All holds are off! It's the day after the day after the day after THanksgiving and my enthusiasm for all things Christmas can finally be loosed!

Whoo hoo! Merry Christmas!

I have to work up the enthusiasm because honestly, without it the Christmas season can be a bit wearying. It has been that way for the past several years - ever since my lovely husband has become an artist on our county's open studio tour. The first two weekends in December he's been out of commission - at a local Bed and Breakfast all day long, selling his photographs. I don't begrudge him this activity (well, not too much) but it certainly puts the pressure on me to be all things to my children AND get the Xmas stuff done AND be cheery and happy ALL THE WHILE his business is at its peak time for number of hours he needs to be there, working hard for us.

This year, for the first time, we'll be having the studio tour at our house. That means that NOT ONLY does our house have to be perfectly clean and decorated (which he's mostly doing, thank goodness) but if the kids get a little excited by all the visitors coming in and out of our house we'll have to vacate the premises. And go where? Not sure...

Grr.

So - you see why I need to work up an almost maniacal level of cheer. Otherwise I might just dissolve into a puddle.

(Oh, and by the way - this year I start a new FULL TIME job about 2 weeks before Xmas. Tra la la la la, la la la la.)

But back to what I had meant to talk about when I started this post: a really cute book for kids adopted from Russia (and who also celebrate Xmas)- How the Russian Snow Maiden Helped Santa Claus, by Gail Buyske, illustrated by Natasha Voronina.

This book is not just for kids adopted from Russia or EE - let me get that straight. It's really for any child who celebrates Xmas. But if your child was adopted from EE it's a very special story. Here's how it goes:

Santa Claus writes his good friend Papa Frost a letter. He explains that Mrs. Claus is away helping her sick sister and he needs help wrapping all the presents before Christmas comes. Could Papa Frost loan him his number one helper, the Snow Maiden?

Of course, answers Papa Frost. Since the Russians don't open gifts until New Year’s there will be plenty of time for the Snow Maiden to help Santa. Papa Frost gives her a special matryoshka doll to take keep her company on her trip.

The Snow Maiden does her best to help Santa Claus, but soon she is homesick for Russia. She comforts herself by playing with her matryoshka doll at night, when no one can see her. But one night she loses the smallest piece of the doll, and by the time Santa brings her breakfast in the morning she is crying.

Santa helps her find the piece to her doll, and in turn, the Snow Maiden helps Santa! By sharing with him a bit of her Russian culture, the Snow Maiden helps Santa come up with a wonderful new toy for the boys and girls of the world.

A very cute story with gorgeous illustrations. Next: an interview with the author, Gail Buyske.