One of my most favorite Christmas books is called Just Right For Christmas. It is the story about how a piece of cloth, so "soft and red and Christmasy," was used by each gifter in a way that perfectly suited their personal skills as well as the one in which they were gifting. This is what I love about giving gifts at Christmas. I love the creativity in being intentional just for that person, and I most especially love the creativity that follows after the gift is received. For I think the best gifts are ones that provide enjoyment at many levels.

I take so much pleasure in creating gift ideas for myself and for others. But I also feel a small tug of guilt in the process. The world is filled with enough pressure and influence for consumption; I don’t want to add to that.

Instead, it is my hope and wish for you this Christmas season that instead of feeling the guilt of consumption, that you find the joy in gifting imagination and love of learning. Instead of seeing the burden of adding more stuff to your home, I hope you discover the power in play and creativity. Rather than feeling anxiety over hunting for the perfect gift, you feel inspired to find the gift that is just right for them. Gifting should be fun. I had fun creating these gift ideas. And I hope they inspire a little playful fun in you, too.

If you are new to Raise and Shine, you can find some great holiday content all in one place on this Raise and Shine Christmas Collective. But I have SO much more to share! Today, I’ll start off with my most FAVORITE way of gifting—the book and toy pairing. I believe firmly there is no such thing as too many books. Books are so fun to gift. But they are even more fun when paired with a small activity to extend the play and learning. Here are some of my favorite books paired with gifts that won't take up clutter on your shelves. And if you are feeling extra crafty, some are even handmade.

Super Hero Books and Capes

There is a superhero inside of us all! A favorite dress up in our house are these super hero capes that Santa brought. They are easy to make if you have basic sewing skills. But there are also easy options on Amazon to personalize a cape for your little superhero. I also love the messages of strength and power these books bring to our children, reminders that strength comes in many different forms.

DIY Super Hero Cape

Personalized Cape

What Makes a Hero

Even Superheros Make Mistakes

Tough Guys Have Feelings Too

My First Book of Girl Power

Moon Books and Flashlight

I love giving flashlights as gifts. And when I saw this moon torch my sister brought home to her space loving kid, I knew it would be a perfect book pairing with some of my favorite moon and space books. Imagine reading a book about the moon with your very own moon shining on the wall next to you. Magical.

Moon Torch Flashlight

Moon! Earth’s Best Friend

Moonshot

If You Decide to Go to the Moon

The Astronaut who Painted the Moon (PS I have also paired this one with a paint set and/or watercolor paper!)

A Computer Called Katherine

Tree Fort Books and Fort Building Kit

Every kid loves building indoor forts. They provide endless imagination. This is also perfect for the kids stuck inside for the winter. I have a couple of nephews who may be receiving this for Christmas (sure hope the five year old and the two year old don’t read this blog!) These are also some of my most FAVORITE books of the whole year. I could read them over and over and over again.

DIY Fort Kit - This one is a bit more advanced with PVC pipes for constructing.

Fort in a Bag - I love this one. Attaching little tabs and then including rope and clamps.

Wooden Clamps - Perfect for adding to your fort building kit. Simplify the kit but just adding a large sheet.

Everything You Need for a Treehouse

Secret Tree Fort

Fort Building Time

Search and Find Books and Magnifying Glass

Search and Find books are very popular in our house, particularly on road trips. They are great for little ones who aren’t yet readers but want to stay engaged in a book. Amplify the fun by adding a magnifying glass. Magnifying glass is a fun thing to have not just in book reading but perfect for aspiring detectives and scientists alike.

Magnifying Glass

The Bear’s Song - This is a series of picture books with a sweet story but also delightfully interesting pictures too find something new each time.

Around the World with Mouk

Look for Ladybug in Plant City

Castles: Magnified - This comes with its own magnifying glass. But my guess is its pretty flimsy.

Find Me: A Hide-and-Seek Book

Cookbooks and Kid Sized Cooking Tools

My family was a bit shocked to see knives on my three year old’s wish list last Christmas list. But I assured them it was no joke. Through trial, and lots and lots of error, I discovered this strong willed busy child of mine does best with a job. If you have a cooking curious child like this, you might enjoy some of our favorite Cook in a Book series. They are even great for little hands not ready for the kitchen. I also have my eye on the America’s Test Kitchen cookbook for kids when mine are a bit older.

Knife Set

Small Whisk - The perfect size for little hands

Pizza: An Interactive Recipe Book

Pancakes: An Interactive Recipe Book

Tacos: An Interactive Recipe Book

The Complete Cookbook for Young Chefs

Happy Reading and Gifting, Y’all!

In December, everyone is talking about hygge. Bring on the cozy candles, the comfy blankets, the easy light filled gatherings with friends to collectively flourish in these darker colder months together.

