The Christmas Book Tradition

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The Christmas Book Tradition

I once heard it said that  “family traditions give our children a sense of belonging” (Jessica Smartt) . This rings true in my life. As an adult now and a mother to my own small children I look back so fondly on my childhood and the deep traditions that are rooted in my heart. I am anxious to share with you the Christmas Book Tradition that means the most to me.

Christmas Book Tradition: Corpus Christi Moms Blog

Which Christmas Traditions to Keep?

When I became a mother myself it was tricky to decide which traditions to carry on, and which ones were OK to leave behind. I was anxious to start our own Christmas traditions as a family.

The one gift I always looked forward to the very most growing up was my Christmas book. My sweet Mom would gift us each a Christmas book every single year. And even though I haven’t lived at home for over 10 years she still selects a special book and mails it to me. I often open it last- and I treasure her special words written in the front cover.

Christmas Book Tradition: Corpus Christi Moms Blog

Selecting The Perfect Christmas Book

She begins each year by writing, “To my sweet Emmy Ann on your _____ Christmas”. Because this is my 30th Christmas, I now have 30 Christmas books. Every year when I open the box where my Christmas books are stored I gently look through each one. Some are board books from when I was tiny. Some are short stories from my adolescent years. One is even in Spanish from the year I was living in Ecuador as a foreign exchange student. Each book seems to represent my stage of life that year. From the year I dreamed of being a ballerina I received an illustrated copy of The Nutcracker. My first year away from home as a married woman she gifted me Nancy Tillman’s Spirit of Christmas. 

Christmas Book Tradition: Corpus Christi Moms Blog

Traditions Can Make Home Seem Not So Far Away

Now all these years later I don’t always get to travel back to Idaho for Christmas. And yet when I read those little notes in the cover of each of my books I feel so close to my mom, and I am always anxious to see which one will come wrapped in our Christmas box.

Making the Tradition Our Own

When I had my first child, and Christmas was approaching I didn’t even hesitate. I knew I wanted to continue this tradition. But we do add a little twist. Because I have so many, I wrap up all my years of Christmas books and we open one each night and use it as our advent to Christmas (I exclude the longer ones at this time) It’s exciting for everyone and my daughter loves even reading what Grandma wrote to her Mommy. And because of my Mom I have way more than 24 books for each night leading to Christmas Eve. There’s nothing I love more than curling up with a cozy blanket and reading a treasured Christmas book.

Christmas Book Tradition: Corpus Christi Moms Blog

My Husband and I also gift our children a Christmas book every year. And I like to think I put as much love and thought in to their books as my mom did for mine. I wrap them up in the same wrapping as our other Christmas books and they never know which day they will open a new one. I enjoy having them open it apart from the other hustle and bustle of Christmas gifts because we can really curl up and enjoy their new stories. Some years it’s a fun and silly one like Fancy Nancy, and other years it’s centered on the Christ Child. And just like my mom I love writing a sweet note to my babies in the front cover with the date.

The Tradition Goes Full Circle

I also enjoy finding Christmas books for my Mom. Because we have all left home now, and have taken our special books with us she needs to build up her collection again. I love returning this special tradition with her.

Christmas Book Tradition: Corpus Christi Moms Blog

The Christmas season is full of traditions. I love hearing about them all, and even trying new ones sometimes! But mostly I love that traditions bind us as a family. They give us belonging, they connect generations and like me they make me feel connected to my far away family!

 

Merry Christmas!