The Velveteen Rabbit, by Margery Williams is a Christmas classic about a small Christmas toy brought to life through the love of a small boy. The story teaches complex life skills in a simple childlike way, while engaging the reader’s happy childlike curiosity and the glow of the Christmas spirit. 

The Skinned Horse

The story begins on Christmas day when a little boy receives a velveteen rabbit as a stocking stuffer with a “sprig of Holly between his paws”. 

The Velveteen Rabbit passes his time in the toy cupboard. Some of the toys in the nursery are toys which make fun of the rabbit. Others treat him kindly. One toy in particular is the “Skinned Horse”. 

The horse has been loved and used by the little boy so much that his hair had all been rubbed off. This well-loved toy becomes the rabbit’s friend and teaches him the wisdom of becoming real. 

"It doesn't happen all at once," said the Skin Horse. "You become. It takes a long time. That's why it doesn't happen often to people who break easily, or have sharp edges, or who have to be carefully kept. Generally, by the time you are Real, most of your hair has been loved off, and your eyes drop out and you get loose in the joints and very shabby. But these things don't matter at all, because once you are Real you can't be ugly, except to people who don't understand."

What a profound statement about what is truly important in life!  When we work and love so much in life we become beautiful because of loving and investing ourselves fully in our lives. What a wonderful Christmas message!

Become Real, Even though it takes time

Change and becoming doesn’t happen all at once. There is a moment in the story where the rabbit tells himself it will take a long time to become but that he wants to become REAL. 

When I first read this story, the parallels of the toys and people were distinct and eye opening. For example, when the horse explains with wisdom how the nursery magic works; certain types of toys never become real. 

It takes a certain type of willingness towards suffering and weathering to become real; One has to be willing to be loved and worn in order to grow. 

The Velveteen Rabbit goes through this “harshness” of becoming until his own fur matches the shabbiness of the horse, because the boy loved him so much.

At a certain point of the story, the boy gets scarlet fever. During his feverish state, the little boy clings to the velveteen rabbit with fervor.  Unfortunately, after the boy is recovered, the velveteen rabbit is thrown out with the other toys to prevent the spread of the illness

Lying alone in the dirt, the velveteen rabbit stays while ants crawl all over him. He watches animals that look like him hop about, looking new and fluffy. Some rabbits even talk to him and question who he is. 

After a time, a fairy appears and turns him into a real rabbit. 

An Embodiment of the Christmas Season 

This story embodies the entire Christmas season of becoming anew, real, and authentic. It teaches that the heart, truth, and who we are, is truly what is real. These are the heart of Christmas.

There are three themes in this work I find applicable to our time.

1. Trust the wisdom of the elders who have been there, this will help the dream of life come to fruition.

2. Don’t question the past, learn from it, and don’t discredit who you are, for being you is when you become the fullness of what you are meant to become.

3. Hardships are a part of life to grow, and they pass.While we go through the pain or hurt for a time it is worth it to become a greater person.

Being loved and loving is worth the hurt. C.S lewis wrote something once, on love,

“To love at all is to be vulnerable. Love anything and your heart will be wrung and possibly broken. If you want to make sure of keeping it intact you must give it to no one, not even an animal. Wrap it carefully round with hobbies and little luxuries; avoid all entanglements. Lock it up safe in the casket or coffin of your selfishness. But in that casket—safe, dark, motionless, airless—it will change. It will not be broken; it will become unbreakable, impenetrable, irredeemable.” — C.S. Lewis, The Four Loves”

This small little story of the velveteen rabbit shows the power of allowing love in and authenticity to grow and apply ourselves to. 

Is the Velveteen Really a Christmas Story?

To some it may feel as though The Velveteen Rabbit is not a Christmas story. Sure, it talks vaguely about Christmas but is it about Christmas? We’ll let you decide for yourself. The best thing about books is that they are open to interpretation. They are the imagination of others set before the world waiting to be analyzed.

The Velveteen Rabbit offers a glimpse into the meaning of special occasions and holidays. Moments which test and strengthen bonds with family and friends.

He could not have become without that first Christmas day he was discovered. He could not have even begun to imagine becoming real without being placed in the toy cupboard where he met the skinned horse. 

All stories begin with an idea, a character, and goal. Christmas set the tone, and I think it was purposeful. But, it’s alright if you see it differently; that’s the beauty of reading. 

Merry Christmas!