'Twas Weeks Before Christmas

Holiday traditions make the season memorable and exciting for kids.  It is easy to make reading and writing a part of these traditions.  (Make a comment below to share your own reading/writing Christmas traditions. You can always post anonymously if you want.) 

Here are some suggestions from Reagan Academy staff:

• Every year, since our kids were small, "Santa's book elf" has left a present wrapped under the Christmas tree.  It is always a Christmas book.  We now have a good collection of books that stay boxed up with the Christmas decorations all year long.  During December, the books are kept in a basket by the tree. As we read and reread and reread these books all month long, it is like some old friends have come to visit.
• My brothers and sisters live all over the country.  We have the tradition of sending each other children's books in the mail for Christmas.  We've gotten a lot of good books this way.  One of my favorites was Enemy Pie by Derek Munson.
• We aren't Jewish, but we like to teach our children about different cultures.  Last year on the first day of Hanukkah we read a book together about this Jewish holiday.  We lit candles and made latkes for dinner and we even played with a dradle. 
• We always go to the public library after Thanksgiving and check out lots of Christmas picture books.  They have a great collection and it is a fun way to get us all in the mood for Christmas. 
• This year we are starting a new tradition.  Our family is going to go to a local bookstore and pick out a few favorite picture books.  We are then going to buy them, wrap them and donate them to the local women and children's shelter.
• Our children are grown up now, but when they were little they wrote a letter to Santa every year.  We photocopied them before putting them in the mail and kept them in a file.  Last year I compiled them together and gave the copies to my kids.  They loved seeing how their wish lists (and handwriting) changed throughout the years. It was really fun.

Tell us your family's favorite holiday book by making a comment below.  We'll put the recommendations in an upcoming post on holiday book favorites.