Award winners are not always winners in my book however Mary's Son: A Tale of Christmas by Darryl Nyznyk gets my vote, too. Published in 2010 this book has won three Mom's Choice Awards: Gold Adult Fiction/Lit, Gold Inspirational/Motivational Juvenile and Gold Inspirational/Motivational Young Adult.
This book has something for everyone; a modern day Christmas story, the Biblical Christmas story and a time traveling Nicholas (Santa Claus). Before that scares you away let me say that the story is engaging. Two teens poor Jared and rich Sarah are dealing with anger and the loss of a parent. Nicholas turns up in each of their lives then brings them together to teach them the true meaning of the season. When all else fails he takes them back to Bethlehem to witness the first Christmas in person.
Santa and two teens traveling to Bethlehem may seem far fetched, but fantasy is very popular with the young adult crowd. Reactions to Nicholas and their families seem believable. The lesson they learn comes through but the story does not get excessively "preachy".
Although not a short story, at 176 pages Mary's Son: A Tale of Christmas reads quickly. I recommend it for your own holiday reading or to share with a younger reader. Find it for under a dollar as a Kindle download to your reader, phone or computer. It is also available in hardcover.
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