From Front Flap: Two utterly charming Christmas tales by master storyteller David Adams Richards that will surely warm the heart and remind us of the enchantment and meaning of Christmas. These stories are of his river, the great Miramichi. "The Christmas Tree" captures the tradition of finding the perfect Christmas tree in the snowy woods of New Brunswick. A neigbourhood child joins the group as they make their way to Christmas Mountain and experiences the magic of the festivities. "Carmichael's Dog" is a heartwarming tale of days when snow beckoned young boys. On Christmas Eve, rosy-cheeked from a day of sliding on cardboard, two boys find a small, chubby black puppy stuck in the snow bank, simply waiting for rescue. The Christmas Tree: Two Tales for the Holidays is a delightful book to give and receive, and will become a traditional holiday read for many years to come. The book was published in 2006 when the author, David Adams Richards was 55 turning 56. He includes an introduction of 6 pages that reflects back on his childhood when his neighbours led a different kind of life and his neighbourhood in New Brunswick was significantly different - a close-knit town rather than a much expanded city. The 2 stories included in this book are auto-biographical in nature. Carmichael's Dog took place when it looks like Richards, judging by the illustrations, appears to have been about 6-8 years old. The Christmas Tree took place, according to the published story, when Richards was in his early twenties and returned home to visit his mom. Both stories for Richards are reflections of real events in times gone by.