Picture Books & New Traditions

Paul & I thought up a few fun traditions related to picture books, and I thought I'd put them down in writing so we don't forget.

The first one has to do with birthdays. When I was little, one of my favorite books was "Happy Birthday, Moon". Imagine my surprise when I found out that Paul's favorite book was the same thing! So we've decided that on the evening before our birthdays, and our kids', we're going to read the book to them as we tuck them in, and we're going to have a top hat just like Bear has in the book, hidden somewhere in a fairly conspicuous place to find around the house, with one small "first and best" gift under it to open on Birthday Eve. I'm stoked.

The second is a Christmas tradition. I love Christmas, and I love picture books. So I've compiled a list of my 25 favorite Christmas picture books, and each night of the 25 days of Christmas I want to read a different one aloud as a family. Want to know my list?

1. Polar Express (Chris Van Allsburg)
2. How the Grinch Stole Christmas (Dr. Seuss)
3. The Gift of the Magi (O. Henry & P.J. Lynch)
4. Christmas Oranges (Linda Bethers)
5. The Little Match Girl (Hans Christian Anderson)
6. Children Around the World Celebrate Christmas (Susan T. Osborn & Tangvald)
7. Brown Paper Teddy Bear (Catherine Allison/Scholastic)
8. A Wish to Be a Christmas Tree (Colleen Monroe, ill. Michael Monroe)
9. The Crippled Lamb (Max Lucado)
10. Wenceslas: The Eternal Christmas Story (Geraldine McCaughrean)
11. The Nutcracker: A Young Reader’s Edition of the Holiday Classic (E.T.A. Hoffman)
12. The Littlest Angel (Charles Tazewell)
13. Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer (Robert L. May; ill. David Wenzel)
14. The Little Drummer Boy (ill. Ezra Jack Keats)
15. Santa Claus is Coming to Town (Kellogg/ Coots & Gillespie)
16. Silent Night: The Song and its Story (Margaret Hodges; Ladwig)
17. St. Nicholas: The Real Story of the Christmas Legend (Julie Steigemeyer; Ellison)
18. The Legend of the Christmas Stocking (Rick Osborne)
19. The Legend of the Christmas Tree (Rick Osborne)
20. The Legend of the Candy Cane (Lori Walburg)
21. The Night of Las Posadas (Tomie dePaola)
22. The Legend of the Poinsettia (Tomie dePaola)
23. “B” is for Bethlehem: A Christmas Alphabet (Isabel Wilner; ill. Elisa Kleven)
24. ‘Twas the Night Before Christmas (Clement C. Moore)
25. The Christmas Story: From the King James Version (Gennady Spirin) (OR Christmas Story by Val Chadwick Bailey...I haven't decided yet)

NOW, I just have to buy them all!