Back in the ‘90s, when I was in college, I used the children’s department to research many topics. I could grab a small stack of books, without a lot of fluff, on a subject that I wasn’t really interested in, and find all the facts I needed to write a good paper.
I still find a great deal of inspiration in the books on the library’s shelves. A few years ago, I was asked to visit a preschool during the holiday season. I wanted to do something different, so I went to the library’s shelves. I came across a book by Kate DePalma called Joy to the World! Christmas Around the World. The book beautifully and simply shares holiday traditions. Here are a few.
In Colombia, they celebrate the Day of Little Candles. People fill the streets with candles and then walk and make wishes. In India, they make kuswar, sweets, for friends. It is a lot of work and takes time to master. In Ethiopia, they celebrate Christmas in January and have a special meal where they feed each other. Christmas in Australia is HOT, and people spend the day on the beach! In Serbia, straw is thrown on the floor. The grownups cluck like chickens and the children “peep” and look for goodies hidden in the straw.
I hope that this holiday season you can find a little bit of time to use the library, check out a stack of books, and learn something new!