Shopping for a Unique Gift Children will Treasure?

I keep lots of memories from the days when I was a young parent. Some of them are downright exasperating! One of them involves purchasing gifts for my children. Gifts for the holidays. Birthday gifts. Those occasional gifts rewarding good behavior. I spent some serious hours searching for something unique, something meaningful. Most of the time it was rough going. I quickly realized that a good gift is hard to find. A meaningful gift is even rarer. And when I did find a special gift, I regarded it as something of a treasure. And I hoped my children would do the same.

I am now a grandparent. And I am always on the lookout for a unique gift children would enjoy. Something that will last far beyond the moment of giving. One great gift I have found is a memorable story. And it is appropriate for all ages, children included. Think of all the pleasurable hours an entire CD of stories can provide. Imagine the trip around the world your progeny can take on the wings of a story!

My "Recordings" page on this website lists three story CDs. Fables in Four Minutes is a collection of ten stories, each one representing a different storytelling genre. World Full of Stories has a dozen stories that will take the listeners on a trip around the world. My latest project is Parking in Manhattan, and it contains a compendium of urban folktales that will tickle the funny bone. If you wish to make a purchase of one or more CDs, the directions on the "Recordings" page will assist you.

Hunting for a unique gift children will enjoy and appreciate? A unique gift children will never get tired of? A unique gift children can share with their parents and friends? A memorable gift is the gift of story. The kind of unique gift children will treasure for a long time to come.

World Stories from Around the Globe

Throughout the world stories have been told and retold for millennia. They act as vital threads that weave through the fabric of a culture. They lend definition, roots, and significance to society. As a culture grows, so do its world stories.

I have been blessed by the number of world stories I have found from my travels around the world. I have also had the opportunity to learn a bit about each country. Customs and rituals. Geography and daily habits. In turn, that lends substantial meaning to the world stories I hear. And one of the benefits is to see how world stories come directly from the cultures of origin. My firsthand experience of a given culture heightens my appreciation of their stories. My travels have taken me to Southeast Asia, Central and South America, around the United States, Canada, and Europe. I find myself amazed at both the differences and similarities of the various countries.

You can find in every culture notions which they hold as sacred. You can also find things demonic. These notions appear regularly in their stories. Their stories grow out of this mythical soil. Myth forms the basis for many world stories. They include creation stories along with other stories that explain the world.

Folktales, on the other hand, are generated from daily village life. Naturally, stories of the folk world are couched in rural settings. Fairy tales also live in the world of folktales. Stories about magic and mystery were apt outlets for questioning minds of preliterate villagers. Cautionary tales abound, all of them containing messages to avert disaster. Stay out of the dark forest! Steer clear of wild beasts! Do not talk to strangers! On the other hand, reward and happy endings comprise many folktales. Good is eternally pitted against evil. The Golden Rule reigns supreme. Regardless of genre, any worthy world story can be applied to contemporary life. And that brings us to storytelling today. Contemporary society is far removed from rural villages of old, but the old stories still remain pertinent.

Some world stories are downright funny. Other world stories are mysterious. Many world stories are full of insight. Often world stories are enigmatic. Generally world stories teach. All world stories keep us amused.

Regardless of their intent, all world stories express deep bonds with the fabric of a country and culture. People tell of their experiences through world stories. And in distant worlds they still have meaning.

To enjoy the breadth of subject matter found in world stories, listen to my CD entitled "World Full of Stories." It is an award winning recording that will take you on a delightful trip around the world!

A Great Source of Nifty Stories on the Internet

I grew up with the word "nifty" as a standard descriptor in my vocabulary. It was a word that meant a variety of things, all of them good and attractive. As time passed, I heard the word used in a wider range of conversations, including nifty evenings out, nifty concerts, and nifty songs. Even later, the word took on a more cultured definition in reference to poems, books, and, of course, nifty stories.

Whenever I heard the word I assumed it meant something good, something attractive. However, it was only when I found myself using the word in my description of my own stories that I needed to define it. Actually, I hit the books when a listener said my stories were nifty. The Merriam/Webster Dictionary definition states: "very good, very attractive," etymology unknown, originally used in 1865. The standard reference Compact Oxford Dictionary states: "particularly good, effective, or stylish."

What makes nifty stories nifty? The stories I tell always have a message, a lesson, a bit of perspective, and they are, indeed, particularly good and rather effective at making their point. You could say that my idea of nifty stories is stories that enlighten as well as entertain. I look for stories with certain underlying values that help the listener to set their internal compass when sailing through life.

