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Picture Book Review: The Legend of the Candy Cane

9/19/2017

We hang candy canes on our Christmas tree each year. Do you?

We also love reading the sweet story aloud at Christmastime each year. The Legend of the Candy Cane by Lori Walburg is a delightful tale set at the turn of the 20th century.

When a stranger rides into town, folks hope he will be a doctor or merchant. Instead, the children's wish comes true. He is a candy-maker.

Little Lucy befriends the candy-maker. In turn, he reveals the true story of how the candy cane came to be. Lucy is delighted! Readers will be, too.

Lucy learns all about the symbolism of the candy cane. If you hold the candy cane one way, it is a "J' for Jesus. If you hold it the other way, it is a shepherd's crook. In addition, the red strips stand for the blood of Jesus.

Together, the candy-maker and Lucy share the message of the Christmas candy cane with the whole town. The message of Christmas reaches everyone!

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Christmas Picture Books to Read Aloud

12/12/2012

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"Read this one, please," Katie Beth's chubby hands held the book up to me. I adjusted Julianna who had finished nursing and was asleep on my lap. I opened the lovely Christmas picture book and began to read aloud. Katie Beth and I smiled at each other and the baby slept peacefully.

Fast forward 20 years. My baby is a grown up lady. Katie Beth and my third baby, Jenny Rose, are cuddled up on the couch reading Anne of Green Gables aloud. They have both read the book several times, but there is something wonderful about reading a good book together aloud.

This summer I went to visit my aunt with two of my daughters. The four of us enjoyed an Agatha Christie short story together. We took turns reading aloud. My aunt wrote me a note the next week about how much she had enjoyed that sweet time reading aloud together.

What is it about reading aloud that is so wonderful? Is it the story? Is it the sound of someone you love reading aloud? Or is it the sense of togetherness? There are several Christmas picture books out there. Which are the best for reading aloud?

Cranberry Christmas by Wende and Harry Devlin is a Christmas story set in Cranberry Port, New England where the winter is filled with snow, ice skating, and treats made with cranberries (like the cranberry cookie recipe on the back cover of the book!).

Meet Grandma and Maggie who help eccentric Mr. Whiskers prepare for a visit from his sister and fight to keep his property. A sweet Christmas tale and a great recipe! My children loved this book and there are great examples of kindness and friendship inside. Quaint pictures add to the delight of the book. I love the drawings of Mr. Whiskers!

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Christmas Life Skill Training for Teens

12/11/2012

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Christmas is a great time to prepare your teens for life!

Yes, they can learn to decorate the tree, to bake the family's favorite dishes, write and send the annual Christmas letter, and make handmade Christmas gifts.

But, there is more to the Christmas season for than homemaking skills.

We hope to create a picture perfect Christmas, but the reality is that Christmas season is sometimes full of disappointments and problems that need to be solved. One thing that we can teach our teens at Christmas time is the life skills that need to be present to turn every problem into a possibility, every disaster into a happy ending.This is the essence of life, living victoriously in a fallen world!

What are some life skills that you can impart to your children this time of year?

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Christmas Homemaking Class & Credit for Teens

12/6/2012

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Christmas is a great time to learn new homemaking skills! So many life skills come into play at Christmas from budgeting to sewing, from interior decorating to baking. Why not make Christmas preparation a homemaking class this year with the goal to teach your teens how to "Do Christmas."

One of the great joys of being a mother/homemaker is preparing holiday dinners and carrying out the family traditions. A dad has a big role in Christmas festivities too. A great tradition for a family to have would be a special craft or dish or baked good that Dad makes with the children (without burning the house down!). You could teach your son the skills he needs to someday be that dad!

Make a list of the family events, traditions, and activities that you already do each year. The list might look something like this (I have added "subject/assignment categories" next to each activity):

Christmas caroling (music/homemaking)
Church Christmas pageant (drama/arts)
Christmas cards/family letter (writing)
Cookie Baking (homemaking)
Candy Making (homemaking)
Making Gifts/Baking (homemaking)
Making Gifts/Crafts/Sewing (homemaking/art)
Christmas Shopping/Gift Wrapping (homemaking)
Planning menus for holiday meals/parties (homemaking)
Grocery shopping for meals/parties (homemaking)
Decorating Inside/Outside (homemaking/interior decorating)
Cleaning for holidays and company (homemaking)
Preparation for out-of-town Company (homemaking/life skills)
Family Devotions (Bible)
Hospitality (Character/homemaking)
Making & Sticking to a Budget for the Holidays (homemaking/life skills)
Scheduling to Fit in all Family & Church Events (homemaking/life skills)

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Christmas Traditions: Caroling

12/3/2012

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"When are we going caroling?" Katie Beth asked with her calendar in hand. Christmas caroling is a popular Christmas tradition in my house.

We have so many happy memories of bundling up and caroling around the neighborhood.

Where

We go caroling around our neighborhood, although sometimes we have caroling with friends in their neighborhoods.

But, don't limit yourself to your neighborhood. One of our favorite places to carol was in an assisted living facility. We went door to door to the residents' delight. Each one asked us to stay and keep singing. They were so blessed by our feeble singing!

We also were invited one year to sing at the Sanford Tour of Homes in the next town over. What a blessing. We simply set up a music stand halfway between two of the houses on the tour and were able to use a guitar for accompaniment.

When

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Christmas Unit Studies

11/14/2011

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December is the perfect month to take a break from the schoolwork grind and try a unit study!

Why not celebrate Christmas the ENTIRE month of December?

Though it is harder when teens are in high school, I try to keep our December schedules light.

Often, we have done a special unit study in December. When we have done Christmas units, we continued to do math, but every other subject was part of the unit. It has been a great break for the children, while still getting school days, and learning, into our lives.

We have celebrated Christmas in Colonial America, celebrated Christmas with Anne of Green Gables, celebrated Christmas in Victorian England, and celebrated Christmas back in Roman-occupied Israel. What wonderful memories we've made: Christmas teas, amazing recipes, Christmas poems, silly stories, field trip adventures, lovely ornaments that still hang on our tree each year, and all kinds of Christmas decorations!

Christmas Learning

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Picture Book Review: The Legend of the Candy Cane

Christmas Picture Books to Read Aloud

Christmas Life Skill Training for Teens

Christmas Homemaking Class & Credit for Teens

Christmas Traditions: Caroling

Christmas Unit Studies

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