December 12th

"I Believe In Santa Claus" by Diane Adamson is a great book for showing that many attributes of Santa are also attributes of Jesus Christ.  My parents gave us this book several years ago and I have loved it every since.  The author starts by talking about Santa and then she talks about Christ.

For example Santa comes and night, and so did baby Jesus.  I wonderful book for helping kids understand the true meaning of Christmas.

December 11th

This story is about a mouse who can't wait to see Santa.  So he hides in a pot and waits.  Once Santa gets there he can't resist peeking in Santa's Bag.  Well he wides up trapped in Santa's bag and ends up on the sleigh with Santa.  He gets to see many wonders of the world.  Santa doesn't know he is there until the bag is empty.  Then Santa gives him a ride home.

I like the rhythm of this book.  It is very much the the rhythm of the poem The night before Christmas.  It also has beautiful pictures.

December 10th

This is a great book about Rudolph.  The front of the book says that this is the original story.  I like that Santa goes through the fog and dark night without Rudolph until he goes to Rudolph's house to leave presents and when he enters Rudolph's room the room if glowing from his nose.  So he asks Rudolph to help him so that he can get the presents out in time to all the boys and girls.  The of course Rudolph is a hero in his town and is no longer teased.
This book is kind of long but my kids stay interested the whole time.

December 9th

Tonight the book we read is "This is the Star" by Joyce Dunbar.  This book stars out with one sentence and each page adds more sentences to all the other sentences.  Kind of like "Napping House".  The pictures in this book are truly amazing.  I have to say that this is not one of my favorites, but I do like that it tells about all the parts to the Nativity story. 

December 8th

Last night we read a classic, "The Polar Express" by Chris Van Allsburg.  I love this book and really enjoyed reading it with my kids.  As most of you know it is about a boy who is still wanting to believe in Santa Clause.  While in his room a train appears outside.  He goes on this train which is the Polar Express and headed to the North Pole.  When he gets there Santa chooses him to pick the first gift of Christmas.  He chooses to take a bell from Santa's Sleigh because he loves the sound it makes.  When he gets back on the train he realizes his robe had a hole in the pocket and he has lost the bell.  Christmas morning he finds a small box under the tree from Santa with his bell in it.  It is then that he realizes that only believes can hear the bell.

I love Chris Van Allsburg's pictures in this book.  I almost feel like I am apart of the story.  When my oldest daughter was little we went on a Polar Express Train ride here in Arizona.  It was so fun.  On the train they served Hot Chocolate and Cookies.  Then they read the story on the train.  We then go to a location that had a fake North Pole.  Santa boarded the train and gave everyone a silver bell.  I have been wanting to go back now that the kids are older.  Maybe next year.

And of course I love the book much more than the movie they made several years ago.  Although my son went through a train stage and watched that movie everyday I swear for almost a year.  Glad that stage is over!

December 7th

Last night we read "The Crippled Lamb" by Max Lucado.  This book is really sweet and cute.  It is about a lamb that doesn't fit in because he is crippled.  He feels alone all the time.  When the other sheep leave to go feed in a new valley he has to stay because of his bad leg.  Later that night he awakes to a strange noise and finds Mary and Baby Jesus in the Stable with him.  The baby is cold so the lamb lays by him to keep him warm. 

Shows that each of us has a worth even if we think we are alone.  Our Saviour and Heavenly Father love us!

December 6th

                                 

Last night we ready "One Snowy Night" by M. Christina Butler.  This book sis a cute book about a hedgehog who gets woke up from hibernating and gets a gift from Santa.  When the gift isn't just right for him he wraps it up and leaves it for a friend.  The gift then gets passed from one friend to the next and eventually winds up being the perfect gift for hedgehog.  This is a cute book that teaches about the act of giving.