The season of giving!

 I've mentioned in the past that Books By The Bushel is located in a small village in southeastern Ohio.

We are a very tight-knit community, and I am always proud to see our community rally around those in need.

Each year, our local food pantry reaches out to local businesses to ask that they "Adopt-A-Family", during the holiday season. As a children's book company, we LOVE this idea. 

This year was our fourth year participating. 

I could NOT be more proud of my team and their enthusiastic participation in showing love to our adopted family!

Giving truly is the reason for the season!

Happy Holidays from us to you!

FREE Ideas By The Bushel

 In just a few days, we will welcome the winter season.

For many of us, it has already felt like winter for a few weeks now. 

Personally, I am not a fan of winter weather. Growing up west of Chicago, we always had a TON of snow. And if they were forecasting a snowstorm, I was always excited for a snow day. Unfortunately, my bus driver's one mission in life was to get "her" kids to school no matter how much snow we had! And she was true to her mission...except for one time when we ended up in a ditch. Hours later, when we were finally dug out,  it was too late to take us to school, so she drove us all home! Best day of my little life at the time :)

That being said, even as an adult, there is still some excitement when the weather person is calling for a big snow event, although living in southern Ohio we don't see many of them. We mostly get ice :(

When we do get a big snow, it's always fun to snuggle in with some hot chocolate and stay home for the day!

Do you have a favorite winter activity? If you're looking for ideas to keep you and the kiddos busy during the dark evenings of winter, be sure to visit our website for FREE downloadable winter activities!

Garifuna

 To continue my theme of Belize, I have had the pleasure of getting to know the Garifuna culture on our travels each year.

We visited Belize right before their annual Garifuna Settlement Day celebration, which is held on November 19th of each year.

This year, we had the pleasure of watching a traditional Garifuna dance. 

These dances include stories of the history of the Garifuna settlement and other rich stories of their past.

To add to the experience, I spent an afternoon learning how to cook a traditional Belizian breakfast food called "Fry Jacks."  Miss Jude, the chef, has become one of my dearest friends in Belize. She is a full-blooded Garifuna and can trace her ancestors back to some of the first settlers in Belize.

At Books By The Bushel, we sell many books that teach about cultures worldwide. For me, I must immerse myself in the local culture wherever I go (even here in the US, where we have so many different traditions and cultures!).