The Jolly Christmas Postman by Janet and Allan Ahlberg

This book is quintessential holiday cheer and festivities, with nursery rhyme references thrown in to boot. The Jolly Christmas Postman by Janet & Allan Ahlberg is an interactive Christmas story about a postman who goes about his day delivering Christmas letters, packages, and cheer to all his magical and legendary neighborhood friends. 

On the back of every page is an envelope that has a goodie inside for kids to take out, unfold, read, play with (!) or chuckle at. Adults will enjoy the satire and the irony of how some of these tales have played out in the Ahlberg's imagination. It's a delightful read and a fun book to look through. I remember reading this with my friend when she had it about 15 years ago, and being mesmerized by all the little pieces to the story that can be taken apart and manipulated. 

This book includes Mr. & Mrs. Santa Claus, the Gingerbread Man, Wolfe & Little Red Riding Hood, Humpty Dumpty, and Goldilocks and the Three Little Bears. Let's not forget the Dish & the Spoon as well. I don't often encourage people to buy books, but rather to peruse your local thrift stores, garage sales, and heavily use the library, but this book is worth the price tag. Go new, too, because you don't want ripped letters and lost puzzle pieces, either. It's a sweet little book that I imagine my kids, when in their teenage years, will want me to save for their future children, because they have happy memories of looking through it every December.