Sing We Now of Christmas: A Charity Advent Anthology

Sing We Now of Christmas began with a simple idea: invite writers to create family-friendly stories inspired by Christmas carols, arrange the stories as an Advent journey, and use the project to support a cause close to my family.

Originally published October 2, 2012. Substantially revised and expanded July 2026.

Christmas Carols as Story Prompts

Christmas carols already contain characters, settings, images, conflicts, and emotions. “Good King Wenceslas” suggests a winter journey and an act of charity. “I Heard the Bells on Christmas Day” holds sorrow and hope in the same song. “Silent Night” invites reflection on peace, worship, and the circumstances surrounding a beloved hymn.

Instead of asking contributors to retell the lyrics, I wanted each writer to use a carol as a doorway into an original story. Some pieces became historical. Others were contemporary, humorous, speculative, or devotional. The shared source gave the collection unity without forcing every author into the same tone.

Twenty-Five Stories for Advent

The final anthology included twenty-five stories—one for each day from December 1 through Christmas Day. That structure turned the book into more than a collection to read in a few sittings. It could become a family tradition, with one story opening a small daily space for reflection during a busy season.

An Advent format also required variety. Twenty-five solemn stories would feel heavy, while twenty-five comic stories might miss the season’s deeper dimensions. The collection needed laughter, wonder, sacrifice, memory, faith, and hope.

Creating the Book for Charity

The anthology was created to benefit the National Down Syndrome Society in honor of my son Bryson, who has Down syndrome. That purpose gave the project a center beyond publication itself. Contributors donated stories, and the collection connected Christmas creativity with practical giving.

Charitable publishing still requires the same care as any other book. A worthy cause does not excuse weak editing, unclear permissions, inconsistent formatting, or an unattractive finished product. Readers should receive something valuable while supporting the mission.

What Editing a Multi-Author Anthology Requires

• A clear concept: Contributors need to understand the audience, theme, length, tone, and content expectations.
• Careful selection: Each story must work individually and also strengthen the complete collection.
• Editorial consistency: Spelling, punctuation, formatting, and style should feel intentional across many voices.
• Communication: Authors need deadlines, revision notes, permissions information, and production updates.
• Thoughtful ordering: The sequence should vary mood and subject while building toward Christmas Day.
• Shared purpose: Contributors should understand how the charitable goal shapes the project.

Stories Included in the Collection

The anthology invited readers to walk with Good King Wenceslas, hear the bells of Christmas in new ways, and encounter characters facing both ordinary and extraordinary December challenges. One story followed a soldier who had lost his voice as he encountered the legacy of “Silent Night.” Other stories used carols to explore family relationships, generosity, reconciliation, and unexpected miracles.

The best pieces did not simply attach a familiar title to an unrelated plot. They found an emotional or thematic connection between the song and the story.

What the Anthology Taught Me

• A strong shared theme can support many different genres and voices.
• Seasonal books become more useful when readers can build traditions around them.
• Collaborative projects need clearer communication than solitary ones.
• Charitable purpose can motivate contributors, but quality earns the reader’s trust.
• Familiar songs still contain unexplored stories.

From Anthology to Later Christmas Work

Sing We Now of Christmas strengthened my interest in the stories behind Christmas music. That interest later continued through other anthologies, devotionals, scripts, arrangements, recordings, and carol-history projects.

The project began with multiple writers and twenty-five creative interpretations. The larger lesson has remained the same: a familiar carol can become newly meaningful when we pause long enough to listen for the history, scripture, faith, and human experience inside it.

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Sing We Now of Christmas is the first of three separate Advent story anthologies. It is not part of An Advent Carols Countdown, which grew from The Carols of Christmas podcast and focuses on carol history and devotion. Explore the complete Christmas hierarchy—including the later anthologies, Portuguese edition, audiobooks, articles, and music—at Christmas Books, Stories & Music.