To steal words from Strega Nona (from one of our favorite Advent books), "Christmas (books) have a magic all their own". They just do. When I sit down to read that first book on the first day of advent, Merry Christmas Strega Nona, James (7yo) sighs, "Oh! That book. I remember that book! We did a puppet show- I like that book!". We have created memories with our advent books.
The most wonderful thing about advent reading is that even in "those years" it can be done. You know those years- the ones with sick children, morning sickness, family in need, or the loss of a loved one. Even in those years, it can be done. It can be done with breakfast, right before bed- or in bed, or even in the car.
We have had those years. Years with no Jesse Tree, no Advent Wreath, no countdown calendars, and a tree that did not get put up until the wee hours of Christmas morning.
The core of our Advent reading (now) is Elizabeth Foss' Advent and Christmas Unit Study using Tomie de Paola's books. We don't do the whole unit study. I usually choose just a few items each year. Or, like I said, we just do the reading.
A list of some of our favorite Christmas/Advent books. (amazon list)
Last year's advent reading post.
This year we are also reading Bartholomew's Passage each evening. Like the stories of Jotham's Journey and Destination Bethlehem that we have read in past years, this book gives a piece of the story to read each night of advent. I have not peeked ahead, but I assume that, as with these other books, this is leading us to Bethlehem and the birth of our Savior. The boys are love, love, loving this story and look forward to hearing each night.
Happy Advent Reading!
5 comments:
Lori,
I love how you have them all 'out' for kids to just pick up. I just now pulled our Christmas books out of a box that was hiding in a closet. My boys need to be prodded a bit to get started, but once things are accessible they do usually get used. Now I feel the need for shelving units to 'showcase' the books....
Lori, what a beautiful selection of books. I agree with Strega Nona...Christmas books do have a magic all of their own!
Saw that you are starting O'Antiphons for the first time this year. We are, too.
We just went to our first Posada tonight. As my hubs said, "isn't it amazing that even though we did not all speak the same language, we all knew what was going on and were able to pray together in our own language, the same prayer. Only the Catholic faith. That is what truly makes it universal."
We have been enjoying our Advent reading this year - although this week has been a bit sporadic. I love your shelving units!
what a wonderful post, reminding us all that we don't always get to have the perfect no-hitch advent, that sometimes, even though we strive to carry out our role as teacher of our faith every day, we sometimes miss the mark because of other things, and that that is ok. Love your "gutter" shelves. they are beautiful. and I want all your books! I like Elizabeth's Foss' Tomie deP.unit study as well, and am incorporating it into our advent this year. Like you, not all of it. Happy Blessed Christmas !
Lori, i just clicked on your links. I love your amazon list of Advent books. then i clicked on your last year's post about advent reading. and I found those stars hanging from your window. A couple weeks ago, I posted about our craft of making the stars that the angels got to carry in Country Angel Christmas. I knew I had read about that neat craft somewhere, but i couldn't for the life of me find where i had read about it. and today i found it! thanks for the inspiration you gave us to do that craft! your children's are 3-D and very cool!
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