Once upon a time, in a small town, there lived a very wealthy but very miserly man named Edward. Edward loved his gold more than anything else. He lived in a home that was simple and shabby, for he didn’t want to spend any of his precious money. He even thought that the idea of giving gifts at Christmas was just utter nonsense. Edward was so thrifty that he kept his treasure hidden under a table in a box.
One cold Christmas Eve, Edward sat counting his gold coins when a soft knock came at his door. It was Ben and Lottie, Edward’s poor niece and nephew. Their mother, Edward’s sister, was sick and they were barely scraping by. They had come to ask Uncle Edward for a little help: some food for a Christmas dinner, some money to pay their rent. But the miserly Edward sent them away with nothing but harsh words.
After this, Edward, tired from his day, decided to take a nap. But his sleep was interrupted by two strange figures named Giant Selfishness and Giant Hard-heart, who were bragging about how they had ensnared Edward with their teachings of selfishness and hard-heartedness.
Just as these wicked giants exited, four magical Christmas Fairies named Love, Joy, Peace and Unselfishness entered the room. They had watched everything from their hideout and had felt sorry for the sad old miser. Waving their gilded wands, they decided to cast their enchanting spell on him, hoping to change his ways. Joy waved her wand, bringing the gift of happiness, while Peace bestowed the tranquillity that the Christ Child had brought to the world. Unselfishness granted Edward the gift of selflessness, and finally, Love brought the greatest gift of all – a heart filled with love.
As Edward woke up from his dream, he felt an unfamiliar warmth in his heart. He remembered the joy of Christmas from his childhood and a sudden longing to experience that happiness once again.
Suddenly, the two wicked Giants returned, trying to reinforce their grip on him, telling him that Christmas was a farce. But just as they were about to sway Edward back to his old ways, the Christmas Fairies returned, each waving their wand and reminding Edward of the virtues they had bestowed upon him.
The fairies used their powers and chased the giants away. Now alone, Edward could feel a dramatic change within himself. The joy, peace, love and unselfishness from the fairies’ gifts had replaced the teachings of the selfish and hard-hearted giants.
With this newfound warmth and love in his heart, Edward decided to bring joy to others, starting with his sister and her children. As he prepared to set off, the fairies waved their wands and wished him a merry Christmas, reminding him that in serving others, he would find true joy and the real spirit of Christmas.
And so, Edward’s life changed forever. From that day on, he never hoarded his wealth. Instead, he used it to spread happiness and kindness around him, becoming the most loved man in the town. And the people often said it was the magic of Christmas that changed him. And who knows? Perhaps they were right. For in the spirit of Christmas, miracles do happen and hearts do change.
