December 9, 2010 9:54 AM
Christmas books for your family library
A reader recently wrote to thank me for the idea of having a collection of books to unpack each Christmas. Since this was another megamom, I was surprised - I had never thought of this as a novel idea.
So let me share this idea clearly: Just as you have decorations you keep put away for holidays like Christmas, Thanksgiving, Easter, I recommend books and music that come out once a year as well. You will see what I mean as you see your children's delight each year as you bring out the books and music filled with memories. We keep a selection of books on the coffee table (do they still call them coffee tables?) year-round. At Christmas, we clear away whatever is there for Christmas - which we read aloud or which the kids read/look at pictures.
We now have about 30 such books - some we've received for presents. Many, like the Rockwell Christmas Book and Dickens' Christmas Carol are available used for pennies at Amazon. Those are the two I would recommend you start with. The others are the ones I pulled out to share because they are favorites at the Curtis house. I recommend investing in hardbacks - check the used prices at Amazon - as these are books which will be handed down to grandchildren:
The last one - A Christmas Treasury is also a must-have, a 474-page compendium of classic Christmas literature from some of the world's best authors - including O Henry's masterpiece The Gifts of the Magi. You will not want to let these be forgotten - as they are by government schools. Let them uplift your family and inspire your children as they have for generations.
See also What Makes a Story Christian?
Posted in Books, Christmas | Permalink
Comments
You have a lot of our favorites. Two more you might want to look at are: A Small Miracle by Peter Collingon and Christmas Day in the Morning by Pearl S. Buck.
Merry Christmas!
Posted by: Elizabeth | December 9, 2010 11:46 AM
Here's another fabulous book: The Littlest Angel
http://www.amazon.com/Littlest-Angel-Charles-Tazewell/dp/0824985168
Posted by: wendy ann | December 9, 2010 6:32 PM
I took your advice and bought Jotham's Journey and my boys just love it! I also bought the brand new book by Anthony DeStanfo titled: Little Star. It is just so sweet and sends an awesome message.
Posted by: Julie | December 9, 2010 11:38 PM
We have holiday books, too! They sit on the "holiday" shelves of our bookcases (low and less noticable but never would be box away and hide a book), then when the appropriate holiday is approaching, the stack of books move to a table in our living room.
We have more Christmas books than any other, but I think our Thanksgiving collection is my favorite.
I love seeing my children sitting around reading these wonderful, rich stories. And we get to choose what the books are and help shape their thoughts to the real meaning of the holidays--including Valentine's Day, too.
To share what we hope to do this year.....I just noticed a few days before Christmas on our calendar that are surprisingly open other than some food prep and gift wrapping; I think we'll devote hours and hours and hours to reading Christmas books out loud and drinking hot tea and coffee.
Posted by: von | December 10, 2010 10:22 AM
