Top Ten Christmas Books

Now that we've finally entered my absolute favorite season, I've pulled out all our Christmas books (a collection that's ever expanding). I'm always looking for more titles to add (and I have added a few new ones this year), but I also have several stand-bys that I don't think I could ever not read during the Christmas season. So, below, are our Top Ten Christmas Titles (and please feel free to leave a comment recommending a new one for us to try!):

In no particular order...

1. The Story of Holly and Ivy by Rumer Godden, Illustrations by Barbara Cooney
This is one of my all time favorite stories, regardless of the holiday--it never fails to make me ball and then feel all gooey and happy with the world. The story is particularly resonent if you were one of those little girls who had a doll who you truly loved and saw not just as a toy, but a friend. Now, to some who never had that, that might sound a bit creepy, but for those of us who had that sort of attachment, this story will totally touch your heart.

2. The Polar Express written and illustrated by Chris Van Allsburg
This is a true Christmas classic that I have adored since I was a little girl. It's one of those books that is written so well, illustrated so beautifully, that it reaffirms, very easily, your love for illustrated storybooks. This biggest appeal for me in this story is the idea of always believing Santa Claus and never letting your faith in him waiver, even when everyone around you let's go of their own.

3. The Year of the Perfect Christmas Tree: An Appalachian Story by Gloria Houston, Illustrated by Barbara Cooney
There is something beautifully simple about Barbara Cooney's illustrations in this book that make the words by Ms. Houston all the more poignant and perfectly sweet. This book never failed to make my mom cry as she read it to me every year, and now, as I read it to my little girl, I shed my own set of tears. While the book is obviously meant for children, there is an undertone in the story about the sacrifices parents make for their children and for each other, and it is those sacrifices that showcase the love and truest meanings behind Christmas.

4. The Wild Christmas Reindeer written and illustrated by Jan Brett
Jan Brett is the queen of Christmas stories and this is my absolute favorite of hers. It's a story about perseverance and friendship, and also tells a good story about how one should approach people (or reindeer) in a cooperative situation. I thought of this story all throughout my student teaching (especially when I was at the high school level) and tried to use it as a metaphor for how I needed to work with my students. On another note, the illustrations are awesome, especially the little side panels that help track the days until Christmas and show off all the hard work Santa's elves are putting in.

5. A Little House Christmas by Laura Ingalls Wilder, Illustrated by Garth Williams
In this little mini-collection you have three stories from three different "Little House" books. It's lovely to capture those sweet moments, when times were simpler, the pleasures somehow smaller but bigger at the same time. These stories bring you to a different place and time, and that is so much fun!

6. Robert Sabuda Pop-Up Books
There is something incredibly whimsical about a pop-up book, and Robert Sabuda's Christmas books are simply amazing. We have three of these and truly enjoy reading them and playing with the very interactive pictures.

7. The Tiny Star, by Arthur Ginolfi, Illustrated by Pat Schories
This is one of the first Christmas books I remember reading as a little girl and my favorite "reason for the season" type books. It's about a tiny star that gets her glow after warming a new born baby in a stable (we can all guess who that baby is, right?). It's so sweet and very subtle in it's message (something I can admire in any form of literature).

8. Santa's Secret Helper, by Andrew Clements, Illustrated by Debrah Santini
I think this book was one of my mom's favorites to read to me (and I enjoyed it, too!). Have you ever wondered how Santa could possibly get to all those houses all over the world in one night? This book has the answer, which it reveals in an ever charming guessing game of who the secret helper could possibly be.

9. The Best Christmas Pageant Ever by Barbara Robinson, Illustrated by Judith Gwyn Brown
So, while it's a chapter book (a book I plan reading over time with Lizzie when she gets a bit older), it's one of the best books ever because it combines all of my favorite things about childhood literature: fun characters, an interesting plot, and a good, wholesome message (there is not a ton that is terribly wholesome in the world any more, and kids' books, especially Christmas books, are one of those wholesome things that remain).

