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*All branches are closed on Sundays between Memorial Day and Labor Day (May 26th-September 1st)
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Christmas Melting Pot

The United States is known as the “Melting Pot”. No other month shows this more clearly than December with its blend of Christmas traditions from all over the world.

 


German immigrants are credited with introducing many of our Christmas traditions including the Christmas tree. In early America, Christmas trees were decorated with homemade items, fruit, cookies, candy, and candles. Store bought ornaments were rare until the late 1800s when F.W. Woolsworth discovered glass ornaments on a trip to Germany, which he then began importing and selling in his dime stores. Craft enthusiast still enjoy making their own ornaments. If you would like to try making homemade ornaments, then check out these books.

 

 

Santa Claus is a true product of the melting pot. He is a blend of the traditions of the English Father Christmas, the Dutch Sinterklaas, and the Byzantine Saint Nicholas. The popular American version originated from the poem “A Visit from St Nicholas,” better known as The Night Before Christmas, which has been attributed to Clement Clarke Moore. We owe our contemporary image of Santa to Coca-Cola's advertising campaign of the 1930s as well as Thomas Nast's iconic cartoons.

 

 

There is even a small town in Indiana named Santa Claus. Originally named Santa Fe, their application to establish a post office was rejected by the United States Postal Service because another Santa Fe, Indiana, already existed. There are many folk tales on how they arrived at the name Santa Claus, but history only records that in 1856, Santa Claus, Indiana, was officially recognized by the United States Post Office Department. Beginning in the 1920s, the number of letters sent to Santa Claus by children from all over the country began causing staffing and logistical problems, and in 1929 the postal service declared they would never authorize another Santa Claus Post Office.

 

 

Many churches and homes display a nativity scene, or crèche, during the month of December. This tradition can be traced to Saint Francis of Assisi who created the first one in Greccio, Italy, in 1223. In Mexico, the children anticipate the observance of Las Posadas during which a nativity scene is carried through village streets or families recreate Mary's and Joseph's pilgrimage to Bethlehem by going to different houses looking for “room in the inn” until they are welcomed. At the designated home, a party ensues where they break a piñata, have a meal, and receive small packages.

Explore these and more traditions with some of these titles.

 

 

National Novel Writing Month (NaNoWriMo)

November is National Novel Writing Month (NaNoWriMo). This is an annual event that encourages people to write a novel between November 1 and November 30. Many bestselling novels began as part of National Novel Writing Month. These include Water for Elephants by Sara Gruen, Cinder by Marissa Meyer, The Night Circus by Erin Morgenstern, Fangirl by Rainbow Rowell, and The Forest of Hands and Teeth by Carrie Ryan.

The web-based nonprofit NaNoWriMo was created to help aspiring novelists meet the goal of writing 50,000 words, which is the minimum length for a novel. Its objective is to help writers produce a workable rough draft rather than publication ready story. Participation is free. Users need only to register for an account. Then beginning mid-month, they can begin uploading their text to verify the word count. Novels can be written in any language and any genre with any theme whatsoever. Quite simply, if you believe you’re writing a novel, then so does NaNoWriMo. It offers the support of an online community in addition to writing resources and pep talks from established authors. Alexander Chee, Jenny Han, Alaya Dawn Johnson, Daniel José Older, and Maggie Stiefvater are giving this year’s pep talks.

KHCPL is a 2016 NaNoWriMo Come Write In! Center. KHCPL South will host a NaNoWriMo weekly workshop from 2:00 to 5:00 p.m. every Sunday in November. Meet with other writer, swap ideas, get inspired, conduct research, or simply write.

For those for whom writing is a solitary art, KHCPL also offers free Wi-Fi, quiet study rooms, and public access computer. You can also visit our NaNoWriMo resource page on Pinterest.

KHCPL’s collection contains both books to help you hone your writer skills and conduct research. Writers’ Manuals in KHCPL’s Collection include:

 

 

 

All Hallows' Read

 

All Hallows’ Read is the brainchild of author Neil Gaiman. In 2010 he had the sudden inspiration to start a new holiday tradition that involved giving books. The next major holiday was Halloween, and All Hallows’ Read was born. The idea behind All Hallows’ Read is to encourage people to “give someone a scary book for Halloween.” Old books, new books, secondhand books, hardcovers, paperbacks, eBooks, audiobooks, they are all fair game. Gather together and share a book with family or friends, or gift a total stranger as a random act of kindness. Rather than a sugary treat, All Hallows’ Read gives someone an experience by connecting that person with a story.

 

While booksellers were quick to embrace the book giving aspect of All Hallows’ Read, libraries quickly embraced the reading aspect. And during the month of October, librarians encourage patrons to read a scary book to celebrate Halloween. It became a celebration of reading as well as one of books. If you don’t enjoy scary books, try something creepy or spooky or atmospheric. If none of those suit your taste, try something seasonal. If you don’t care for the theme, then simply read. Read a book this Halloween.

 

Board Books

Picture Books

Easy Readers

Middle Readers

Juvenile Fiction

Jr. High Fiction

Teen Fiction

Adult Fiction

 

 

Celebrate All Hallows’ Eve by reading a scary book this Halloween.

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