A Last-Minute Christmas Survival Guide

The Mentor Public Library will be closed Thursday and Friday for Christmas Eve and Christmas, respectively.

We hope you have all the holidays books, movies and music you need; but, if you’re left in a lurch these next two days, we can still help. After all, our digital services are always available—even when our branches are closed.

We’ve also compiled some seasonally appropriate lists to help you navigate our digital collections.

If you’re looking for Christmas music, you can download it from Freegal or stream it on Hoopla.

If you’re looking for holidays specials that you can stream to any device, check out our Hoopla playlist.

Finally, if you’re looking for something to read, here are 12 of our favorite seasonal short stories and novels, some of which are available as eBooks via Cloud Library and OverDrive or as audiobooks on Hoopla.

And, as always, all of our digital services are free with a Mentor Public Library card.

Thank you for your continued support and we hope you and your family have a Merry Christmas!

Kids ride the Polar Express at Mentor Public Library

Wyatt takes a ride on the Polar Express at Mentor Library.

Kids took a ride on the Polar Express during a special story time on Monday at our Main Branch.

The children dressed in their pajamas to hear the classic Christmas tale, “The Polar Express,” written by Chris Van Allsburg.

Then, they decorated their own graham-cracker trains.

The evening ended with a Christmas singalong where each child received their own silver bell, just like the child in “The Polar Express.”

Caleigh carefully places peanut butter cups onto her graham cracker trains.

Bo's train is ready to roll.

Maggie, Brady and John show the silver bells that they got from Santa.

Aislyn, Roman and Vanessa enjoy their cookies and cocoa.

For more photos from our Polar Express story time, visit Mentor Library's Facebook page.

12 Christmas Specials You Can Watch for Free on Hoopla

In the mood to watch something seasonal but don't feel like leaving home today?

That's not a problem. With Hoopla, you can stream more than 300,000 audiobooks, movies and albums to your phone, tablet or computer anywhere at anytime. And it's free with your Mentor Public Library card.

Here are 12 different Christmas movies and TV episodes that you can start streaming now.

1. Madeline's Christmas

All lists that can include Madeline's Christmas should, including lists about holiday specials, beloved children's literature characters, and pandemics.

There's not a whole lot of plot to Madeline's Christmas (but since when has Madeline been about things happening.) Basically, Madeline must take care of her classmates who have fallen ill around holiday time.

That's right. Any cartoon character can save Christmas! Madeline saves the holiday and cures the common cold. Is there anything this adorable moppet can't do?

2. The Office (UK)—BBC Special

No, not the one with the Yankee swap. This is the original British The Office—the one that inspired the American variant and made Ricky Gervais your favorite comedian's favorite comedian.

This isn't just a Christmas special. It's also the finale. Can David Brent (Gervais as the pre-Michael Scott entertainer/boss) find a date in time for the office Christmas party? And will Dawn and Tim—the British versions of Pam and Jim, but you probably figured that out—make it work?

3. Bah Humduck! A Looney Christmas

There are hundreds of iterations on Charles Dickens' A Christmas Carol, but this is the only one with Daffy Duck.

Ergo, it must also be the best. (Though we also acknowledge the awesomeness of A Muppet Christmas Carol.)

4. A Muppets Christmas: Letters to Santa

Speaking of the Muppets, Kermit and friends need to make it to the North Pole before Christmas so they can deliver letters to Santa in this adventure.

It's got music, merriment and Pepe the King Prawn flirting haplessly with Uma Thurman.

5. Holiday Inn

Bing Crosby and Fred Astaire sing and dance their way into your heart in the musical comedy classic. Crosby plays a song and dance man who leaves showbiz to run an inn that is open only on holidays. Astaire plays his former partner and romantic rival for the affections of Marjorie Reynolds.

6. One Christmas

Another classic filled with famous performers, including Katherine Hepburn and Henry Winkler. This film, based on Truman Capote's autobiographical story, is about a young man who visits his estranged father for Christmas in 1930 in New Orleans.

7. The Small One

Usually when Disney does Christmas, it involves Mickey Mouse or Scrooge McDuck getting visited by three ghosts.

