Looking for an inexpensive fun way to get your family into the holiday spirit? Read between the lines. In addition to creating a family tradition that will provide your children with a lifetime of memories, you’ll also be benefitting your child. Experts say that reading to your children aloud is the most important activity to lay the foundation for the eventual success of your child in reading. So what better way to celebrate the holidays than by introducing your children to those classic tales? While there is a treasure trove of new holiday books that are released every year, nothing compares to those old standbys. For younger children, Frosty the Snowman, Rudolph the Red-nosed Reindeer and The Little Drummer Boy are all picks that are sure to please your child.

For older children, ‘Twas the Night Before Christmas, How the Grinch Stole Christmas and The Polar Express come highly recommended. And what’s Christmas without a telling of Charles Dickens’ A Christmas Carol? During the holidays you don’t want your child to get out of practice. Here are some ways to integrate reading during the hectic holidays. When you’re baking or cooking, have your child read ingredients and instructions to you while you work in the kitchen. On the receiving end of countless Christmas cards? Make your child the designated reader of the annual collection. When family members come over for visits or gatherings, have your child show off his or her reading skills by reading from a favorite holiday book. Designate a special time every night when you and the kids read from the holiday book of your choice. And if you’re shopping for small stocking stuffers, make books part of the package.