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| Thanks to Cyndi, Jacinda, and Yani for hosting such an awesome event! |
Welcome to my stop in the 25 Days of Jubilation event!
This event is hosted by three fabulous bloggers:
Cyndi at Dog-Eared & Bookmarked,
Jacinda at The Reading Housewives, and
Yani at The Secret Life of an Avid Reader.
I’ve had a great time visiting the blogs that have come before mine and
I’m thrilled to be a part of such a fun event!
Today, I thought I would take a few minutes
to share my favorite bookish Christmas memory with everyone
– something that I hold near and dear to my heart!
It involves this precious lady & her love of books:
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| Asheley & Grandma, a long time ago. ♥ |
I love to read today because of this woman.
No other person is as responsible for instilling in me a love of the
written word as my Grandma.
I absolutely adore her and love her for that.
My favorite bookish Christmas memory
begins around the third grade and spans a period of about 16 Christmases.
Yep, I said 16 Christmases.
See, my sweet Grandma decided to gift me
a series of books that were all my own
~she was always excited about owning a complete set of something~
so she began giving me
five shiny hardback Nancy Drew Mysteries every Christmas
five shiny hardback Nancy Drew Mysteries every Christmas
until I had the complete hardback set (by Grosset & Dunlap).
There were 56 in all.
On the last Christmas I received Nancy Drew Mystery books,
I actually got six of them to complete my set.
Oh! It was so exciting to me! I had anticipated the moment my set would be complete for
ELEVEN WHOLE YEARS…
ELEVEN WHOLE YEARS…
but it was also sort of sad. Now that I had all 56 of them,
would this be the end of the tradition?
would this be the end of the tradition?
Grandma to the rescue!
By this time I was a sophomore in college and
Grandma decided that she would continue her tradition with hardback classics. So…
Grandma decided that she would continue her tradition with hardback classics. So…
starting in my junior year of college and for the next five years, I got three hardback classics every year for Christmas.
This incredible tradition began in elementary school,
lasting through middle and high school, college,
and the beginning of my marriage –
only ending after I had children of my own.
I can’t you how many times I’ve read my Nancy Drew books.
I still have them all, and they are among my most precious things.
I can’t wait until my girls start reading them.
I know they’ll love them as much as I did and
they’ll probably read them over and over and over – just like I did,
because of my sweet Grandma.
I know I’m not the only person to have a long-lasting
bookish tradition-turned-memory like this one.
But mine is fabulous and I did want to share it with you.
My Grandma was remarkable in a million ways,
and her love for reading was just one of them.
So! Bookish memory aside, let’s talk GIVEAWAY!
I have $25 for someone to spend at either
Amazon or The Book Depository.
Amazon or The Book Depository.
That makes this giveaway an International one, folks!
Giveaway Information:
- You must be at least 13 years old to enter.
- Deadline for entry is Tuesday, December 27, 2011.
- This contest is open to Everyone.
- Following this blog is not required, but appreciated!
The 25 Days of Jubilation continues!
Be sure to visit the rest of these awesome blogs
to see what they have in store for us!
Monday, December 12th:
Tina at Tina’s Book Reviews
Tuesday, December 13th:
Heidi at YA Bibliophile
Wednesday, December 14th:
Jess at Gone with the Words
Thursday, December 15th:
Lisa at Lisa Is Busy Nerding
Friday, December 16th:
Jen D. at Not now…I’m Reading!
Saturday, December 17th:
Jamie at The Perpetual Page-Turner
Sunday, December 18th:
Andrea at The Busy Bibliophile
Monday, December 19th:
Karis at YA Litwit & Sarah at Workaday Reads
Tuesday, December 20th:
Katelyn at Katelyn’s Blog
Wednesday, December 21st:
Ruby at Ruby’s Reads
Thursday, December 22nd:
Jac at For Love and Books
Friday, December 23rd:
Asher at Paranormal Indulgence
Saturday, December 24th:
Nikki at Books Most Wanted
Sunday, December 25th:
Merry Christmas!
Merry Christmas
and
Happy Holidays
About Asheley
Asheley is a Southern girl. She loves Carolina blue skies, Ben & Jerry's ice cream, and NC craft beer. She loves all things history but prefers books over everything.
You can find her somewhere in North Carolina, daydreaming about the ocean.
Find Asheley on Litsy @intothehallofbooks!
I loved the Magic Tree House books. they were fun reads and quick and I gained AR points quickly. I love them. 😀
I love books by Charles Dickens when I was a kid…well, I still read them, they are perfect and always bring me back to my childhood 🙂
Thanks for participating in this hop and for the giveaway opportunity.
