2013 Home for the Holidays Special edition of LINCOLN DAILY NEWS.com Page 49
S
et aside time, storybooks
W
ant to make good family memories that last?
o you get caught up like everyone in the decorating and
planning and shopping, running here there and everywhere
for everything that goes with the holidays?
How about starting a new tradition this year? Relax
with the family and make small, individual memo-
ries that will be remembered fondly for years to
come.
This can be easily accomplished by designating
a time each day, perhaps right before bedtime, to
turn off all the entertainment gadgets, and everyone
stops what they are doing and spends a few mo-
ments together.
One option for what to do in this time is to pick up
a good old-fashioned book, a book with real pages
and colorful pictures. Then read it aloud as a fam-
ily.
There are dozens of books out there that are suita-
ble for holiday-season reading, and they are attuned
to all age groups.
For the young family, here are a few suggestions:
Start the season off right with “Elf on the Shelf.”
If you aren’t familiar with this little trick, this year
could be the perfect time to get acquainted. “Elf on
the Shelf” features a real elf you can introduce to
your children on Thanksgiving night.
We all know that Santa knows everything about
us. But do we ever wonder how he gleans all that
information?
Well, here is your answer. He has elves that he
commissions at the beginning of the Christmas sea-
son. He appoints one to watch over each family and
report back to him who is naughty and who is nice.
Read the story, and when the children wake up the
next morning, announce to them that the reading of
the book brought the elf to their house. Each day