10. The Littlest Angel by Charles Tazewell, Illustrated by Paul Micich
Are you ready to ball your eyes out, but to feel so incredibly uplifted afterward? This book is...amazing, but it can be so hard to read. The idea is that a little angel boy, who just can't seem to get anything right, is trying to decide what to give the Christ child when he is born. The story is short, but so rich with detail in both the writing and the illustrations, and when you read it (something to read only once a year, on a special night for your family, I think), you will be blown away and filled with such love and appreciation for why we are truly celebrating Christmas.

Christmas Yumminess

It is my most favorite, favorite time of year: Christmastime!

With Thanksgiving behind us (which, by the way, was just as relaxing and fun as I had hoped), I finally feel free to really delve into all things Christmas-y.

One of the biggest and oldest staples of this time of year in my family is the baking of the Christmas cookies. My mom and I are sweets junkies and we are especially fond of all the baked goods Christmas tends to produce. While Mom and I are by no means professionals, we make a mean cookie and always have a blast getting together on a weekend to get the baking underway. Usually we spend a weekend trying to get everything baked. It makes for a rather stressful time, and by the end of the weekend we feel exhausted. This year, because I'm living way closer to home (twenty minutes versus an hour and a half!), we've decided to stretch the cookie baking out.

This past weekend we threw together some dough (lemon sugar cookies, regular sugar cookies, chocolate sugar cookies, peanut butter blossoms, and cinnamon reindeer cookies). Next weekend we'll make more cookies and dough and freeze them until the time comes when we distribute cookies to friends and coworkers as gifts of good cheer during this wonderful time of year.

Lizzie with her new apron (and snow boots!), ready to  help bake some cookies!

Lizzie and me!

Lizzie and my mom!

Perhaps next week I'll add some pictures of cookies...don't come back too hungry!

Christmas Outfit

So, because I'm absolutely in love with Christmas and all things "holiday", I've already figured out Lizzie's Christmas outfit.

It was really easy because it's basically the same thing she wore last year.

I love this dress. I bought it from Hanna Andersson last year for Lizzie's Christmas dress and while it was a bit big, she still rocked it. 

Well, what do you know, it fits her perfectly this year. BUT there were some small stains on the dress that I hadn't been able to get out last year. Bummer, right? Well, my mom gave me a little tip: soak the dress for a a few hours to  day in the tub along with some OxyClean the wash it as you normally would. Well, low-and-behold, the dress came out of my dryer like new. Yes!

So, now we need to buy new tights (which mom kindly offered to do). Last year, we got the tights at Hanna Andersson, which is where we'll get them again. This is the pair I think we'll get:

Don't you love the ruffle butt? 

Anyway, we'll slap on some cheapo patent leathers from Wal-Mart and call it a day, bringing my grand total to $10.88 for Lizzie's Christmas outfit. Pretty great considering I spent about $50 last year...

A Wonderful Christmas Time

Yes, you read that title correctly--I'm thinking Christmas.

I know it's a loooong way off, and in order for the holiday to go off in the way I'm picturing it, a few things need to happen between now and then that haven't quite transpired (like me having a job that pays in the moneys rather than kisses), but I've always enjoyed Christmas, and for me, it's never really too soon to be thinking about it (except for on December 26th--then I just want to sleep for about a year).

We've tentatively decided to do Christmas at our house. In the past we've spent Christmas Eve at my parents, slept over, done Christmas morning with them, and then proceeded to spend the rest of the day running around like chickens with their heads cut off, visiting DOH's mom's family, then his bio dad's family. It's a lot of work, lugging a ton of stuff, and it's never quite as enjoyable as it was prior to baby (when our presence was less in demand).

We usually go to DOH's aunt's house for Christmas dinner, which has always been nice for us, but she has expressed a desire to discontinue this tradition (and I can't blame her, it's a lot of work). When she came to check out our new house a few weeks ago, she said, "Oh, well, Kirsten, you can just have Christmas here!" I wasn't sure if she was serious or not, but after a follow up chat via Facebook (Thank goodness for modern technology--otherwise I'd have had to pick up a phone! :-) ), I found out she was.

And so it was decided that we would be in charge of Christmas for DOH's side of the family.

So, while it's lovely and balmy and sunny outside, a long and lush summer stretched out before us, I do, in some small corner of my brain, have sugar plums dancing in my head.