The Fable of the Christmas Apple

The Fable of the Christmas Apple is one of my all time favorite Christmas stories. Supposedly it is based on an actual miracle involving Saint Herman Joseph, and the main character is named Herman Joseph. Although this Herman Joseph is much older than the Saint was when the miracle occurred. But that doesn't really matter in the grand scheme of things.

According to the Christmas story, Herman Joseph was a clockmaker in a little town with a beautiful statue of the Madonna and Baby Jesus. Every year the people of the town would bring presents and present them to the statue. It was said that if someone brought a present that pleased the Holy Child, he would come to life and reach out of his mother's arms to accept the gift, but that never happened.

For years, Herman Joseph had been working on a clock of the nativity that he was going to present to the Child. He finally finished and put it in his window for the whole town to enjoy. On Christmas Eve, his friend Trude came to him and told him that her husband was sick and that all the money had gone for medicine. There was no money left over for the children's Christmas gifts. Herman Joseph went to the house of the richest man in town asking if he wanted to buy a clock. The Richest Man in Town only wanted the nativity clock, so with a heavy heart, Herman Joseph sold it to him so that Trude's children could have gifts on Christmas morning.

The only thing left in Herman Joseph's house was an apple, so he took that to the church. The people whispered behind their hands about how stingy and horrible Herman Joseph was not to bring his beautiful clock to the Virgin and the Babe. He just kept walking with tears in his eyes. But soon the whispers changed. For Herman Joseph had given all he had, and doing so had given more than all assembled there. The miracle was occurring. The Child was alive and was reaching out to accept the Clockmaker's gift.

The story emphasizes what the true meaning of Christmas is. The birth of a Babe in a Manger and the giving of oneself to others. It is truly a beautiful story.