A KNOCK AT THE DOOR...WHAT WOULD YOU DO?

BABOUSHKA AND THE THREE KINGS (ages 4-8) by Ruth Robbins, illustrated by Nicolas Sidjakov, is the story about an old woman who, on a cold winter's night, hears a knock on her door.  She lifts the latch and looks out, to see three strangers standing in her doorway.  She stares in wonder at "their elegant dress, their frosted beards, their kind eyes."  They tell her they have been following a bright star to where a Baby has been born, but have become lost. They invite her to come with them in order to try to find the Child and offer Him gifts. But Baboushka is cold and hasn't finished her day's work.  She asks them to stay the night so that she can go with them in the morning.  They tell her there is not time to linger and they continue their journey without her.  She finishes her work, sits down to her lonely supper and begins to feel "a sudden tenderness and joy for the new born Child".  She becomes determined to find this new Babe and offer Him her poor, but heartfelt gifts.  She leaves at dawn but never finds Him, as she wanders from village to village.  She renews her search year after year at the time of His birth, and the children of the villages find joy "in the poor but precious gifts she leaves behind her in the silent night."

A little trivia (or controversy, depending on how you look at it):
The inside title page of BABOUSHKA AND THE THREE KINGS says the story is "Adapted From A Russian Folk Tale"; and at the end of BABOUSHKA AND THE THREE KINGS is the text of a poem, "BABOUSHKA, A RUSSIAN LEGEND", written by an American, Edith M. Thomas, in 1907.  In reality there is no such tale from Russia!  But there is a legend very much like this from Italy - about Old Befana.  (author and illustrator Tomie dePaola has a wonderful version of this story).

OLD BEFANA retold by Tomie dePaola (ages 4-8)

"WE THREE KINGS"...A ROYAL RENDERING

WE THREE KINGS is another beautiful offering by Russian artist, Gennady Spirin!  (To read my past posts about him, click here.)  


His lavish illustrations of this well-known Christmas carol will not disappoint you!  He dedicated this book to his three sons.

From Publisher's Review:  "Opulence befitting royalty characterizes Spirin's lush, jewel-hued watercolor-and-colored-pencil interpretation of the beloved carol about the three wise men (and their extensive entourages) who traverse afar. A spread rendered in an antique-like palette and featuring a host of singing, trumpeting angels in an inky, starlit sky marks each refrain of the familiar tune. Although younger readers will need help understanding some of the phrasing, they'll be happy to read or hum along, or just gaze at the sumptuously outfitted parade of camels, elephants, horses and kings making their way to Bethlehem. All ages."

A TASHA TUDOR CHRISTMAS - "TAKE JOY"

I inherited my mother's copy of this book, published in 1966.  It was my first introduction to Tasha Tudor and her beautiful artwork.  TAKE JOY is full of Christmas stories, poems, carols, recipes, accounts of her own family celebrations and quaint illustrations.  I love her recipe for fudge:

SETH'S FUDGE
3 squares cooking chocolate
2 cups sugar
1/4 teaspoon salt
2/3 cup milk
2 tablespoons light corn syrup
2 tablespoons butter
1 teaspoon vanilla
Chop up squares of chocolate and put in heavy saucepan with sugar, salt, milk and syrup.  Place of LOW heat, stir until mixture boils.  This takes a while, about twenty minutes, so have a book to read while stirring.  Then cook to stage where it will form a soft ball in water (234 degrees on a candy thermometer).  Remove from heat, stir in butter and cool to lukewarm.  Add vanilla and stir vigorously about 5 minutes and turn into a large bread tin, buttered.  Makes about a pound.  Cut when cool and wrap each piece in aluminum foil or wax paper.

TAKE JOY!  TASHA TUDOR CHRISTMAS BOOK

written and illustrated by Tasha Tudor. (ages 7 and up).  An old-fashioned Christmas book.



