Five Favorites for Christmas

Christmas is…a time to curl up cozy to a fire and read; a time to delight our children with new titles; and – in the lulls following a crazy holiday season – a time we can guiltlessly indulge ourselves with written adventures.

As this special holiday approaches, these are some of the books my children and I will be cracking open, joyfully reunited after a year of growing.

1. Letters from Father Christmas by J. R. R. Tolkien

What could be more enchanting than a series of letters from Father Christmas himself? These are the tidbits left by Father Christmas as he visited the children of J. R. R. Tolkien. Each yearly installment contains hilarious tales of the adventures of the inhabitants at the North Pole: the bumbling Polar Bear who is always getting into trouble but ever wanting to help; Ilbereth and the other elves who are cleaning up the messes and disasters at the house unless they are distracted by snowball fights; and, of course, Father Christmas himself who must deal with invading goblins, snowstorms, and constant Christmas preparations.

My children especially love the 1990 edition, as actual reproductions of the letters are slid into envelopes glued to the pages. They can open and read the tales, just as Christopher and Priscilla Tolkien did. Whichever edition you end up choosing, definitely consider one that includes the illustrations Tolkien painted to accompany the letters.

2. The Last Straw by Paula Palangi McDonald

This is a sweet and simple tale to accompany traditions of the Christmas crib, wherein straws are placed during Advent to symbolize each kind deed accomplished in preparation for the Christ Child’s birth. This story always inspires my children to renew their attempts at kindness and patience in anticipation for Christmas. The book features beautiful illustrations alongside the story of the McDonald children, who draw each other’s names throughout Advent, similar to the tradition of “Advent Angels”. For every secret act of kindness, they may place a straw in their homemade manger for Baby Jesus to sleep on, come Christmas Eve.

Older children will grasp the significance of Eric’s sacrifices, as he struggles to be kind to his sister again and again while the younger ones will love hearing about children just like them, including a toddler with a propensity to eat scraps of paper. Our littlest baby, Julius, would fit right in with this crew of McDonald children (he seems to ingest paper daily, despite Mama’s constant sweeping!)

3. The Gift of the Magi by O. Henry

The Gift of the Magi has been recounted in so many forms and some wonderful film versions as well. This delightful story is told in such a poignant fashion and reminds the reader – with bittersweet humor – that love and sacrifice truly are the best presents. This particular edition illustrated by Robert Sauder features gorgeous illustrations and a box cover. Della’s long, reddish hair seems to flow off the page and the Christmas tree and lights seem to glow with the excitement of the brother and sister as they seek to find the perfect gift for each other. Other editions, including one illustrated by P. J. Lynch, are also readily available.

4. The Donkey’s Dream by Barbara Berger

This story is not as well known as the others, but is one that captured my heart as a child. The tale follows the thoughts of the donkey who carries Mary from Nazareth to Bethlehem. On each page, the donkey imagines treasures he may be carrying on his back. Some of the images reflect various titles of the Blessed Mother, including “Tower of Ivory” and “Mystical Rose.” Beautiful, glowing pictures on each page capture the aura of mystery and beauty that accompanies this Holy Family to the place of Jesus’ birth. It is simple and short, but melodiously penned, easily read to the youngest child, but also worthy of every adult’s meditation,

5. The Best Christmas Pageant Ever by Barbara Robinson

This book is another favorite holiday pick and is the perfect read-aloud or choice for an older elementary child. The Christmas pageant seems doomed when the wild Herdman children unexpectedly insert themselves into the production. They have no idea what the true meaning of Christmas is – and many ideas on how to improve the story -and the other children watch in dismay as their hopes for a stunning, meaningful Christmas show seem to disintegrate. Of course, charity and grace triumph, and good comes out of even this holiday fiasco – with many laughs along the way.