A famous American author of children's books presents fifteen Christmas memories, spanning six decades, that detail the path his life has taken.

Tomie has an eventful first grade year with his sixth birthday party, his first Halloween trick-or-treating followed by Thanksgiving, his first Christmas pageant, and a late night New Year's celebration.

Author-illustrator Tomie De Paola describes his experiences at home and in school in 1941 when he was a boy.

From gas rationing to air-raid drills, as long as the war lasts, life is going to be different for Tomie. And sometimes different is hard. Fortunately, Tomie still has school, his family, and the things he's good at to carry him through.