Christmas Books

I read in the newspaper about "A Book on Every Bed" and decided to incorporate it into our Christmas traditions.  The idea is to purchase a book for your child, wrap it, and sneak it into their bed Christmas night.  They wake up in the morning to a new book just waiting to be discovered.

I found this online:
"Historian David McCullough (author of "John Adams") says that every Christmas morning during his childhood, he woke up to a wrapped book at the foot of his bed, left by Santa. McCullough's children (and now grandchildren) are also recipients of this literary largess, creating a wonderful Christmas tradition, as well as a legacy of literacy to be passed down through the family.

Mr. McCullough: "There are few things that start the day off better, and especially on Christmas, than discovering a new book at the foot of your bed. "I think my love of books began on Christmas mornings long ago and the love has never gone stale."

We're a family of readers.  The kids are regularly staying up way too late at night to finish a chapter on a book they're reading, and then getting so into the story, they just don't put the book down.  Miriam was once mad at me for hours because we drove up to the library and they were closed due to inclement weather.  She was sure if we'd gone earlier in the day, we would have been allowed inside.  I knew getting a book surprise would be a real treat for the children.

I wanted to make sure to get something they would like so I used my super spy skills (and the eyes in the back of my head) at the bookstore last week to watch the kids.  Which book was their 2nd choice?  I felt quite clever when I was able to figure it out for everyone.

Jacob:  The Definitive Book of Body Language
Isaac:  Cinda Williams "Heir" trilogy
Anastaya: Jeremy Fink and the Meaning of Life
Elizabeth:  Magic Tree house Mummies in the Morning
William: Color Surprises (pop  up book)
Miriam: Dora the Explorer collection of books

I can't wait to set the books into place!  As excited as I am,  I am a little concerned it might not unfold the way I expect.  They don't have a clue what I'm planning.  What if they don't notice them?  Anastaya and Elizabeth choose to share a double bed and it's always heaped with blankets.  Miriam floats around, sometimes in our room, sometimes the girls, and sometimes Jacob's.  She makes a nest on the floor of blankets.  Will she notice a wrapped gift in the tumble of blankets?  Isaac's bed not only has blankets, but also a half dozen books, flashlights, food wrappers, and discarded clothing.  I'm fairly certain Jacob will notice his since he keeps his room nice and clean and I'm 100% certain William will notice his.  It will be like manna from heaven for William.  (We check his bed every time before he gets in it to make sure he hasn't squirreled something away that doesn't belong to him.  Dode says he might just open the present and hide the book for use at a future bedtime instead of bringing it down.)   It will be great to their faces when they come down in the morning after finding the books.  I'm thinking it will be an easy, fun tradition to continue each year.  Maybe we'll expand it to include birthdays too!