“Gratitude is the inward feeling of kindness received. Thankfulness is the natural impulse to express that feeling. Thanksgiving is the following of that impulse.” ~ Henry Van Dyke

Thanksgiving and its merriment are behind us, but do let the gratitude for life’s simple blessings fill your heart in the days to come.  As we enter the holiday rush today, I am reminded of favorite Christmas books that grace our shelves but once a year.  We treasure them, drinking in their magic for so short a time, but their temporary visit makes them all the more special.  And so, for the final six days of November, I will select holiday-themed books in celebration of Picture Book Month.  What books bring you back to your childhood feasts?  Which do your children cherish most?

A number of years ago, my husband presented me with a book and a stuffed blue Santa Claus at Christmas.  Having never seen a smurf-colored Claus, I was perplexed, but the tale that unfolded in the pages of the book enchanted both me and my children.

The Magic Sceptre: The Legend of Blue Santa Claus

by Joan Klatil Creamer