Christmas Books

This book is the funniest thing I've read in years. I hope this author has more writing to be found.

Home made gifts are always the best--except for that time I tried to make an "electric hammer" by gluing a power cord into the handle of a standard-issue ball-peen--and this book shows you how to write the perfect chatty news letter that will have your friends laughing. The letters themselves are funny and can be used as is, or just as valuable, they will spark your own imagination to create your own. Either way, a very useful and clever book. And great gift too.

This is very funny. Comes with a Word Document CD with a bunch of different crazy scenarios into which you can place the names of yourself, your family and loved ones, even your pet, to really turn those annual "catch you up on what's happening" Christmas Letters on their heads. Smart and hysterical.

This book is uproariously funny. Not to be missed.
These letters should be read and used by everyone with a sense of humor. Buy this book - you won't be sorry.

This book is perfect for creating an antidote to any and all of those "bragalogue" Christmas letters that deeply boring people insist on sending each year. Hey, maybe if you send them one of these "wild" letters anonymously they'll even take the hint and save some trees and stamps next year. Of course, it's probably asking too much for them to understand the joke, but that doesn't mean that the rest of us can't! This is a great gift for the merciless and mirthful.

Our pastor read this book as part of his sermon during our Christmas celebration. I loved it! It was a great story giving reasons for Christmas,getting the free stuff and helping the needy, but this curious little lizard finds out the true meaning of Christmas. I loved this story so much I wanted to buy it,(my neighbor attends the same church and said she got it from amazon) I bought two copies and my kids are 12 and 16. I gave one copy to my niece.(by the way Cory Edwards also wrote the screenplay of Hoodwinked, although I have not seen it I have heard it is a wonderful movie and family friendly)

This book was on display at our local library and I picked it up to read to my 5-year old Lizard loving daughter. I was in tears by the end, and yes we checked it out. It is a charming story that talks about Christmas being about parties, and toys, and Santa and giving to the needy, and family traditions, but it then goes on to explain how these things are all ways to "celebrate Christmas" but that Christmas is about Jesus and God's love for us, and that is why we celebrate. I love this book. We have books that explain the nativity story etc, but this talks about all the other stuff, but brings it back to Jesus' birth. It is very well done.

This is an intriguing story about a curious pet lizard who escapes his cage on Christmas Eve and ventures up the Christmas tree. He is greeted by an array of ornaments who proceed to tell him their definition of Christmas. Holiday parties, family and friends, Santa and presents are a few of the explanations he receives but when he reaches the top he is greeted by the angel who shares with him the real meaning of christmas. This story is both funny and heartwarming as it unifies all of the different christmas themes into one. My children (4 & 7 ) loved it!

My daughter, her bearded dragon, and I loved the beautiful text and pictures in this book. My daughter took it to her preschool on share day - her preschool friends also loved it. Not only is it a great story with whimsical pictures, most importantly it is a wonderful reminder of the true meaning of "Christ"mas.

This book is wonderful for several reasons. The big,bright pictures hold my childrens interest,they are 2& 1/2 and 1 years old. The text is short enough on each page to let me read it all before they turn the page. The story explaines all the "things" kids see with the christmas season, and tells them that these "things" are ways to celebrate the real reason for christmas,the birth of Christ!

My family loves this book especially my 4 year old daughter. The illustrations are beautiful. It's the first night before Christmas story that is truly unique and doesn't focus on toys for once!

We began reading this right after thanksgiving when all the christmas stuff came out. We are still reading it with my 2 and my 4 year olds both requesting it. I read a lot of books to them and this one by far grabs their attention more than most. I do not normally write reviews but felt obligated to write something positive about something that has made such a positive impact on my children. Thank you Michael Garland.

I am 8 years old and this is my favorite book. I love the illustrations and my favorite part is when the Christmas Tree dances and when Katrina turns into a real person! I have a dog Max also so I liked when the cat and dog sing. This is a fun book and I think everyone should have this book to read at Christmas time!

