Three Ways to Make Reading Part of Your Family's Holidays

As I unpacked the holiday decor this year, I ran across some of my family's holiday books and it inspired me to share with you some ways to make reading part of your family's holiday traditions.

1. Read aloud count down-Growing up my father would start reading "A Christmas Carol" sometime around Thanksgiving and finishing by Christmas eve.  It became such a favorite that most of  us, were able to quote the opening paragraph.  You can see our well loved copy taped together above.
   
2. Make the old new-My mother-in-law found this advent calendar and bought it for my boys when they were young.  I loved having a new way to share my family tradition with the boys and my young sons were obsessed with this every year.  We enjoyed a portion of the story every night just as I did with an interactive book they could take out and hold and then put a way.  
   
3. Start a new tradition and have your own Jolabokaflod!  Give everyone a new book on Christmas eve to read.  My children nag every Christmas eve to open just one item under the tree.  This year, they will each be allowed to open a book to read before bed. When my boys were young, I started a tradition of only giving my boys three gifts (as baby Jesus got three) and there was always something from Santa.  Now I can keep the presents to a minimum and still share a love for reading!

By making reading part of your families holiday tradition, you show the value of reading and make it part of their fond holiday memories.  It's also a wonderful way to bond and de-stress during the craziness of the holidays!  Remember, "Children are made readers on the laps of their parents."  Emilie Buchwold.