Christmas Reading

Yes, I realize it is the day before Thanksgiving. I’m so thankful for our relaxing Thanksgiving celebrations at my parents’ house just down the road. I’m making my traditional Orange Cream Souffle (mousse-like jell-o dessert) and baking Swedish Limpa (bread) today in preparation. I’m also taking pictures of my best friend’s kids this afternoon when we’ve finished with a few school lessons.

BUT, this is also the weekend for pulling all our Christmas books off the shelf! I cannot wait. I look forward to the Christmas books more than the decorating and music.

Last year I shared the following links:

I’ve shared many of my favorites in past posts:

• Favorite Christmas Books
• Favorite Christmas Books ~ Around the World Edition
• Favorite Christmas Books ~ Pioneer Edition
• Advent (many resources)

I noticed with excitement that two of my favorite out-of-print Christmas books are available used on Amazon for reasonable prices right at this moment (they’ve often been available only at much higher prices!). Snatch them up before they’re gone!

• Maggie Rose, Her Birthday Christmas by Ruth Sawyer (an adored chapter book favorite from my own childhood,reviewed here—it makes a wonderful read-aloud!) 
• Handel's Messiah Family Advent Reader (short review here; last Christmas season I posted corresponding readings, picture books, videos, and other resources for each day’s topic)

This year I’ve added The Wee Christmas Cabin of Carn-na-ween to our collection since Ruth Sawyer is the author of two of my most favorite Christmas books. We’ll also be enjoying Christmas Day in the Morning by Pearl S. Buck (because, well, Pearl S. Buck), The Christmas Wish (the photography—oooohhh!), and Christmas Farm (perfect for reading the day we get our Christmas tree).

Last month I shared four Christmas books in my Book Detectives series: Tree of Cranes, Christmas Farm, The Year of the Perfect Christmas Tree, and The Family Under the Bridge (which would make a wonderful chapter book read-aloud).

This year I have added a few new books to our collection (of course!). I discovered a beautiful nativity story with pictures by Giotto. Giotto is one of the artists we are studying this year (cycle 1) with Classical Conversations. I’m adding this book (and possibly The Glorious Impossible by Madeleine L’Engle) to our other Christmas art books by Rembrandt (cycle 2), Grandma Moses (cycle 3), and Norman Rockwell (cycle 3).

I’ve also added two more wonderful picture books: The Trees of the Dancing Goats (a Hanukkah story by the delightful Patricia Polacco who wrote my favorite Christmas Tapestry) and Saint Francis and the Christmas Donkey (gorgeously illustrated by Robert Byrd).

Our Christmas chapter book read-aloud will be The Birds’ Christmas Carol.

I think our collection might last us all month!

Have you added to your Christmas book collection this year?