a christmas carol

i started reading this book with my kids a couple of weeks ago.  it's an abridgment, by charles dickens himself, of his book a christmas carol.  it's not simplified in its language, just shortened (but still long enough that it might take us until christmas to finish), so i've been impressed with how attentive and interested my kids have been.  dickens can be tricky, especially if you're young, so there's been just as much of discussing the plot and language of the book as there has been of reading the book.  

 is this not the perfect story to read to get into the christmas spirit?  i remember my mom reading this to my siblings and me when we were young children.  we'd sit on the floor in her room working on cross stitch projects listening to mom read from her chair in the corner.  sounds very old-fashioned, i know.  sometimes i crave that kind of quiet, simple entertainment that a family can share together.  actually,
it's what i crave more often than not.
                            

    the other night, while listening to the christmas devotional that my church broadcasts every year, president monson mentioned that he rereads this story every year at christmastime.  at the mention of charles dickens and his book my kids immediately perked up and grinned at me, so excited and proud that they knew and were reading the very same book.
                            

the illustrations, by scott cook,  are fabulous, filled with character and life and a bit dark and moody, but it is dickens.  what else would you expect?  reading this every year together might become a new tradition.