Our Christmas book advent calendar begins today! The kids were so excited to get out of bed this morning we were reading a book before breakfast.

Last week we had a busy week filled with gingerbread houses, Christmas decorating, and children bouncing off the walls with holiday excitement. The week was also hampered with painful reminders that we are missing someone very important to us this year.

For someone who is grieving the holidays are emotionally exhausting. I feel as if I am moving into a new season of grief. The shock and my hyped-up survival instincts are waning, the truth is hitting hard. Morning after morning reality re-establishes itself, much in the same way, as it did when my husband was first diagnosed with cancer.

This is not a dream, get up, welcome to your new life.

I find that navigating this first holiday season is confusing; which traditions will I maintain? How will we create new traditions to honour Daddy? And which pieces of Christmas am I going to participate in this year, when I don’t want to celebrate at all? If it wasn’t for my children (and Aunt Jenn), this house would have a lot fewer decorations and lights than it does right now.

When Christmas was over last year, I gathered our growing collection of seasonal books from the shelves and put them in a box. My husband, Chris, labelled the box and stashed it away on the top shelf in the basement with the rest of the Christmas decorations. We were eager to start a new tradition this year.

After being tucked away and out of sight for a year, I have individually wrapped each book, and placed them below our birch log hanging tree. The assortment of books includes ones we have accumulated as gifts over the years as well as a few I purchased new this year to add to the pile. 

In a few year’s time, I hope to have enough that we will start opening on December 1st, or if I am more organized next year I will borrow some from the library to supplement our collection.

The children will choose one book to open together each evening leading up to Christmas and read it before bed. 

Little did I know when we put this plan into action last year, that Chris would no longer be here, and I would be doing the reading without him.

Behind the wrapping, our 15 favourite Christmas books include:

1. That’s Not My Reindeer. Fiona Watt creates engaging touchy feely books in her, “That’s Not My,” collection. Great for toddlers and with many Christmas options to choose from.

2. I Love you Through and Through and Christmas Too. A cute rhyming book about unconditional love, you can’t get much better than that. “I love you with bells and wreaths, garlands and trees, with ribbons and bows, from your head to your toes!”

3. Snowmen at Christmas. What do snowmen do on Christmas Eve? Well sneak away to celebrate while you are fast asleep of course! A cute adventure about how snowmen celebrate the holidays too.

4. Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer. A beautiful classic about why being different can be a good thing. I am always happy to share with my children the story of who Ruldolph is and how he helped Christmas.

5. Baby’s Christmas. A classic rhyming story to explain what will happen Christmas morning. 

6. A Charlie Brown Christmas The beloved holiday special adapted to a book is filled with childhood memories and a great classic to read each year.

7. How the Grinch Stole Christmas! Dr. Seuss should always be included when it comes to reading stories! This holiday classic teaches a good lesson about the spirit of Christmas and how we can do good deeds for others.

8. Finding Christmas.  Robert Munsch is one of the best loved authors in our house and always has the ability to make my children laugh out loud. I’m sure this one will be on replay once we open it. 

9. The Christmas Wish.  A captivating Christmas story to be loved by children an adults that will make sure you are believing in the magic of Christmas.

10. The Poky Little Puppy’s First Christmas. These silly puppies are a favourite in our house, a nice story learning about the spirit of Christmas.

11. Little Blue Truck’s Christmas. My kids love the adventures of Little Blue Truck and the illustrations to go with the stories. This Christmas version about delivering trees is a favourite.

12. The Spirit of Christmas. Nancy Tillman writes beautiful words again and again in all of her children’s books. A story of love for all ages.

13. Bear Stays Up for Christmas. A cute book where bear learns that giving is the best gift of all at Christmastime.

14. The Polar Express. My 4 year old loves trains and a Christmas train is extra magical. This book is beautiful and we make sure to watch the movie every year.

15. The Night Before Christmas. Beautiful illustrations to go with a Christmas Eve classic. This one is a no-brainer.

And a new one we haven’t read yet but are looking forward to this year is:
The Mouse in the Hammock, a Christmas Tale

Onward with Christmas and new traditions.

Comment below, I’d love to hear about the special ways you remember a loved one during the holiday seasons.