The Best Christmas Pageant Ever. I admit it. I cried. I cried even though the story has been around forever and I cried every time I read it before. The beauty of a Christian community being reminded about what those comfortable, old rituals mean, and the joy of children being loved is enough to stir tears in any true believers and sympathetic co-religionists. I’ve already put in enough spoilers, so I’ll just say if you love Christmas and you love children this will open your heart wide.
Let It Glow. Charming is my favorite description for very fun things for children. This book oozes charm and even sparkles as it leads on a journey reuniting twins separated at birth who are adopted into a Christian family and a Jewish family, respectively. The twins switch homes for the holidays and they (and we) learn a lot about Christmas and Hanukah. There are also good lessons in courage and gentle reminders about the importance of observance. I’ve given two away already.
Christmas Teatime. This book has me thinking I can write a Christmas of my own. It turns out you can make a tea with just scones, three sandwiches, and three cookies. That is totally doable if I pick my recipes strategically. Part inspiration, part how-to I’m letting this book be my guide.