A Family Christmas
by Caroline Kennedy

A new favorite! This was just published last monthe. It contains a beautiful selection of Christmas scriptural readings, poetry, and prose. Many of my Christmas favorites in one place. Brilliant!

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Advent and Christmas With Thomas Merton

This book contains many of Thomas Merton's reflections on Advent and Christmas. They are offered in a day-by-day format paired with a scripture passage and a daily prayer. Excellent bed-side reading for the Advent season.

Christmas in the Country
By Ruth & Skitch Henderson

For many years, this book has helped me to prepare for Christmas. It contains stories, recipies, and activities starting with the first week of Advent and ending on New Year's day. The recipes and crafts represent many cultures from Native American to German (Mrs. Henderson's native country). In addition, there are many interesting Christmas stories to read, many of which feature anecdotes from Skitch Henderson's rich musical career. It was he who accompanied Judy Garland in her first public performance of "Have Yourself A Merry Little Christmas". He also write about how while on holiday tour with a young Frank Sinatra, Frank's mother brought dinner - homemade manicotti for the whole band! Tucked inside the back cover of the book is a surprise bonus - a fabulous Christmas CD featuring Skitch Henderson and the New York Pops Orchestra. I see that this book is being offered for less than $1.00 online. What a bargan!

A Simply Delicious Irish Christmas
by Darina Allen

My favorite restaurant in Paris is an Irish one - the Allen family's Irish Farm! I was thrilled to discover this little book that contains recipes and stories about Irish Christmas traditions. One of my favorite items in the books is a recipe for some impressive (but easy to make) chocolate Christmas trees.

Millions
Cast: Alex Etel, Lewis McGibbon Director: Danny Boyle

This is one of the most charming and unusual films I've ever seen. It is Christmastime in Liverpool. Little 5-year old Damian has just lost his mother, moved to a new home and a new school. One day while he is playing in his cardboard clubhouse, a bag full of money falls from the sky. A gift from God? Maybe. Some of Damian's best friends are saints!

Joyeux Noël

Joyeux Noël (Merry Christmas) is the true-life story of a spontaneous Christmas Eve truce declared by Scottish, French and German troops one Christmas Eve during a bloody World War I battle. It is one of the most moving and powerful films I've ever seen. When the brave soldier climbs out of the trenches holding a lighted Christmas tree singing "venite adoremus" - it gets me every time!

Christmas with Flicka
with Frederica Von Stade

I've already watched this DVD three times - and it is still November. It is filled with beautiful music, charming children, and gorgeous scenes of Christmas in the Austrian Alps.

Merry Christmas, Mr. Bean

I love Mr. Bean. And why not? His girlfriend is a librarian! I believe this must be the craziest, funniest Christmas story ever filmed.

Gentle Christmas
by Gavin Coyle

Gavin Coyle is a local hero. Born in Ireland, he teaches music at St. Petronille Parish school in Glen Ellyn. and is a regular cantor at St. John the Baptist Parish in Winfield. Visit his web site for a schedule of his Christmas concerts or to listen to sample tracks from this album. Once you hear his rich, mellow voice I think you'll become a Gavin Coyle fan, too!

Home for Christmas
by Anne Sofie Von Otter

This album is as soft and gentle as a fresh blanket of snow. It is perfect background music for baking cookies, writing Christmas cards, or shoveling snow!

The Animals Christmas by Jimmy Webb
with Art Garfunkel and Amy Grant

When I owned this on cassette, I only used to listen to side one. That's the side that contains all my favorite tracks - especially "Words from an Old Spanish Carol"

Christmas! The Beatmas
by Rubberband

Is it "Love Me Do" or "Jingle Bells"? "Ticket to Ride" or "White Christmas"? This album is by a Swedish Beatles tribute band called Rubber Band and features Christmas songs done in the style of the Beatles. It is a great party album!

The Mormon Tabernacle Choir: The Wonder of Christmas (DVD)
featurning Frederica von Stade and Bryn Terfel

I particularly enjoy Frederica von Stade's version of "The First Noel" and Bryn Terfel's reading of the Christmas gospel. They really to a wonderful job of proclaiming the good news! Bryn Terfel's "The Lord is My Shephard" (the theme song from PBS's "The Vicar of Dibley" program) is another lovely track.