But there's neither mouse nor Claus in sight during this animated short. Instead, it tells the story of the donkey who carries a pregnant Mary to Bethlehem.

8. Yo Gabba Gabba: Very Awesome Holiday Show

Join DJ Lance Rock, Brobee, Foofa, Muno, Plex and Toodee as they dance, sing and decorate the tree to prepare for the arrival of Santa Claus

9. Super Mario World, The Night Before Cave Christmas

This is, by far, the most ridiculous entry on this list. It's sillier than Sonic and Inspector Gadget saving Christmas combined.

After all, what can be more ridiculous than Mario and Luigi trying to stop King Koopa from stealing a bunch of cavemen's Christmas gifts?

10. Abbott & Costello: The Christmas Show

The original kings of comedy celebrate Christmas as only they can.

11. The Story of Christmas

Christmas isn't just about Daffy Duck and princess-saving plumbers. It's not just about Santa Claus or talking snowmen either.

The Story of Christmas recounts the tale of Jesus's birth simply and sweetly. Watch it with your kids if they start to forget the reason for the season.

12. Krampus: The Christmas Devil

And on the opposite side of the spectrum, we have a horror film about a demon who's come to punish all the kids on the naughty list.

Get all the Christmas music you need with Hoopla & your MPL card

Do you need some Christmas music to set the mood for your all-day gift-wrapping marathon?

We have you covered.

With Hoopla and your Mentor Library card, you can stream up to 10 different albums for free each month. And they have an enormous catalog of Christmas music from which you can choose.

Here are some of your favorites, but feel free to browse around the Hoopla site and see what they have.

(By the way, if you don’t know how to use Hoopla, you can check out this video tutorial that one of our librarians made.)

1. White Christmas (40 Unforgettable Classics)

There are hundreds of Christmas compilations with different legends singing different standards. This is one of the best. You want Bing Crosby and Billie Holiday? You want Peggy Lee and Elvis? You want "White Christmas" and "Ave Maria?" This album has you covered—40 classics from the artists you want to hear sing them.

2. The Ultimate Motown Christmas

The Jackson 5 singing "Santa Claus Is Coming to Town," Stevie Wonder singing "Ave Maria," The Supremes singing "Joy to the World," Four Tops, Johnny Gill, Marvin Gaye, even the Funk Brothers playing "Winter Wonderland"—after all, it's not Christmas without some soul. Speaking of which,Aretha Franklin and Patti LaBelle also have Christmas albums you can stream via Hoopla.

3. Bing Crosby Sings Christmas Songs

For a generation, Bing Crosby's "White Christmas" is the Christmas song, but Bing has more classics than that in his catalog. Hear him sing everything from "Adeste Fideles" to "The Christmas Song." And if you're in the mood for a Rat Pack Christmas, check out holiday albums from Frank Sinatra,Dean Martin and the whole gang.

4. Muppet Christmas Carol: Special Edition

I'm not saying the Muppets own Christmas, but you could make a pretty awesome holiday playlist just using Muppets soundtracks.

5. A Charlie Brown Christmas

The only downside to listening to Vince Guaraldi's classic soundtrack is you won't be able to get "Linus and Lucy" out of your head for a couple of days. You're probably humming it already. If you're looking for other kid-friendly Christmas albums, try Veggie Tales' A Very Veggie Christmas.

6. Christmastime in Larryland

Meanwhile, this one's definitely not for the kids. But sometimes you just want to hear Larry the Cable Guy fart "Jingle Bells." If you need more blue-collar Christmas, Bill Engvall has you covered.

7. Christmas with the Ray Brown Trio

Ray Brown's one of the greatest jazz bassists of all time, and this album's perfect for jazz fans who will snap if they hear "Run, Run Rudolph" one more time. For more Christmas jazz, check out Ray Brown's old bandmate Oscar Peterson.

8. This Is Christmas (Elvis Presley Performing Timeless Christmas Classics)

If Bing owns "White Christmas," then nobody sang "Blue Christmas" like the King. He also has a beautiful version of "Peace in the Valley."

9. Bach: Advent & Christmas Cantatas

For lovers of classical music or for those who need background music during Christmas dinner. More classical Christmas: The Royal Philharmonic take on seasonal standards.