But by March we start to lose our hygge. The hot cocoa has run out. The candles are down to the nubs. The fluffy white snow that sparkles in February is smeared with layers of muck.

And yet this is when we need hygge the most. We need the reminders that winter time fun is only available to us for a few more weeks. Cozy can come in many forms. And when we share this season with the ones we love, it makes it all worth it.

I often get the best life lessons from books I read with my kids. Today I’m rounding up a collection of books that remind us exactly how to find hygge. Most are more specific to winter, but the lessons can be applied to any season of life when we forget how to be cozy.

Cozy Light, Cozy Night This is the best place to begin because this beautiful book shares how to find cozy in all seasons. Because we don’t just need cozy in the winter.

The Cozy Book Another fantastic book reminding us there are so many ways to find cozy. Its not just blankets and hot tea.

Mice Skating The little mouse loves winter but he has to convince his other friends, who prefer to stay inside, of the joys that can be found outside, with the help of a cozy hat and pine needles for ice skates. It’s darling, and also includes puns about cheese. I love a good pun!

When the Moon Comes The pictures alone are worth a look for this book. But I love the idea of having a ceremony to mark the season to bring out this special time. It’s a reminder that you can’t skate on a pond in the summer, so you better get out there while you still can!

Loud Winter’s Nap This turtle just wants to sleep his way through the dreary cold winter. With a little help from his friends, and a sled mistaken as a bed, he discovers winter is fun after all.

Windows This little boy discovers one of my favorite past times, walking the streets at night and peering into other people’s homes through the lighted windows. (Creepy?) Spring and fall are perfect times for this because it’s finally a little warmer for a night walk. And this book captures the cozy beauty of an evening walk.

A Snowy Nap Jan Brett books are always a delight for the eyes. This poor hedgehog has a major case of FOMO when all his friends tell him of the wonder he misses when he hibernates at winter. With some help, he discovers he can enjoy winter peeking through a window while under a cozy blanket in the warmth of a home.

Penguin Problems Do you suffer from complaining too much? So does this penguin. I have never laughed and cried so hard at a book until I stumbled upon this one. The penguin, in all his grumpy complaints, discovers maybe life isn’t so bad. This is for the person who is DONE with winter, or maybe who never liked it to begin with.

Over and Under the Snow This series of books is such a delightful look at the magic of things we can and can not see in nature. I am particular amazed by the secrets under the snow. Appreciating the miracle of Mother Nature is one of the best ways to seek gratitude in a long winter.

Owl Moon This book has been and I think always will be one of my favorite children’s books. It reads like a whispered poem. And another reminder that when you bundle up and go out into the cold, you might discover magic you could never have experienced otherwise. Especially if you are not doing it alone.

Being a critic of books is impossibly challenging for me. I’m an enneagram nine. I like all the books! 

So my first go at creating a Best of Books List for 2018, I struggled to pair it down. I mean, if I finished the book, I probably liked it, so it’s worth sharing, right?

But actually, I realized I began approaching my list in a similar exercise to creating my Reverse Bucket Lists, by scrolling. First I looked through my lists on Good Reads. This was helpful to at least remember the early part of the year and what I read. But then I scrolled through my pictures, once again. I saw moments of reading to the kids on the hammock. Sitting on the beach blanket while the kids played in the sand. Early morning reading with Mike by the Christmas tree. A special shared chapter book with my biggest. A brand new reader snuggled up with her little brothers. 

And with each moment I remember a book. Because the experience and the feelings surrounding it are what bring that book alive to me. My senses are sharper when I take notice. And when my mind is sharp, my memories are strong. 

So today I share Eighteen books that evoke a personal experience. For some it’s a physical place in which I remember reading. The beach, the hammock, the couch under a blanket. For others, it’s a place in time. A difficult pregnancy. A foggy newborn stage. A challenging stage of parenting. And for some, it’s a moment that I realize is one of a momentous milestone. Like seeing her read a book for the first time. Or reading our first chapter book series together. 

From picture book to early chapter book. From researched non fiction to memoir. From critically acclaimed literature to cozy mystery. From new to me authors to old favorites. From the book everyone is talking about to the treasures I just happened upon. Here are eighteen books that evoke a memorable book reading moment. The kind I hope to fall into again and again in my reading life. Happy reading friends!

Picture Books

Everything you Need for a Treehouse

Mama Seetons Whistle

Mamas Belly

Pie is for Sharing

Children’s Fiction

Little House in the Big Woods

Secret Garden

Harry Potter and the Sorcerers Stone

Non-Fiction and Memoir

The Gardener and the Carpenter

Reading People

When Breath becomes Air

To Bless the Space Between Us

Fiction

This is How it Always Is

Flight of Dreams

Storied Life of AJ Fikry

Guernsey Literary Potato Peel Pie Society

The Royal We

Still Life

Woman in the Window