Every year the Christmas tree lights and decorations come up from the basement in the same big square awkward box with my mother’s handwriting on top. Every year on epiphany, I re-pack it carefully and tie it with the same large ugly bow made of netting from a Christmas package past. Every year the last items put back into the box are the Christmas books.
I love the ceremony of pulling the decorations, old and new, out of the box. Love the beckoning of memories as I hang them on this year’s tree. Just as important as the mercury balls though, are the books laid out on the coffee table in front of the couch. The little pile summons the magic of Christmas just as surely as the sparkle of the ornaments.
In the spirit of Christmas, here is a selection of bookish sugarplums to share with your family:
The Mitten, a timeless little winter’s folktale perfect for a snowy slow afternoon. Beautifully illustrated by Jann Brett
I Spy Christmas: A book of Picture Riddles, for lingering together on the couch, and appropriate for everyone from babies to grandparents.
How The Grinch Stole Christmas! Generally speaking, I am belligerently devoted to the book version of any classic, but I adore The Grinch, both as a book and as a TV special. It is not Christmas until the Whos of Whoville have sung their song. BUT: I wrapped the hardcover book to put under the tree the year I was pregnant, knowing the delight I would find in reading it for years to come. The even truer delight turned out to be leaving the orginal story of a beloved animated character lying casually around to come to life on pages turned quietly below the Christmas tree.
Eloise At Christmastime: I love it like candy canes ~ sweet but not saccharine, delicious with hot chocolate or a handful of snow, Eloise is a mischievous vintage delight. Sing fa la la la lolly!
(note: I didn't know until I searched for a link to use here that this too has been made into a TV/DVD version. I have no idea if it is any good. Am harumphing Grinchishly. Get the book.)
A Wish For Wings That Work– Opus the penguin suffers the slings, arrows and indignity of being flightless with humble humour. His wish fulfilled is lump-in-your-throat perfection. The Christmas message here is pure joy.
A special mention goes to The Vinyl Café Christmas Collection of stories by Stuart McLean – we have them on a CD and love listening every year. The Vinyl Café Stories are the very best kind of humor – generous, good-natured, life’s awkward moments elevated. Dave and his family’s Christmas exploits make you want to love thy neighbour however difficult that may be. These are a fabulous choice for a car trip to visit the relatives for the holidays.
Two of the books on most everyone’s Christmas bookshelf are The Night Before Christmas and The Polar Express. We have both an old and a newer version of The Night Before Christmas. In the newer version, Jan Brett (also of The Mitten, above) does a beautiful job of illustrating the poem, as well as creating gorgeous marginalia which tell several stories at once. This is a charming take on the classic poem and ideal to read to both younger and older kids ones at once.
Our ”vintage” copy of The Night Before Christmas (I‘d give you the publication date & house, but it is still in the box. You’ll to understand that I cannot open the box without proper ceremony & eggnog) includes an introduction, which I read every year. It tells the story of Clement Moore’s inspiration to write the poem which originated with one bird too few for the Christmas baskets being packed for the needy. If you are browsing the Christmas bookshelves, check the introductions. Perhaps someone has reproduced the one we have in ours. Its Christmas spirit shines with the burnished glow of a jungle bell.
Like Clement Moore, I do listen for the bells. I have written about our responsibility to nurture and pass on the magic embodied by our Christmas stories, so I do love the message of The Polar Express. The illustrations however, leave me cold.
This year I found The Christmas Magic, written by Lauren Thompson and illustrated by Jon J Muth. A simply told and exquisitely illustrated picture book about believing, about preparing for and nurturing the spirit of Christmas, but it is Santa himself who waits, and listens, and gently, lovingly prepares for the magic of Christmas to arrive.
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