10. Christmas Grass Too

A sweet compilation of bluegrass Christmas songs that includes Dolly Parton, Charlie Daniels, the Larkins and more. For more Christmas country, try Alan Jackson's Let It Be Christmas.

11. Phineas and Ferb Holiday Favorites

"I Really Don't Hate Christmas" is probably my favorite Christmas song. Thank you, Dr. Doofenshmirtz.

12. An All-4-One Christmas

What? Sometimes, you just want a New Jack Swing Christmas.

Hoopla also streams video. Check out 12 Christmas specials you can watch on Hoopla right now for free if you have a Mentor Library card.

Wear your ugliest Christmas sweater to MPL's Teen Holiday Party

Forget a silent night. It's party time!

Teens can win free movie tickets for rocking their ugliest Christmas sweater to our Teen Holiday Party at 2:30 p.m., Saturday, Dec. 12, at our Main Branch.

You can also decorate cookies, craft ornaments from duct tape and enjoy some pizza. (Because what's a party without pizza?)

The party is free and open to everyone in seventh through 12th grade. However, we do ask that you register beforehand.

You can sign up on our website or by calling us at (440) 255-8811 ext. 215.

See you at the party.

Holiday Story Times & Programs at Mentor Public Library

Sienna and her mom sing along during a Deck the Halls story time at Mentor Library.

It's a very special time of year. It's time for peace on earth, decking the halls and stocking stuffing.

And, at Mentor Public Library, it's also story time!

We are hosting special story times throughout December at all of our branches to celebrate the season.

We have Deck the Halls story times with Christmas stories, songs and crafts at 10 a.m. on Thursday, Dec. 10, and Wednesday, Dec. 16, at our Main Branch.

Nico smiles during a holiday singalong.

That's just the beginning. We have:

• a special story about the tradition of tinsel at 7 p.m. Thursday, Dec. 17, at our Main Branch. Kids will also make a fun, take-home craft and enjoy cocoa and cookies.
• our annual Headlands holiday party at 2 p.m. Saturday, Dec. 19. Kids can listen to Christmas stories, sing songs and make crafts at our Headlands Branch.
• Kids from three to seven can take a trip on the Polar Express with us on Monday, Dec. 21, at our Main Branch.
• We'll also have a special Holiday Rhyme Time for families on Tuesday, Dec. 22, at our Lake Branch.



Kids decorate cookies during our Deck the Halls story time.

It's not just young kids who get to have all the fun either. We're hosting a holiday party for teens at 2:30 p.m. on Saturday, Dec. 12, at our Main Branch. They'll be cookies, pizza and the ugliest Christmas sweater wins a prize!

All of these programs are free, though some of them require registration beforehand. You can sign up on our online event calendar or by calling the library.

Happy Holidays!

When you get caught with frosting face...

For more photos from MPL programs, visit our Facebook page.

Season's Readings: 12 Christmas Stories

With respect to the 12 days of Christmas, here are a dozen seasonal stories to see you through your yuletide.

1. Holidays on Ice by David Sedaris

If you like Sedaris and his droll sense of humor, you probably already consider this collection of short stories a classic. If you don't like Sedaris, I don't know if there's anything in here that will change your mind. But if you haven't read any Sedaris, then "SantaLand Diaries"—the story of a 33-year-old man working as an elf at SantaLand—is a great point of entry.

2. A Different Kind of Christmas by Alex Haley

Haley's best known as the author of Roots and the ghostwriter of Malcolm X's autobiography. That sort of resume doesn't immediately make one think of Christmas. However, A Different Kind of Christmas is true to both the season and Haley. It tells the story of a young man who's trying to help one of his father's slaves escape on Christmas Eve.

3. A Christmas Carol by Charles Dickens

You know this one: stingy lender, hobbled child, three ghosts, humbug. Even if you've seen a half-dozen movie versions of this story, you should still read the book. It has some of Dickens' finest writing. (And, if you're looking for a movie version, my personal favorite is the Muppets.)

