The Story Of The First Christmas Tree

Written by Henry Van Dyke

Narrated by Cyril Taylor-Carr and The Cliff

This is a folk tale of how the first tree came into being. It tells of a hero Winfried with his young companion stepping boldly into the pagan right of the passing into winter. He preaches the gospel of Christ and His birth on that night; then from the heavens came a miracle that resulted in the salvation of the people. To celebrate, they brought new life or the Christmas tree into their homes.

Henry Van Dyke was a U.S. short-story writer, poet, and essayist popular in the early decades of the 20th century. Educated at Princeton, Van Dyke graduated from its theological seminary in 1877 and became a Presbyterian minister. His early works, “The Story of the Other Wise Man” and “The First Christmas Tree”, were first read aloud to his congregation in New York as sermons. These quickly brought him recognition.  

A wonderful Christmas treasury for the entire family.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Icon Audio Arts
• Release date: Aug 28, 2022
• ISBN: 9798887674520

Henry Van Dyke

Henry Van Dyke (1928–2011) was born in Allegan, Michigan, and grew up in Montgomery, Alabama, where his parents were professors at Alabama State College. He served in the Army in occupied Germany, playing flute in the 427th Marching Band. There he abandoned his early ambition to become a concert pianist and began to write. In 1958, after attending the University of Michigan on the G.I. Bill and living in Ann Arbor, he moved to New York, where he spent the rest of his life. Henry taught creative writing part-time at Kent State University from 1969 until his retirement in 1993, and was the author of four novels, including Blood of Strawberries, a sequel to Ladies of the Rachmaninoff Eyes.