The Gift of the Christmas Cookie is one of several holiday books by Dandi Daley Mackall, including “The Shepherd’s Christmas Story,” “Who’ll Light the Chanukah Candles?” and “Journey, Easter Journey”. It’s also one of her Depression-themed books: although it is not stated explicitly in the text, the theme of neediness and poverty runs through the story.
Don’t be misled by the book’s subtitle, “Sharing the True Meaning of Jesus’ Birth”. The story is indeed about sharing the Christmas story, but the text never actually details the Christmas narrative. Instead the book tells the story of Jack, whose father is away looking for work and whose mother has no money to spend on treats. When Jack finds his mother baking Nativity-themed molded cookies, she explains that they are for the needy at church and distracts Jack from his disappointment by talking about the origins of Christmas molded cookies. Inspired by this story, Jack later manages to overcome another disappointment — when a hungry stranger instead of his father turns up for Christmas breakfast — and shares his own cookie as well as the Christmas legend.
Due to glossing over the actual events of Bethlehem, The Gift of the Christmas Cookie comes across as rather spirituality-lite and strangely empty. The book describes a church service and medieval evangelism, but the “true meaning” of the book’s title is never actually explained. The book still contains a positive, vaguely Christian message about sharing and compassion, but parents looking for a book which gives a new take on the Christmas story will have to look elsewhere.
The book is certainly beautiful, however, with rich illustrations by Deborah Chabrian. The watercolour painting are textured and warm, picturesque despite the historically-accurate Depression-era setting.
Although the text also glosses over the cookie-baking process, the final page gives a recipe for Christmas cookies. For an older child — and the book is perhaps for the 8–10 age range — parents could team the book with a cookie mold and an apron for a Christmas Eve gift. Good cookie molds are hard to find in stores, but I have a few lovely ones from The House on the Hill; the bolder, deeper shapes tend to come out cleanly and are simple enough for children to use.
In short, The Gift of the Christmas Cookie pales next to meatier and more memorable Christmas classics such as The Littlest Angel. However, it remains an attractive book that’s refreshingly free of Santas and presents, and the story lends itself well to further discussion about cookie-baking, the Depression, evangelism and sharing. As such, it is a safe though not inspired choice for a child in a Christian family.
The Gift of the Christmas Cookie: Sharing the True Meaning of Jesus’ Birth was given to Untrained Housewife for the purposes of review.
