Once upon a time, there were four boys named Harry, Willis, Clarence and Dan. They were all unique in their own ways and lived in the same neighborhood, but it was Dan who was different from the others. You see, Dan had a hurt leg and an arm that he couldn’t use anymore due to a terrible accident he’d had. To help his mother make ends meet and to make her happy for Christmas, Dan would sell small trinkets from a box around his neck, despite his limitations. He wanted to surprise her with a beautiful dress for Christmas.
Harry was the first boy to come by. He had a dollar in his pocket, a Christmas gift from his uncle. He wondered aloud, “What should I do with this dollar? I could buy presents for Mom and Mabel, but they’ll get enough presents already.” Harry spotted Dan selling his trinkets. Curiosity took him over to Dan, but he didn’t buy anything. He said, “I hope you’ll get your mother’s dress,” and walked away, his heart set on buying a fancy new knife for himself.
Next came Willis, who had seventy-five cents to his name. He, too, considered how he could spend his little treasure. Seeing Dan, he approached and learned of Dan’s dream to buy his mother a dress for Christmas. Willis felt a tug on his heartstrings and decided, “Mother always says we should make others happy at Christmas, so I’ll buy something from this boy.” He chose a comb and handed Dan his twenty cents, leaving himself just enough to buy gifts for his own family.
Dan was grateful to Willis. His kind words and the small act of buying the comb were like a warm cup of cocoa on a snowy day. Just when Dan was beginning to feel a little down, along came Clarence. Clarence had fifty cents, a small fortune he intended to spend on a book for his mother. Yet when he saw Dan, he decided on a different course.
Clarence said, “I’ll take the pin cushion, the fancy pins, and the needle-book.” He spent all his fifty cents to help Dan. He knew his mother would be happy even without the book, for Christmas was all about giving, and he’d done just that.
So, the Christmas kindness began to spread in the neighborhood. Dan was getting closer to his dream of buying his mother a dress, and Harry, Willis, and Clarence learned the true spirit of Christmas was in helping others and spreading joy. As the stars twinkled above, they all fell asleep that night with happy hearts, eagerly awaiting Christmas morning.
