Every Christmas season, somewhere around the first week of December, I wedge my self under the stairs of my house, where all the holiday trappings reside. I painfully wrestle from their year-long slumber a basket of books, and set them beside the fireplace. They are all books about Christmas, in one form or another. I love them, and I have been slowly adding to this collection year after year. I read them to Flipper night after night, and some mornings as well. And then, when the tree comes down, they return to their cramped space, and wait for the following year. So, inspired by Diane's List Of Favorite Websites, here is MY list of Favorite Christmas Books and Stories. As I gift myself and Flipper with a new Christmas book every year, please add some suggestions!

1) Memory of a Large Christmas byLillian Smith. I adore this short book, which recounts this fascinating woman's childhood holiday celebration with her large family in northern Florida in the early 1900's.

2) The Grinch. The book, not that abomination of a movie that came out a few years ago. Iam not a huge fan of Dr. Seuss, but the Grinch is absolutely irresistible. And so is the original cartoon, the viewing of which is another yearly tradition.

3) Carl's Christmas, by Alexandra Day. HowI love that massive Rottweiler and the parents that, apparently having no fears of home visit from DSS, permit him to babysit while they go out and party. Our copy is a bit tattered and torn, a reminder of Flipper's younger days. I loved all the Carl books because they have no words, and the pictures are so wonderful.

4) Room For A Little One, by Martin Waddell. This simple children's book brings tears to my eyes every time I read it out loud. Much clearing of throat and long pauses occur while I struggle to read the last sentence. It is gorgeously illustrated, this very, very simple tale of the animals in the manger the night Mary and Joseph come along. I adore it.

5) A Child's Christmas in Wales, byDylan Thomas. I love accounts of Christmases long ago, with hopefully happy families and good times. And so I love this account as well. Plus...Dylan Thomas.
'Nuff said.

6) The Miraculous Staircase byArthur Gordon. One day I will travel to New Mexico and see with my own two (nearsighted) eyes this very real staircase that has a Christmas legend behind it. I first read this in a collection of Christmas stories my grandmother gave me when I was ten, and it is a yearly favorite. Look up "Loretto Chapel" to read about it. Then look up Gordon's story to get damp-eyed.

7) A Christmas Dream, and How it Came True by Louisa May Alcott. This is a great take-off of perhaps the most popular and enduring Christmas story of them all, Dickens's AChristmas Carol. It is funny and touching and beautiful, and much easier for younger children to "get."

8)The Little Golden Book of Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer. Because it just feels so RETRO now, so 70's or something. No matter: impossible to hate Rudolph, and his underdog (underreindeer?) triumph over bullies.

That is all from me, for now. I would love to hear about any other family's literary Christmas traditions, in hopes of adding unknowns to my collection.

Leigh appears Fridays on TriangleMom2Mom. Read more about Leigh on her blog Flipper and Me.