Several weeks before Christmas, ask the mothers of the children you plan to make the books for to give you some snapshots of their children. Assure them they will get the pictures back, and they will be curious and excited.

The story will vary with each child, but here is an example of one book, done for three children in the same family.

Page One

Once upon a time there was a boy named William, only his best friends all called him Billy. Everyone knows that Billy is a good name, because it rhymes with:

SILLY WILLY NILLY and FILLY (a young horse) (Photograph of the Hero at his Birthday Party)

Page Two

Once upon a time there was also a boy named Mark, and Mark is what his best friends called him. Everyone knows that Mark is an excellent name, because it rhymes with:

PARK (where you play) HARK, HARK, THE LARK and

BARK (like a dog) (Photograph of the other Hero, on his trike)

Page Three

There was also a little tiny girl whose name was Katherine, which is an especially good name because it doesn't rhyme with anything.

(Photograph of the Heroine in diapers)

Page Four

Billy and Mark and Katherine all had the same last name, because they belonged to the same family. For the same reason, they lived in the same house. It was a new house, too.

You can draw a picture of their house, and underneath the picture you say:

44 Hillcrest Drive Central Point Oregon United States North America Western Hemisphere World Universe

Page Five

Billy and Mark and Katherine did all kinds of things every day, only Billy and Mark did them longer, because they were older. They could do lots of tricks, and hop on one foot (not clear across the living room, though), and they could swim, and sing some songs, and Billy could even write his own name on the blackboard.

(Draw picture of boy, writing his name)

Page Six

Katherine could not hop on one foot at all! But she could hop on two feet!

(Draw picture of girl hopping)

Page Seven

And then, one day-along came Christmas!

(Draw picture of Christmas tree)

Page Eight

Two very old friends of Billy's and Mark's and Katherine's, who used to be neighbors, wanted to wish them a Very Merry Christmas. The old friends were Chris and Peter Botsford, who lived at 111 E. Floresta Drive, Menlo Park, California, United States, North America, Western Hemisphere, World, Universe.

(Photograph of Chris and Peter, children of the author of the

"Billy Book")

Page Nine

So They Made Up This Song

Merry Christmas to you, From Peter and Chris, In our neighborhood, It is you that we miss.

Merry Christmas to you, From Chris and Pete, We hope that we all Will soon again meet!

Second week: The second week of December could be called the Fruit-Cake Week or Popcorn-Ball Week or Cookie Week. Cookies are the most fun for children, and some they make can be put in boxes to be sent out of town. Either make a great many different kinds, or concentrate on your specialty. The plain sugar cookie to be cut out with Christmas cutters is easy for children and fun to decorate.

If you want the cookies to hang on the tree, make a hole with an ice pick near the top before you bake them.

Cinnamon drops, gum drops, and raisins can be stuck on the cookie before it is baked.

Children love to use icing tubes and can manage them successfully in decorating the cookie after it is baked. If you want to make colored sugar, put two or three drops of food coloring into a jar with a tight lid, add the sugar and shake.

Popcorn balls are easy to make. The syrup can be colored red or green, or they can be wrapped in colored cellophane. They are pretty tied on packages, hung on the tree, or on the frontdoor wreath.

Stuffing dates with nuts and rolling in powdered sugar is an old stand-by Christmas goodie that even two-year-olds can manage.

Third week: The third week is called "Decorating-the-House Week." The children can make some of these decorations with little or no assistance from you. Homemade decorations for the tree and the house are a big part of understanding the spirit of Christmas, also of getting everyone into the spirit Most of these decorations can be saved from year to year.

Chains-A five-inch strip of colored paper cut one-half inch wide and pasted together to form a circle is the first part of the chain. The second strip slips through the circle and the two ends are pasted together to make another circle, ad infinitum.

Oriental lanterns-These are described in the section Things To Make. Several lanterns can be strung on a string.

Spirals-Another paper craft that is fun and easy for small children and the effect is good. First cut a circle of colored paper or heavy foil. Draw with a pencil a line which follows around and around the circle, ending in the center of the circle. After the child has done a few, he will be able to cut without the aid of the line. Paste two spirals together to get one very long one. (See Making Things.)

Covered walnuts-Wrap aluminum foil around a walnut, pressing the foil smooth but extending the paper on one side of the nut so a ribbon can be tied around it Tie a loop in the ribbon so it can be hung over a branch of the tree.

Snowflakes-Fold a square of paper in half and then in half again. Let the child cut and notch and scallop. Always interesting in design and proof that no two snowflakes are ever alike. To be pasted or scotch taped on windows.

Santa Apples-Start with a shiny red apple. Using six toothpicks, put one near the stem for the head, two for the arms, two for the legs, and one to support him. Stick marshmallows on the toothpicks for the head, arms, and legs. Put raisins on the end of the toothpicks for hands and feet Poke whole cloves down the front of the apple for buttons, and whole cloves for eyes, nose, and mouth. Tuck a piece of cotton under his chin. Flatten out a prune and put it on his head for a cap.