December Daily™ 2011 | Day Eighteen

Welcome to December Daily™ 2011 | Day Eighteen.

This is one of those stories that could have gone on any day. It's one I've been wanting to tell this year as it was a new tradition for us.

24 Christmas books got wrapped up and we've been opening one each night (and a couple mornings before school while waiting for the bus). It's been fun to do it this way vs. bringing them all out on December 1 in a basket (I put them away in my Christmas tubs when it's not December). The kids have taken turns opening them and even though some have been more for Simon's age or Anna's age it's been totally fine. I think I purchased about four or five this year to make the total 24 (and we received a couple as gifts). The rest I've been collecting over the years.

I went back and forth one too many times about adding anything to the first photo.

So I just stopped and decided the photo was enough.

This is one of those photos I know I will love down the road. It shows something simple that most people might not think about taking a photo of that's actually a meaningful part of our holiday season (reading Christmas books). Over the years some of these books might disappear but I'm hoping they are around for some grandchildren someday in the far future. It would be cool to be able to show them what they looked like when their parents read them.

In addition to the shot of the books on the floor (we keep them under the tree) I also took a shot of the ones that are still wrapped.

Thinking I'd like to add a list of the 24 books we used this year once they are all opened.

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78 thoughts

  1. Anya says…
    12/19/2011

    I love it! Hope to adopt this tradition next year.
    You are such an inspiration Ali!

    Reply 0 Replies
  2. Linda J says…
    12/19/2011

    What a wonderful tradition Ali! You are such a fun mom.

    Reply 0 Replies
  3. Karen H says…
    12/19/2011

    Visit Barnes and Noble the day after Christmas --ALL their Christmas Children books are 50%off then, and they usually have a good selection if you go first thing in the morning. I usually buy a new one each year after Christmas and I always put them out in a basket during the holidays, but I will do this next year!TFS!

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  4. Sarah M. says…
    12/19/2011

    Ali-
    I'm doing this for the first time this year and I'm loving it. I'm doing it a little differently--I'm letting Sophie pick whichever book she wants each night. My sister helped me wrap the books and I took a photo of all of them wrapped and it's going in the album. Next year I'll do like one of the previous commenters and keep track of which book we open each night. Love this new tradition!

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  5. Julie C says…
    12/19/2011

    I wanted to do this too but didn't get my books out in time...definitely on the list for next year! One of our traditions is for Santa to bring at least one new Christmas book each year. I love that even with all the new toys they will sit down at some point to read the new book.

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  6. Nikki M says…
    12/19/2011

    Love this tradition. It's one of our family's favorites.

    Reply 0 Replies
  7. Kim Thomas says…
    12/19/2011

    I love that you took pics of the books. I always read Christmas books to my kids, and then passed them on to younger cousins. I do wish I had documented that. I think I'll get a photo on amazon and do a page about it. Thank you for the sweet memory. :)

    Reply 0 Replies
  8. Stacy says…
    12/19/2011

    Lovely!

    Reply 0 Replies
  9. Yolanda says…
    12/19/2011

    We are doing a book advent, also: http://intrinsicimages.net/2011/12/december-daily-2011-day-15/. It is definitely a tradition we will be keeping. I truly love it: the look of the wrapped books all lined up and the nightly surprise when they are unwrapped.

    This year we supplemented our collection of holiday books with library books. We always give "something to read" as part of our gifts. So instead of having my daughter open a collection of easy readers on Christmas Day, she has been getting new ones throughout the month.

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  10. Paula G says…
    12/19/2011

    Very sweet pages! I'd love to see your list at the end of the season! Happy Monday to you Ali!

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  11. Ali Smith says…
    12/19/2011

    Hi Ali,
    I have enjoyed your December Daily but didn't do one of my own. I am not sure I would have much to journal about daily seeing as how I have a dog and a cat...my family (mom, siblings, cousins...) live too far away for me to include them in my daily journals.
    I do have a question about your pictures. Do you have a photo printer that you use? I don't have a printer at home so if I need to print a picture I have to use one of the photo centers at a drug store or department store. that wouldn't be very convenienct for a daily photo journal. If you do have a photo printer, what is your recommendation for which one to purchase?
    thanks for your inspiratation!
    Ali S.

