If you get one Russian-themed Christmas book for you child this winter, get Uncle Vova's Tree, by Patricia Polacco.

This book, probably most appropriate for children 5 and up due to its length, is a sad but sweet story of the Russian Christmas traditions of Uncle Vova and his wife, Svetlana, as they practice in their home in North America.

All the traditions are in this book - the didukh sheath for a good harvest, the kutia on the ceiling, and the straw under the tablecloth. They hand pysanky on the tree and Aunt Svetlana dresses like a babushka from the old country. Family and tradition are what this story is about.

Here's what Patricia Polacco writes in the front of the book about how she was inspired to write the story:

During the Russian Orthodox Calendar Year, no holiday is more loved than Christmastide and Epiphany. As a child I celebrated Christmas as most American children did, but at Epiphany in January, my brother, my two cousings, my grandparents and I would go to the farm of my Great Uncle Vladimir and Aunt Svetlana to celebrate in the Russian tradition. We word dress from the homeland and relived the customs that originated from my family's roots. There is a wonder and a kind of magic that arises out of such dear memories. The passing of time only makes the moments more precious.

Here's a summary: The family in the book go to visit their aunt and uncle and celebrate Christmas in an old world way, as I already said, including decorating a tree outside for the birds and other creatures. The next year the family returns to the farm even though Uncle Vova has passed away, and they notice that the tree for the animals is being decorated by the animals themselves.