So the holidays are over. I’m being plagued by catalogs reminding me of the things my kids didn’t get (this means you Lego Diagon Alley). But they got plenty. And then some. They’re lucky kids and I think they know it. Still, it doesn’t hurt to remind them, with the aid of a few of our favorite characters, that you can be lucky and blessed by simple things, too — things that come in less than 1,000 pieces. Before I turn into a Bobby McFerrin song, here are two of my go-to chapters:
“Christmas,” from Little House in the Big Woods by Laura Ingalls Wilder.
In each stocking there was a pair of bright red mittens, and there was a long, flat stick of red-and-white striped peppermint candy, all beautifully notched along each side. They were all so happy they could hardly speak at first. … But Laura was happiest of all. Laura had a rag doll.
They get to make candy out of molasses, sugar and snow in this chapter, too. We do that, though the kids prefer the milk-vanilla-sugar version. Also, our snow probably isn’t as clean as the snow in 1860’s Wisconsin. Of course by the time the Ingalls move to the prairie they’re spoiled rotten: Think of having a penny for your very own. Think of having a cup and a cake and a stick of candy and a penny.
My other go-to chapter is “Rainy Day Surprise” from All of a Kind Family by Sydney Taylor. The girls go into Papa’s junk shop, where a peddler has just dropped off a load of books. They spend a happy afternoon in the paper section of the shop, searching for children’s books. And they find some, including a whole set of Dickens.
“May we keep them all?” Ella asked. When [Papa] said “Yes,” they could hardly believe their ears. They never thought to own even one book and now they had twelve. It was too wonderful!
My kids will probably hear me read these chapters every year until they’re 18, just like they’ll continue to get The Snowy Day at the start of winter, and The Little Fur Family at the start of fall.
I say it’s for them. To let them visit a different, simpler world. To help them remember what’s important. I say that. But I know that it’s for me, most of all.
It’s great to have reading based seasonal traditions. I’m so disorganized that I’m always double-chaptering the 25 chapter Christmas books because I forgot to start them on time.
When I read them as a kid, I loved those two scenes in those two books! Thanks for jogging my memory about them — I think I’m long overdue to re-read a couple of childhood favorites.
Madigan — I used to feel the exact same way when I read those books as a kid! Thanks for stopping by. M.
Lauri — Happy birthday!
Isn’t it amazing? I can scarcely imagine… that quote you gave where the girls in All of a Kind Family are exclaiming over having a windfall of a dozen books. That kind of thing always struck me as terribly exotic when I was a child. I used to imagine what it would be like to have to read the same book over and over again, for simple lack of having anything else to read. How the world has changed!
Yes, the holidays are over. I got to read quite a few good Christmas books this year and yesterday was my birthday which means now all the celebrating is really done. I got a book journal for my birthday made by my husband and kids. They heard me talking about a book journal or notebook to keep track of all the books I read, listen to, want to read, wish for.
I originally got this idea from The Book Whisperer. I want to start discussing this topic of keeping a book journal with my kids and others that read my blog. I’m sure there are lots or variations and ideas.
~ Lauri Chandler
http://www.bookblogfun.doodlekit.com