Sunday, November 29, 2015

Best Christmas Books About Serving Others

One of our favorite, long-standing Christmas traditions is reading Christmas books together.  I've posted many of our reading lists on this blog.  This year, I asked Guy (age 10) to choose our Christmas reading list based on the books we have in our family library.  He came out of my bedroom and announced that he was going to read us the first book.  



He chose "Always Room for One More" by Sorche Nic Leodhas.  He said, "I picked it, not because it's a Christmas book, but because the main character is always opening his home to help traveling strangers.  And because he did that, he was blessed with more.  The lesson is, 'trust the Lord.'"

My parents really started this tradition by reading "The Littlest Angel" to us every Christmas Eve.  It caused me to want to have that special reading time with my kids even more and has lead me over the years to search out the very best books.

We hope that you will enjoy this year's Christmas reading list.  As you can see the stories are mainly focused on serving and bringing joy to others, which is the one thing that really makes Christmas feel like Christmas.  Thanks to Guy for putting this together!  

Here is our 2015 Christmas Book List.  

As you read these books together, ask children to identify what the characters did to serve or give to others.  Click on the links to read more about our favorite books and see some of the crafts we've done over the years to accompany our reading...In addition to crafts (which are fun to give away), you could find some way to emulate some of the service you might read about in our book selections!

1.  "Always Room for One More" by Sorche Nic Leodhas

2.  "Why Christmas Trees Aren't Perfect" by Richard H. Schneider 


(See a craft idea here.)

3.  "The Best Christmas Pageant Ever" by Barbara Robinson

4.  "Christmas Oranges(My favorite version of the story is here.)



5.  "A Christmas Dress for Ellen" by President Monson 

(See a craft idea here.)

6.  "Who is Coming to Our House?" by Joseph Slate 

(Craft idea here.)

7.  "The Puppy Who Wanted a Boy" by Jane Thayer 
(Craft idea here.)

8.  "The Last Chimney of Christmas Eve" by Linda Oatman High


(See our craft idea here.)

9.  "I Believe in Santa Claus" by Diane G. Adamson 


10.  "The Crippled Lamb" by Max Lucado


(See the craft we made here.)


11.  "This is the Stable" by Cynthia Cotten


(See craft here.)

12.  "Christmas is Here" Illustrated by Lauren Castillo


(You could make these snow babies or another nativity.)

13.  "Humphrey's 1st Christmas" by Carol Heyer


(Craft idea here.)


14.  "Christmas in the Trenches" by John McCutcheon

15.  "A Small Miracle" by Peter Collington (Read my review here.)  This book used to be out of print but returned to print in the last few years.




16.  "Christmas Day in the Morning" by Pearl S. Buck (Read my review here.)

17.  "We Were There" by Eve Bunting


(Links to the craft here.)

18.  "Animals' Christmas Eve" a Golden Book



19.  "A Shepherd's Whisper" by Heyward Broun

20.  "I See Santa Everywhere" by Glenn McCoy

21.  "Helping Santa" by Bert Dodson (Here's one way we've taught our Children to help Santa!)



22.  "Santa Mouse" by Michael Brown


(Craft here.)

23.  "Twas the Night Before Christmas" a Golden Book


(Catch visions of sugar plums here.)

24.  "The Littlest Angel" by Charles Tazewell


(Craft here.)

or




25.  "The Christmas Treasury for LDS Families" a selection of great stories, poems, songs, etc.

26.  "Morris' Disappearing Bag" by Rosemary Wells

***There are more great books about serving and loving others...so many more.  Just flip through our other lists to see them...Including "The Christmas Candle" and many more!  Have fun!



Here are some more Christmas tradition ideas:



OUR CHRISTMAS BOOK LISTS:










6 comments:

  1. I have read many of the books on your list, but there are a few that I want to check out. I love reading Christmas stories with my children also.

    Oe of my favorite Christmas books that deals with service is The Christmas Miracle of Johnathan Toomey. Today we read a new story that incorporated service called Wise Old Owl's Christmas Adventure. It's cute although not destined to become a favorite. But fits with your theme.

    Thanks for sharing your lists every year.

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    1. Thanks, Jennifer! I like Jonathan Toomey too although we like to listen to the reading of it on cd. I want to check out the one you suggested for sure. Thank you!!!

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    2. Thanks, Jennifer! I like Jonathan Toomey too although we like to listen to the reading of it on cd. I want to check out the one you suggested for sure. Thank you!!!

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  2. A few more suggestions from our readings this year. (I know Christmas is now over but maybe a couple of them could be added to your reading list next year...).

    Home for Christmas by Jan Brett Rollo is a troll who will only lose his tail if he is kind, helpful and does his chores. But he has no desire to do any of those things so he sets off on adventures. But finally, he learns that Christmas is best when spent with those you love most, helping them.

    God Bless Your Way by Emily Freeman is based on Hilary Weeks' song. A man named Micah is journeying to Bethlehem and receives gifts from several people as he travels. He then gives these gifts to Mary and Joseph when he meets them in a stable.

    Sam's Christmas Wish is about a grumpy man who has lost his job but doesn't want anyone to help him or his family for Christmas. Nevertheless someone does his family secretly and he spends his life hoping to find a way to help someone else secretly.

    The Legend of the Poinsettia is a Mexican legend of a little girl who wants to bring a gift to the reenactment of the Nativity. But the gift she has worked on has not turned out. With a little help, she finds a way to give a gift to the baby Jesus. The Legend of the Christmas Rose is a similar story of service.

    I hope some of these are new to you and that they will be stories your family will enjoy.

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    Replies
    1. Thank you so much, Jennifer!!! I will indeed check these books out! They look awesome!

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