Philip Pullman has recently written Grimm Tales for Young and Old, retelling 50 tales collected by the brothers Grimm.

They range from the familiar Red Riding Hood to the lesser known Three Snake Leaves.

Every time somebody tells a story it changes. The Grimm brothers wrote several versions of the fairy tales in their life time.

Every story has a purpose. Fairy tales were told to give advice and warnings. We tell personal stories to provide interest, amusement and sometimes to gossip.

In December we hear the story of the birth of Jesus. We experience several versions, through nativity plays, carols, pictures, stained glass windows, films, and Bible readings.

The Bible itself has two distinct stories in Matthew and Luke.

These were written long after the event. Whenever somebody retells them now, there are different emphases and embellishments.

Whatever the version, the purpose is to say that Jesus was born on earth and came to stay.

So share the stories with your children and if they ask awkward questions about the differences between the stories, they can be told this truth.

Jesus was born and Jesus is still here in us.

He’s a wonderful model for our own lives.

The way to peace and justice in the world is through love, the centre of the good news he brought us, mainly in stories.

These can be read in the new year.

Ruth Clarke, Kendal Ecumenical group and Carver URC Windermere