As children, we love circling the Christmas tree, and hunting for the packages with our name on them. Shake, guess, and wonder all we like, we never know what we get until Christmas morning. Yet, as we grow, it is important that we understand that it is far better to give than to receive.
It is Christmas Eve and Jean Lawrence, Nellie Preston, Belle and Olive Reynolds, and Beth Hamilton are all gathered in Jean’s room in the No. 16 Chestnut Terrace boarding house. Scattered throughout Jean’s room, they each open the Christmas packages that have been delivered to them. Laughter, roses, chocolates, joy, and an air of friendship fill the room.
Another’s Joy Is Our Own
All this talk of Miss Allen weighs on the girls’ minds. Jean has a Christmas inspiration: “Let us give Miss Allen a Christmas surprise. She has not received a single present and I’m sure she feels lonely.”All the girls immediately jump on this idea. Beth exclaims: “It is an inspiration, sure enough. Haven’t we been horribly selfish—thinking of nothing but our own gifts and fun and pleasure?” They quickly put on their hats and coats and head out to town to buy some gifts.
Upon returning in high spirits, they begin assembling their gifts for Miss Allen, lending some of their own gifts to the cause. A lace handkerchief, a bottle of perfume, a photograph frame, a glove-box, pin tray, calendar, Whittier’s poems, a piece of plummy fruit cake, cup and saucer, watercolors, chocolates, roses, and many more treats are gathered together.
As they put their different contributions forward, Jean writes a wonderful Christmas letter, and Nellie draws a very comical picture of some cats in clothes. It all “breathed the very spirit of Christmas, and all the girls declared that it was splendid.” With excitement, they pile all their gifts in front of Miss Allen’s door as a surprise for the morrow.
Through this story, Montgomery shows that the true Christmas spirit is one in which we give more than we receive. Montgomery highlights what Charles Dickens says: “No one is useless in this world who lightens the burdens of another.”
By giving more than we receive, we spread hope, love, and joy, so that it reflects and sparkles from the eyes of those surrounding us. Let us therefore lighten the world through a gift well given.
