There is something wonderful about a good story at Christmas. Literally. When the fireplace is glowing and twinkling lights on the tree sparkle with joy, the words “Once upon a time” truly evoke a sense of wonder. Which is why, for twenty years, each annual Christmas concert of The Tabernacle Choir has featured a holiday story. 

Purchase your copy of  Keepsake Christmas Stories here!

Some of the stories have been traditional favorites, but most have been newly-written, adapted from classic literature, or drawn from the pages of history. Wherever they come from, each of the stories is presented with a specially composed score performed by the Orchestra at Temple Square, often incorporating a beloved carol or a new Christmas song sung by the Choir. It’s this unique union of story, instrumental music, and song that makes each presentation memorable.

Through the years, some of these stories have been available in picture books and smaller volumes. Others have never been published. Because readers continue to ask for them, The Tabernacle Choir and its publishing partner, Shadow Mountain, are pleased to offer this beautiful keepsake treasure along with a special invitation.

The full wonder of these stories is best experienced beyond the printed page. As you open the covers of this book, the readers are invited to also open a digital device of their choice and visit TabChoir.org/KeepsakeChristmas to find selected videos of the stories as they were presented in concert—complete with enchanting sets and costumes, historical and animated images projected on giant screens, parachutes falling from the sky, and characters flying high above the audience. 

For those who plan the concerts, it’s hard to be certain which comes first, the theme of the concert or the choice of the story. Both have been influenced by the Choir’s guest artists—award-winning singers, actors, authors, and newscasters who share the stage with the Choir and Orchestra each year. For example, who better to tell the story of World War I’s Christmas truce than Walter Cronkite? And could anyone be more posed to unfold the English carol “Good King Wencelas” than British actress Jane Seymour? Pearl S. Buck’s story of a Depression-era farm boy was a perfect fit for Richard Thomas, not only because of his portrayal of John Boy in The Waltons television series, but because he spent his childhood summers on his grandparents’ eastern Kentucky farm. Each year the  artist and story come together, reflecting and inspiring the musical program that has made the concert the most watched holiday special on PBS for over a decade. 

Here is the complete list of stories included in the book along with beautiful color photographs of each production:

SILENT NIGHT, HOLY NIGHT: The Story of the World War I Christmas Truce
narrated by Walter Cronkite

A CHRISTMAS BELL FOR ANYA: An Original Russian Christmas Tale
narrated by Claire Bloom

LONGFELLOW’S CHRISTMAS: The Inspiring Origins of “I Heard the Bells on Christmas Day”
narrated by Edward Herrmann

IN THE DARK STREETS SHINETH: A 1941 Christmas Eve Story
narrated by David McCullough

SING, CHOIRS OF ANGELS: The Beginnings of The Tabernacle Choir
narrated by Michael York

GOOD KING WENCESLAS: The Hidden Parable in the Familiar Carol
narrated by Jane Seymour

CHRISTMAS FROM HEAVEN: The True Story of the Berlin Candy Bomber
narrated by Tom Brokaw

GOD BLESS US EVERYONE!: Imagining How Dicken’s Carol Came to Be
narrated by John Rhys-Davies

FOR UNTO US: The Wondrous Invitation of Handel’s Messiah
narrated by Martin Jarvis

THE LITTLE MATCH GIRL: A Retelling of the Hans Christian Andersen Story
narrated by Rolando Villazón

IT IS WELL WITH MY SOUL: The Spirit of Christmas through One Family’s Unforgettable Journey
narrated by Hugh Bonneville

THE GIFT OF THE MAGI: A New Rendition of the O. Henry Classic
narrated by Kristin Chenoweth

CHRISTMAS DAY IN THE MORNING: An Adaption of Pearl S. Buck’s Beloved Narrative
narrated by Richard Thomas

Check out these additional 2021 Christmas concert products: