The Inside Story of “This is Christmas Eve” by Donna Bonnett Tanchez 

 This was my first time submitting something that I’d written to be published.

The simple beauty of Christmas Eve is experienced through a child’s eyes.

I initially wrote two stories—one fiction, but inspired by fact, and one non-fiction. I spent a good deal of time working on these stories—changing characters, editing, polishing, you name it…. For my fiction-but-inspired-by-factual-events piece, I actually wrote the same story multiple times from different characters’ points of view, and then chose the one that I thought worked best.

When I felt that both stories were ready to submit, I thought, “Why not throw in a poem, as well?” So, I whipped off a poem very quickly, without bothering to edit it or even review it, and emailed them all.

When I found out that my poem had been accepted, I was thrilled, of course, but I also viewed my submissions as a kind of analogy to the way life sometimes works. You might try very hard to make something work, and it just doesn’t—but then when something comes easy for you, it’s the thing that is meant to be.

My poem is actually non-fiction, based on a couple of different memories I have from childhood when I attended Christmas Eve and Christmastime services in a small rural church in Ontario.

Some things I included in the poem are ideas I’ve had rattling around for years; I just wasn’t sure where to place them or how they could be used. If you’ve read the poem, the simile in the first stanza is one of those examples. It’s something I observed as a child, often, but I had never used in a piece of writing until now.

One of the things that I love most about Christmas, and which I have included in part of the poem, was the Christmas pageant at our church.

I was a shy child, so at school I was never chosen to have a speaking role in a play. In church, however, we all received speaking roles; and in front of a warm audience of caring church members, I shed my timid skin.

I loved memorizing lines, and dramatizing them. Yes, I felt nervous before stepping on stage, but under those bright lights my nerves evaporated, and I transformed into the character of the moment. I’ve always been grateful to the husband and wife team who organized the Christmas pageant for so many years, and helped me be a part of it.

The Christmas Eve service was always a special time of celebration for me. Christmastime in general was a wonderful time where all of our senses were in full use. During the service, however, the sights, the sounds, the things you can touch were the ones that were heavily utilized, and these three senses are ones that I focus on heavily in the poem.

Donna Bonnett Tanchez has loved reading and writing for as long as she can remember. In elementary school, she wrote her own plays, which her friends performed for the class. She also entered various local writing contests. As an adult, she invented stories to entertain her children. The poem included in this book was inspired by her memories of worshiping as a child during a Christmas Eve service and acting in the Christmas pageant. This is her first attempt at having her writing published. Donna lives in Milton, Ontario, with her husband, daughter, and son.