For each of the 12 days of Christmas, I’ll review and fill out one of the “12 Ways of Christmas” …

Christmas would also have a different character if it weren’t for Charles Dickens, Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky, and even Clement Clark Moore.

And that’s not to mention Charles Schulz, Frank Capra, Dr. Seuss and even Robert L. May (the Montgomery Ward employee who created Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer).

Our first way of Christmas was:

“1. God loves a good story. Far from being opposed or alien to human nature, God shares our love of a good story. He could have become a man any way he wanted. He chose to be born in a stable, to a couple far from their home, surrounded by animals, shepherds and Magi, pursued by a wicked king.”

It shouldn’t bother us that these non-scriptural stories fill out the season. God loves stories. You can tell, because he created so many of them: as many as there are people.

Our poll of 1,000 readers produced our “Top 100 Catholic Movies” list. At the Hoopes household, we watch one every week, because storytelling is the best way to pass on the faith, and because in the days ahead our children will need the confidence that comes from seeing their faith treated with respect in modern ways.

Find it here, or simply click the “Resources” tab above and scroll down to it.

— Tom Hoopes