Read Between the Lines

After the shopping is done, the cards are mailed, the decorations complete - perhaps there will be a moment to curl up by a fire and enjoy a good read. And what season has more options than the Christmas season? This is a well-known and probably well-worn list for most, but in case you forgot some of your childhood favorites – head to the nearest bookstore or library and pick up a BOOK this Christmas and READ!

A Christmas Carol

CHARLES DICKENS Merry Christmas, everyone! “Bah!” said Scrooge. “Humbug!” With those famous words unfolds a tale that renews the joy and caring that are Christmas. Whether we read it aloud with our family and friends or open the pages on a chill winter evening to savor the story in solitude, Charles Dickens’ A Christmas Carol is a very special holiday experience. It is the one book that every year will warm our hearts with favorite memories of Ebenezer Scrooge, Tiny Tim, Bob Cratchit, and the Ghosts of Christmas Past, Present, and Future - and will remind us with laughter and tears that the true Christmas spirit comes from giving with love.

Rudolph the Red Nosed Reindeer

ROBERT L. MAY Every year at Christmas time, young and old alike fall under the finger-snapping, a joy-inspiring spell of this song. Now fans of the most famous reindeer of them all can become acquainted with the original story of Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer, written in verse by his creator, Robert L. May, in 1939. This is an American holiday classic and is a book to treasure and to share, year after year. How the Grinch Stole Christmas

DR. SEUSS “Every Who down in Who-ville liked Christmas a lot...but the Grinch, who lived just north of Whoville, did NOT!” Not since “’Twas the night before Christmas” has the beginning of a Christmas tale been so instantly recognizable. No holiday season is complete without the Grinch, Max, CindyLou, and all the residents of Who-ville, in this heartwarming story about the effects of the Christmas spirit on even the smallest and coldest of hearts. Like mistletoe, candy canes, and caroling, the Grinch is a mainstay of the holidays, and his story is the perfect gift for young and old.

Frosty the Snowman

JACK ROLLINS Frosty the snowman was a jolly, happy soul, with a corncob pipe and a button nose and two eyes made out of coal! Everybody’s favorite snowman comes magically to life in the pages of this picture book. Featuring the festive spirit and rollicking lyrics of the original song, it’s the perfect read-aloud for this holiday season. The Gift of the Magi

O.HENRY O. Henry’s classic tale of the wisest gifts of Christmas is itself a gift to share and treasure. In a shabby New York flat, Della sobs as she counts the few coins she has saved to buy a Christmas present for her husband, Jim. A gift-worthy of her devotion will require a great sacrifice: selling her long, beautiful hair. Jim, meanwhile, has made a sacrifice for Della that is no less difficult. As they exchange gifts on Christmas Eve, the discovery of what each has done fills them with despair until they realize that the true gifts of Christmas can be found more readily in their humble apartment than in any fine store. O. Henry paints a masterly portrait of unfaltering love, a haven from the harsh world outside.

Twas the Night Before Christmas

CLEMENT CLARKE MOORE A Visit from St. Nicholas”, more commonly known as “The Night Before Christmas” and “‍ ‘ Twas the Night Before Christmas” from its first line, is a poem first published anonymously in 1823 and later attributed to Clement Clarke Moore, who acknowledged authorship in 1837.