Article December 25, 1995 Issue

Everything sparkles at Christmas ...especially the people.

by Kim Shippey

That thought from eight-year-old Stacy can be found in a gift book entitled The Best Christmas Presents Are Wrapped in Heaven^{ Copyright © 1993 Villard Books, a division of Random House, Inc. Excerpts reprinted with permission .} and suggests that the message of Christmas is alive and well in a world that is sometimes unsure what constitutes true happiness.

The authors, husband and wife David and Elizabeth Heller, write in their preface that Christmas is a season of the heart, even though some people say it's hard to find Christmas underneath all the wrappings. Who better, they conclude, to lend a lighthearted and thoughtful perspective to this sometimes paradoxical time of year than children? "After all, when a day of busy holiday baking, crowded malls, and shopping sprees has ended, children can quickly remind us where the heart of the Christmas season lies: in the spirit of giving and sharing. Their clever comments and inspired insights often seem heaven-sent."

David Heller is a clinical psychologist who has written eighteen books, many of them, like the Christmas one, based on interviews with children. Elizabeth is the author of five books and has a master's degree in broadcast journalism. She has worked in television and in public relations, and collaborates with David on the books about children. Among their other recent books are The Kids' Book of Prayers About All Sorts of Things (Pauline Books) and Angels Must Get Their Wings By Helping Little Angels Like Me (Kensington Books).

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