Story behind the this tale. In the 10th edition of "The Polar Express" by Chris Van Allsburg, he included a codicil in the form of a short note. The note explained that the idea for his book came from a young boy he met on the street that had been trying to sell him a silver bell for $5. When he shook the bell it made no sound. He wasn't going to buy it, but the boy talked to him of Christmas Spirit and how only those who believed could hear the sound of the bell. 

At the time there were two listservs I was on, one was a ChildLit. People were discussing the new edition and it's inclusion, debating if the story was true or not so much. I got a little worn, it was just Chris Van Allsburg's way of giving us a little something extra for this new printing of his story. So, I just added to the fun and wrote my own version of the note Van Allsburg had given us. I presented it to the staff at Shawnee Library that Christmas along with a silver bell for each person. 

At this point I wanted to share it with others on ChildLit and Storytell, but we only had a Bulletin board with limited time on the Internet. By the time I finished typing in the story, I couldn't send it to Storytell listserv too. Before I had chance to share it, another librarian who was on both listservs I frequented,  sent it to Storytell for me. A professional storyteller contacted me and asked permission to add it to her repertoire of stories and offered to give me credit as the author. I was delighted to offer it to her. Ten years later there was to be a storytelling conference in Indianapolis, close to me. The storyteller again contacted me and asked if I would be there, she wanted to meet me. I told her I was sorry but couldn't make, it was a bit too costly for me both time and funds. So, she told that she shared the story every year and gave out silver bells. She said, everyone loved. I was delighted to know that the story had found its place in children's lives, outside of my small area.

Please feel free to share with others. Storytelling and Christmas giving will always go together.

The Real Story Behind the Christmas Bell

by Katy Grant 11/96

    It had been a long day, but still needing a few things for Christmas, I stopped by the store after work. The wind whistled as it whipped around the cars parked in the almost full store lot, and street lights here and there were just coming to life. Even my long woolen cloak wasn't enough

protection from the bitterly cold night air, as I hurried towards the building.     I was just stepping up on the sidewalk when I heard a voice call out, "Psssst, Lady." I stopped and looked around. For a second, I thought I saw a head duck behind the corner of the building. I stood staring at the corner

for a few more seconds before I decided it must have been a trick of the wind and shadows in the fading light. I started towards the building again but hadn't taken more then a few steps when I heard the voice again. 
   "PSSST, PSSSSSSST, LADY!" This time I was sure I saw a cherub face with a toboggan on it's head duck back out of sight, around the corner of the building. As I rounded the corner, I saw a forlorn looking little child. His head was bent down and his hat was pulled low over his ears and forehead. I placed my hand on his shoulder and squatted down to be on eye level with him as I asked, "Are you all right?" When he lifted his head, I was surprised to see a large smile on his face. At the same moment, I realized he wasn't a child but a pint sized little man.

    In a conspiratorial whisper he said, "The big guy sent me, lady." My first reaction was to began looking around for one of the godfathers that used to visit our house at Christmas time. I must have looked puzzled because he said, " You know... red suit, beard, reindeer, ho, ho, ho." "Oh that, big guy," I said. [with a bit of a smile on my face] " I have something for you," he said, as he took hold of my hand. At this remark I stood up. Still holding tight to my hand he looked up at me, and as he did so his toboggan slipped further down over his eyebrows. He impatiently pushed it back; revealing a set of pointed ears. "It's a story." Now, I was caught. I never could resist a pair of pointed ears or a story. I squatted back down to hear him better, but in truth, I could no longer hear the whistling of the wind around us.

    "The big guy is great but after a couple hundred years his eye sight ain’t so good anymore. His hearing is great though. With Rudolph to guide the sleigh, it helped. But the other reindeer are always up to tricks and one Christmas Eve the Big Guy was almost late. The reindeer were hiding, playing silly games. They wouldn't come out until the Big Guy had found the hiding place of e-v-e-r-y last one of them. He decided right then and there that it wouldn't happen again next year. He put a few of us to work making reindeer bells. Now you know, all reindeer look alike. To make sure he knew which reindeer was which each bell has a different ring even though they look exactly alike." [Reindeer like to dress exactly the same]

