Children’s Books To Cope With The Gifting Frenzy
December 15, 2011
Helping our kids see more than what’s beneath the tree
Christmas is just a few days away, and no matter how averse many of us may be to the social pressures of our consumer culture, we all still need to deal with the “gift issue” – Whether it is helping children to see why we may not want them to be doused with bucket-loads of plastic crap from Santa, trying to figure out what kinds of gifts might be most meaningful to loved ones, or simply trying to redefine what makes the holiday season pleasurable.
Below are three different picture books that have become favorites in our family for exploring these ideas.. In providing these reviews, I’m hopeful that some of you will write in with other book suggestions. We always enjoy reading about this topic in our home this time of year.
The Quiltmaker’s Gift: (By Jeff Brumbeau and Gail De Marken, Scholastic, 2001). This book has been on the floor beside Ula’s bed for about 6 weeks now. She asks for it every night, and this is one of the few titles that don’t bore me with repeated readings. The premise of the story is that a Quiltmaker lives a simple life high in the mountains, making quilts that she will only give away to the poor. She will not sell them at any price. Meanwhile, down below, a greedy king who likes presents has ruled that his birthday will be celebrated twice a year in order to get more gifts. But we come to realize that, in spite of his wealth, the king is miserable (and his palace is distressingly cluttered). Thinking that his misery is owing to not owning the right “thing,” he marches his soldiers up the Quiltmaker’s mountain to demand a quilt. She presents a challenge to him: give away everything he owns, and she will make him a quilt. The story is packed with some of the most stunning illustrations I have ever seen. Every single time I read it, I discover new aspects in the pictures. They are soft, friendly and gentle as well, which helps Ula settle off to sleep with ease, and occupies her with “independent reading time” if she’s not ready for lights-out just yet. Bob and I often find that we refer to this book a lot in our conversations with the girls at Christmas time. And we credit it with helping Saoirse and Ula fully understand that presents and stuff have nothing to do with happiness. (For the record, at 8, Saoirse likes this book too.)
Winter’s Gift, written and illustrated by Jane Monroe Donovan (2004, Sleeping Bear Press). In this story, an elderly man is coping with the first year since the loss of his wife, who’d lived with him in a small cabin on the edge of a forest. His sadness is so great, he chooses to forego a Christmas celebration in his home. A snowstorm settles in on Christmas Eve, and out in the woods, a wild mare becomes separated from her herd. She collapses near the man’s cabin. He finds her, leads her to shelter, and in the morning he is greeted with the birth of a foal. The paintings are beautiful, and I am very partial to them because they depict images that resonate with the kind of life we lead with Saoirse and Ula. What I love best about the story, however, is the gentle way it explores the sadness that can be so profound for some folks during the holiday season, which can be hard for little, excited kids to think about, and it helps to guide the discussion about emotional and spiritual gifts, rather than physical presents. While the book makes me cry at parts to reflect on the man’s sadness, it is very hopeful and uplifting, and the kids enjoy it enough to request repeat readings.
Angel Pig and the Hidden Christmas (Jan Waldron and David McPhail, Puffin, 2000). Okay, this one is out-of-print, but since I’m guessing most folks who read my blog would head to the library before they’d buy a new book, I’m recommending it anyway. This book has been a Christmas tradition in our house for about 5 years now. Sadly, our library was flooded during the hurricanes last summer, so we no longer have access to it, and I can’t help but think about it constantly. Angel Pig appeals to my sense of humor, my love of pigs, and my anti-consumerist bent. Set to the cadence of “A Night Before Christmas,” it tells the story of a family of pigs eagerly preparing for their Christmas celebration by packing off to a shopping mall…only to discover that they had already blown through all their money. As they are moping around in their piggy livingroom, an angel pig appears and challenges them with the idea that Christmas is made and not bought, and we are guided through their extraordinary (and simple) Christmas celebration that ensues. Again, I love the illustrations, but it is also a title that I relish reading aloud again and again. (I happen to relish coming up with all the different piggie voices…After all the time I spend with pigs, it is easy to imagine how their voices would sound!)
Comments
December 15, 2011 10:37 PM EST
Thanks for the great book ideas! I’m heading to my library tomorrow. You’ve inspired me to believe that small income homes can still have the best Christmases ever!
– Amber