I loved your Nancy Drew story. I have all of them too, but several people contributed. But my 'set' builder was my mother. At eight years old, I got the six complete novels of Jane Austen for my birthday. And she did this many times over the years.
I loved The Magic Treehouse, anything by Judy Blume and anything by Gordon Korman.
I love Judy Blume books, and all the Famous Five and Secret Seven Series. My grandma also gave me the whole Bobsey Twins series, and she loved reading Nancy Drew as well! I used to check it out of the library and she'd read it while I was at school:)
I loved reading comic books with my dad.
As a child I'd loved to read books by Enid Blyton!
Got a small collection at home still 😛
Thanks for this giveaway!~
At 6 six i've Bilbo the hobbit and the lord of the rings, i loved it several year after i've the complete serie of books from " la comtesse de Mont segur" ( les malheurs de sophie, etc etc)
more realistic than LDR but still i love ( with a preference still for bilbo the hobbit ^^;;)
thanks you for this international giveaway
You're grandma is such a sweetheart! I collect Enid Blyton's books when I was a kid. And of course Sweet Valley Twins series.
as a kid i loved enid blyton, astrid lindgren and wolfgang hohlbein's books ^^ i loved them to pieces. especially astrid lindgren. she wrote so many great children books. pippi langstrumpf was my favourite heroin ^^
i loved reading about your special tradition. you were lucky – in my family i'm kind of the odd one out, because i'm the only bookworm XD so i had to start loving books on my own, but my parents always were proud of me, because i read so many books ^^
My grandmother actually got me into Nancy Drew as a kid too! I don't have all of them, (and I wonder if I should finish my set..), but I plan on making my kids read them as well 🙂 They were the books that got me into reading, and for that I'm always thankful!
You know, I have never read a Nancy Drew book! I think books are always better when you get them from someone that you really care about and they really care about you.
This is so sweet, I love it! I didn't read the original Nancy Drews… I read the Nancy Drew Files books. I've been thinking I need to read the original ones soon, because I think I would appreciate them much more now.
I don't think I've ever read any Nancy Drews, though my brother's read a lot of the Hardy Boys. I really loved reading The Babysitter's Club and the Sweet Valley High books! And Archie comics, of course. 🙂
Aww, Asheley, that's a really sweet memory 🙂 I remember I used to be obsessed with the Mary Kate & Ashley books! Every time the book fair came along or the book order was sent home, I would buy at least one. I still have tons at my house! Thanks so much for the giveaway!
Sonia
I've never read any Nancy Drew books, either! I must do that one day. I'm thinking of doing a read through for children's series books or something on my blog to motivate myself.
My favorite series was The Babysitters Club/Little Sister. And I did enjoy all of the Sweet Valley books.
I was never a big reader when I was little, but I did love to have Fairy Tales read to me when I was a child, and when I got old enough to read, Scooby Doo themed books 😉
One of my favorite childhood series was the Laura Ingals Wilder series. I reread those books several times!!
I used to read Nancy Drew too, but they weren't my absolute favorite. I used to love the series' A to Z Mysteries by Ron Roy and Cracked Classics by Tony Abbott :]
Me and my Grandmother were the only readers in my family. Well I can't say that's true, I can see my four year old daughter following in our foot steps. My Grandma has since passed, but I treasure our book swaps we would have. I guess we both had a longing for an adventure. Thanks for sharing!
Definitely the Babysitter's Club. I absolutely loved them as a child. Brings back memories 🙂 Thanks for sharing!
I really loved fairy tales when I was little, like Grimm's books and Andersen and Perault. Also I loved reading Pippi Longstocking (everything by Astrid Lindgren basically) or Erich Kastner.
I loved the Magic Treehouse books when I was young. I dreamed of going to all those places
My favorite book as a child was "Bridge to Terabithia," which my older sister gave me when I was 8. It remains dear to my heart nearly 30 years later!
I love Nancy Drew! In addition I also really enjoyed Sweet Valley, Fear Street, the Babysitter's Club, Little House on the Prairie and Love Stories series. There was plenty of standalone books as well =)
That is such a cool tradition! Very special, even more so because you can share it with your own kids too! Also, I can not believe you own every Nancy Drew mystery. That's impressive 😉
Such a great post, Asheley! 🙂 I was all about Sweet Valley High and anything RL Stine.
Awwww, yay for your grandma Asheley! That's so awesome that you can share a love of reading with someone:) For me, that person is my mom, I love reading a book and loving it, and then knowing I get to share it with someone else who will love it just as much.
I only every read one nancy drew, but I couldnt put down a hardys boy book
teressaoliver at gmail dot com
I used to read The Babysitter's Club, Amelia Bedelia and Mrs. Piggle-Wiggle. Those were my favorites, wish I still had them.
