Book Christmas 3

Anne of Green Gables by L.M. Montgomery

Christmas morning broke on a beautiful white world. It had been a very mild December and people had looked forward to a green Christmas; but just enough snow fell softly in the night to transfigure Avonlea. Anne peeped out from her frosted gable window with delighted eyes.... “Merry Christmas, Marilla! Merry Christmas, Matthew! Isn’t it a lovely Christmas? I’m so glad it’s white. Any other kind of Christmas doesn’t seem real, does it? I don’t like green Christmases. They’re not green–they’re just nasty faded browns and grays. What makes people call them green? Why–why–Matthew, is that for me? Oh, Matthew!”

Matthew touches my heart in this scene! Unobservant, quiet, and so terribly shy of women he won’t speak to any of them, he somehow notices that Marilla dresses Anne very plain compared to her friends. He ventures into town and desperately tries speaking to the clerk woman about buying a fashionable dress for Anne. Unsuccessful there, he approaches the neighbor, Mrs. Lynde, who buys the material and sews it up for him. It’s the Christmas spirit that makes Matthew take the time and energy to overcome his fears and give Anne such a wonderful gift. Anne loves the stylish dress, but she appreciates Matthew’s selfless gesture even more. His thoughtfulness was worth more than the gift itself.

Retrieved from: Friday Favorite: Christmas Scenes in Children's Literature