Maroc - NEWSDAY.CO.TT - A la Une - 08/12/2025 07:28

The greatest Christmas gift

WHEN IT comes to Christmas traditions, you probably think of ham, pastelles and parang. I think of books and dream of turning this country into a place like Iceland where giving books is a Christmas tradition. Christmas stories have always added to the holiday cheer, whether we listen to them in traditional carols or parang, watch them on holiday television specials, or read timeless classics like A Christmas Carol by Charles Dickens. Scrooge’s failed attempt to block Christmas from his mind and spoil everyone else’s holiday haunts readers, but the ghost-filled nights that transform his selfishness and surliness to kindness and compassion make the journey all worthwhile. If you have children who are reluctant readers or non-readers, this is the perfect month to begin a tradition of reading. It counters the frenetic pace, the stress of holiday shopping and brings families together. If you are a reader, like I was as a child, the memories of the books you read at Christmas never fade. Introduce a Christmas story to your children this month, and I guarantee they will ask you to read it every Christmas. My children remember me reading How the Grinch Stole Christmas by Dr Seuss. I still see the fear on their faces as the Grinch sneaked into Whoville and stole all the presents and the smiles when the Grinch returned the gifts. Nothing matched the excitement of the year when I discovered An Island Christmas, by Trinidadian author Lynn Joseph. In 1992, her picture book introduced the world to the spirit of a Trini Christmas. My children begged for me to read them Trinidadian stories and almost 40 years ago there weren’t many to be found. That book is still in print. The book you choose to read this month doesn’t have to be just about Christmas. At 13, my aunt introduced me to Little Women by Louisa May Alcott. The novel begins with the March family bravely facing Christmas without their father, who is fighting in the civil war. That first chapter led me into the unforgettable story of the four March sisters. Years later, as an English teacher, I assigned The Gift of the Magi, a short story by O Henry, to my students, hoping that it would make them think about the true meaning of Christmas and the decisions we make about gift-giving. My students always enjoyed that story. When I migrated to the library to be head librarian at The International School of Port of Spain, John Green was a favourite author of secondary school students. They loved a book called Looking for Alaska, about teenagers in a boarding school, quite possibly because the novel always made banned book lists. The Fault in Our Stars, about two terminally ill students, became popular long before it became a movie. Imagine how popular I was when I discovered Let It Snow by John Green, Maureen Johnson and Laura Miracle. The three interlocking tales by popular Young Adult (YA) writers are light, subtle lessons about friendship, family and Christmas abound. Major characters in one of the author’s stories become minor characters in the other authors’ stories so reading this YA novel delivered surprises perfect for the holiday season. Long after my children grew up and moved away, I continued the tradition of finding a new holiday book or rereading ones I loved. One year, I read John Grisham’s Skipping Christmas. A new twist on cancelling Christmas, this novel is full of unexpected laughs from a writer we all know for his legal thrillers. Every year, I revisit the late, great Cuban/American writer Oscar Hijuelos’s novel Mr Ives’ Christmas, the story of one father’s soul-searching journey to reclaim his life and forgive the person who shot and killed his son during a robbery. It is a deeply moving journey from anger, depression and despair to hope and forgiveness. Really, it’s the story of how we can reclaim our lives and happiness after unspeakable grief. Over the years, the number of Christmas novels and picture books available has grown beyond my wildest imagination. The choices are boundless now. There’s humour, romance, traditional stories and classics. The illustrations in picture books will appeal to children aged three to 13. There’s no greater gift to give your children than the gift of reading. Your children will reap the benefits personally, socially and academically, and you will always be remembered for the tradition that creates everlasting memories. The post The greatest Christmas gift appeared first on Trinidad and Tobago Newsday.