Orion Blightman

The Twelve Chimes Before Christmas Orion Blightman

Christmas is a time when everyone comes together to celebrate a joyous day. But as we immerse ourselves in festivities, sometimes we fail to recall the things we hold dear. In a small faraway town that was once lost and forgotten, everyone waits for the twelve chimes to ring on a cold Christmas Eve. Each chime holds a memory and a story to tell that, although somber, illustrates the true meaning of Christmas. A boy dressed in raggedy clothes stumbles through the deep snow until he arrives at a red, white, and green house. After he is saved from the cold by the family inside, he receives an unexpected yet wonderful gift. A young woman trapped in an unhappy marriage waits every Christmas Eve to remember the boy she once loved. A homeless little girl without a name sits on a bench and stares at a far town shrouded by snow. After a kindly old woman hands her a warm cape one night, the girl decides to give all of her twelve precious matches to strangers and decides her fate. The Twelve Chimes before Christmas is a poignant collection of lyrical holiday tales that remind all of us to embrace simple blessings, gratitude, and the kindness of strangers.