4. A Christmas Memory by Truman Capote

Let's be honest. It's easy to make Christmas stories (especially those involving children) saccharine. But this story about a 7-year-old boy and an elderly woman, who is also his best friend, hits the sweet spot. It's a beautiful rumination on odd friendships and growing up.

5. Mrs. Miracle by Debbie Macomber

Even if you don't know Macomber by name, you probably still know her stories. She's responsible for the stories behind several Hallmark films. If you enjoy Hallmark films, you'll love Macomber's books. If you don't, there's always Holidays on Ice.

6. Matchless by Gregory Maguire

Maguire—the writer behind Wicked and Confessions of an Ugly Step-Sister—gives his version of the Hans Christian Andersen's "The Little Match Girl." Fair warning: You'll probably cry when you read this (but you already know that if you're familiar with the original.)

7. You Better Not Cry by Augusten Burroughs

Burroughs was on his sixth memoir by the time he wrote You Better Not Cry. That's even more than Winston Churchill. You would think Burroughs would be out of material by now, but his Christmas-tinged recollections range from sweet to sad and never miss their mark.

8. Winter Dream by Richard Paul Evans

You were expecting The Christmas Box, right? That's his stadium hit, Evans' "Layla" or "Stairway to Heaven." But Evans has written a lot of seasonally appropriate tomes. This one incorporates the Old Testament story of Joseph and his prophetic dreams and gives it a modern retelling.

9. Polar Express by Chris Van Allsburg

If your child likes this holiday classic, then he or she will love our special Polar Express story time on Monday, Dec. 21.

10. Decked With Holly by Marni Bates

This YA book about a girl pretending to be fauxmantically involved with a mega-popular rock star is over the top in all the right ways. Teens who liked Bates' Awkward will get a kick out of Holly too.

11. Santa & Pete by Christopher Moore & Pamela Johnson

Did you know that Santa used to have an African accomplice named Pete? You know about the elves and Rudolph; but, somehow, Santa's most important helper has disappeared in the annals of time. (If you liked Moore's story about Jesus' forgotten friend Biff, then you'll get a kick out of this too.)

12. How the Grinch Stole Christmas by Dr. Seuss

Most people think the instance where the Grinch's heart grows three sizes is a nice moment. But cardiomegaly can lead to congestive heart failure. It may have even contributed to Secretariat's death.

That aside, this book is pretty much perfect. Happy readings!

Have Yourself a very Freegal Christmas

Thanksgiving is over. Nobody can give you a dirty look for playing Christmas music now.

So if you’re looking for something different to play this Christmas or just need a new copy of an old favorite, you should check out Freegal.

Freegal is one of the library’s digital services, which lets you download DRM-free mp3s of your favorite songs. Moreover, once you download a song, you can keep the mp3 forever. Put it on your phone, your computer, your iPod–wherever you want. It’s yours.

And if you prefer to stream music, you can do that too!

If you have a Mentor Public Library card, you can download five songs for free every week from Freegal, and there's no limit to how many songs you can stream.

So here are just a smattering of your seasonal choices.

1. Pentatonix, That's Christmas to Me

Last year's most popular Christmas album is likely to stay in heavy rotation this year. You can even check out the new tracks the group added to their Deluxe Edition.

2. Kelly Clarkson, Wrapped in Red
Clarkson’s Christmas album is already ubiquitous. You can start downloading songs from it now for free. (If you have the patience to spread it out over a couple of weeks, then you can get the entire album. And, yes, I still call them albums.)

Personal favorite: I’m always game for a new cover of "Run, Run Rudolph." I’m less enthusiastic about "Baby, It’s Cold Outside," which is pretty much the holiday version of "Blurred Lines."

3. Harry Belafonte, Christmas
Belafonte could sing about muddy slush and it would still sound great with his voice, so it’s a delight to hear him sing these carols.

4. Dolly Parton, Home for Christmas
As a general rule, I love Dolly. This is doubly true during the holidays.

5. Ukulele Christmas
This album’s for all the people who loved Israel Kamakawiwo`ole’s version of "Over the Rainbow." And, no, these standards aren’t performed by IZ, but they have that same combination of earnestness and sweetness.

Personal favorite: "Auld Lang Syne," but you might also like the "Over the Rainbow/We Wish You a Merry Christmas" medley.

