Library schedule gets active for holidays

FORT MADISON - The Fort Madison Public Library is celebrating the holiday season with a variety of fun and festive events for the community. All month long, you can participate in our Reading Wrap-Up Bingo Challenge on Beanstack (fortmadison.beanstack.org).  Read books and complete activities to get Bingo or black out your card.  Set a goal for yourself and see if you can meet it.
On December 5, join us for a special book discussion of “The Autobiography of Santa Claus*” by Jeff Guinn. This delightful holiday read explores the fictional backstory of Santa Claus, offering a charming perspective on the man behind the legend. It’s a perfect way to get into the holiday spirit while enjoying engaging conversation with fellow book lovers.
On December 12 from 4-7 pm, we invite all gift-givers to our Christmas Present Wrapping Workshop. Bring your holiday presents and wrapping supplies to the library’s meeting room, where we’ll provide tape, scissors, and some wrapping paper. Whether you need some extra space or just a little help with your wrapping skills, this is the ideal opportunity to wrap your presents in a relaxed, festive environment.
To round out the holiday season, the library will host a Christmas Ornament Workshop on December 23 from 10am to noon. Come create your own holiday ornaments while enjoying delicious treats. It’s a great way to add a personal touch to your holiday décor and share some festive cheer with others. Don’t miss these exciting events and the chance to make this season even more memorable at the Fort Madison Public Library!
Get Into the Holiday Season with These Books*

1. Tamales for Christmas by  Stephen Briseño (EF BRI)
2. Christmas with the Queen by Hazel Gaynor (F GAY)
3. Christmas Treats to Make and Bake by Ruth Owen (J 641.568 OWE)
4. One Big Happy Family by Susan Mallery (F MAL)
5. The More, the Terrier by Andy Carpenter (MYS ROS)
6. The Twelve Months of Christmas by Sheila Roberts (F ROB)
7. We Disagree About This Tree by Ross Collins (EF COL)
8. Don’t Let the Pigeon Drive the Sleigh! By Mo Willems (EF WIL)
9. Baking for the Holidays by Sarah Kieffer (641.568 KIE)
10. The Man Who Invented Christmas by Les Standiford (823.8 STA)
11. The Dreaded Feast edited by Michele Clarke and Taylor Plimpton (394.26 DRE
    
    There are 11 because I couldn’t pick just 10 and this is just scratching the surface of all the great holiday books we have at the library for all ages.

Upcoming Events at the Fort Madison Public Library –
The library will be closing at 1 p.m. on Tuesday, December 24th and will be closed all day on Wednesday December 25th for the Christmas Holiday.  The Library will be closed on Wednesday, January 1st for the New Year Holiday.
Pre-School/Toddler Story Hour –Wednesday morning at 10:30 am.
Teen Volunteer Opportunity – Tuesday, 3:30-5:00 for ages 12-19, except for December 10 and 24.
Minecraft –3:30-5:00, all ages on Mondays.
Once Upon a Wednesday –Join us for an afterschool adventure on December 11 from 3:30-5:00.
Thursday Crafternoon –Thursday, 3:00-5:00, for ages 14-adult.  This program is an opportunity to spend some time working on an in-depth project for the whole month. 
All Booked Up! - The library's book discussion group meets on the first Thursday of the month at 1:30 p.m.  On Thursday, December 5th we will be discussing "The Autobiography of Santa Claus” by Jeff Guinn.  Join us in January, on the 2nd for “The Giver of Stars” by JoJo Moyes
Spanish Conversation Group – An informal Spanish conversation group will be meeting at the library on the 1st Monday of the month at 6pm.  This is not a class but a chance for people who are learning to speak Spanish or already speak it to practice their conversation skills.
Geri-Fit – Geri-Fit exercise class meets on Monday, Tuesday and Thursday at 10 am.  Stretch bands provided; please bring your own light hand weights (1-2 pounds) and a bottle of water. We won’t have class on December 23.