The Christmas Box, by Richard Paul Evans, is a well-written novel that has and will continue to help people who read it realize the true meaning of Christmas. Oddly though, The Christmas Box was not written to be published, but as a present for Mr. Evan's daughters. The Christmas Box is a story about the relationship between a man caught up in his job, his family and a loving, lonely elderly woman with who they share a house which shows them the true meaning of Christmas. The story starts out happily, but eventually becomes complicated by the man who chooses his career over his family and the elderly woman's sad, secret past.
             The Christmas Box starts out with a family, the main character, a man named Richard, his wife Kerri and 4 year old daughter Jenna who have outgrown their little apartment in the city. When Kerri sees an ad in the classifieds that sounds like exactly what they need, they end up moving into a very large, expensive house in an upscale part of town with the owner, Ms. MaryAnne Parkin. The family moves in and can stay for nothing, provided they cook and take care of the landscaping. It becomes evident that MaryAnne didn't so much need the help around the house as much as she needed their company.
             When the ice is broken between MaryAnne, Kerri and Jenna, they become the family that MaryAnne never had. At the same time, Richard becomes more and more caught up in expanding his business. Everyone in the house, except Richard, notices how he is neglecting his loved ones in his search for material wealth, forgetting what really matters in life. Richard thinks that he is doing the right thing for his family, sacrificing his time with them so that they can have more time together and live more comfortably in the future. What Richard doesn't realize is what he is missing. He is missing Jenna growing up, spends less and less time with Jenna and his wife. What he also doesn't seem to notice is how wonderful of a woman MaryA...