6. Kirk Franklin, Christmas
If you need some gospel music this time of year, Kirk Franklin and the Family have you covered. Standards like "Go Tell It on the Mountain" and "O Come All Ye Faithful" sound sweeter than ever.

7. Harry Connick Jr., When my Heart Finds Christmas
Connick has a lot of Christmas albums in his discography. This one’s my favorite but they are all available on Freegal.

Personal favorite: "I Pray on Christmas."

8. Parranda All-Stars: Navidad
There’s a lot more to Latin Christmas music than Feliz Navidad. This album is a good place to start.

9. NSYNC, Home for Christmas
Any NSYNC fans out there? There must be some. These guys only sold 50 bajillion records.

If you bought the CD or even *gasp* the cassette when you were in middle school, here’s a chance to update your medium for free.

10. Glee Cast, Blue Christmas
If you don’t like Glee…

11. Elvis, The Classic Christmas Album
Freegal has the Elvis version of "Blue Christmas" too.

What are some of your favorite Christmas albums?

If you’re having trouble with Freegal, MPL Librarian Mary Pelton made a video explaining how to navigate its web site.

A Last-Minute Christmas Survival Guide

The Mentor Public Library will be closed Wednesday and Thursday for Christmas Eve and Christmas, respectively.

We hope you have all the holidays books, movies and music you need; but, if you're left in a lurch these next two days, we can still help. After all, our digital services are always available—even when our branches are closed.

We've also compiled some seasonally appropriate lists to help you navigate our digital collections.

If you're looking for Christmas music, you can download it from Freegal or stream it on Hoopla.

If you're looking for holidays specials that you can stream to any device, check out our Hoopla and IndieFlix playlists.

Finally, if you're looking for something to read, here are 12 of our favorite seasonal short stories and novels, some of which are available as eBooks via OverDrive or as audiobooks on Hoopla.

And, as always, all of our digital services are free with a Mentor Public Library card.

Thank you for your continued support and we hope you and your family have a Merry Christmas!

Holiday House Party at Mentor Library

Laci carefully places each M&M on her graham-cracker home.

What's the best way to follow up making gingerbread men? How about giving them graham-cracker homes?

We had a special story time on Monday at our Main Branch. Kids listened as Ms. Mary read them The Gingerbread Pirates by Kristin Kladstrup.

Then the children constructed homes using graham crackers for walls and roofs and frosting as spackling paste. Finally, they decorated them with M&Ms, gumdrops, marshmallows, gummy bears and candy canes.

Alex dots the roof with gumdrops.

We still have more holiday programs coming at all three of our branches. You can come to our special Christmas Rhyme Time on Dec. 23 at our Mentor-on-the-Lake Branch.

On Monday, Dec. 29, we’ll be using recycled greeting cards to make holiday villages at our Main Branch.

The party continues in 2015 with our Year in Review program on Jan. 2 and the New Year’s party for our Teen Book Club on Jan. 3 at our Mentor-on-the-Lake Branch.

You can check out more of our programs and register for them on our event calendar. If you have any questions, you can always call Mentor Library at 440-255-8811.

Jaydon simultaneously smiles, shows off his graham-cracker house and blocks his younger sister out of the frame.

For more photos from our holiday house party, visit our Facebook page.

Streaming Christmas Music with Hoopla

Do you need some Christmas music to set the mood for your all-day gift-wrapping marathon?

We have you covered.

With Hoopla and your Mentor Library card, you can stream up to 10 different albums for free each month. And they have an enormous catalog of Christmas music from which you can choose.

Here are some of your favorites, but feel free to browse around the Hoopla site and see what they have.

(By the way, if you don’t know how to use Hoopla, you can check out this video tutorial that one of our librarians made.)

1. White Christmas (40 Unforgettable Classics)

There are hundreds of Christmas compilations with different legends singing different standards. This is one of the best. You want Bing Crosby and Billie Holiday? You want Peggy Lee and Elvis? You want "White Christmas" and "Ave Maria?" This album has you covered—40 classics from the artists you want to hear sing them.

