Christmas, it has been said, is many things to many people. In these seven stories the meaning of Christmas is as varied as the time and circumstances in which they take place. A young Quaker recalls Christmas as a time when he received the courage to shelter fugitives. A Dutch fisherman is driven to despair by his own compulsive gift giving. An Amish housewife seeks resolution for a life haunted by the image of a Christmas tree. Of course, Christmas is foremost a celebration of the birth of Christ, and a time for life made anew, which is why we delight in the redemption of Scrooge. But what of poor Jacob Marley whose sacrifice made possible Scrooge’s salvation? Christmas is also a time we associate with miracles, and a miraculous gift from Santa Claus allows a boy to make peace with the senseless death of his parents. And lest it be forgotten that Christmas is a time for joy and playful celebration, there are Roy and Willis, two handymen bent on playing Christmas carols on a pipe organ fashioned out of a pickup truck. Lastly, in a children’s story, a hermit finds Christmas to be the chance to help a mysterious stranger dressed in black. Seven stories, seven different Christmases, yet all united by this: Christmas is special to all. Lucky number seven -- that's the number of stories in Michael Easterling's new book, "Christmas Eve on the Underground Railroad and Other Christmas Stories." Each gem of a story has some connection with Christmas, but they aren't the typical reindeer and elves stories. They occur in different parts of the world, in different periods of history and with unexpected characters -- like the innovative handymen in "The '59 Chevy Apache Pipe Organ" or the Dutch sailor in "The Three Dowries." What each story has in common is the theme that Christmas is a magical time when anything can happen --the supercilious ghost of Jacob Marley might find his soul or an emotionally disturbed child could find peace after the bombing death of his parents. Redemption, peace, the finding of what was lost in life and miracles fill the pages of "Christmas Eve on the Underground Railroad and Other Christmas Stories." Wendy Schultz, Placerville Mountain Democrat