Since tomorrow is December 1st and the countdown to Christmas will begin, I wanted to share with you a Christmas tradition that takes place at our home. As a former teacher and lover of books, I have a plethora of Christmas books. So at the end of November, I pick out 25 of my favorites and I wrap them up in Christmas wrapping paper and put them in a basket.
Each night of December, Sean (and Luke this year) selects a book to unwrap and read that evening. The Night Before Christmas is reserved for December 24th and is distinguished from the others by special wrapping.
Sean has adored this activity for several years now and I love seeing his face as he is reunited with favorite Christmas stories from years past. I'd love to hear what Christmas traditions you and your family share. Happy weekend, everyone!
This is SUCH an awesome idea, Melissa! Between now and next December, I'm definitely going to try to increase our collection so we can do the same next year. Would love some book suggestions from your library!
Posted by: Erica | November 30, 2007 at 01:14 PM
i absolutely LOVE this idea!!!!!!!!i should wait till next year but part of me wants to do this now! i wonder if i can wrap what i have and then fill it up next week! :)
so wonderful!
thanks!
Posted by: jamie | November 30, 2007 at 02:58 PM
That is a fantastic idea! I hate wrapping anything, but other than that, I love this!
Posted by: Joanna | November 30, 2007 at 03:17 PM
Wow Melissa, that is the best idea ever!
We just bought three new christmas books today at the bookstore to read this weekend. It just never occurred to me to have one for everynight. But now you have me thinking!
Thanks for sharing such an amazing tradition belonging to your family!
Posted by: kat | November 30, 2007 at 03:48 PM
What a wonderful idea! Such a surprise to find out which book you'll be reading and no fighting over which title. We have oodles of Christmas books, now if I could just find them by tomorrow...
Posted by: Pineconegirl | November 30, 2007 at 04:45 PM
Such awonderful idea!! I don't think I have enough books for this year, but I'm going to make a point to remember this for next year!!
Posted by: Kim Musgrove | November 30, 2007 at 05:11 PM
I love this!
I have enough for this year and now I need to go dig them out! Why oh why didn't I check out your blog earlier???
I may have to start with one book wrapped...not sure if I can get them all done tonight!
So fun!
MWAH :)
Posted by: Maureen | November 30, 2007 at 06:24 PM
What a very cool idea!
:)
Posted by: camport | December 01, 2007 at 08:59 AM
melissa, i LOVE this idea.
i've got boxes and boxes of books in the garage from my teaching days, so this is one i can definitely do.
thanks so much for sharing.
hope you are having a beautiful weekend!
Posted by: Stephanie Howell | December 01, 2007 at 01:56 PM
This is such a cute idea! I found you by the link from mwrites. Thanks for the suggestion.
Posted by: Travelinoma | December 01, 2007 at 02:45 PM
What a GREAT idea Mel :)
Do you have a list of the books you love?
I would like to start this with hannah!
Posted by: Wendy Bretz | December 01, 2007 at 03:48 PM
what a great idea. If i can keep my sanity through the holidays, I deem it a sucess :)
Just catching up on my favorite bloggers...
talk soon,
moon
Posted by: moon | December 01, 2007 at 04:02 PM
oh, i have to go and wrap books!
Posted by: patricia truel | December 01, 2007 at 04:37 PM
PS. I wrapped our books today (we had 26 of them, not counting 3 versions of The Night Before Christmas) and we read our first book tonight. Thanks so much for sharing your great idea, Melissa!! We shall have fun every day now!
Posted by: Joanna | December 01, 2007 at 05:02 PM
Superb idea....do not have enough books yet but I can work on it!!
Posted by: Lissy | December 02, 2007 at 03:03 AM
what a WONDERFUL idea! love it. i'd love to try that next year, and i'd love to hear about some of your favorite books :)
the one tradition we have is that we all get new jammies on xmas eve & read night before christmas.
Posted by: peg | December 02, 2007 at 08:40 AM
I *love* this idea!!!!!
Posted by: Jessi | December 02, 2007 at 11:01 AM
another genius idea. i am going to start a collection for my future children. you seem to make the most of each day. i hope to savor motherhood as you seem to!
Posted by: marta | December 02, 2007 at 09:15 PM
I'm going to ps like Joanna.....
I ended up being lazy, not wanting to wrap all of the books, and well....decided to change it up a bit.
I made more work for myself in the end.....and Johnny (my dh) is laughing at me.
We are doing a "Christmas book elf", who wrote a letter to J and each day, hides a wrapped book.....to be read that night. His reason....to encourage children to read more.
I do have enough Christmas books but it's funny....he is already recognizing some! I may grab a few more at the store ;)
Hugs!
Posted by: Maureen | December 03, 2007 at 09:58 AM
this is SUCH a great idea Melissa! thanks for sharing!!
Posted by: rebecca cooper | December 03, 2007 at 07:55 PM
love this idea, melissa - something that would be so fun to add to our own holiday traditions as andy enjoys reading to the baby [and thomas] already. ;)
Posted by: melanie | December 06, 2007 at 08:29 AM
just came across your blog for the first time! :)
this is such a great idea!
we're starting a new tradition this year...instead of opening up the traditional christmas jammies on christmas eve, we'll be opening up a new christmas book to read instead.
Posted by: Kelly Noel | December 07, 2007 at 06:51 PM
What a wonderful idea!
Posted by: Laurie | December 09, 2007 at 08:20 PM
love this idea! will have to give it a try next year!!!
Posted by: julie k | December 15, 2007 at 07:23 PM
I just love this idea! I was just lamenting how as we get closer to the big day the kids get more impatient, not to mention present-obsessed adding every other thing they see to their never ending xmas list. Maybe this would kind of spread the gift-loving joy throughout the month giving them (and me) a little release along the way! Thanks for sharing your tradition!
Posted by: debra cooper | December 18, 2007 at 04:55 PM