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So hey, Christmas is like just around the corner and it is kind of a tradition in our family that our father reads us some cheesy Christmas story about how Jesus and God are the most awesome guys ever.

This year, my father tasked me with getting and reading a Christmas Story, and I'm currently looking for one that's NOT about Jesus or God or anything, but more about the peaceful "everybody is nice to each other" mentality of Christmas. Thing is, I don't really care about the whole Jesus thing that much. Christmas is about hanging out with my family, having a good meal and just the general atmosphere for me.

Basically, most Christmas stories go like "Poor persons are struggling to enjoy christmas, suddenly an even poorer person shows up, poor family sacrifices their christmas to help poorer guy, poorer guy turns out to be Jesus and saves the day."

The lesson learned from such stories usually is "Be nice to other people because one of them could be Jesus."

However, this Christmas I want to read them a story where the lesson is "Be nice to other people in GENERAL".

So, do you guys know any stories that aren't overly religious or overly commercial? Or really just your favorite christmas stories (if any). I've already found two that would probably be good for the evening (both German) but I don't really like them THAT much.

Also, go away, Grinch.

Gift of the Magi is the standard one that we do.

 :D  I laughed way too hard at this

It's also german, with religious content, but what about the little match girl (http://www.andersen.sdu.dk/vaerk/hersholt/TheLittleMatchGirl_e.html)?

admittedly there isn't a 'be nice to other people in general' message there directly...

okay...maybe not the best story...having trouble thinking up a better one though...

oh!  the ant and the grasshopper (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Ant_and_the_Grasshopper) ;)

Not really a favorite story, but my parents force my family read along with an audio cassette recording of The Polar Express.  Every Christmas. >:(

Make one up as you go.
Record and put it on Vimeo and Youtube.
PLEASE.
 :D

Or you could just read one of the Christian stories and every time Jesus' name pops up, replace it with "Murray."

:D

That could work to.
In fact, do that. Replace God with Bob.

I don't know any specific anecdotes or book titles, but you could always try and find something to do with the first Christmas in the trenches during world war one.

(http://www.dpadstudio.com/uploads/Murray.png)

As for stories, Ebeneser Scrooge is a classic, though I don't know how much religion commes into play. The little Match girl is also a good one (as increpare mentioned). There's plenty of others, a google search brought up a good few hits. I'll post more if I remember some.

There was bit in one of the Kurt Vonnegut books (IIRC Palm Sunday) where he was complaining about this very thing. Unfortunately I don't think there was an actual story on the subject, because reading your family Vonnegut for Christmas would have been awesome.

As Snake says though, there's always Christmas Carol, though it's probably a bit long (not sure, how long is it? I've never actually read it).

Snake wins with that pic.

circa 80 pages (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/A_christmas_carol)

the cat carol

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7ZMEXlHUQ0w&feature=related (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7ZMEXlHUQ0w&feature=related) seems not unlike what you were looking for...slightly religious, but seems to emphasize generosity in general?

 :wtf:

This may be the best thing I've seen on the Internet.

... That's AMAZING.

You are on my artists to be jealous of list now. I don't care if it's just an edit, it's hilarious.

Every year since I can remember:

http://www.amazon.com/Dad-Ran-over-Frog-Christmas/dp/0830819010 (http://www.amazon.com/Dad-Ran-over-Frog-Christmas/dp/0830819010)

Make sure you read it with the pages toward your audience mom-came-to-read-to-my-second-grade-class style.

Ain't no Christmas like "My Dad Ran Over a Frog" Christmas.

(The one new copy is $600...maybe e-book is available?)

*Leaves computer to call dad and tell him to put that sh** on e-bay*