For example, a story with a moral is one that provides a clear message. It teaches using a concrete example. However, the lessons in many other stories may not be as obvious. The characters may act out the meaning of the story. Listeners are left to figure out the message for themselves. And different listeners will carry away different messages. Stories such as these are inclined to be more widely popular. Longer stories are likely to be more subtle in the lessons that result. Epic stories have many layered lessons Think of the difference between an Aesop fable and a tale from the Arabian Nights. Which one do you prefer to hear? Personally, I like to find my own message when listening to a story. Check out my World Full of Stories and Fables in Four Minutes CDs for some examples of nifty stories with more subtle lessons.

Nifty stories edify. Nifty stories appeal to a broad audience. Nifty stories carry a message that applies to all people. Nifty stories are always in vogue. These stories are naturally very attractive. Nifty stories are worth their weight in gold!

Inspirational Stories Worth Listening To

I have spent a good amount of my time researching stories that offer listeners something more than simply a clever plot. Something that listeners can take away from the story. Call it a message. It might give the listener a suggestion of a new direction. It might even state a moral. It doesn't really matter what name you give to this elusive quality; it is more important that the stories I tell possess it.

As a child I found deep meaning in inspirational stories. Both my mother and my grandfather told similar stories. Occasionally a teacher would tell a story that meant a great deal to me. I was surprised to find how memorable those stories were. The messages stuck in the memory, too. The Golden Rule. Honesty is the best policy. Take time to smell the flowers. Community giving is part of community living. I am who I am because of those messages.

Today I tell many of the stories I heard as a child. The stories are ageless. The messages are as relevant now as they were long ago.

Why seek out inspirational stories? First, consider the barrage of daily news and information. Second, the lives we live give us no breathing space to reflect. In the absence of time and reflection, we have precious little available insight to bring to current affairs. This is where inspirational stories serve us well. A listener can mull over inspirational stories. They give us something to consider. Something that helps us to find our personal "true north. Something that gives us perspective.

Care for some inspiration? At www.jaystetzer.com you can find memorable inspirational stories. On the "Listen" page of my website, click any one of the story samples and you are likely to find a message worth your time. "The Egg Seller" and "Herschel and the Wedding" from the World Full of Stories CD are good examples of inspirational stories. From the CD Parking in Manhattan, "Service with a Smile" brings a great message to the listener. Long after they are told, inspirational stories stay in the memory. I am even inspired by the inspirational stories I tell!

We live in a complex, fast moving world. We all need a bit of "inner" direction to guide us as we cruise down the highway of life. Inspirational stories help keep us on the road. Like having your own spiritual GPS! My recordings contain a wealth of inspirational stories. Listen for yourself!

Inspirational Stories Inspire!

My research into stories in the past few years have uncovered a number of stories that go well beyond a clever plot to amuse my listeners. They hint at a direction, or perhaps a meaningful message. They could even suggest a moral. The name of this elusive quality is not all that important. It is more important that the stories I tell possess it. I call them inspirational stories. JayStetzer.com



Inspirational stories give listeners something to chew on. They can mull it over long after they heard the story. It gives them something that points them a bit closer to their "true north."



Check out my website and the page entitled, "Listen." There are a number of story samples where you are liable to find some meaningful direction. And you are likely to find the inspirational stories sticking in your mind. The fact is, inspirational stories actually inspire everybody, even the storyteller!



In this fast moving, complex world, we all need a bit of "inner" direction to guide us as we move down the highway of life. We can be confounded and dizzy by all its twists and turns. To help us stay on the road, inspirational stories can guide us. It is like having your very own GPS. There is a wealth of inspirational stories available on all of my recordings. Listen for yourself!

Looking for World Stories?

For as long as humans could talk throughout the world stories have been told and retold. They act as vital threads that weave through the fabric of any culture. They lend definition, roots, and significance to society. World stories spread as the culture grows.



I have been blessed by the number of world stories I have found from my travels throughout the world. And each time I visit another country I have the opportunity to learn a bit about it. So the world stories I hear have substantial meaning to me. And one of the benefits is to see how world stories come directly from the cultures of origin. The more I experience a particular culture, the more I appreciate the value of their stories. My travels have taken me to Southeast Asia, Central and South America, and Europe. I find myself amazed at both the differences and similarities of the various countries. jaystetzer.com/worldstories/worldstories.shtml



Some world stories are downright funny. Other world stories are filled with mystery. Many world stories are full of insight. Often world stories are enigmatic. Generally world stories contain lessons. All world stories entertain.

Regardless of their intent, all world stories express deep bonds with the fabric of a country and culture. The experiences of people are drawn in world stories. Inspirational stories



To enjoy the breadth of subject matter found in world stories, listen to my CD entitled "World Full of Stories. It is an award winning recording that will take you on a delightful trip around the world! You can find world stories and more at www.jaystetzer.com. Folk stories