Nosey Nellie Finds the Real Christmas

Nosey

Nellie

Finds the

Real Christmas

Written and Illustrated by

Lucy McGuire

Nosey Nellie

Finds the Real Christmas

Written and Illustrated by

Lucy McGuire A Sequel to Her Other Book,

Nosey Nellie Visits the Farm

Graphic Design by Elizabeth Peters Š 2015

One day after Thanksgiving, Nellie came down the stairs for breakfast. She was so excited to see everything in the yard covered with snow.

“Oh, Mama,” she said, “everything looks like icing on my birthday cake!” After breakfast, may I go out to play with my friend Grace?”

“Yes, Nellie, you may go for a while. Bundle up really well because it’s very cold outside. When you have played for a while, I will need you to help me with something.”

After Nellie had been outside with Grace making snow angels and a snowman, she heard her mother calling her. “Bye, Grace,” she said, “My mother needs me to help her- we can play later today again.”

When she entered the house, she said, “Oh, Mama, it smells so good in here!

What is that wonderful smell?”

Her mother told her that she was making ginger cookies. She thought that maybe Nellie would like to make some gingerbread men.

“Oh, goodie! That sounds like fun! I’ll just wash my hands and be right back.

Her mother told her that she had a small rolling pin and a gingerbread cookie cutter for her.

She and her mother worked a while cutting out cookies. Her mother then put them in the oven to bake. Then Nellie said, “Mama, I have a question for you.

My teacher told me why we have Thanksgiving, but I would like to know, why do have Christmas?

Her mother said, “Nellie, I’m glad that you want to know that. We will finish making the cookies and then we can have a little tea party in front of the fireplace. We will have hot chocolate and some of our cookies, and I will tell you exactly what you want to know.

Two thousand years ago, a young Jewish girl named Mary lived in a small town in Israel which was called Nazareth. She was engaged to a man named Joseph and would soon be married.

One morning as she was doing her chores, she saw an angel coming toward her.

At first, she was afraid, but he told her not to be frightened. God had sent him to tell her that because she loved God so much, that He had chosen her to be the mother of His Son Jesus- and Joseph was to be his earthly father.

Israel was ruled by Rome, and one day a decree, or we would say, “notice� went out to all Israel. It said that everyone was to go to their original town to register and pay taxes to the Emperor of Rome. Since Joseph and Mary were born in Bethlehem, they had to go to that city.

The trip was long and hard and Mary knew that her baby would soon be born.

Arriving in Bethlehem, they went to an inn. Because so many people had come to register, the innkeeper told Joseph that he had no rooms left. He was a kind man, and saw that Mary needed a warm and private place, so he took them to his stable behind the inn.

The warm bodies of the animals helped to make the stable comfortable. They found fresh hay and a manger (the stand which held the hay for the animals to eat from).

There they made a bed for the new little baby, and they named him “Jesus�, just as the angel had said.

On a hillside not far from the inn, some shepherds were talking and watching their sheep.

Suddenly an angel choir appeared in the sky. They were singing and praising God. It frightened the shepherds at first, but they were told not to be afraid. They had come to tell them that Jesus had been born in Bethlehem and would someday be the King of the Jews.

Right away, they decided to go see the baby in Bethlehem. The angels had told them that a large star would be over the stable at the inn where they would find Mary and Joseph and the Christ child.

When the shepherds found the place, Mary and Joseph welcomed them and invited them to see the baby.

They were so amazed, they bowed down and worshiped Jesus. As they returned to the hillside and their sheep, they told everyone the met what had just happened.

Months before this happened, three kings from an eastern country had read about a king who was to be born in Israel.

They loaded up their camels and began the journey to find the child. God had told them that a star would guide them to the child who would be the King of the Jews.

As they came near Bethlehem, they went to the Roman king to ask him where they would find the baby. King Herod told them to return when they found the child, so he could worship him too.

However, the eastern kings had a vision from God, telling them NOT to go back to King Herod. They were to go home a different way.

The three kings were led by the star to where the child was with his mother Mary and father Joseph.

They were welcomed by the parents and each of them bowed down and worshiped Jesus. Mary and Joseph were very grateful for the gift of gold, frankincense and myrrh left by the kings.

“Well, now, Nellie,” said her Mama, “you know now that we have Christmas because we celebrate the birth of Jesus. He was the Christ child, and that’s how we got the name of Christmas.”

“We also would like to worship Jesus, and give gifts to him for his birthday like the kings of the east. Since we can’t give it to Jesus in person, we give gifts to others in His name, in His memory.”

“Nellie, I have decided to take some of these cookies to Mrs. Murphy who lives alone and doesn’t get many presents. She is often lonely. I will also give some to our mailman and the man who picks up our trash, to let them know how much we appreciate the work they do for us.”

Nellie was excited. “ I want to give some cookies to my teacher at school and church. And how about some for my friend Grace? “ “Yes, we can do that. And we will make up a package for someone special. You watch for someone who seems lonely or sad and surprise them with a gift and a big hug for Jesus’ birthday!”

“Now that you understand why we really have Christmas, you know why our church is giving a play about the story. The girls in your class will be angels and the boys will be shepherds- won’t that be fun!,” said Mama.

“And afterward,” said Nellie, we will go around the neighborhood and sing Christmas carols. It’s kind of like what the angels did for the shepherds when Jesus was born.

Yes, Nellie,” said Mama, “I want you to always remember to thank God for the most wonderful gift He gave us by sending Jesus to earth for a little while.. When Jesus grew up, he made a way for us to join him in Heaven someday.”

“The gift that Jesus wants most of all from us is our love for Him, and also to love everyone no matter what color they are, or if they are poor or even crabby. Treat everyone as we want them to treat us.”

Nellie was ready for cookies. “OK- it’s time we put icing on our gingerbread men, and tie them up in pretty packages.”

“And Nellie-” said Mama, smiling, “When you are inclined to be “nosey” - you can discover lots more about what God has done and what He has made. You will never run out of things to see, believe me!”