By Sue Baldani

Children love advent calendars since they allow them to count down the days until Santa arrives with their long awaited and wished for presents. To make the countdown even more meaningful, why not read down to Christmas instead?

Every evening before bedtime, have your child unwrap a new book. Find books that celebrate the season, such as Rudolph the Red Nosed Reindeer, Frosty the Snowman, How the Grinch Stole Christmas, Santa Claus is Coming to Town, and more. Of course, save the grand finale, The Night Before Christmas, for December 24^th. A children’s Bible would also be a great addition to the rotation, and one where they can learn the true meaning of Christmas day.

If you want to expand their horizons, depending on their age, you can even include a book or two on Hanukkah and Kwanzaa. This way, they’ll be able to understand how other people of various cultures and faiths celebrate this season.

If your budget is limited, look in used book stores or dollar stores for lower-priced books. It’s not only about the book, but also about spending precious time together to read and learn, especially during this most hectic season. By the time Christmas day rolls around, not only will children have the memories of the stories and of spending time with a parent or caregiver, but they will also be better readers. And that is a present they’ll never outgrow!

 Merry Christmas to All, and to All a Good Night!

Written for The Country Register newspapers published across the U.S.