Keepsake Christmas Stories

This commemorative collector's edition celebrates twenty years of the Tabernacle Choir and Orchestra at Temple Square's beloved Christmas show—an annual tradition enjoyed by millions, both live on stage and through its holiday season broadcast on PBS stations, where it has earned Grammy and Emmy awards and nominations. Each year the show is hosted by a distinguished special guest, including Jane Seymour, Tom Brokaw, Kristen Chenoweth, and Hugh Bonneville. These holiday story adaptions have ranged from The Gift of the Magi to the story behind the writing of the hymn, "It Is Well With My Soul" to the inspiring tale of "The Candy Bomber"—an unlikely American WWII hero who dropped candy from his airplane to the children of Germany.

This coffee table edition is the perfect holiday keepsake for all ages and features photographs of the stage productions alongside the stories, which also includes a weblink to hear the stories from every performance.

The 360 members of The Tabernacle Choir at Temple Square represent men and women from many different backgrounds and professions and range in age from 25 to 60. They reflect a medley of unique lives and experiences and are brought together by their love for singing and their faith. Their incomparable voices are the common chord that unites to form the choral group known all over the world as the Mormon Tabernacle Choir.

The Tabernacle Choir at Temple Square originated in the mid-19th century in Salt Lake City. As the Latter-day Saints moved west, Church President Brigham Young included musicians among members of the advance parties. Consequently, a small choir first sang for a conference of the Church in the Salt Lake Valley on August 22, 1847, just 29 days after the first group arrived. The origins of The Tabernacle Choir at Temple Square may be found in the desire and commitment of early converts to include appropriate music in both sacred and secular events.

The Tabernacle Choir at Temple Square has appeared at 13 world's fairs and expositions, performed at the inaugurations of five U.S. presidents, and sung for numerous worldwide telecasts and special events. Five of The Tabernacle Choir at Temple Square recordings have achieved "gold record" and two have achieved "platinum record" status. The most popular was the Grammy-Award-winning 1959 release of "The Battle Hymn of the Republic" with the Philadelphia Orchestra.