Can you believe it's December already?
The holiday season always seems to come out of nowhere, as if we hadn't been expecting it all year long.
Between Christmas, Hanukkah and New Year's Day — to say nothing of Kwanzaa, Yule, the Winter Solstice and, er, Festivus — this time of year offers libraries plenty of opportunities for seasonally themed programming aimed at patrons of all ages.
Fostering diversity: public libraries as inclusive spaces for community celebration
Unlocking potential: utilizing library space for community engagement and recreation
In this blog post we will dive into some suggestions for holiday-themed events and services.
Before we do, though, we should acknowledge that not everyone in the field believes libraries should center their winter programs around traditional observances.
There are certainly valid issues to be raised around favoring one holiday over all the others — that one with Santa Claus, for example — but as children's librarian Kendra Jones wrote in an opinion column for School Library Journal several years ago, attempts at being inclusive can have unintended consequences:
Unless you plan on hosting community members to talk about the various holidays of their cultures and you plan on doing this all year round, just don’t go there. You run the risk of deeply insulting someone who celebrates a certain holiday if you present it inaccurately. This falls under the same category as offering medical or legal advice—just don’t do it!
An alternative is to focus seasonal programming on, well, the season itself. From snowflakes and hot chocolate to skating and polar bears, winter has plenty of perfectly fun and festive imagery that doesn't involve Christmas trees, wrapping paper or candy canes.
For those libraries that are planning to host a variety of engaging activities and initiatives during the holiday season, here are some ideas, with one or two examples of each from a few libraries around the world:
Host themed storytimes for children featuring holiday classics or winter tales.
As part of its Winter Wonderland celebration on December 4, the main branch of Greenwich Public Library presents a storytime featuring Eric Kimmel and Trina Schart Hyman's Hershel and the Hanukkah Goblins.
An outdoor swimming pool might not seem like the most intuitive venue for a Christmas event, until you remember that December actually marks the start of summer Down Under. On December 9, Wyndham City Libraries in Victoria, Australia, hosts a Christmas-themed Rhyme Time aimed at kids five and under. The event takes place at the Werribee Outdoor Pool in Chirnside Park.
Offer workshops where patrons can make ornaments, holiday cards or gifts.
The Wareham Free Library in Wareham, Massachusetts, invites kids and teens aged 11 to 18 to what it has very cleverly dubbed a tween/teen crafternoon program on December 6. Participants can create holiday ornaments, jewelry and handmade gift boxes.
Ladner Pioneer Library in Delta, British Columbia, will host a number of events for crafty patrons, allowing participants to explore the art of ink floating to make greeting cards (December 9), create paper snowflakes inspired by the Japanese tie-dyeing technique of shibori (December 10), and construct Winter Solstice lanterns out of mason jars, tissue paper, glitter, sequins and Mod Podge (December 20).
Reveal a new book recommendation each day leading up to the holidays.
In Ontario, during Belleville Public Library’s 12 Days of Christmas Advent Book Bundles event (which runs until December 16), families can pick up a dozen holiday-wrapped picture books to unwrap and read — one book each day — in the 12 days leading up to Christmas.
Show family-friendly holiday movies like Babes in Toyland or The Polar Express, or even just wintry favorites likeHappy Feet or Frozen.
Is Christmas your favorite? If so, Portlaoise Library in Maryborough, Ireland, invites you to a screening of the classic Will Ferrell comedy Elf on December 19.
Bah, humbug! The Marine City branch of St. Clair County Library in Port Huron, Michigan, will host a screening of The Muppet Christmas Carol on December 21.
Partner with local organizations to collect donations of food or toys; set up a drop-off and pick-up station for coats, hats and gloves; or create a "giving tree" with tags listing items needed by local charities.
Often one of the most underfunded community resources is the local library itself. In Ontario, the Orillia Public Library has launched a festive campaign to raise much-needed money for library programming. "We see all walks of life," said Orillia Public Library CEO Meagan Wilkinson. "[The library] is one of the last free places for community members to come in and not be expected to pay, to just be here to interact with others. It's a true community hub. If that is something that really resonates with you, supporting libraries is a great Christmas gift this year."
Don't forget about the dogs and cats! From December 7 to 22, the Belmar Public Library in New Jersey will be collecting donations of pet supplies in support of the Monmouth County SPCA and the Associated Humane Societies pet shelters.
Invite local musicians, choirs or storytellers to perform. Support good causes by accepting donations for admission.
In California, the Pasadena Public Library is hosting a number of performances throughout December, including a concert by the a cappella Christmas quartet the Candlelight Carolers at the San Rafael Branch on December 7; and a concert and sing-along with the Slide Rule Trombone Choir at the Lamanda Park Branch on December 14.
On December 14, the State Library of South Australia in Brisbane presents a concert of traditional carols and contemporary favorites by the South Australian Children’s Choir.
Make sure to let your patrons know about your festive programming by getting the word out on the library's website and through social media.
Libraries with PressReader have an added advantage. After all, PressReader is more than just a way to enrich curious minds with access to thousands of the world's best newspapers and magazines. With PressReader’s Self-Pub feature, libraries can also share their own content. Digitize and upload your own newsletters, festive event listings, seasonal book recommendations and other publications to the front page of PressReader to further engage with library users.