2. The Ultimate Motown Christmas

The Jackson 5 singing "Santa Claus Is Coming to Town," Stevie Wonder singing "Ave Maria," The Supremes singing "Joy to the World," Four Tops, Johnny Gill, Marvin Gaye, even the Funk Brothers playing "Winter Wonderland"—after all, it's not Christmas without some soul. Speaking of which, Aretha Franklin and Patti LaBelle also have Christmas albums you can stream via Hoopla.

3. Bing Crosby Sings Christmas Songs

For a generation, Bing Crosby's "White Christmas" is the Christmas song, but Bing has more classics than that in his catalog. Hear him sing everything from "Adeste Fideles" to "The Christmas Song." And if you're in the mood for a Rat Pack Christmas, check out holiday albums from Frank Sinatra, Dean Martin and the whole gang.

4. Muppet Christmas Carol: Special Edition

I'm not saying the Muppets own Christmas, but you could make a pretty awesome holiday playlist just using Muppets soundtracks.

5. A Charlie Brown Christmas

The only downside to listening to Vince Guaraldi's classic soundtrack is you won't be able to get "Linus and Lucy" out of your head for a couple of days. You're probably humming it already. If you're looking for other kid-friendly Christmas albums, try Veggie Tales' A Very Veggie Christmas.

6. Christmastime in Larryland

Meanwhile, this one's definitely not for the kids. But sometimes you just want to hear Larry the Cable Guy fart "Jingle Bells." If you need more blue-collar Christmas, Bill Engvall has you covered.

7. Christmas with the Ray Brown Trio

Ray Brown's been playing bass longer than most people have been doing anything, and this album's perfect for jazz fans who will snap if they hear "Run, Run Rudolph" one more time. For more Christmas jazz, check out Ray Brown's old bandmate Oscar Peterson.

8. This Is Christmas (Elvis Presley Performing Timeless Christmas Classics)

If Bing owns "White Christmas," then nobody sang "Blue Christmas" like the King. He also has a beautiful version of "Peace in the Valley."

9. Bach: Advent & Christmas Cantatas

For lovers of classical music or for those who need background music during Christmas dinner. More classical Christmas: The Royal Philharmonic take on seasonal standards.

10. Christmas Grass Too

A sweet compilation of bluegrass Christmas songs that includes Dolly Parton, Charlie Daniels, the Larkins and more. For more Christmas country, try Alan Jackson's Let It Be Christmas.

11. Phineas and Ferb Holiday Favorites

"I Really Don't Hate Christmas" is probably my favorite Christmas song. Thank you, Dr. Doofenshmirtz.

12. An All-4-One Christmas

You'll know almost exactly how old I am if I admit that I used to have this on cassette.

Hoopla also streams video. Check out 12 Christmas specials you can watch on Hoopla right now for free if you have a Mentor Library card.

Holidays at the Branches

Kids show off the holiday gifts they made during our annual Christmas program at our Headlands Branch.

A lot of our posts lately have been about holiday programs at our Main Branch on Mentor Avenue, but we've been getting into the spirit at our Headlands and Mentor-on-the-Lake Branches too.

On Thursday, we had our annual Christmas program at our Headlands Branch.

We sang songs and read stories—including a personal favorite, "Oh, What a Christmas" by Michael Garland—while the kids made Santa stars, candy cane holders and other ornaments.

Ms. Terris helps one of the kids decorate his Christmas tree.

Meanwhile, we had a Countdown to Christmas at our Lake Branch on Saturday.

Kids made Christmas countdown calendars, sang carols and played a holiday version of Bingo.

Children work on their Christmas calendars (that count to 25.)

We still have more holiday programs coming at all three of our branches. You can come to our special Christmas Rhyme Time on Dec. 23 at our Mentor-on-the-Lake Branch.

On Monday, Dec. 29, we'll be using recycled greeting cards to make holiday villages at our Main Branch.

The party continues in 2015 with our Year in Review program on Jan. 2 and the New Year's party for our Teen Book Club on Jan. 3 at our Mentor-on-the-Lake Branch.

You can check out more of our programs and register for them on our event calendar. If you have any questions, you can always call Mentor Library at 440-255-8811.

