24 Books Until Christmas

I LOVE books!!! 

I love inspiring stories.

I love stories that leave me feeling uplifted and better because I experienced them.

A very inspiring acquaintance of mine introduced me reading books each day of December until Christmas, and oh boy do I love this idea!

Do you have any idea how many wonderful Christmas books are out there? and it is a treasure hunt trying to find many of the ones on her list. I've spent hours at thrift stores :) searching through books and putting my 2 teens to the test in our book search as well. We scoured shelf after shelf, even in thrift stores when we visited out of state. I really wanted 4 complete sets of each of these books, but fortunately, I wasn't able to do that. Why fortunately? because I would have missed out on the mountains of other treasured books to read during this beautiful time of year.

During our reading I discovered that I really like the picture books, especially when you are reading to little children. Some of the stories are for older children/adults and really need the pictures to capture the attention of the littles and begin discussion.

I also found a book about Jewish Traditions that I am excited to finish. It is intended to teach Jewish children about the holidays they celebrate and why. I was excited to find this treasure because Jesus Christ was Jewish and I would love to learn about his family traditions and holidays. There is a reason behind how they celebrate and why. It even teaches about the Jewish calendar and how it is different from the Gregorian calendar that we use today. There are recipes and crafts to do in here too!

We haven't read The Christmas Candle as a family yet, but when I browsed though it in the store I was touched and thought of the scripture reference Matt 25: 40 

40 And the King shall answer and say unto them, Verily I say unto you, Inasmuch as ye have ^adone it unto one of the ^bleast of these my ^cbrethren, ye have done it unto me.

I love it when children discover their own charity and love for others, especially when they are teenagers. "Christmas Day in the Morning" shows when a boy finds this in himself and his love for his Father.

I love that when we read stories they stick in our minds and hearts and are brought to our attention via inspiration. While at a Fireside for mutual one night after reading The Mansion, my daughter shared the story in relation to the attributes we need to be serving Heavenly Father and our fellow beings. 

The Last Straw touched my heart to the core. It reminded me of how tender and genuine children are. It is a wonderful book that helps to find peace when sibling rivalry is rocking your home.

I love President Monson!

I think "The Christmas Miracle" is my favorite so far. I think it would make a great gift for the 12 Days of Christmas too. Give the book on day 12 and then follow it with the pieces of the nativity in the order the book reads it. Or just the opposite would be touching as well, pieces then end with the story.

I decided to give red and white candy canes with "The Legend of the Candy Cane". I found a different version of this book at the used book store that I actually liked better than this one, but two of the families and myself got this version.

And of course you must read, or chant or sing The Night Before Christmas on Christmas Eve.

We are still reading and I cannot wait to get through them all and begin again. I wish I would have taken pictures of the other ones I gave to my older children for their Days till Christmas reading.

Along with Luke in the New Testament "My First Story of the First Christmas" will be our reading for Christmas day. Which actually makes 25 stories to read, but thats okay.