Dancing on the lawn,singing cat's and dog's,mice making pies,snow men and women. You can find all of these in Christmas Magic by: Micheal Garland.
The main character is a little girl named Emily.This magical story takes place in a victorian house and her lawn. When she was building a snow woman, a new kid was moving in next door. When she was about to go to bed, she looked out the window and saw the new boy building a snow man.All of a sudden she hears a noise.What was it?Is something wrong?

You will find out when you read Christmas Magic.I recomended this book because if you like how many magical things happen in one day.

I would have given this book 5 stars if the story line had been a little bit stronger and possibly involved the next-door neighbor more into the plot. However, the illustrations are wonderful. They say you can't judge a book by it's cover but I was drawn to this book by the artwork on the front cover and was just as pleased with the beautiful illustrations inside. That alone makes the book worth purchasing.

This book makes you feel good and lets you know there is still good in the world. I went back and bought other miracle books by the same people. A++++

I bring this book out every Christmas and reread it. The stories fill me with wonder and the magic of Christmas.

What thrilling stories. One was amazing, the next was heart-breaking. We decided to read one each night of the Christmas season and found them really inspiring.

Heartwarming and deeply moving, Christmas Miracles brings the true "feelings" of Christmas into our hearts and homes with the touching collection of inspiring true stories of miracles shared by others. Sure to be a Christmas favorite year after year.

This special collection of Christmas stories has real life stories of life experiences which give us hope for the future. The various story tellers share a part of their lives with us in a way which will allow you to feel their emotions in their own experiences. Having participated in the actual experiences of several of the story tellers, it is wonderful to find them where I can relive them time and again. For example, I will never forget driving by Janis Gardners house and seeing fire trucks and devastation and wondering what happened. I took my young son, classmate of one of the Gardner girls, to school and returned to the scene. How grateful I was to find all family members were safe. What a miracle to see Steve Larson put their home back together in just a few short weeks before Christmas. I can not drive by the house (even though it is now occupied by strangers), without remembering how lucky that Janis did not let the girls sleep under the tree that night. This is an example of the wonderful, spirit lifting stories you will read in "Christmas Miracles", by Jamie Miller, et al. Good reading for all. Velda Solomon

For anyone wanting to recapture the nostalgia and "family friendliness" of the Christmas season, Wilhelminia Ripple's Christmas Parties: What Do I Do? is a terrific place to start! This attractively presented compendium offers more than 125 creative ideas for games, crafts, and holiday snacks that will make every Christmas gathering fun and memorable. The themes offered for consideration including Christmas Trees, Stockings, and Candy Canes; Snow, Snowmen, and Snowflakes; Santa Claus and His Elves; Rudolph and His Reindeer; I Believe in Angels; and Christmas Here, There, and Everywhere. 36 easy craft projects are clearly laid out with step-by-step illustrations. Christmas Parties is enhanced with 40 simple and delicious recipes for Holiday treats and drinks; 36 "Santa-Approved" games; and more. There's even suggestions for celebrating the end of the Christmas season with "New Year's Tips and Fun Party Ideas" from here at home and around the world. Christmas Parties is a thoroughly "user friendly" instructional reference that will be appreciated by one and all, year after year, Christmas after Christmas.

A sparklingl book and many ideas to use for Chritams affairs. The games and crafts are tremendous. This book is great for anyone hosting a Christams Event for any ages. The chapter of The What, Why and How of Christmas Parties is a great beginning for any type of party and gives you a starting point. Suggestion: Purchase a complete set.

I bought this book hoping that it would have some fresh ideas for my kids' class parties instead of the same old games and crafts we've been doing it seems year after year. I was worried that even if it had new ideas they might be too invovled/time-consuming for the hour and a half we typically have for the whole party. I was pleasantly surprised that this book had so many ideas to choose from that were original and fit into our limited time frame. I highly recommend this book.

So you're planning a Christmas party, one where there will be fun and games, and lots and lots of kids. But where do you start? Well, first of all, purchase CHRISTMAS PARTIES...WHAT DO I DO? Wilhelminia Ripple has created the perfect book for anyone planning a Christmas party. Filled with over 125 wonderful ideas for crafts, games, and holiday snacks. Wilhelminia teaches you everything you need to know to throw the most fantastic Christmas party of the season, complete with instructions on how to create Elf Handprints, how to build an Edible Snowman, make a Human Christmas Tree, and much, much more. Whether you've thrown Christmas parties before or not, CHRISTMAS PARTIES...WHAT DO I DO? is the one thing you'll need to make your Christmas party better than anyone else's. A wonderful book that absolutely must be a part of your book collection.

