I emerged from my postpartum cocoon this week and ventured to the grocery store. I was afraid that the bakery ladies had forgotten me (they didn’t), as it’s been months since I’ve done the shopping. That means, I’ve made it this far without being relentlessly assaulted with Feliz Navidad, cha-cha-cha. You already know I have the Christmas humbug every year; I am a reluctant festivity maker. There’s nothing you can do to talk me into thinking standing in a Black Friday line at Wal-Mart at 5 a.m. is a great idea.

It’s been our tradition to buy our kiddos a new pair of shoes for Christmas. Then, we give them each a bag of treats sort of like a stocking: kiddie toothbrushes, hair clips, and new crayons. Presents from other folks have filled their toy boxes, and so far, we’ve gotten away with this simple approach.

Now that they’re getting older, we will spring for a special gift. Any ideas for good, useful gifts? My son, the one who hates math, circled a math computer curriculum in a catalog. Anything to get away from his workbook, which isn’t going to happen. Our toddlers will probably get wooden puzzles for school time. There are special horse books hiding in the pantry for the girls. We don’t plan to buy a horse for the farm; the books will have to suffice. Our friends told us that horses are for people with more money than brains, so don’t remind me of this when we get one in two years.

bibleI’ve gotten away from book reviews this year, but I wanted to mention The ESV Literary Study Bible in case you were looking for one this Christmas. I gave this one to my nine-year-old since he’s not had his own Bible yet. It seems to be the most readable for him, given that we want him to read a translation and not a paraphrase.

The study notes, which aren’t cumbersome and in every nook and cranny, help the reader understand the text in its context. The most helpful aid, in my opinion, is the discussion on how each book fits within the big picture of the whole Bible. Though, I’d say that the first noticeable and main distinction is that the text covers the whole page from left to right, reading like a book, instead of the traditional column format. My son digs this.

He’s used his new Bible so much that he wants a cover and something to hold his pen and notes. Sounds like a better choice than new math material to me.