The Greatest Gift byPhilip Van Doren Stern

I was given this book by a neighbor as a Christmas Gift.  It is the story that the movie "It's a Wonderful Life" was based upon.  Given a second chance by a stranger, George says that his life was of no importance and that it would have been better had he never been born.

Seeing life without himself, shows emptiness and the memories he had do not have any value as he sees how others lives were affected by his having been there and he realizes that his life was important and he was important to many whose lives he touched.

A beautiful heartwarming story to read at Christmas time.  I love the tenderness and rare glimpses of simple things, the way Christmas should be in all our lives but tends to not be so much anymore as we become worldly and unappreciative of the many true blessings and joys we have in life.