[Lissa]

Sowhat's your favourite "bed time" tale either to tell today or that you were told?

Right now I'm reading Lydia Grinch, Night Before Christmas etc., but MY favourite is a bit old for her. It's Red Ranger Came Calling
by Berkeley Breathed

Here's the synopsis! And please share your favourites as well!

This unique story of one boy's Christmas wish begins and ends with a bicycle. Using glowing images and a funny, provocative text, the author relives his father's most amazing childhood Christmas. A moody young boy living with his aunt on an island in the Pacific Northwest, "Red" Breathed sees himself as the "Red Ranger from Mars," his hero from the movie serials, and cannot picture life without the gift of a Red Ranger bicycle. Red is far too "swanky a human being" to believe in Santa Claus, but nevertheless he pays a visit to the aged island hermit Lord Sander Clos, rumored to be the legendary man himself now living in lonely, joyless retirement. This strange and bittersweet meeting triggers an emotional response within the self-absorbed Red. It also leads to the most remarkable bicycle ever delivered on a Christmas morning: one neatly and permanently stuck inside a tree. The book ends with a photograph of the amazing tree fifty years later — still holding the bicycle of a boy who grew up happy without it.
This book represents the Pulitzer Prize-winning Berkeley Breathed at the top of his form. It combines hypnotic imagery and richly textured language to create a powerful, unforgettable Christmas story.

[waiting4katie]

Ours is the Night Before Christmas illustrated by Jan Brett!

[oleson1]

OK, this will sound like a corny choice -- but hear me out...

My boys (and now Jasi) always LOVED Blues Clues. When Alex, my oldest, was little we bought "A Blues Clues Holiday". We read it all the time and the pages are totally worn. I LOVE reading it to my kids -- not so much becuase it is a literary treasure, but because of the dialogue that it creates.

Blue visits all of his neighbors who are celebrating various winter holidays, Christmas, Kwanzaa, and Hanukkah. When we read this book together, it gives me the opportunity to talk to my kids about how we all celebrate the holiday in a different way, but how we are all the same.

It has been a great bonding experience and lesson in diversity for me and my kids!

There is also a video and TV special that go along with the book that the kids and I have watched together.

[hope4girl]

The night before Christmas, The First Christmas, Olive the Other Reindeer, A Christmas Carole, and the Polar Express.

I know I have some more just not thinking.

[TaraL]

Although Olivia loves the Christmas shows on TV and is all excited about Santa and celebrating Jesus' birthday the only book she wants to hear me read to her is "I Love You Like Crazy Cakes." I always change the wording to make it personal for us and she loves it. I tried adding some holiday books but she just wants that one. She finds so much comfort in "her" story. She will be 3 on Saturday and the other day she said to my father "Pop, my Nanny gave me to mommy and daddy at the hotel. We came home on an airplane and they adopted me. They love me so much." Of course my tough redneck father sat there and cried like a baby. Thats our holiday story!

[Andi72]

Santa's Twin by Dean Koontz. It is a children's book! The pictures are amazing. I also like "The Best Christmas Pageant" I am having a hard time remembering if that is the exact title, but it is the one with the Herdmans. I read it as a kid, and I still read it every year. I think they are going to be making a movie out of it.

[Shelley]

Every Christmas Eve we always read
:Twas the Night before Christmas" before bedtime. SOmetimes we read Rudolph and the little drummer boy, but the favorite is The night before Christmas. SHelley

[specialk4b]

Originally Posted by Andi72

Santa's Twin by Dean Koontz. It is a children's book! The pictures are amazing. I also like "The Best Christmas Pageant" I am having a hard time remembering if that is the exact title, but it is the one with the Herdmans. I read it as a kid, and I still read it every year. I think they are going to be making a movie out of it.

It's "The Best Christmas Pageant Ever!" and I love that one too. My church put it on as a play this year. It was great.

I don't have kids, but I'm soaking up the Christmas specials and waiting for a child to share them with.

[erinp]

We love the Night Before Christmas BUT my almost 4 year old has no concept of time so we're waiting until a few days before the big night to dive into that. We've kinda calmed down about Santa because he's not sleeping well. He runs downstairs every morning thinking he has presents.

We've been reading a lot of the Polar Express. In our city, we have an old steam engine and they mimic the story calling it the "North Pole Express". I'm really excited about going tomorrow night. It's been sold out for months now and we just happened to luck into tickets. Yay!

[tripleamom]

My 9 yr old dds favorite is The Legend of the Candy Cane. I'd have to say that is my favorite also. Not that I am overly religious - but the story is real sweet and the illustrations are darling.

Kim