    Reply 0 Replies
  12. Bec says…
    12/19/2011

    Really like this tradition. I remember my Gram wrapping books for me to open when my mother and I went on vacation. Other little treats for the trip were wrapped, too. One of the my very best memories. I hope to have wrapped Christmas books when I am blessed with grands. Please tell your parents Merry Christmas! I love reading their story, too.

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  13. Amy says…
    12/19/2011

    i LOVED this idea when you first posted about it. we've been trying to read all of our christmas books but they are scattered. i'd love to start this tradition next year -not about something bought but the gift of a memory of a favorite book.

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  14. Our Learning says…
    12/19/2011

    We are doing this too! It's been so much fun to revisit our Christmas books with some new ones joining the collection. I've also incorporated this new tradition into my Daily December by using the numbered gift tags from the books as my numbers for each day of my scrapbook. I alternated making them green and red and just adhere each day's number onto my Daily December page. I loved seeing the books you're reading!

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  15. rhonda says…
    12/19/2011

    Ali I will be a new grandma next year at the young age of 46 and I can't wait to start this tradition, as a matter of fact I have already bought some books for the baby for my daughter to open this Christmas!

    Reply 0 Replies
  16. amberca says…
    12/19/2011

    Man I love this idea! You rock!

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  17. Alida Post says…
    12/19/2011

    Hi Ali, thank you for inspiring me to also wrap a book for each day till Christmas. My kids love the idea and want to unwrap their book for the day 1st thing every morning.

    Reply 0 Replies
  18. Brooke says…
    12/19/2011

    Love the idea of taking a photo of all the books. I have a book on whales from my childhood that I remember the interior but neither Mum or I can recall the name of the book - I think it might be a lifelong hunt to find it again. Sometimes when you are older looking back at those books is fun. It's amazing how you remember the illustrations in so much detail - little eyes always focus on those!

    The Jolly Postman was a favourite of mine as a child - I liked the pockets and today I still love pockets!

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  19. Stacey K says…
    12/19/2011

    I am inspired to find my missing Christmas spirit & wrap our few Christmas books to read in these last few days before Christmas. I haven't kept up with my DD this year but have the photos & memorabilia ready for when I get a moment of inspiration.

    Reply 0 Replies
  20. Pedita says…
    12/19/2011

    I love this idea! My kids have lego calendars for the second year thanks to your ideas, now I see we'll have another tradition next year. Thank you for sharing!

    Reply 0 Replies
  21. Karen anderson says…
    12/19/2011

    My son is all grown up now so I don't get to take photos like this. Have you thought about including some more 'grown up' pages as inspiration for those of us who don't have little ones to snap Ali?

    Reply 0 Replies
  22. Carolyn HP says…
    12/19/2011

    As a bookworm, I loved getting new books each Christmas and I've tried to keep that tradition going by making sure my niece & nephew get at least one book for Christmas each year. I never thought to do something like this for them but I love it, I love the Christmas paper you used too :) Great new tradition!

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  23. Kristen says…
    12/19/2011

    I think I am going to start this tradition with my nephew! Love love love it! Thanks for the inspiration (as always)

    Reply 0 Replies
  24. Tammy B says…
    12/19/2011

    I brought out our Christmas books this year and neither of my boys has even looked at them. I guess they aren't as fun when you are teenagers. It might be time to put them in the keepsake book box to save for future generations!!

    Reply 0 Replies
  25. Chris says…
    12/19/2011

    Hi Ali,
    On a completely unrelated topic, I decided to TRY the Project Life this year. I am getting nervous as that time is getting nearer and I have not been so good at getting the Dec. Daily on track. Printing the photos seems to slow me down. I am just wondering if you have anything that you do to get prepared for that. Thanks.

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