What is your favourite Christmas book?

Like many teachers I have collections of books for certain occasions or topics.

Christmas; Halloween; Easter; Chinese New Year; Pirates; Victorians

The school would also apply for a ‘Project Loan’ box from the local library and the box would supplement additional books to suit the topic covering not just stories but information, poetry, activity books too. Much like my bag of books.

[Wouldn’t this be a good idea for a library to provide a family box? With books for all family members, covering all aspects of the topic?!]

My Christmas Book Bag

These are books I have enjoyed and collected over the years. I kept them in a bag (now two bags) which would go up with the decorations to come out another year.

There are some real favourites as well as some that I have added for fun.

Do you have a favourite?

I’m looking forward to sharing these with Alexander this year and look forwards to finding out which books he enjoys.

Of course they will be used each year and be put away with the decorations, so this year will be his initial opinion as a 3 year old..

Christmas Books reviews with Alexander (age 3) and Nanny - to follow.

Christmas Nativity

Our school was once not allowed to mention the ‘C’ word before December but I’m sorry just like ‘The Grinch’, you can’t stop Christmas from coming.

It is in the shops as soon as September comes so you might just as well face it.

My two-year-old grandson was role playing Santa in September, even though his birthday, Daddy’s birthday, Halloween and Firework night comes before.

The first books I read were all based on the traditional tale, I would start with a simple Christmas story and then show my Macrame Nativity set which went on display. We would identify the characters.

The books would reflect the traditional tale in different versions, same stories but different in many ways. We would also compare how and why they were different.

School Nativity Production

We would also start to get ready for the schools Christmas production and the story books helped to set the scene.

We choose a performance to learn.

It was hard work: sorting the children into roles; lines to learn; songs to sing; dances to practice; costumes to fit; scenery to create; props to find and make.

But in the end, it always turned out right. 

Christmas Stories

Once the production got under way it was time to give to listening other Christmas related story-books.

Quite a few including Santa of course.

There was always time to read a book to the class and the children might bring in their own stories as well as choose one from the class display.

So now with Alexander’s birthday out of the way our next reading task will be to read a few of the books in my Christmas book bag as well as try out a few Christmas Art and craft activities.

Reviews to follow.

Christmas was always a lot of fun.

But by the end of the term the staff (and children) certainly needed a well-earned break.

Read how the Grinch tried to steal our Christmas. Here Grinch tried to steal our Christmas. Here

Can we have christmas please? (Find out more)

Christmas books with Alexander (age 3)