When I was little and not so little my dad would read to me. He has the most melodious baritone voice and he always does voices. But the coolest part is that he can read upside down. So he would sit looking down over the page while my siblings and I sat at his feet looking at the pictures. Every Christmas he would read us Tree of Cranes by Allen Say and The Polar Express by Chris Van Allsburg. They are beautiful stories that put life in perspective and added culture to our family holiday. Then of course, he would read from Luke 2 and Matthew 2. When we were little we would act out the story as he read, but as we got older we would just sit and listen; letting the experience of the journey to Bethlehem, the rejection at the inn, the astonished shepherds, the singing angels, and the new born babe wash over us.

Well, as it turns out, the ability to read upside down is genetic. So as I said at the beginning of the week I am starting a tradition of my own. Each night my kids gather after dinner for a Christmas story. Thing is, my kids are young, with ages ranging from 8yrs to just over 3 months. So it’s been hit and miss. Add in that a sinus demon has taken up residence in my head and well, we only made it through three stories this week. But the kids look forward to it. They ask if they are going to have a Christmas story tonight. I think they feel the difference in the spirit, the feeling that accompanies each one. Some are fun and others are more serious. This week’s books were The Bear’s Christmas by Stan and Jan Berenstain, The Twelve Days of Christmas retold by Jane Cabrera, and A Christmas Bell for Anya by Chris Stewart and Ben Sowards. The kids particularly liked the twelve days retelling which featured cute cats, drumming dogs, and five shining stars rather than the traditional fair. They also liked the fact that I sang it rather than read it. But the Bear’s Christmas was funny and Ben Sowards illustrations for Anya are just beautiful. So even though it isn’t a week’s forth of books, I think it is a start.

Ok, now what you actually stopped by to see: E-book winners!! As generated by random.org-

Winner of The Accidental Apprentice and Mechanized Masterpieces bundle is Camille

Winner of The Christmas Tree Keeper by Tamara Passey is Linda Crowder

Winner of Margaret Turley’s Never Again is Angela Carling

And Winner of Chimmenken Crossing the Delaware by Diane Jortner is Peggy Urry.

Winners will be emailed their prizes within the week.

Thank you to everyone who participated and to those who just stopped by. Happy Holidays everyone!!