I usually like to read or listen to stories reflecting joys of Christmas during December, but this week I chose a historical novel that had been on my “to read” list for months, “The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society” by Mary Ann Shaffer and Annie Barrows.

Yet this quirky tale of a writer and the people who lived on a small British island during its Nazi occupation has turned out to be a very satisfying Christmas read.

It reinforces a special part of the holiday season: connecting with others.

Most articles on reading point out that a book can take us to far away places, and that we can “lose ourselves.”

The fact that books connect us to one another is often overlooked. Classic Christmas stories such as “The Night Before Christmas” remain bestsellers because they link us to a time when our own grandparents and parents shared the excitement of waiting for Santa with their loved ones.

This touching testimonial of an anonymous writer can be found on the Internet: “I can remember at the age of 6 sinking into the safe and warm green couch of my living room and listening to my father read aloud.

“The whole family would sit, forget their hectic lives for an hour and listen to stories of magic, heroism and adventure ... We pass our stories, myths, and culture down to other generations by giving them our books.”

Amazon.com's List of Christmas Books for Young and Old provides examples of stories that have lived on for years.

“The Night Before Christmas” by Clement Moore (1882), “The Grinch Who Stole Christmas” by Dr. Seuss (1957) and “Christmas Day in the Morning” by Pearl S. Buck (1955) show no sign of going out of print. In fact, they remain at the top of the list of read-aloud Christmas tales.

Many gift-givers purchase books that reflect a shared passion, theme or wish with the recipient.

The check-out counters at book stores are lined with small gift-sized treasures on friendship, families and pets. These are topics that reach out, touch the human heart and link us with our loved ones.

Like the members of the Guernsey Literary and Potato Pie Society, it was a book that led to a friendship between my husband and me.

We both owned a copy of Dag Hammarskjold's “Markings” and were surprised to discover we were both fans of the forgotten statesman. This book helped create a bond that has spanned decades and a copy still occupies our bookshelf.

My holiday and New Year's wish is that all of us will take the time to share a story or poem that connects us with our friends, neighbors and families.

And remember, your library has many seasonal items for you to share and discover. The library staff is always ready to help find what you are looking for even when you don't quite know what it is.

Whether starting a new tradition or carrying on an old one, the library has something for everyone.

Libbie Messina is a librarian at Stewart Lang Memorial Library in Cato