Enchanted Night Before Christmas

Gr 1-4–A nostalgic holiday story that leans on familiar themes of folklore and fantasy, this tale follows a white mother and her two young children as they return home in a horse-drawn carriage after Christmas Eve service. While snow falls outside, the children reflect on the long-ago loss of their father and quietly hope for gifts that seem out of reach. At home, they bake gingerbread cookies shaped like the townspeople—teachers, bakers, seamstresses, and others. After delivering the cookies to their neighbors, the family goes to bed. Overnight, the cookies come to life, returning to the Sherman home to craft toys, sew clothes, and prepare food. A local woodsman, also gifted a cookie, notices its disappearance and follows the trail back to the family’s home, arriving just as they awaken to a transformed Christmas morning. The story explores themes of grief, modest generosity, and the traditional spirit of Christmas. Illustrations are reminiscent of Jan Brett in terms of decorative details that combine digital and traditional techniques to support the narrative.