There are many good and worthy meditations for the Advent season. There are also stories that would not make an obvious choice (they’re not about the Christ Child, Advent specifically or Christmas generally) but offer much for contemplation and enjoyment in the time of preparing our hearts for the celebration of the Christmas season.
One such book is Patricia St. John’s “Treasures of the Snow.” The story, based on St. John’s experience of living in Switzerland for a year as a child, follows the feud and reconciliation of Annette and Lucien, children in neighboring chalets subject to an environment that is both beautiful and harsh.
St. John’s story, inspired by real experience in her fascinating life, conveys the interior experience of conviction, conversion, and submission to the will of God. It is a unique book. With its 26 chapters, one woman recounted that her mother would read one chapter each day of December leading up to Christmas. It is the kind of story you can return to through the years and gain new and interesting perspective.
We’re five days into December, and, despite securing a copy from the public library, I’m not sure we’ll read it this year. But, perhaps, on a day when cozy reading is called for we’ll revisit the cinematic scenes in Switzerland to learn again the love of God that Annette and Lucien so badly long for. There’s nothing to say you have to read just one chapter a day.
As an aside, I’ve done more digging on the emphatic recommendation of Carol Joyce Seid to avoid the bastardization of St. John’s work by Mary Mills. It’s hard to do! The copies available are often the most recent printing in the late 20th century, which includes Mills’ changes. Copies advertised as the original are, in fact, the revised version “sensitively adapted for today’s young reader.”
I could not figure out how extensive the rewriting was, but, thankfully, passionate fans offer a lot of information. One reviewer states, “Sadly, what this [‘sensitively adapted’] means is that the book has been DUMBED DOWN for the less intelligent reader of today. Comparing the original with the revised edition, I have found that the eloquent and detailed descriptions which made the book so rich have been rewritten or removed entirely! The wonderful rich vocabulary that I had hoped to share with my child has been modernized for the much lower intelligence levels of today’s public school children. The Christian message is still there, but the impact of it is greatly diminished by these revisions.”
A more restrained reviewer took the time to offer specific examples, such as:
“ORIGINAL: They had come to a parting of ways. The crumbly white snow-path lined with sled tracks divided. A few hundred yards along the right fork stood a group of houses with light shining in their windows and dark barns behind them. Annette was nearly home.
THIS VERSION: They had come to where the crumbly white path divided. A few hundred yards along the right fork stood a group of chalets with lights shining in their windows and dark barns standing behind them. Annette was nearly home.
ORIGINAL: Now, as she stood along among the snow and stars, it seemed a pity to go in just yet and break the spell. She waited as she reached the steps leading up to the balcony and looked around.
THIS VERSION: The magic stayed with her, and now, as she stood alone among the snow and stars, it seemed a pity to go in just yet and break the spell. She hesitated as she reached the steps leading up to the balcony and looked around.”
I must say, I’m mystified by the value of this subtle and irritating rejiggering of perfectly good text. It remains difficult, however, to secure the old copies. I, for one, think the story is good enough to warrant reading in the new version if that’s the only one you can come by or that’s what your library happens to have. It is that good.
