I am in love with picture books, and I find any reason to justify a purchase. Honestly, I think I am a writer and a teacher because it’s a calling that simply requires book purchases.

If you love books, too, today is your lucky day. This post will give you everything you need to sanction a new book’s entry into your life.

Way back in 1998, I created a family tradition that’s still going strong in 2018.

Each year, I buy a new Christmas picture book. We open it on Christmas Eve. Then, everyone who is with us writes a little note on the inside cover. Here’s the inside cover of our second book - before I even had a family of my own - from 1997.

It’s kinda like a literary guest book for every Christmas.

I love seeing the handwriting of everyone in our family - even if a lot of it isn’t readable! Sonia, my sister-in-law - and the one with the best handwriting, wrote “it will be fun to have little ones at our celebration” next year. She was one month away from delivering my twin nieces who will turn 21 this January!

When I finally found a husband and we had a baby girl, our tradition changed a bit. We started opening the book on the first weekend of December when we decorated our Christmas tree. All through December, as our collection grew, I’d read books to Anna, and it certainly got us in the holiday spirit.

I found a basket to hold the collection and used my trusty glue gun to attach parts of an old and broken garland for some holiday glam.

My daughter knows that she’ll inherit this basket of books when she has a family of her own so the tradition can continue…or we can recycle books and just keep adding notes and signatures on family favorites.

Speaking of favorites, here’s a list of our top ten favorite Christmas picture books.

I’ve got lots more holiday books, but these are my short list favorites, and I wanted to leave room for you to suggest your essential holiday titles, too. Please let me know in the comments.

Tonight, I look forward to snuggling with my 16-year-old and reading one of her favorites - probably Dream Snow!

Yes, Virginia, there are teenagers who still love listening to books being read aloud.

Always writing,

Lorrie