Years ago, when The Greatest Kid On The Planet was five, I sat with him on his bed on Christmas Eve before he fell asleep, and I read him a timeless little tale called The Polar Express. I remember the excitement he felt that night knowing that Santa Claus was coming, and the delighted look on his face as a fanciful book took us on a magical journey to a wonderful place far away.
The Polar Express was written by Chris Van Allsburg and published in 1985. It’s an enchanting little story that warms the heart and stirs the soul. In 2004, a film adaptation of the book was released, and while the movie has become immensely popular, it’s the written version with its rich illustrations that I treasure. Today, reading that delightful tale on Christmas Eve has become one of our favorite traditions.
The book tells the story of a young boy lying awake in his bed on Christmas Eve, hoping to hear the sound of Santa’s sleigh. Instead, he hears the hissing and grinding metal of a train that has magically appeared in front of his house in the middle of the night. So outside he goes in his slippers and robe to hear the voice of the conductor calling him to come aboard. When the young boy asks where they are going, the conductor replies, “Why, to the North Pole, of course.”
So aboard the train the young boy goes and finds it filled with children, all clad in their pajamas just like him, and eager for an adventure. They sing Christmas carols and feast on goodies and hot cocoa while the train races north through snowy villages and darkened forests, over towering mountain tops and across sweeping valleys.
When, finally, they arrive at the North Pole, they are taken to the center of town where hundreds of elves have gathered. And there, in the center of the bustle, is Santa with his magnificent reindeer stomping and prancing in all of their splendor, the glorious sound of their sleigh bells ringing through the air as they wait to present the first gift of Christmas to one lucky child. When the young boy is chosen, the conductor lifts him high up onto the sleigh where he sits on Santa’s lap, who then asks, “Now, what would you like for Christmas?”
I knew that I could have any gift I could imagine. But the thing I wanted most for Christmas was not inside Santa’s giant bag.
The young boy asks for the one thing he desires the most, a bell from Santa’s sleigh. And with a nod and a flourish, his wish is granted.
And then the clock strikes midnight, and with the thunder of hooves and cheers from the elves, the children watch in wonder as Santa and his reindeer take off into the sky and disappear into the night. Later, on the train, the boy reaches for his gift, but what he finds, instead, is a hole in his pocket. Heartbroken, he arrives home and climbs into bed as the Polar Express, outside his window, gives one last whistle and speeds away.
It’s the next morning when the young boy’s sister finds a small box for him under their tree. It’s a gift from Santa with a note that says, “Fix the hole in your pocket.” Inside is the little, silver bell, and when the boy rings it, it makes the most wondrous sound, just as it had on Santa’s reindeer. But the boy’s parents lament that the bell must be broken, for they cannot hear the magical sound the little bell makes.
I love this little tale. Each year on Christmas Eve, it takes us on a journey to a magical place. But it’s always the last page that gets me the most.
Years ago, long after The Polar Express had become a favorite, The Greatest Kid found a box from Santa under our tree. Inside was a note from Santa and one small, silver bell. The note said the bell was from Santa’s sleigh, and as long as The Greatest Kid believed in the magic of Christmas, he would always hear the bell ring.
In our home, it isn’t Christmas without The Polar Express. Each year on Christmas Eve, we gather with our loved ones for a candlelight church service and an evening of good cheer. And before the night is through, we sit with our family and friends and read this sweet story of a young boy in a magical place. And then, after we’ve turned the last page, we ring the silver sleigh bell that Santa left so many years ago. And every year, we hear that little bell ring.
For us, Christmas is the time of year when we make the most of all that we treasure. And it reminds us the world is a wondrous place where miracles happen, and dreams do come true. It’s a time that warms our hearts and stirs our souls, and it means Christmas carols, and wise men, time spent with loved ones, and angels on high. It’s a holiday season filled with prayer and peace, and hope, and laughter, and joy, and giving.
And it’s the time of year when, on Christmas Eve, we take a magical journey to a faraway place where wonders abound and wishes are granted. And there we will see Santa and sleigh bells and reindeer that fly.
And while the things we wish for the most don’t come in Santa’s bag, or under our tree, we know we can have any gift we can imagine, as long as we believe.
For no matter how old we become, or how many years pass us by, how many holidays we celebrate, or the many journeys we take across mountain tops and valleys or through darkened forests, we will always believe in the magic of Christmas.
And we will always hear that little bell ring.
M.C. Greene
(The Polar Express was written and illustrated by Chris Van Allsburg; Copywrite © 1985 by Houghton Mifflin Company, New York, NY)