more chapter!" During the last chapter or two, we all started crying and couldn't stop. At times, I could barely read the words through my sobbing. It is such a POWERFUL story of love. Even though young children may get bored with the first few chapters, keep reading with them. By the end of the fourth chapter, they will be begging you not to stop reading. They have asked me to buy them each a book of their own. I plan to do so, so that they may share this beautiful story someday with their own children. I'm sure that my family now has a new Christmas tradition: reading aloud "The Christmas Box."

30 of 33 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars For any parent who has lost a child..., December 18, 1999

By A Customer

This review is from: The Christmas Box (Hardcover)

This book is a "must read" for any parent, grand-parent, sibling, aunt, or uncle who has experienced the death of a child. One of my children died earlier this year, so my reason for reading the book may be different from other readers. While the book was sad, it was also filled with hope - hope that survives the separation of a parent and child, hope that never wanes or forgets! The story may be simple and short, but it is an enduring testimony (both personal to the author and for his fictional characters) of enduring love!

21 of 23 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A Beloved Classic For All Seasons, January 1, 2003

By 

Antoinette Klein (Hoover, Alabama USA) - See all my reviews
(TOP 500 REVIEWER)    (REAL NAME)   

This review is from: The Christmas Box (Hardcover)

I had enjoyed the tv movie of this with Richard Thomas and Maureen O'Hara, but never liking to read a book once I've seen the movie, I avoided picking this one up. Surprisingly, I won it while playing 'Dirty Santa' at a neighborhood party and felt compelled to read it. What a treat! This is one of the most heartwarming stories and probably the best by the wonderful Richard Paul Evans. Readers will be enchanted by the story of the young father who with his wife and daughter take up residence with an elderly lady in order to make ends meet. Instead of mere companions and housekeepers to the woman, they become dear and trusted friends. They, like the reader, are mystified by her past and want to know more about the Christmas box in the attic and the secret of the letters it holds.

This book answers the profound question, 'What is the first gift of Christmas.' As every parent knows, it is a parent's love for a child and without being overly sappy on the religion angle, this book beautifully illustrates God's love for His children in sending His Son.

Speaking directly to parents who have lost children, this book will appeal to everyone who believes in Christmas and the importance of cherishing family. For an uplifting renewal of your committment to yourself and to your family, read this book.