Book excerpt: This holiday anthology of six Christmas Short Stories blends contemporary stories of fiction with traditional charm. These cheerful, heartwarming tales feature nostalgic Christmas memories paired with enchanting stories of magic. Christmas angels, fairies and Santa Claus greet the reader within this set. The author began these Christmas stories in 1997 with the award winning essay, "The Best Part of Christmas." In "The Ghosts of Christmas Past" the past generations meet the present because of an ordinary family heirloom. A hand-me-down red scarf is the key to Christmas magic in "The Red Christmas Scarf." "The Winter Road" is a short story of a boy living in a rural area who learns the land he lives on is frequented by someone important once a year. "A Fairy Merry Christmas" invites readers to the Murphy Farm, where homesteading fairies join forces with The Murphy family to help Santa complete his deliveries. Three poems provide holiday warmth between stories while charming illustrations by the author adorn the pages. "The Tale of the Christmas Angel" is about the mortal life of Sabrina and her gradual transformation into a Christmas Angel based on her kindness and generosity to others. "The Ghosts of Christmas Past" is about a Christmas Eve party where the past and present meet. Young Charlie discovers there is more to the old Indiana homestead than he ever knew, and an ordinary heirloom lights the way. "The Red Christmas Scarf" is about a plain red scarf given as a gift to a young girl from her grandmother. Although it looks like common gift, it has magical properties woven in its threads. "The Best Part of Christmas" is the author's true account of the last Christmas that she spent with her mother. "The Winter Road" is a short story of a boy living in a rural area. One day, he learns that the land he lives on is frequented by someone important once a year. "A Fairy Merry Christmas" is the newest story from the Magical Murphy Farm Series. Christmas wouldn