The Christmas Lizard
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Meet Sticky. Sticky’s a lizard that my son, Hank, found a few weeks back. He’s been staying with us for a while until today when he was returned to his woodland home out back.
Before going, Sticky posed shortly for a photo shoot on my son’s sweatshirt. (Like the dog hair?) Now we’ll always have these portraits to remember his green scaly self by.
Sticky’s brilliant green against the vibrant red reminded me of a book our friends, The Lanford’s, gave us for Christmas in 2000 called The Christmas Lizard.
The book has since become a favorite that we read aloud this time every year – even though my kids are now 11 and 14. It’s about a little lizard, called Oscar who escapes from his cage one night only to discover the family Christmas tree. Isn’t he cute?
As he climbs the tree he meets many new friends; elves, a nutcracker, a bird and an angel to name a few. The lizard is curious as to what Christmas is all about.
Each new friend has his own point of view but in the end he finds the real reason for all of the celebration. A baby.
It’s a sweet book with great illustrations full of color and ample opportunity to exercise those Russian nutcracker voices you’ve all been practicing. You can include The Christmas Lizard in your yearly traditions. And it would make a great Christmas gift for a young family of lizard lovers. You’ll find more information on how to purchase the book here.
Do you have any favorite Christmas books? Or is there a favorite Christmas tradition you can share?
That lizard looks just like the one from the book.
It’s a great book.
I LOVE The Polar Express – my dad always read it to us around Christmas. 🙂
Our favorite Christmas book is “The Christmas Miracle of Jonathan Toomey”. They’ve made a movie out of it now. O course, it’s not exactly like the book, so I’m not especially fond of it. (Yes, I’m one of those moms who make the children read the book before they can see the movie.)
Your photos are so vibrant. Thanks for sharing.
I looked for this book this year and found out that it is not being published anymore. It is one of my favorites as well. That is why I passed it along. Grab a copy while you can still get it. It is nice for the kids to understand the real reason for the season!
I love The Polar Express too, for the story and the illustrations. I also love a book by Frank McCourt called Angela and the Baby Jesus. It’s a story about his mother when she was 6 yrs old, rescuing the Baby Jesus from an outdoor nativity scene. It’s very sweet.
Merry Christmas Amy!
We are starting a new one. Christmas Jars by Jason Wright. Have you heard of it? I just cried when I read it and my family is now starting our own Christmas Jar tradition.
I give our family a Christmas book every year. Here are some we’ve enjoyed:
“A Christmas Reader” 0-517-09338-3 — This has classic short stories from O. Henry, Dickens, Willa Cather, Louisa May Alcott, etc.
The Christmas Kitten, by James Herriot 0-312-13407-X — by the country vet who wrote all those delightful books like “All Creatures Great & Small”
“Silver Packages” 0-531-30051-X — a superbly illustrated book with the subtitle “An Appalachian Christmas Story.” About a little boy who, over the years, gets lots of presents he needs & appreciates, even if they aren’t exactly what he’d wished for.
“The Not-So-Wise Man” 0-8028-5196-7 — he’s so close to the truth…
“The Small One” 0-7868-3087-5 — about a boy whose father requires him to sell his favorite old donkey because he is no longer strong enough to be useful to them. The boy is afraid his 4-legged friend will end up at the tanners, but that’s not where the story ends…
“The Last Straw” 0-88106-152-2 — Hoshmakaka, a proud, old camel, is chosen to perform a very special task–he is to carry the wise men’s gifts to the new baby king in Bethlehem. He meets lots of travelers along the way & proudly agrees to carry each of their gifts also, until it all becomes too much, & he’s driven to his knees.
“Christmas Day in the Morning” 0-688-16267-3 — a sweet, sweet story by Pearl S. Buck with quietly beautiful illustrations by Mark Buehner.
There are more, but I hope some of these few bring as much pleasure to some new families as they have to ours! : )
Thanks a bunch Lynne!
~ Amy J.