Lucky kids!

I shared this last year and have started it as well. I love the process of choosing a book for each!

We have 2 grandchildren, 5 year old & a 4 month old, a third expected by Christmas & a fourth one this spring. This is a lovely idea & I have already purchases Christmas related books for each one. Wrapped & with a Christmas ornament chosen just for them. Thinking this would be a great tradition for next year & beyond.

I wish we had the luxury at our house to spend the evening reading, but alas, we host Christmas Eve for my parents, then head off to 9pm Mass b/c it's the most beautiful of all the Masses at our church. By the time we get home, the kids are exhausted and headed to bed, while dh and I (well, ME) stay up wrapping gifts and putting out those and the Santa gifts under the tree. But, the idea of spending the evening quietly reading sounds amazing to me as I am a voracious reader. I used to give all of my kids books in their stockings each year, but sadly, my boys do not like reading (one has a learning disability) so I rarely do it for them anymore. Last year, I did give them both books, but my older son never even read the one I gave him but *I* read it just a couple of months ago (The Outsiders). Thankfully my girls like to read, so I still give them books.

Bothell, that is a lovely idea. My kids each get an ornament every year. This was a tradition MIL had with her kids. She carefully labeled each one with their name and the year (she has five kids). When dh and I got married, she sent us his box of ornaments. Many of them adorn our tree every year - we don't have room for all of them b/c now my kids' ornaments have taken over. I do the same thing, label them with name and year, and they each have their own storage bins. I love your idea to pair ornaments with books. How fun!

Bothell, make sure to inscribe them and put the date. That makes all the difference.

We have always given our kids each 2-3 books (and sometimes new pajamas) on Christmas Eve as their gift "from mom and dad." (Everything under the tree on Christmas is "from Santa" even now that they are 15. 21, and 24.) But we don't actually all sit down and read that night. This year my oldest -- who moved into his own apt last week -- is getting the cookbook "How to Boil Water" and another called "How to Adult." Middle DS is going to London for spring semester so he's getting a London travel book and the Stephen King book 11/22/63. DD the gymnast is getting Simone Biles' book and a healthy-dessert cookbook (she's the baker in our house).

I always used to ask DH for a couple of decorating books and on Christmas night, when all the hubbub was over, I'd curl up with my books and a few cookies. I haven't gotten books for Christmas in a few years, though.

E-books really put a crimp in this. We buy physical books for the kids, 1 each, to uphold the xmas tradition. They strongly prefer e-books otherwise, and though a very late adapter, for many books I do, too. I don't buy myself a physical book unless I know I want to own it (I "collect" Pulitzers for example). It is so much easier to read it on the go as an e-book, whenever wherever. Although for better sleep, I try to read paper. Sometimes I buy one book in both formats.

I love e-books, but so far they don't seem to be able to format design books or books that are heavily photographic very well, so I prefer to have those in hard cover.

Christmas Eve is my family's big gathering night also.. my dad's family has always celebrated this way (in the Swedish tradition, I believe) so there isn't any reading going on until, maybe, when everyone is back in their own homes. Still, I think it is a nice tradition.

Mtn, I thought I was the only one crazy enough to buy a book in both the kindle and hardback format (I much prefer hardback to paper)! I definitely read more e-books these days because they're easier on my eyes and I prefer the ipad in bed to the stack of books on the nightstand.

Sueb20, my mom gave me How to Boil Water over 30 years ago! I wonder if it is the same book? Another good choice is The Joy of Cooking. I used to be afraid of it because it is so thick, but now it is my bible for how to select, store, and prepare a food item, and some easy-peasy recipes, and "know your spices" and "know your ingredients", cuts of meat, types of fish, etc.

Talk about irony. Tonight was the grand's Christmas program. Before it began a friend brought a big bag of books I ordered for the grandkids as part of their Christmas. I immediately thought of this topic.

They open a small toy on Christmas Eve, just like their father did when he was young. I think I'll have them each open a book to go along with the toy if my son doesn't mind. I told him about the tradition in Iceland. I doubt he minds and this way he can continue the tradition each year.

Anyway, it was a pain sitting there in a cramped auditorium holding a heavy bag of books and my leather purse which I had just switched to tonight. I was kind of happy when it was over. :)

I don't do ebooks, I have to have a physical copy.