Erika Sorocco
Book Review Columnist for The Community Bugle Newspaper

This book has Christmas Spirit on every page, with holiday games,crafts, and goodies from all around the world. It really brings out the child inside us all. With an added bonus of 13 pages for New Years Eve. I am a Parent and Day Care Provider, to me this book is as much a part of Christmas as the Tree.

I purchased this book along with Christmas Tree Pins/O Christmas Tree and since I rated that book a "5", I am rating this book a strong 4. While the pages are a bit thinner in weight (but still of good quality), the photos are excellent with the pins presented nicely. And, even though the number of pins featured are fewer, this book also includes santas, angels, reindeer, wreaths, and other seasonal pins which makes this a good addition/companion to my library.

Ms. Gallina has done impressive research. Her pictures are well done, in color, and carefully organized by designer and theme. Her captions are descriptive and the values are clear.

This somewhat small book was extremely helpful to me in identifying the values of some recently purchased Weiss candle Christmas Tree Pins. It has also shown me what pins do not carry such a high value.
I would love to see more books like this one for holiday jewelry.
I would highly reccommend this book to anyone interested in Vintage and New Christmas Jewelry.

This book by Jill is one of my favorite books, and not just because my own jewelry is included. Jill's wonderful photography showcases a wonderous variety of this collecting category. I doubt there are very many collectors who don't have a least one Christmas tree pin in their collection. And truly, it is very likely that every single woman who loves jewelry has at least one tree pin for holiday wear. This beautiful book is a perfect addition to any vintage costume jewelry reference library, for collectors and dealers alike. And it may even convert non-collectors! Thanks Jill!

Very enjoyable book with great history of the designers of today and yesteryear that made Christmas Pins. Good color pictures with a price guide that reflects today's prices. If you are a new pin collector this is a must have at a reasonable price. If you are a seasoned collector you will enjoy reading about the short histories of your favorite designers.

If you could birth one quality into the world, what would it be? This little book uses the Christ story to guide us on our own journey from where we are now to the birth of what we need to do for our world and for ourselves. Although this book works its magic strongest for Christians and in the Christmas season, it is a powerfully symbolic journey anyone can take to find personal meaning. It helps you focus what you most desire to give to yourself and to others. Good for children, families, groups, group homes. Inspiring and uplifting.

This is not only a wonderful book but a beautiful experience for yourself or your whole family. It does not matter what faith you may be, this book helps you to discover yourself and to help you see what you offer to the world. Beautifully written, it helps to bring the magick of the season to every day.

at atime when life is moving at such a fast pace, this book allows us to slow down, achieve inner peace and hopefully communicate this to others.

I highly recommend this book for anyone of any faith. I am not a Christian and yet I felt very comfortable reading it. It has a wonderful spiritual message for anybody. It would certainly make a great Christmas present but the message it presents is for any day of the year. It is a small book that reads very easily and yet it has a profound message that anyone could understand and appreciate.

This book has helped me to review my life. To be able to look at things from another angle. It helps to remind us that the things we do in life are important even if they seem small or unimportant to us. I found that it helped me to also see how others see me as well as how I see others. I feel that this book and Dorian has helped me to search my soul for the real me. And for that I thank her for writing Christmas Presence. I hope that you will read it and enjoy it as much as I have. Its heart warming.

This book captures the entire deep south experience from a boy's point of view. The creeks and fields, as well as the dirt, comes alive with Davis' descriptions. He aptly tells of Southern relationships, community, and the hardships that were endured as a part of life. What a delightful find. I hope that Davis will continue to write such treasures!

I am a teacher of literature and I highly recommend this book for all ages. I am suggesting it for my bookclub read this month!

