When I saw an idea of the 25 Books of Christmas a few years ago I knew we had to do it. We didn’t have many Christmas traditions yet since my son was still so young. But I wanted to start something, and this seemed like the perfect idea! I am so glad my son loves books. Personally, I am a sucker for collections or themes, and holidays are certainly no exception.
I already had some older Christmas books from my childhood, but I needed 25. So I went on the hunt for the first year, grabbing any holiday or wintery children’s book I could find on a budget. The first year he got one book a day leading up to Christmas. At that point he didn’t care if it was a particularly good story or not, he was just excited to open the bag every day which magically refilled over night.
By the second year I had collected quite a few books, enough to do two books each day. That worked well because we read two stories for nap and two for bedtime. This year family members splurged on a few new books of characters he liked such as Mater Truck & Lightning McQueen, Curious George, and the Toy Story crew. So now I could mix up the extra fun stories and the older ones. He was still thrilled to wake up and race to the bag each morning to see what had arrived.
This year we started right after Thanksgiving. I paid less attention to having a certain order and just grabbed one each night before hiding them in the bag, and then found his new elf a place for the night. Admittedly, he was more excited to check on the mischievous Elvin each morning than to check his gift bag of books. But each naptime his excitement renewed as we sat down for holiday reading. Now we have enough Christmas themed books that we can save the snow stories for the dreary winter months that follow.
I know we will form different traditions as he gets older, but I hope this one lasts a few more years. Before I know it, he will be reading these books to me at bedtime.
Like the idea? Keep your eyes open for holiday and winter books from the places below. It’s a great tradition for the little book lover in your family without breaking the bank!
Ways to Find Christmas Books:
1. Thrift stores:
There’s always a mix of children’s books, and sometimes there is a classic Christmas book hiding in there!
2. Consignment stores:
Be sure to check the clearance section! Admittedly, that’s where many of our theme and collections come from. 80% off is the best! Now that the holidays are over, Christmas merchandise is on super sale!
3. Swap
Ask on garage sale sites or Buy Nothing groups: You’ll never know if you don’t ask!
4. Ask family
Your child’s favorite character stories can make wonderful presents from family. Don’t forget to have them write a little note inside along with the year.
5. Scholastic book orders
Now that my son is in preschool, we’ve hit a jackpot of holiday books available while benefiting his classroom. There are so many great choices that I have to remind myself there’s always next year.
Happy Holiday Reading! What’s Your Favorite Title?
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