This Month is All About Traditions
This December we’re celebrating the many ways families observe different traditions from around the world.
What better time of year to explore the concept of “tradition” than the holiday season. At a time when the world is going through so many changes, it’s our traditions that have kept us anchored.
This month we curated our book recommendations to help you and your child understand the importance of traditions, and why they’re important. See the full list below.
Recommendations for Children
Global Babies
by The Global Fund for Children
You and your baby will love looking at these vibrant photographs of babies from all around the globe. From Guatemala to Bhutan and many places in between, get a quick snapshot of the daily life, traditions and clothing of babies from around the world. The simple text teaches that no matter where they come from, all babies everywhere are special and loved.
Let’s Celebrate Special Days Around the World
by Kate Depalma and Martina Peluso
Learn all about 13 special days from around the world and the traditions that go along with them. “Let’s Celebrate” uses colorful, vibrant illustrations and rhyming text to explore holidays from several different cultures around the globe, like Kodomo no Hi in Japan, Carnival in Brazil, and more!
Chicken Soup, Chicken Soup
by Pamela Mayer and Deborah Melmon
Two grandmas, two traditions, two kinds of chicken soup and Sophie caught in the middle! She loves Bubbe’s Jewish chicken soup with kreplach. She also loves Nai Nai’s Chinese chicken soup with wontons. Read to find out how Sophie brings her whole family together to form a brand new family tradition.
Love and the Rocking Chair
by Diane Dillon and Leo Dillon
Colorful paintings illustrate this simple yet touching story that shows us tradition can come is all forms. A young couple of parents-to-be purchase a rocking chair for their nursery. As years go by, we see the little boy grow up and move away, the rocking chair left to collect dust in the attic. But the cycle begins again when the little boy, now a man, has a child of his own and the rocking chair is needed again. “Love and the Rocking Chair” is a beautiful reminder of how family love is passed on from generation to generation.
My Food, Your Food
by Lisa Bullard and Christine M. Schneider
This week is Food Week in Manuel’s class. Each student gets to talk about a kind of food that is special to them and their family. As we learn about different dishes from around the world, we discover that even when foods are different, they can still be alike. What food will Manuel share with his class.
Throw Your Tooth on the Roof : Tooth Traditions from Around the World
by Selby Beeler and G. Brian Karas
Travel around the world and discover the surprising things children do when they lose a tooth. Selby B. Beeler spent years collecting traditions from every corner of the globe for this whimsical book, and G. Brian Karas adds to the fun, filling every page with humorous detail. He perfectly captures the excitement and pride that children experience when a tooth falls out.
Recommendations for Parents
The Joy of Family Traditions
THE JOY OF FAMILY TRADITIONS offers more than 400 fresh ideas and creative approaches to cultivating birthday, anniversary, holiday, and other rite-of-passage and seasonal traditions that strengthen personal bonds and reflect a family’s individual style, spirituality, and values. It inspires and instructs families on how to create, personalize, adapt, and preserve relevant traditions that reflect how we live today. It explores the historical, cultural, and often quirky origins of holidays, customs, and milestones, both uncommon and familiar. And it includes holidays, holy days, annual events, once-in-a-lifetime occasions, and personal celebrations.
Danish Dinner Party: Traditions and Recipes
More than a cookbook, Danish Dinner Party has everything you need to host an authentic Danish dinner for 12, including cherished customs from times gone by. Both inviting and entertaining, this book will teach you how to give a proper toast, sing a classic song, and delight your guests. Delicious, time-honored recipes are included for each course.
Author Richard Klein draws from his Danish-American childhood, as well as friends in Denmark, to share Danish history, customs, and a perfect meal plan. Illustrated with whimsical artwork and peppered with personal experiences, Danish Dinner Party will help you embrace the art of hygge and the comradery of a formal, yet intimate, party with your friends and family.
Good Luck Life: The Essential Guide to Chinese American Celebrations and Culture
by Rosemary Gong and Martin Yan
Good Luck Life is the first book to explain the meanings of Chinese rituals and to offer advice on when and how to plan for Chinese holidays and special occasions such as Chinese weddings, the Red Egg and Ginger party to welcome a new baby, significant birthdays, and the inevitable funeral. Packed with practical information, Good Luck Life contains an abundance of facts, legends, foods, old-village recipes, and quick planning guides for Chinese New Year, Clear Brightness, Dragon Boat, Mid-Autumn, and many other festivals.
Written with warmth and wit, Good Luck Life is beautifully designed as an easily accessible cultural guide that includes an explanation of the Lunar Calendar, tips on Chinese table etiquette for dining with confidence, and dos and don’ts from wise Auntie Lao, who recounts ancient Chinese beliefs and superstitions. This is your map for celebrating a good luck life.
The Atlas of Christmas: The Merriest, Tastiest, Quirkiest Holiday Traditions from Around the World
by Alex Palmer
Do you know that in Guatemala there’s a tradition to kick off the Christmas season, where revelers gather to set fire to piñatas? In Sweden, a popular figure in Christmas traditions is the Yule Goat, a rowdy, menacing character who demands gifts. And in Japan, a big bucket of Kentucky Fried Chicken has become the classic Christmas Day feast. These and many other global Christmas traditions are featured here in this delightful book. From decorations and activities to feasts and special treats, there’s a wide range of both lovely and unusual traditions from around the globe.
The Little Book of Jewish Celebrations
by Ronald Tauber and Yelena Bryksenkova
From lighting the menorah on Chanukah to standing under the chuppah at a wedding, every Jewish ritual reflects a time-honored practice passed down for generations. With a foil-stamped cover and a ribbon marker, this elegant volume shares the beloved stories and traditions behind Jewish celebrations, from year-round holidays to once-in-a-lifetime special events. Featuring lush illustrations that capture the heart of Jewish tradition as well as a glossary of important terms for each holiday, this little gift book is a treasure to be shared at any occasion—from bar and bat mitzvahs to Passover seders.