Ironically, I read this book on Christmas Eve. However, it's message can be realized at any time of the year. The book's focus is on a twelve-year old boy during the final months of his grandmother's life. His relationship with her and her "final lessons" are very heart warming. No nail-biting plot, nor exploding ending, but I finished the book feeling renewed. If you want a feel-good book with no profanity, violence or sex, give this book a try. Recommended to all readers of Christian fiction.

This was a different type of book. You know in the first paragraph what goes on at Christmas, but the book is then a lead up to those events. It is an interesting look at family and struggle in the poor rural south. The truth you find out about Joe I suspected, but it was a realistic ending for the time and place. I think in the end you see that these months in 1942 are what changes a boy into a man who can make something out of himself, instead of following in his uncle's footsteps.

As I read this, I kept thinking of my grandmother, whose childhood was very similar. This is a good read for teens and adults alike, as it is told from the viewpoint of an older man as he remembers seven months of his childhood during 1942. A teen struggling to find him/herself can relate to this young man growing up in a small town torn between the draw of the world and the love of home. Those who grew up in a rural or small town, will identify greatly with the lifestyle and story presented. It features no profanity or other adult-content imagery. It is sweet without being sappy, so enjoy!

I also loved this because the descriptions and way of life recalled are part of my own past. I am young, but this tells a life similar to my ancestors and brings this way of living to reality for me.

This is my favorite Christmas present to all the little ones in my life! This book is a must-buy!!!

This book is simply wonderful. The illustrations are fantastic and full of FUN. It's one of the BEST Christmas stories ever-revealing the TRUE meaning of CHRISTmas. We'll make it a tradition to read to our loved ones EVERY season.

This uplifting story is precious and should be included in every child's personal library. "Sampson" should be read by every ADULT as a reminder of the true meaning of Christmas. The story reinforces a child's self esteem and demonstrates how everyone has importance in this world. The characters are adorable and the illustrations are classics to be cherished by generations to come.

This book has the feel of a classic Christmas story that can be read year after year without it ever growing old. The illustrations are fun, the characters are cute, and the story is a good one. I've purchased multiple copies to give as Christmas gifts over the past two years. Truth be told, I enjoy the book just as much as the kids.

This cleverly written and illustrated book is sure to touch the hearts of children and adults alike, as well as teach amazing truths of the value of oneself and the love of giving. A wonderful story that is fun, endearing, and delivers a powerful message of the meaning of Christmas.

I've had this book for years, and it gets funnier every time I read it. That's no mean feat considering the fact that I drag this baby off the shelf every other month. I can't think of a wittier gift for anyone, young or old. Absolutely hysterical!

This was a very good book. Contains the familiar Boynton art and style. Both I and my child enjoy this book very much.

this highly amusing look at the christmas season is not just for christmas...the illustrations are hilarious, as are the little tips for having a great christmas. i would read this book throught the year, just for laughs!

One of my favorite Christmas traditions each year is to pull out this clever, funny book and get a good laugh before I start my shopping, cards, etc. Ms. Boynton takes us through each aspect of Christmastime-- shopping, eating, cards, gifts, decorating-- and makes us laugh at ourselves and some of our ridiculous holiday habits. She pokes fun at people who complete their shopping in April, at Christmas trees that are cut down while we sunbathe in July, at Christmas newsletters that brag about our children and our wealth, about our need to decorate everything that doesn't move, and more! She gives us new words to old favorites-- "Deck the malls with plastic holly", and even includes a couple of recipes.

The illustrations? Perfect! Who isn't sure about Santa? A turkey! Who gives someone an empty bowl instead of a bowl of cookies? A pig! And so on and so on. I can't ever decide which illustration is my favorite, but I am always amazed that Ms. Boynton can give her simple little animals such great facial expressions.

I am so thrilled that this book is available (again? still?), because I have been loaning my copy to people for years, and I am always afraid I won't get it back. I've even used this book to help me pick friends; if I loan someone this book and they don't "get it", they are just not the right friend for me. I can't wait until it's officially Christmastime, so I can read it again.

To my delight, I received this book as a Christmas gift and have read it through a dozen times since then. I have lent it to people who have run right out and bought it. It has all the basic truisms about the holiday and will give you a jolly laugh. Buy it for a friend.