When major life events happen, it can make the holiday season challenging. Marriages, adoptions, passing of loved ones, and divorce, each change family dynamics. One way to help your family and children navigate these life changes is to create new holiday traditions.
An easy idea that can become part of a new family tradition is to introduce a children’s book that you read together with your family. Since we collectively love to read, we thought sharing a few of our favorite holiday books and traditions might ignite new tradition possibilities for your family. Feel free to share your own with us, too.
Melissa loves this story and says, “This story warms my heart, and is also very relatable as my family has been known to occasionally have bigger eyes than our ceiling … Reading this story after decorating your tree while enjoying the lights makes it extra special. Maybe even add a new ornament to the tree for the occasion.”
The Perfect Tree
by Corinne Demas
Cassie thinks this is a cute story. She feels, “This book is a great reminder that even if things look a little different than expected, it is who you are with that really matters.”
by Adam Wallace
Laurann thinks, “building a snowman is one of the many ways Minnesotans ‘make lemonade out of lemons’ in the long, snowy winters. This book brings a snowman to life – but not in the ‘Frosty’ style! This snowman is on the run and catching him is the fun! This book is the perfect companion to a day of playing in the snow.”
by Jan Brett
Tori shared, “The Mitten is one of my favorite books for the winter. It is a cute book about animals and being cozy in the cold winter snow. It is really fun for kids to make different animal sounds for each animal that comes along. That is how my family would read this book together.”
by Elizabeth Verdick
Small Walt is a tiny snowplow that takes on a blizzard. This might just be the book that gets everyone to shovel snow together. Maybe!
by Whitney Stewart and Christiane Engel
This is a delightful book that shares all the different ways cultures and people around the world celebrate together.
