Christmas Traditions: Christmas Books Advent

I found this idea in a magazine years ago. Assemble 24 Christmas (or winter) children's books, wrap them up and every evening from December 1st to Christmas Eve, the kids get to unwrap one book. It helps them with the "IamsoexcitedandifIdon'topenapresentrightnowIamgoingtoexplode" phenomenon. Of course over the years I've collected more than 24 books, so now we start reading books on the night after Thanksgiving. Here are some of our favorites. Most of my books I have gotten at Seagull Book or at 'after Christmas' sales. I have also gotten a few good deals through Scholastic book orders. The vast majority of my books I have bought for $4 or less.

1. A Christmas Dress For Ellen by Thomas S. Monson
2. The Christmas Miracle of Jonathan Toomey by Susan Wojciechowski
3. Christmas Day in the Morning by Pearl S. Buck
4. Snowmen at Night by Caralyn Buehner
5. I Spy Christmas by Jean Marzollo
6. Who Is Coming to Our House? by Joseph Slate
7. The Little Drummer Boy by Ezra Jack Keats
8. And Then In A Twinkling by Becky Kelly
9. The Very Smiley Snowman by Jack Tickle
10. What Santa Can't Do by Douglas Wood
11. Mary Engelbreit's A Merry Little Christmas: Celebrate from A to Z
12. Today Is Christmas! by P.K. Hallinan
13. Christmas Pea Coat by Richard H. Schneider
14. The Tale of Three Trees: A Traditional Folktale by Angela Hunt
15. The Little Drummer Mouse by Mercer Mayer
16. Fear Not, Joseph!: A Story of Christmas by Julie Stiegemeyer
17. There Was No Snow On Christmas Eve by Pam M. Ryan
18. Silent Night illustrated by Thomas Kinkade
19. The Three Snow Bears by Jan Brett
20. Bear Noel by Olivier Dunrea
21. The Snowy Day by Ezra Jack Keats
22. Christmas for a Dollar by Gale Sears
23. A Cricket's Carol by Mark K. Moulton
24. A Christmas Stocking Story by Hilary Knight
25. Merry Christmas, Mouse! by Laura Numeroff
26. The Night Before Christmas by Clement C. Moore
27. The Crippled Lamb by Max Lucado

My blogging friend Jocelyn also has a list of 24 favorite Christmas books plus she has a simple craft or ornament to go with each one if you're feeling ambitious. They're worth checking out.