The Twelve Days of Christmas, illustrated by John O’Brien (Boyd Mills Press 2003), brings the ridiculousness of this Christmas carol to life. Although I’ve been told that the gifts for the days of Christmas are symbols for some Catholic tradition, I have no idea what they would mean. This book doesn’t worry about symbolism and simply portrays how silly these gifts would be.
The illustrations show that our leading character is a bit annoyed at his true love by the end. The hilarity of these scenes make this picture book a treasure for the Christmas picture book shelf.
I love Christmas. I love the daily reminder of Jesus Christ in the decorations and in the gift giving. But I also love the traditions of Santa Claus, the festive holiday songs, the fudge and gingerbread.Â
This year, I decided to immerse myself in holiday picture books. My son, at one-year-old, won’t remember a thing about this Christmas. But next year he might remember something: I want to know which picture books best bring the spirit of the season in to our home so next year we’ll be ready.