Christmas in the Country

My friends have been telling me that it's Christmas and where are the Christmas recommendations?!  Well . . . I've been decorating!  Thank goodness Take Joy! was in the piano bench from last season's playing, so you could get a taste of an artist whose spirit reflects the delight of Christmastime.  Now, I've pulled out our Christmas books from the attic, which is such a wonderful event because the kids act like they're in euphoria -- it's even better than receiving a new book because it's that feeling of familiarity put on hold.  Yep, for 10 - 11 months, I've starved them of their little treasures, and oh the sweetness that follows reuniting!

Actually, I get downright giddy with all these wonderful Christmas books, and then, THEN I get completely overwhelmed.  When and where to begin?!  So sit tight folks, I'll try to post a new book each day.  If not, you can just hope that I'm baking or sewing or delving into some other seasonal preparation.  Oh, and I must send a SHOUT OUT to my friend Tracy.  In looking for a place to put her Christmas books, she shelved them into her son's red Radio Flyer Walker Wagon --  Beautifully brilliant idea!  Maybe she'll take a picture for me to post sometime during the next few weeks.

Grab a quilt and a few little ones and slow down the bustle of your season with this cozy read!   Another classic by the duo Cynthia Rylant (In November) and Diane Goode (Thanksgiving is Here!), Christmas in the Country chronicles one girl's joyful experience during the Christmas season at her shared home with grandmother and grandfather.  Rylant details homemade decorations, the "commotion" of Christmas Day, and quaint country customs.  Both Rylant and Goode paint a warm, familial picture inspired by Southern Appalachia that summons the Christmas spirit.