Favorite Books: Christmas Edition
My mother has two storage boxes full of Christmas books. When I was younger, it was just a large basket full, but now she has to pick her favorites to put out each year in that same old basket. They are mostly books for children and I remember reading them every year with my parents. They would read one to me each night in December with 'Twas the Night Before Christmas being the Christmas Eve staple--as it is for so many families. Once I could read, I joined the rotation of picking a nightly book and reading it aloud. My husband and I get a few each year and read to one another and it is part of my Christmas tradition that I love.
Sharing my love of Christmas stories just seems right, though it was difficult to narrow down my choices. I went with the ones that I remember from the earliest days. They may not be the best books ever written, they may be the same old story we have heard from year to year, they may even be predictable, but that is ok. They are my Christmas books, and they always have been. Take the chance to look at these books using the links and share your favorites with me! I can get Mom another storage box and we will just keep adding to the collection.
Mr. Willowby's Christmas Tree by Robert E. Barry
This book is one of the first I remember and I always found the story so touching and cute. The rhymes helped engage me as a child and the wonderful woodland characters were so fun. As a child, I remember being so happy that the animals got to decorate for Christmas too. It is a familiar story, and that is why I like it. Everyone gets a tree, all from Mr. Willowby's! The mouse...he is probably my favorite. How did a mouse end up with a Christmas tree? Well, you will just have to read the book.
How the Grinch Stole Christmas by Dr. Seuss
I just couldn't make a list of Christmas books and leave this one off. Do I need to explain why it is one of my favorites? Whos, Grinches, Max...they are part of what Christmas is made of. While the original Grinch movie is still my favorite, my husband and I went on our first date to see the 2018 film. Needless to say, it has a special place in my heart as a story. I always imagined what it would be like to be Cindy Lou Who and, while I can't say I am no more than two, I think anyone who truly enjoys the Christmas spoken of in this book can kind of understand who she is. "Welcome Christmas, bring your cheer...welcome all Whos far and near."
The Littlest Angel by Charles Tazewell, illustrated by Paul Micich
This one is probably up there with some of my favorite books, Christmas or otherwise. The writing style is fantastic, the story telling is magical, and the story itself is something that I never tire of. I included the illustrator because the pictures enhance the story so well and they are beautful! The littlest angel is a character that we can all relate to--he is misunderstood, uncertain, and alltogether unheavenly. He has a purpose, though, and that is what the story is all about. God had a place and a plan for him from the beginning, he just didn't know what it was. The book is also a reminder about how important the small things are, from small people, to small memories. We never know what our purpose is or where our path will lead us. More importantly, we never know what parts of our journeys are the ones that will put us where we are supposed to be.
A Small Miracle by Peter Collington
This book is one of my mom's favorites and it makes perfect sense seeing as some of the main characters are the peices of a nativity scene of which she has dozens (you think I am joking but I am not). That is a story for a different post, however. The story telling of this book is beautiful. The special thing about this book--or one of them anyway--is that it has no words. It is a story told solely through the beautiful art. Peter Collington may not be an author, but he is a story teller nonetheless. I also like that, while the story is very clear, the details are left up to the reader. This makes it so much more than just a Christmas story; every time we read it, it is new and it is uniquely ours.
I truly do hope you take some time to read some of these books if you haven't already. If you have, read them again! Below is a cute narrated video of 'Twas the Night Before Christmas.
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