    "Everything went right on schedule for the next hundred years or so but, in 1933 the Big Guy noticed a change. Christmas Spirit was real low down here. So, when he came to a house with just a scrawny, little tree with no decorations, he decided to decorate with the reindeer's bells. That house just seemed to light up with Christmas Spirit. The Big Guy kept an eye on that house the next day and, we all watched as people came for miles to celebrate Christmas at that little place. That gave him another great idea. Reindeer are not only silly; they're very vain. Each year we have to make them new bells to wear; they refuse to be seen in a set of old bells. The Big Guy said, 'From now on I'm going to send some of you down there to give out reindeer bells to people who look like they know how to celebrate Christmas. They can share the bells with others and in that way spread the Christmas cheer around. Anybody who truly believes in Christmas and me will be able to hear the difference in the bell's tones.' "

    "This sounds like a Chris VanAllsburg story to me," I remarked. "NO WAY, LADY! Ten years ago Van Allsburg was just another guy on the street when I handed him one of the bells. He took the idea for his story from me. And he's just now giving me some credit for it." I began to smile. "So, you really think I'm somebody who knows how to share the Christmas Spirit? That's a lovely compliment. Thank you." "Are you kidding, Lady? I've been standin' out here for hours. My feet are frozen. I want to get back to the North Pole. I'm out-a-here." And within a blink of the eye he was gone.

    I was left with the bells, a story and a list that describes the tones of each bell. I've shared the bells with my friends, a few of whom have told me that they can tell which reindeer's bell they have. And now I've shared the story with you, listen closely to all silver bells you see this year and see if you too can hear a difference in their tones. I have included the list of reindeer and a description

of their bell's tones to help you. 

This is my Christmas present...a story for everyone. MERRY CHRISTMAS!!

If you are having trouble telling the sounds apart, your Christmas Spirit needs

a little work...

Dasher - one quick ring... sounds like ZING!

               goes the streetcar

Dancer - first three notes of the Nutcracker

             pilfered from the original playing of Tchaikovsky

Prancer - ding...dong...ding-on the scale doe, ray, me

                 pilfered from Julie Andrews

Vixen - a single high-c note ring

             donated by Beverly Sills

Comet - one loud bursting ring that slowly fades away

               in memory of Haley's comet

Cupid - light tinkling sound

             caught as an angel got his wings

Donner - one loud bong

              donated by Quasimodo

Blizen - an alarming ding-ding-ding...

              recorded at a firehouse in old Chicago

Rudolph - one dull clunk-

            compliments of snowballs thrown by children at moving carriages

Riscorti - Italian Cookies

These cookies are ones my Nonnie used to make for us. She brought the recipe from with her native Sardinia, Italy. But it was my Aunt Susie who changed the sugar from granulated to powdered sugar, which make the cookies softer. They make anywhere from 150 to 175 cookies depending on how large you make them. They are not a sweet cookie, hence the glaze and sprinkles. This is the same recipe that she used to make  giugiuleni  cookies but she added anise extract along with the vanilla extract and rolled in sesame seeds, rather then iced.

Recipe:
 
3 pounds of flour
1 box of confectioners sugar
3 well rounded tablespoons baking powder
1- 1 lb can of solid Crisco shortening
7 eggs
1   2 oz bottle  McCormick's Vanilla Extract
3/4 cup milk

In a very large container, I use a 32 quart metal pot, mix all dry ingredients well.
Add Crisco, eggs, vanilla extract and milk.

With your hands mix all the ingredients until well blended. If the dough feels a bit dry add milk by the tablespoon. Dough should not be sticky, see photos below.
For each cookie, pinch off a ball of dough slightly smaller than a walnut.
Roll into a ball.
Then roll the ball into the size and shape of a pen.
Then wrap the cookie into a spiral, a twisted S shape or a double roll (looks like a old fashioned tape cassette roll).
These cookies are meant to be rolled, not cut with a cookie cutter or rolled into a ball and cooked. They will be slightly crunchy on the outside and soft when you bite into them.
Bake at 350 degrees
Time will vary. 15 - 20 minutes. After 15 minutes check the bottom of the cookie, it should be light brown when they are done. Tops may or may not be slightly brown on top, depending on the oven.

When they are totally cool, you can ice them with a glaze or they can be

eaten plain. They are not a sweet cookie.

Icing -glaze
1-1 lb box of Confectioners Sugar
6 tablespoons of milk
1 tsp vanilla extract
Varitey of sprinkles and colored sugar

Mix all ingredients in a bowl, icing should be thin but opaque, add milk little at time by teaspoons if needed.
Dip plain cookies in the icing and while still wet sprinkle with jimmies, colored sugar or sprinkles.

They are best stored in air tight containers. I use empty pop corn tins, since they will hold about half a batch of the cookies.So you might need two.