Holiday Traditions #5 – Christmas Books

Here is one of our all-time favorite Christmas traditions! Every time I share this with someone they always think it sounds great and I rarely hear that anyone has ever heard of doing it.



Our tradition has to do with wrapping up Christmas books. Over the years (and many, many clearance sales) I have amassed quite a selection of quality Christmas books. (You can get books for 75-90% off if you wait long enough!) Each year I use the leftover (scrap) wrapping paper to wrap up the books. Then, when Christmas rolls around we stick them in a basket or under the tree. Each night from Thanksgiving to Christmas Eve one of the kids gets to open a book. (We alternate to be fair. Although there are nights that everyone gets to open a book!) We read the Christmas book we opened that night before the kids go to bed. They always enjoy opening presents before Christmas plus the element of surprise – What book are we reading tonight? A little added bonus is that it is good for fine motor skills & great practice for little ones (like Tinkerbell) so she is all practiced up before the big day =-) 

Christmas Eve we always read Twas the Night before Christmas. I love the flow, rhyming words, and gorgeous illustrations. Plus, doesn’t it just add to the anticipation of what is going to happen that night (if you do the Christmas thing with your kids).



Christmas Day we have the final book present to open. That book is always the Christmas story. As our children are still young I feel that illustrations make the story of our Saviors birth more real to them. As my kids get older we will read it straight from the word of God. But I divulge, more on Christmas morning in tradition #8.



So… wondering what Christmas books we really look forward too? I thought you’d ask! I know I’m always on the lookout for new favorites! (If you click on the boxes below it will take you to Amazon where you can see the price of the book, other reviews, and purchase it at Amazon’s low prices!)

Here are more treasured favorites! I am not including board books, Thomas, Elmo, Clifford, etc. although we have them. These are the really treasured good books! We also really love singing through the 12 Days of Christmas, but it looks like our book is out of print. (If you do decide to buy a book I recommended I’d love it if you bought it through the links on this page. I get a very small, but helpful, advertising fee from them. Thank you!) Of I you are frugal (nothing wrong with that!) go check them out at your local library for free!

Do you have a favorite Christmas book I need to check out? I’d love for you to leave me a comment! Thoughts on our Christmas Book tradition – I love your comments!

 

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