A TIME TO KEEP:  THE TASHA TUDOR BOOK OF HOLIDAYS
Month by month, Tasha Tudor's delicate illustrations bring to life the holidays of an earlier time. A warm-hearted celebration of family and tradition, this treasury of "times to keep" will be cherished and enjoyed all year long. (Ages 7 and up)

THE DOLLS CHRISTMAS by Tasha Tudor. (ages 4-8)

Christmas is a special time at Pumpkin House, where two dolls named Sethany Ann and Nicey Melinda live. Every Christmas they invite their friends to join them for an elegant dinner party and a marionette show. The dolls have fun getting ready for their party: they send out invitations to their guests by Sparrow Post, decorate their very own Christmas tree with silver nutmegs and golden pears, and prepare doll-size cookies and other treats for the party. Then at "candlelight-time" on Christmas Day the guests begin to arrive, and the evening isn't over until the last carol has been sung around the tree.

To read more about Tasha Tudor, read my past blog post about her.

A PARADOXICAL SETTING FOR THE BIRTH OF A KING!

CHRISTMAS NIGHT, FAIR AND BRIGHT by Julie Stiegemeyer, illustrations by Melissa Iwai. (ages 3-7). If you're looking for a book that emphasizes the true meaning of Christmas for even the youngest of children, look no farther!

In simple rhyming words, Julie Stiegemeyer expertly recreates the sights and sounds of the first Christmas and at the same time, emphasizes the two natures of Christ -- His abject humility in his simple birth and His ultimate divinity as our King and Saviour. With each verse, Jesus' perfect life and death on our behalf is communicated:  "Jesus, born for us."

Most of this telling takes place in the humble stall -- the paradoxical setting for the birth of the King of kings and the Lord of lords:

Frankincense hangs in the air.

Stars are twinkling everywhere.

A child is born beyond compare -

Jesus, born for us.

Jesus has no kingly hall.

Jesus has no fortress tall.

Home becomes a cattle stall

for Jesus, born for us.

So sequined stars become a crown,

night, a robe to wrap around;

God's own Son to earth came down.

He's Jesus, born for us."

This book predictably recounts the events of that first Christmas, but it includes the flight to Egypt as well. It also alludes to the crucifixion. Melissa Iwai's illustrations are perfect for the 3-7 age group.  Her brightly colored images have less detail than those for older children, but still capture the drama and reality of the events on that dark night in Bethlehem, when Christ, the Light of the World, was born.

To see more books by Julie Stiegemeyer, click here.

MORE CHRISTMAS IN SILHOUETTE

On with my "40 Books for 40 Days" CHRISTMAS BOOK LIST...
I think I'll let these books speak for themselves!  Enjoy Jan Pienkowski's gorgeous silhouette art from THE FIRST CHRISTMAS and THE FIRST NOEL.

The First Christmas by Jan Pienkowski.

Also by Jan Pienkowski:
The First Noel: A Christmas Carousel

 

Book opens to make a beautiful centerpiece for your  table!

HAPPY ST. LUCIA DAY!

Icon from the hand of Luke Dingman

December 13th commemorates St. Lucia Day for Roman Catholic, Orthodox, Anglican, and Lutheran Christians. (In England, she is called "St. Lucy".)

My daughter was only three years old when she participated in the first St. Lucia Procession we ever attempted at our church.  Now, 20 years later, she watches and sings with the adults as the young girls process down the aisle, following the oldest girl, who represents Lucia and is wearing a "crown" of candles.  I'm sure each girl, dressed in a white gown with red sash - symbolizing the saint's commitment to purity and her martyrdom - anticipates the year she will finally wear the traditional "Lucia Crown" (with battery-operated candles, as opposed to open flames!)

HER HISTORY
Lucia was a Christian, living in Sicily during the fourth century. Her parents had arranged for her to wed, against her will.  Lucia vowed to remain a virgin, instead of marrying a pagan, and gave her dowry to the poor.  Her fiancee denounced her and reported her to the authorities. Since Christianity was against the law at that time in the Roman Empire, Lucia was put to death.

HER CELEBRATION
During the Middle Ages, Swedes "adopted" this Italian saint. The name Lucia itself means "light", which the people of Sweden don't see a lot of during the winter. December 13th was the longest night of the year (Winter Solstice under the old Julian Calendar) so, in the darkness of Sweden, this holy-day also celebrated the fact that the days would begin to grow longer.

The traditional "St. Lucia Procession" originated in Sweden, and is practiced in homes, churches, and communities there.  In Norway, children bring the procession to nursing homes and hospitals, serving lussekatt buns to the elderly. Scandinavian immigrants have brought the celebration to the U.S. - look for Swedish Christmas Fairs and Lutheran churches in your community that might host processions during December (that's how I saw my first St. Lucia Procession!)

