The Christmas That Almost Wasn't

by Laura Alary, Ana Eguaras (Illustrator)

Overview

Celebrating Christmas in the dark and finding joy in the unexpected.

Aidan's city is hit with an ice storm just days before Christmas, causing the electrical grid to go down. All their Christmas plans are ruined! One disappointment piles on another: Grandma and Grandpa cannot travel, the Christmas pageant is canceled, there are no Christmas lights, and it's impossible to cook a Christmas dinner. But Aidan and his dad persevere to bring doughnuts and coffee to neighbors, and then they're invited to a neighborhood Christmas potluck.

As Aidan's mom tells the Christmas story, he realizes that the first Christmas was full of disappointment and unexpected community too. Suddenly Christmas feels special again as Aidan feels connected to the Bible story from long ago, to his grandparents far away, and to his neighbors and family nearby. God is here in the midst of it all.

Sometimes Christmas is not all we hope or expect it to be. The Christmas That Almost Wasn't invites readers to ponder how sometimes, when things are taken away, it brings us closer to the heart of the holy mystery that still draws us into its warmth.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9798889832966
Publisher:	Augsburg Fortress, Publishers
Publication date:	09/30/2025
Sold by:	Barnes & Noble
Format:	eBook
Pages:	40
Age Range:	4 - 7 Years

About the Author

Laura Alary is a storyteller, educator, mother of three, and picture book author. Her book All the Faces of Me was named a 2024 Charlotte Zolotow Award Honor Book. She is also the author of Here: The Dot We Call Home, Make Room: A Child's Guide to Lent and Easter, and The Astronomer Who Questioned Everything, among many others. Laura lives with her family in Toronto, where she once spent a very chilly and memorable Christmas after the ice storm of 2013.

Editorial Reviews

2025-06-13
An ice storm that dashes a young boy’s holiday plans also helps him find a connection to the first Christmas.

Pale-skinned Aiden’s been counting down on his Advent calendar—one more day till his grandparents arrive, two more until the church Nativity play (he’ll be playing the Star of Bethlehem), and three more until Christmas! But that night, it snows. The icy roads mean Grandma and Grandpa can’t travel. Worst of all, downed power lines mean no electricity or heat—and no play. But the family members fill their days with quiet merriment: reading stories, eating meals by candlelight. On Christmas Eve morning, Aiden and his father brave the icy urban sidewalks to buy coffee and doughnuts and spend the day delivering the treats to neighbors in their diverse community before the whole family heads to a spontaneous Christmas Eve potluck dinner. As the night winds down, Aiden’s mom retells the story of the Nativity, and Aiden finds special meaning in the tale: Were Joseph and Mary scared? Hungry? Cold? Did they appreciate the kindness of their newfound community? Filled with warmth and joy, Aiden hears the voice of angels: “Don’t be afraid. God is with you.” Alary caps her earnestly told narrative with an author’s note about her own stormy Christmas experience. Richly colored cartoon illustrations capture the silvery ice of the storm and bathe Aiden’s shadowy world with a tender glow.

Awash in the true Yuletide spirit. (activities)(Picture book. 4-8)

Kirkus Reviews