
audiobook
by Josephine Ludlow Palmer, Selma Lagerlöf, Annie Longfellow Thorp
The Lighting of the Christmas Tree
THE VASSAR SERIES OF PLAYS
LIGHTING OF THE CHRISTMAS TREE PRODUCING THE PLAY
CHARACTERS
THE LIGHTING OF THE CHRISTMAS TREE
Set in a quiet Swedish village on the brink of Christmas, the play follows a humble household preparing for the holiday. Olga, the matriarch, tends to the children and the modest decorations, her gentle voice carrying the traditions of the season. The stage comes alive with vivid costumes and a simple yet evocative interior that captures the warmth of a winter night. The children’s innocent excitement over the flickering candles adds a layer of magic that draws the audience into their world.
When a mysterious traveler knocks at their door, the family is drawn into a tale of compassion and shared wonder. Through tender dialogue and the simple act of lighting the Christmas tree, the strangers discover the true spirit of the holiday, reminding listeners that generosity can illuminate even the darkest moments. The piece balances quiet humor with heartfelt sincerity, making it a perfect choice for intimate performances.
Language
en
Duration
~37 minutes (35K characters)
Series
Vassar series of plays
Publisher of text edition
Project Gutenberg
Original publisher
United States: Samuel French, 1917,copyright 1921.
Credits
Tim Lindell and the Online Distributed Proofreading Team at https://www.pgdp.net (This file was produced from images generously made available by The Internet Archive/American Libraries.)
Release date
Jun 28, 2022
Rights
Public domain in the USA.
Subjects
Best known for a warmly festive one-act play, this little-documented writer is associated with an early Vassar playwriting project and a stage adaptation of a Selma Lagerlöf Christmas story.
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1858–1940
A master storyteller from Sweden, she blended folklore, faith, and everyday life into fiction that feels both magical and deeply human. Best known for Gösta Berling’s Saga and The Wonderful Adventures of Nils, she was the first woman to win the Nobel Prize in Literature.
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1852–1931
Remembered as the "laughing Allegra" from Henry Wadsworth Longfellow’s poem The Children’s Hour, she grew up at the heart of a famous literary family and later helped preserve that legacy. Her life connected 19th-century American poetry, family history, and the continuing story of Longfellow House.
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