Thanks for the great giveaway! Happy Holidays!
prefs22[at]yahoo[dot]com
What a lovely bookish memory! I too was a huuuge fan of Nancy Drew mysteries as a youngin'
I love nancy drew as well, and also ella enchanted
Awww I love the picture of you and your Grandma!!! I love Grandmas, they are so great. I have some great memories of my grandma, we were very close.
I loved Nancy Drew (okay, still do!) and I LOVE that your Grandma was instrumental in getting you to love reading!
I loved the BSC and Trixie Belden!
Aww this is such a sweet post 🙂 Think it's awesome how your Grandma got you reading 🙂
That is SUCH an awesome story!! I've actually never read Nancy Drew. I was addicted to the BSC and Little House books though. I definitely plan to start some kind of tradition like this with my own kids. I'm already working on collecting the classic little golden books. Thanks so much for the giveaway. I hope you have a Merry Christmas!!
I remember devouring every Nancy Drew book I could get my hands on! That and The Babysitter's Club kept me going through childhood.
I read every single Mandie Mystery when I was a kid as well as the Redwall series. 🙂
Great post – thanks for the giveaway!
Thanks for the giveaway! I love Bunnicula and also the Boxcar Children!
Aww! 🙂 Ashley <3s Asheley 🙂
I have WAY too many favorites to name. Seriously. We'd be here forEVER.
But my VERY most favorite book from when I was a kid was Where the Red Fern Grows by Wilson Rawls. I've read it (no lie) 50+ times since 4th grade & I BAWL every single time. But I never love it any less. Sigh. I just reread it last month actually 🙂
My Granny bought me all the Nancy Drew books growing up as well. Those and my Anne of Green Gables series were very much loved. Book memories rock!
I loved Nancy Drew too. I read all the classic yellow spined ones. I got so mad though when they changed the covers and made them shiny. And I read the new paperback that were being released.
this is so sweet and awesome. thank you for sharing!
Sorry it's taken me so long to visit your post! I absolutely love it. How special and sweet of you to share with everyone. I know you'll always treasure those books!
Great giveaway!! Thank you, again, for participating in this event 🙂
This comment has been removed by the author.
Thanks for sharing your awesome bookish Christmas tradition! It makes me want to start something that like with my kids!
I read more grown-up books when I was younger I read A LOT of Mary Higgins Clark books, not really a series, but my Grandma got me into mysteries and we still pass books back and forth!
I really like Nancy Drew especially the PC games lol though I have to admit that I've never read any of the book. Shame on me =/
@Tibiux
When I was younger I was obsessed with the Scary Stories to Tell in the Dark books. I've always kind of been interested in darker stories I guess lol.
I've never read a Nancy Drew book but my daughter talks about them all the time because she has an aunt named Nancy Drew (honestly) and she thinks it is the funniest thing.
GFC- linda callaghan
Loved Roald Dahl books as a kid
I loved the Nancy Drew books too, I also loved The Saddle Club and The Babysitter's Club!
TaraTagli at gmail dot com
Grandma's are just all around awesome. Mine has always supported me in my love of books and writing and everything. Happy Holidays!
How wonderful! I love Grandmas. 🙂
As for my favorite childhood books, I was a big fan of The Chronicles of Narnia. I also loved anything by Beverly Cleary (especially Ramona). I was a big reader as a kid, so I had many favorites.
Thanks for the giveaway & for sharing your story!
I loved Roald Dahl when I was a child!
Aw, what a sweet post. Thank you for sharing and doing a giveaway!
When I was a kid, I loved Little House on the Prairie, Magic Tree House, Goodnight Moon, and so many more I can't remember them all! Then as I got older, at about 11 or 12, I started reading Harry Potter. Been hooked on that series ever since.
🙂
I've always been a big classics fan. After finishing high school I stopped reading for a while because of my busy schedule at university, but a few years ago I started again. The books are my best friends 🙂
My favorite childhood book would have to be Harry Potter.
Books have become my life. I try to read 1 book a day. It depends on the length of the book. Sometimes it takes me 2 days. 😀
Thanks for the giveaway!
My favorite series as a child was all the Enid Blyton books. Loved The Famous Five and The Secret Seven series.
Thanks for the giveaway.
Carol T
buddytho {at} gmail DOT com
I really liked the Famous Five book series and other Enid Blyton books. Thanks for the giveaway!
That is so sweet! Did she sign the inside front covers with a little note and the year? My grandmother always did that, and though my kids never met her (she died when I was in 4th grade), they have the books she gave to me. Great post!
Karis @YA Litwit
When I was a kid I loved Goosebumps.