Take a minute or so to watch this beautiful traditional Swedish Lucia Procession...



PICTURE BOOKS ABOUT ST. LUCIA:


Lucia Saint of Light, by Katherine Bolger Hyde, illustrations by Daria Fisher (ages 6 and up).  Do you have a daughter who is interested in knowing why girls wear white dresses, balance a crown of candles on their heads, and carry a platter of saffron buns on St. Lucia Day?  Katherine Bolger Hyde does a wonderful job of explaining these customs, in this beautiful book with two parallel stories - about a modern-day girl named Lucy, and a 4th-Century Saint named Lucia.  The tales are interwoven as Lucy prepares to celebrate her "nameday" and her mother explains to her the origins of the story of St. Lucia and the background behind the traditions of her celebration and her association with Sweden.  At the end of the book, you'll find the "Santa Lucia" song (with words and music), her icon, verses from her Feastday Aposticha, and a recipe. (She also offers some great links/resources.)


Lucia Morning in Sweden by Ewa Jydaker, illustrated by Carina Stalhberg. (ages 5-10)  A story about three children as they prepare for their St. Lucia Day celebration.  It includes the Lucia song, recipes for ginger snaps and saffron buns, a summary of the Lucia legend, and two patterns for the Lucia gowns.  (You'll have to search for this cute book, which is currently out of print.)


                    Lucia, Child of Light:  The History and Traditions of Sweden's Lucia Celebration, by Florence Ekstrand. (Also currently out of print, but probably available at your local library.)  This book introduced us to Saint Lucia when my daughter was young.  It traces the history of St. Lucia and includes a recipe and the Lucia song in both English and Swedish.  (ages 6 and up)

Kirsten's Surprise:  A Christmas Story, by Janet Beeler Shaw. (ages 9-12) From the AMERICAN GIRL series:  a short story about Kirsten Larson, a nine-year-old girl from Sweden, who has moved with her family to the Minnesota frontier in 1854. With Christmas approaching, Kirsten is excited about introducing her cousins to the Saint Lucia celebration. The day before Saint Lucia Day, Kirsten's father decides to go get the family's trunks out of storage (where Kirsten's dress is being stored) and Kirsten is just dying to go with him. However, as a Minnesota winter storm descends, she finds that her help is more needed then she could have imagined.

CHRISTMAS AND SCANDINAVIA...

Christmas Market in Stockholm, Sweden

Bear with me while I indulge my Scandinavian ancestry and reminisce about "pilgrimages" made with my Mother, Grandma, and sisters to Solvang, a little Danish town here in California. I couldn't afford a trip to Sweden or Norway, but in Solvang I could satisfy my heritage-driven cravings for folkart, almond pastries, coffee, Carl Larsson, and all things Christmas... I started googling images of "a few of my favorite things" to show you.  What are some of yours?

Downtown Solvang, CA

Pastries and Coffee

Danish Blue and White Dishes

 Swedish Dalahast

Jul Hus in Solvang, CA

Painting by Swedish artist, Carl Larsson

I miss those trips most when the Christmas season approaches; then mid-December arrives and I get to open my jar of Cardamom, and enjoy the aroma of this pungent Scandinavian spice while I mix up dough for the Lucia saffron buns (Lussekatter) that will be served at a reception following our church's annual St. Lucia Procession.


Tomorrow I'll post some wonderful picture books for St. Lucia Day, December 13th.  Meanwhile, you can read about her life and celebration here and try this recipe for Lucia buns from the quaint Swedish village of Bishop Hill, IL website.


If you liked my posts about Scandinavian Tomte and authors Astrid Lindgren and Jan Brett, I think you and your kids will enjoy reading these Scandinavian-themed Christmas stories...



CHRISTMAS IN NOISY VILLAGE by Astrid Lindgren.  This is a sweet chapter book that kids ages 6-10 will love, featuring those mischeivious children from Noisy Village.


CHRISTMAS TROLLS by Jan Brett.  A fun picture book for kids ages 4-8 about Treva and the troublesome trolls, this time in a Christmas story.



Want more?  The blog LEARN SWEDEN, has some great posts about Swedish children's books and authors.