The First Christmas

A Story of New Beginnings

By: Stephen Mitchell

Narrated by: Stephen Mitchell

“I love The First Christmas. What a charming way Stephen Mitchell has found to tell my favorite story of all, the Nativity, character by character (I love the donkey and the ox), with wise and thrilling interludes about God, reality, truth.” –Anne Lamott


In The First Christmas, Stephen Mitchell brings the Nativity story to vivid life as never before. A narrative that is only sketched out in two Gospels becomes fully realized here with nuanced characters and a setting that reflects the culture of the time. Mitchell has suffused the birth of Jesus with a sense of beauty that will delight and astonish listeners.

In this version, we see the world through the eyes of a Whitmanesque ox and a visionary donkey, starry-eyed shepherds and Zen-like wise men, each of them providing a unique perspective on a scene that is, in Western culture, the central symbol for good tidings of great joy. Rather than superimposing later Christian concepts onto the Annunciation and Nativity scenes, he imagines Mary and Joseph experiencing the angelic message as a young Jewish woman and man living in the year 4 BCE might have experienced it, with terror, dismay, and ultimate acceptance. In this context, their yes becomes an act of great moral courage.

Listeners of every background will be enchanted by this startlingly beautiful reimagining of the Christmas tale.

A Macmillan Audio production from St. Martin's Essentials

Beautiful story!

This is such an interesting take on the nativity! I was especially intrigued by the tale of the two "Wise Men." What a great way to put this event into the context of Jesus' life on earth! I'm going back to listen again ...

A Living Nativity

Stephen Mitchell brings the Christmas Story alive and personalizes it by developing the characters through what imaginary could have been their thoughts as they lived through this very holy experience. It enhanced for me the essence of the annunciation with Gabriel as a messenger of Light through birth of Jesus by personalizing it with Meister Eckhart’s probing question, “What good is it to me if Mary gave birth to the son of God…and I do not also give birth, how can it help me?”
This provided a meditative experience for me and I will read it every Christmas.

A closer view of Christ’s birth

The unique and beautiful inside view of Christmas from various vantage points. It made me happy that I keep our Christmas tree up all year and celebrate any time we like.

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Merry Christmas

Listened to this book over the Christmas holiday and found it so interesting and pleasant. Stephen Mitchells offers wisdom to the story.