Holiday Reading Traditions

Good day dear readers! December is trucking along, and the holiday crazy is starting to draw closer (again). While we wade though the preparations for all of our traditions, there are some that are fun ones to consider. I love any tradition that deals with books, as you all know (I am sure by now) that my life revolves around books! Books are such great gifts, and decorations for a home. They give you knowledge, joy, and sometimes, a much needed cry.  Reading out loud to the family, or hiding with a flashlight somewhere to finish the last few pages of a book …. well you get the idea!

There are some fantastic traditions around the world, all involving reading! Here are a few that I have found, and that are worth some consideration for either later this month or next year.  These are a couple of my favorites!

1. The night before Christmas in Iceland, everyone is given a new book, and they spend the night reading. This is one tradition I could fully support! I mean, who else has pulled this tradition several times during the year!? I know there are times when I am working on a book that I think to myself “I can totally finish this tonight!” Not sure if its always a good idea, but those book hangover mornings are totally worth it.
2. 25 Books of Christmas – get 25 books, and put under the tree. Wrap them or stick them in a bag that the kiddos will not be able to see what they are. Each night, let them reach into the bag and choose one book. Read the book together, and use it to count down to Christmas!
3. Books for Troops – Find a couple of books that you have loved, and take them to a USO. While you can do this one year round, there are more and more troops traveling around the holidays, and you never know when one of your favorite books might become their new favorite too! You can also donate to post libraries, or find someone sending boxes to deployed troops and add a few books into that.

While these are three of my favorite traditions, there are so many more out there! A quick search or visit to the library can help to uncover more of these great ideas and perhaps help to start some new traditions in your home!