A Knitter's Kris Kringle

My kids love to do Secret Santas with each other. I encourage them to make things when they can but it isn't a requirement. If they choose to purchase a gift, it should be something small and simple.

This year, The Professor pulled Sunshine's name in the draw. Everyone knows they can get her a new skein of yarn and make her Christmas bright but he decided to try his hand at a little crafting after I showed him this ornament Kelly had pinned on Pinterest. I think it turned out great. He chose the yarn from our yarn box and wrapped it himself. I helped him cut the skewers and glue on the beads (hot glue).

FYI... he used a styrofoam ball ornament instead of a glass ball ornament like the original poster used. He also wanted to make her a CD. Last year he made a mix-CD of Christmas song for Shortcake. We set about looking for songs that have to do with yarn or knitting and these are the only 7 we came up with. If you know of any others that are appropriate for a young lady, please let me know.

Yarn Washing Girl (Huan Sha Nv) by Xu Hong (instrumental)
Doozer Knitting Song by Fraggle Rock
Knitting by Arthur Askey
The Knitting Song by Sophie Madeleine
Knitting Class by Nancy Wilson/Jimmy Heath
Weave the Yarn by Mary Knickle (a fun little Irish jig)
Flourescent Scraps of Yarn by Laurel Brauns

Mary G. found another one:
Knit One, Purl Two by Glen Miller
 

Book Link-up!

Jessica is hosting a link-up! Create a post with your favorite Advent/ Christmas books or a list of all of them if you can't decide and link it over there!

Can't wait to check out what everyone is reading this season.

 

Favorite Advent/Christmas Books

They are like potato chips. You can't have just one!

New Favorites

Joy to the World: Tomie's Christmas Stories

A new Tomie dePaola! This book is going to be a surprise for the kids especially Sunshine who just loves Mr. dePaola's art. It's a compilation of The Night of Las Posadas, The Story of the Three Wise Kings, and The Legend of the Poinsettia, along with some illustrated Christmas carols. Our copy of The Three Wise Kings is getting worn and considering what used copies of that book go for, this one is worth it even if you already have copies of the other stories in your collection.

The Story of Our Lady of Guadalupe Empress of the Americas by C. Lourdes Walsh

I ordered this last year after seeing it over at Jessica's but it didn't make it here in time so I saved it for this year. Just a heads up if you are wanting it for this year! There are some used copies available that would make it in time. I've only glanced through it but the pictures are little works of art from master artist Jorge Sánchez-Hernández. I can't wait until this one gets unwrapped.

Old Favorite

Through the Animals' Eyes: A Story of the First Christmas

Christopher Wormell is an amazing artist. The pictures in this book are so vivid and interesting to the eye because of the contrast between the colors and his heavy use of black. Look inside his version of 'Twas the Night Before Christmas and you will see what I mean. This book is also educational. Bonus! It introduces the reader to a variety of unusual middle eastern animals, not just the donkey, camel and sheep that show up in most nativity stories. Especially excellent choice for boys!

Special Local Favorite

The Homeless Christmas Tree by Leslie Gordon 

“Of what use is one ugly little tree?”

Atop a windswept hill, a crooked little tree stands alone . . . until one Christmas Eve, when an old woman labors up the hill with a box of ornaments, and tells the tree that he is special. He is to be the official Christmas tree for all of the homeless people in the city below!

This is a book based on a true story about a real little tree and a once homeless woman who took it upon herself to decorate it. We have driven past this tree many times. It's a landmark we look for on the way to the dentist or the zoo. I cannot read this book to my children without choking up a little towards the end. If you live locally, get this book and then come see the tree! If you don't live close by, come for a visit and we'll take you to see it!

Find out more about this special book here.

Tear Jerker

every. single. time.

The Christmas Miracle of Jonathan Toomey by Susan Wojciechowski

Everyone knows this book. It must be read every single year and every single year, I cry like a baby. I saw the movie and thought it was OK, but the book brings a tear to the my eye whether I'm reading it or listening to it. Ours came with a CD and included was an extra audio recording of When Jessie Came Across the Sea which is also a lovely story to listen to.


Will you share your favorites with us? 
We'd love to hear about them!

Advent Basket of Books

They are all wrapped up and ready to be opened starting tomorrow. One for every day of the Advent season and 12 for Christmas. I am posting the list here as a reminder to me in the future. It seems like I never keep a copy for my records and each year I start from scratch coming up with an order. Hopefully, this post takes care of that. Feel free to peruse the list. You might find one "new to you". Some are secular and some are religious. I'll be back to highlight one of my favorites later.

*Advent Books

November 27: Spirit Child: A story of the Nativity
November 28: A Golfer's Night Before Christmas
November 29: Mortimer's Christmas Manger
November 30: Jesus' Christmas Party
December 1: Country Angel Christmas
December 2: The Legend of the Candy Cane
December 3: Corgiville Christmas
December 4: The Little Fir Tree
December 5: The Baker's Dozen: A Saint Nicholas Tale
December 6: The Legend of Saint Nicholas
December 7: Christmas Cookies: Bite-Size Holiday Lessons
December 8: An Orange for Frankie
December 9: The Lady of Guadalupe
December 10: The Christmas Donkey (Little Golden Books)
December 11: The Night of Las Posadas (Picture Puffins)
December 12: The Story of Our Lady of Guadalupe Empress of the Americas
December 13: Hanna's Christmas
December 14: Lucia, Saint of Light
December 15: The Christmas Kitten (Timeless Tales)
December 16: One Snowy Night
December 17: Papa's Christmas Gift: Around the World on the Night Before Christmas
December 18: Angela and the Baby Jesus: (Children's Edition)
December 19: The Christmas Miracle of Jonathan Toomey with CD: Gift Edition
December 20: The Friendly Beasts
December 21: The Three Gifts of Christmas: Book with Audio CD
December 22: The Homeless Christmas Tree
December 23: The Miraculous Child: A Christmas Folktale from Old Russia
December 24: A Gift from St. Nicholas


Christmas Books
(Wrapped in gold but not in the basket until Christmas morning!)

December 25: Father and Son: A Nativity Story
December 26: Stephen's Feast
December 27: Good King Wenceslas
December 28: All for the Newborn Baby
December 29: There Was No Snow on Christmas Eve
December 30: Saint Francis Celebrates Christmas
December 31: This Is the Star
January 1: Through the Animals' Eyes: A Story of the First Christmas
January 2: The Animals' Christmas Eve (Little Golden Book)
January 3: The Shepherd's Christmas Story
January 4: The Saint Who Became Santa Claus
January 5: Silent Night
January 6: The Story of the Three Wise Kings

*This is not our entire collection. Some are set favorites but I like to rotate others every year or so.