Thanks for the giveaway 🙂
I remember reading a lot of Junie B. Jones books. They were my favorite at that time. I also went through the Goosebumps and Magic Tree House phase.
I also loved Nancy Drew as a child. I remember reqding them. And Hardy Boys!
Thanks for the giveaway and sharing your lovely bookish memory 🙂
I would cherish those books too.
When I was younger, I loved:
. Little House series by Laura Ingalls Wilder
. Beverly Cleary
. Sweet Valley High
This is really marvalously awesome!
My fave childhood book was Charlotte's Web.
THAT is a sweet story 🙂 and this is a super sweet prize!
I was a religious Sweet Valley Twins and BSC follower – I had all the super specials and Christmas specials (some were scary!)
I didn't really read when I was young. Haha, maybe the Harry Potter series? Thanks for the giveaway!
That is so awesome! My grandma has really good taste in books and has gotten me some great ones in the past. Nancy Drew has always been one of my favorites 🙂 Thanks for sharing this!
I used to read The Princess Diaries series and looooved it! Actually, it was my first book that I was reading because I felt like.
When it ends, I started to reading others ones, becoming this bookworm that I am today!!
My favorite childhood series is the Famous Five series by Enid Blyton . I loved mysteries when I was younger (still do).
Thanks for the giveaway.
When I was a child,I loved The Chronicles of Narnia!
When I was a Child, I loved reading The Chronicles of Narnia!
When I was a kid I narnia dr sues.
Thanks for the giveaway 🙂
When I was a kid I loved the Junie B. Jones series. I loved it so much and my mom read one of the books every night.
The book that made me love books and reading is definitely the Harry Potter series. That's my childhood there 🙂
Thank you very much for this contest and merry Christmas to you and your family:)
When I was younger I used to adore Roald Dahl, especially the BFG. I bought a collection of his books for my little sister's birthday which she really loved – her smile was huge!
I loved Sweet Valley Twins, BSC, the Boxcar Children, and The Gymnasts series when I was a kid.
i read a lot of Babysitter's Club, Boxcar Children, and Sweet Valley. i still own most of my books. i just can't bear giving them up!
pandaluvsu82 at gmail dot com
I loved the Redwall series as a middle school student and then, like a lot of my peers, read all of HP 🙂
One problem with me is that I didn't grew up reading book, I think the very least is that I've read Harry Potter Series tho I haven't had a chance to finish it.
fallendream03 AT gmail DOT com
As a kid I loved the Babysitter Club books, especially when they started coming out with those the mystery ones that were longer! Thanks for the giveaway!
Enid Blyton Books, Nancy Drew, and Magic Tree House were always books part of my childhood 🙂 thanks for the amazing giveaway!
Thanks so much for having this awesome GA!
I never read the Nancy Drew books, just the Hardy Boys with Nancy Drew. I also read The Lost Years of Merlin by T.A. Barron and Hank the Cowdog. Great giveaway!
oreo_93 at hotmail dot com
The Baby-Sitters Club was and still is my absolute favorite. I also enjoyed The Boxcar Children.
As a kid I loved reading books by Tolkien, especially The Hobbit.
I hate to admit it but I don't have any favorites from when I was a kid. For the longest time I didn't like reading. Now I'm addicted to it. 🙂
Pam
I have a LOT of childhood favorites, but one of my fondest memories is working my way through the Little House on the Prairie box set with my mother. I still have that old, well loved, box set on my shelf
I am like you and LOVED Nancy Drew – Nancy Drew and Trixie Belden. I had a crazy collection – I have over 250 in my closet yet. I also really enjoyed the Girl Reporter series.
Oh man favorite when I was a kid..well the only one I can remember is 2 Young 2 Go 4 Boys!! lOL:))
thanks for the giveaway!!
bella
coastiecolellas@hotmail.com
Oh! Another Nancy Drew fan, I had all of them at one point, my mom would help me collect them at garage sales and used book stores. They really hooked me on reading, along with Judy Blume and pretty much anything else I could get my hands on! Thanks so much for the giveaway!
Lissa
talewla08@gmail.com
Does HARRY POTTER count as a childhood favorite series? Well, it is for me! Don't ask me why. You already know the answer. LOL
My childhood favorite was the GOOSEBUMP books! Thanks for the giveaway!
Thanks for sharing your wonderful story! I can say that my grandma is also responsible for my love of reading!! Nancy Drew was always one of my favorite series!!
what a great memory!!!!! I loved HP when I was a kid!
I never read a Nancy Drew book not sure why, as a kid I was mostly reading the BSC series.
Thanks for the giveaway! I didn't read Nancy Drew but I read every one of the Trixie Belden series when I was younger.