Christmas Books

We are just starting out our family Christmas book collection. One of the best parts of having little ones comes at this time of year. Watching them experience the magic of the season is so inspiring, and sharing traditions with my kiddos is certainly something I look forward to as they grow. Of course part of those traditions comes in sharing a few Christmas stories throughout the season. Here are a few highlights from what we are reading this month...

#shelfie

"The Sweet Smell of Christmas" Patricia Scarry- Boy does this one bring back some memories! If you haven't seen this book yet, it's a sweet little story of a little bear who is experiencing the Christmas season through lots of yummy smells. Of course it's scratch and sniff, the best part!  I noticed it popping up here and there on my Instagram feed in the last few weeks! Suddenly I was transported back in time, remembering the smell of the pine tree and candy cane hidden on the pages. I called up my mom to see if she remembered all of the smells and we enjoyed reminiscing about the book. A few days later, we just so happened to be searching for an entirely different, non Christmas book at Barnes and Noble and I just so happened to spot this one on the shelves! I snatched it up to add to our collection. I think E will really enjoy it next year, when he is a little more capable of the whole scratch and sniff business!

"Duck and Goose: It's Time for Christmas!" By Tad Hills- We are big Duck and Goose fans at the moment. The characters are adorable, the themes are relatable, and they are just long enough to hold the attention of a squirming toddler (I'm looking at you E)! This Christmas tale features Duck and Goose engaging in a variety of winter activities, before finally taking part in a favorite Christmas tradition.

Duck...duck...duck...SANTA!

"Click, Clack, Ho!, Ho!, Ho!" By Doreen Cronin- I've found that any book that features a story within a story is really fun for kids. They love being in the know as something is going on that other characters have yet to find out! In this tale, silly Duck tries to take on the role of Santa-until he gets stuck! He needs help from his barn yard pals and a special friend. Meanwhile, the Farmer is patiently waiting for Santa, little does he know he's about to be in for a big surprise! Lots of silly Christmas fun!

"The Story of Christmas" By Patricia Pingry- This simple story tells the Christmas story in a simple way that is easy for even the smallest kiddos to listen to and find meaning it. It also connects the Christmas story to the Christmas celebration many children are very familiar with-exchanging gifts.

"The Polar Express"  By Chris Van Allsburg- Many love this Christmas classic. It holds a special place in my heart for the tradition my sister and I created around it, and now share with my kiddos. It's just a simple reading of the story of Christmas Eve right before bedtime, but it's something that my sister and I cherish, and I hope my children will too. This story is just so perfect, a description of it really can't do it justice.

Love this page, and this scene in the movie!

I have been enjoying sharing these books with my little ones this month, and look forward to our collection growing as we celebrate many more Christmases to come!