The Lovely New Additions to Our Family Christmas Book Basket

One of my favorite childhood memories is of when I was quite small, maybe six or seven. I was invited to my friend Kim's house for a sleepover just days before Christmas.  I'll never forget the cozy warmth of their farmhouse, which was decorated in the most charming and magical way. The top of the upright piano glistened with the delight of a perfect little Christmas village, the tall, robust tree strung with what seemed like a million lights, set the entire house a glow.

Kim and I wiggled our little selves underneath the tree and, wedged between the soft carpet and broad canopy of branches, we stared up into the sparkling lights while her mom read to us story after story, until we couldn't hold our eyes open any longer.

I'm quite certain that that experience sparked the beginning of my love affair with books.  And the treasure of that memory is what inspires me to read to my own children beneath the tree lights or snuggled up by the fire during the Advent and Christmas seasons.

{Who am I kidding.  We have boys.  If they laid under the tree, it would be a horizontal nightmare in approximately 7 seconds.  We read on the couch and stare at the tree from afar, and that's as magical as it gets.} 

{Link to last years list}

A couple of years ago I decided to share a few of the books I had collected for our Christmas book basket.  Then, last year, I added a few more.  Your response to those posts was tremendous, so I've decided to continue sharing that list plus the new additions we make each year.

Choosing just one or two books for our basket is no easy task, because my wish list is a mile long. I like to keep all of our treasures together in one big basket for the boys during the holidays, and I actually pack the basket away when the Christmas season ends.  Doing so helps me keep track of our beloved stories and also builds an anticipation for reading them that otherwise might not be quite as strong if the books were left out on the shelves of our library year round.

And, also, hiding the books is just me protecting our financial investment in the children's inheritance.  Aren't they going to be thrilled to see 10,000 books written into the will? Concealing the goods keeps tragic shredding and "accidental" destruction to a minimum, since books have also been known to be used as frisbees, snack platters and door stops in our house.

Here are the two new additions to our collection 

that I am excited to share with you:

24 Stories to Welcome Jesus

 

This book was chosen for the little guys in our family! Although it's intended to be read from the beginning of Advent (December 1) to Christmas day, we will be reading it throughout the Christmas season. Here is a more detailed description from Ignatius Press:

The joy and hope of Christmas are at the heart of this book intended for the whole family. Starting with the 1st of December (like an Advent calendar) each day has a new story, leading up to Christmas. Richly illustrated, this collection includes stories based on the Gospel accounts of the birth of Christ, as well as stories about Advent and Christmas customs. Also presented are original tales about living the Christmas message. 

The Gift of the Christmas Cookie: Sharing the True Meaning of Jesus' Birth 

by Dandi Daley Mackall

If you enjoy the tradition of baking cookies at Christmas time, you and your kiddos will LOVE this book! Set during the depression era, The Gift of the Christmas Cookie is an inspiring story that beautifully intertwines the legend of the Christmas cookie with a tale of great generosity. The illustrations are as lovely as the story.  You will never think of Christmas cookies the same way after reading it!

You guys know I cannot keep all of this literary goodness to myself....so I'm happy be GIVING AWAY a $25 gift card to Amazon.com!! Both the new titles, and most (if not all) of the books from my list of twenty-five favorites can be purchased there.

The giveaway begins today, Monday, December 1 and ends Friday, December 5.  The winner will be announced on Friday on my Facebook page and contacted via e-mail.  
Good luck and happy reading!!

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