Christmas

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We are still doing Christmas storytime here in my library.  I know it's controversial and it's not necessarily something that I will continue, but for now, it's here.  We do focus on the primarily secular aspects of Christmas - Santa, the Christmas tree, and baking.

BOOKS:

We read Samurai Santa by Rubin Pingk and When Cows Come Home for Christmas by Dori Chaconas, illustrated by Lynne Chapman.

Both of these stories were great in their own way.  I love Samurai Santa.  It's about playing and planning and having fun, but also thinking about the consequences of actions.  Pingk's illustrations are TO DIE FOR.  I told all of my storytime kids that this book combined two of our favorite things - Santa and NINJAS.  They loved it.  When the Cows Come Home for Christmas has a nice lyrical rhyme to it and a cute story.  It was a little long for my little wigglers, but most were able to sit through it well.  

FLANNELBOARD:

I borrowed this idea from a Flannel Friday post from Recipes for Reading.  I am sad to say that I haven't actually read Santa's New Suit by Laura Rader, but I LOVED making these flannels.

I explained that Santa was sick of all of his old suits, not to mention that some of theme were dirty and torn.  He went to a new story, The Snappy Dresser, and brought back a different suit.  When he tried it on for Mrs. Claus and the elves and reindeer, they disliked it.  I turned my big flannel board around when "dressing" Santa and then flipped it back with his new outfit.  The kids really liked it, and one storytime mom commented that I could do this every year and just make new outfits for Santa.  

SONG:

We listened to "Jingle Bell Rock" by Bobby Helms.  I have enough bells for everyone to have a set so we danced and jingled away to this classic.

CRAFT:

We made gingerbread men!  I wasn't super sold on using glitter glue and sequins since my audience has been skewing younger, but it turned out to be a big hit.  Caregivers were pretty good about reigning their kids in when everything started getting messy and sticky, so no harm, no foul.  Here's one of mine.