Favorite Winter/Holiday Books

Peter and Lotta's Christmas: A Story

Peter and Lotta go to live in the country with Aunt Green, Aunt Brown, Aunt Lavender, and Uncle Blue. As Christmas approaches, Peter and Lotta discover all kinds of new surprises, but best of all is their discovery of where the presents come from. Is it from deep in the forest where the tallest fir trees grow?

Ollie's Ski Trip

The Story of the Snow Children

This is a beautifully illustrated and magical tale. A wonderfully enchanting book, a pleasure for children to read and the children listening really did sit open mouthed. The perfect book for a winter's day.

The Tomten

About this imaginative tale of an invisible troll who speaks Tomten a secret little language that only a few others know!

The Christmas Craft Book

Simply made decorations for home or school are an absorbing way for children to become involved in the celebration of Advent and Christmas. Parents, teachers, and children will quickly learn to make crib figures, candles, lanterns, angels, and a variety of Christmas tree decorations.

The Winter Solstice

In picture-book format, this introduces the winter solstice customs and beliefs of the ancient Britons, Scandinavians, Romans, and Peruvians, as well as certain Native American sun ceremonies. Jackson also explains how to demonstrate the earth's tilt using an orange and a flashlight; she connects ancient solstice practices to modern customs associated with Christmas and Hanukkah, and she ends the book with an adaptation of a Cherokee creation tale.

The Shortest Day: Celebrating the Winter Solstice

The beginning of winter is marked by the solstice, the shortest day of the year. Long ago, people grew afraid when each day had fewer hours of sunshine than the day before. Over time, they realized that one day each year the sun started moving toward them again. In lyrical prose and cozy illustrations, this book explains what the winter solstice is and how it has been observed by various cultures throughout history. Many contemporary holiday traditions were borrowed from ancient solstice celebrations. Simple science activities, ideas for celebrating the day in school and at home, and a further-reading list are included.

The Return of the Light: Twelve Tales from Around the World for the Winter Solstice

The winter solstice, the day the "sun stands still," marks the longest night and the shortest day of the year, and it comes either on December 20th or 21st. Celebrations honoring the winter solstice as a moment of transition and renewal date back thousands of years and occur among many peoples on every continent. The Return of the Light makes an ideal companion for everyone who carries on this tradition, no matter what their faith.

Yule: A Celebration of Light and Warmth

Those who yearn for spiritual meaning but aren't strongly affiliated with a specific religion sometimes feel left out of winter holidays. Yule is like a hot toddy for these chilled and isolated souls. From mistletoe to gift exchanging, Yule explores and exalts the pagan and regional roots to many of our contemporary rituals and celebrations. For example, lights were historically used to decorate winter homes in order to "frighten negative entities and urge the sun to shine," according to author Dorothy Morrison. Many people believe that Santa's reindeer "represent the stags that drew the chariot of the Norse gift-giving goddess, Freya." Beyond all the fascinating trivia, this is also a book that offers fresh approaches to old traditions, such as having a cleaning ritual that ceremoniously sweeps out the old and makes room for the new season or conducting a reverent "tree blessing" ceremony. Morrison also suggests numerous homemade crafts and gift ideas (many are suitable for children), inviting seasonal recipes (such as Yuletide Ambrosia and Dragon's Layer Cake), and a December calendar that lists traditions and rituals for every day of the month.