Christmas in July. No - that is just how early you have to start to get 24 book pockets made before Thanksgiving rolls around. Lucy's Christmas books are arrayed on her parents' couch so I could show my sister-in-law, Bobbi, what my version of this very special project looks like.

As I had written earlier on my blog, this project began when my sister, Pat, had her first grandchild. She made 24 pockets, each with its own Christmas story book inside for her grandson, Joseph, to read. One book each night was to be selected to help countdown the 24 days to Christmas.

This was over 14 years ago and it was an idea I knew I was going to borrow for my grandbabies when they arrived. My kids were too young to think of marriage much less children at that time. Seven years past and it was Margaret's turn to become a grandmother and she made her first granddaughter, Klaire, a set. [She has since then made four full sets; one for each of her grandchildren.]

Another seven years came to pass. You would think I would have been buying Christmas books all along to get a goodly supply of all types of Christmas stories. Not. When my daughter and son-in-law announced that my first grandchild would be here in March of 2009, I was sure I was going to make a set. Unlike Pat's and Margaret's that were constructed of felt, mine are made from quilted blocks.

This is how the process goes at this grandma's house. ....