It's a Santa star!

12 Days of Christmas on IndieFlix

Remember IndieFlix?

It's the website that allows you to stream thousands of independent films from festivals all around the world. And it's free with your Mentor Public Library card.

The IndieFlix catalog has independently made full-length features and shorts, as well as classic movies and even television episodes.

And it also has a lot of awesome Christmas stories you can watch, if you're feeling festive.

So without further prelude, a dozen seasonal selections from IndieFlix for your 12 Days of Christmas:

1. Don't Tell Santa You're Jewish
A young Jewish girl is worried that Santa will find out that she doesn't celebrate Christmas during her hockey league's holiday party. This animated short is all kinds of adorable. It doesn't matter if you spin the dreidel or hang the mistletoe, you'll get a kick out of this one.

2. The Santa Lie
This short from the United Kingdom is about a 6-year-old girl who discovers the truth about Santa. Needless to say, her parents are left sputtering for an explanation.

3. Santa Claus Conquers the Martians
This 1964 film is unforgettable. Whether it's memorable in the good or bad sense is a matter of taste. Simply put, you can file this one under "so bad it's good." It features a bunch of Martians who kidnap Santa Claus so they have someone to give their children presents. If you snickered when you read, "Martians who kidnap Santa," then this one might be worth a look. (It is free, after all.)

4. A Jersey Christmas
A group of clerks at Xmas-O-Rama, a tumbledown Christmas shop in Jersey, are trapped working there until midnight on Christmas Eve. While the boss is at a card game in a last-ditch attempt to pay his bookies, the employees (most of whom are not Christian) struggle with their "outsider" relationship to Christmas. Fair warning: Despite having "Christmas" in its title, this is not a family film. There's way too much profanity in this one to consider it kid-friendly.

5. The Jack Benny Show, The Christmas Shopping Show
In addition to independent films and shorts, IndieFlix features a bunch of classic television shows, including their Christmas specials. In this episode of "The Jack Benny Show," Jack tries to finish all of his Christmas shopping in one fell swoop. (You'll feel immense sympathy for the poor wallet salesman.)

6. The Silver Bow
This one just might make you tear up a little. A son gets his dad, a bedraggled street performer, the perfect Christmas present.

7. The Great Rupert (A Christmas Wish)
This movie might be worth watching just to hear Jimmy Durante sing "Jingle Bells." But the real scene-stealer in this family-friendly film is an animated squirrel who saves Christmas. That's right, Jimmy Durante and a stop-motion animated squirrel. If you don't want to see that, then you don't understand Christmas.

8. Jingle Blues, Jingle Bells
The father in an atypical black British family tries to get his family through the holiday and an impending financial crisis after he loses his job. Can he keep his sanity while still giving his kids the Christmas they want?

9. The Carrot Cake Conversations
This film is more Christmas-adjacent than full-on festive (like "Die Hard" or "Batman Returns.") It is a story of four strangers--three locals and a failed American actress--who find themselves stranded in Singapore two days before Christmas, and find companionship among themselves over a plate of carrot cake.

10. Wood of Value
This Norwegian documentary follows the path of a Christmas tree from the forests of Norway, across the North Sea to the city of London. It also tells the story of the people who assist the tree on its journey.

11. Christmas Comes on a Bicycle
This short film from South Korea is both somber and sweet. A young boy tries to get the object of his affection to notice him on Christmas, but she is too distracted by her job at a family bicycle shop to even notice that it's Christmas.

12. The Beverly Hillbillies, Home for Christmas
The Clampetts fly back to their original home for the holidays, but can a fish that's used to being out of water return to the sea?

Some of our Favorite Things

I asked my coworkers at Mentor Public Library what their favorite Christmas story, movie or song is. For your convenience, I've linked their answers to where you can find them in our collection.

Dee from Circulation: How the Grinch Stole Christmas (the Boris Karloff version)
Kim from Children's: How the Grinch Stole Christmas (the Jim Carrey version) and Baby, It's Cold Outside
Sue from Administration: Jolly Snow by Jane Hissey
Ed from IT: A Christmas Story
Leslie from Circulation: White Christmas (the movie)
Sally from Shelving: White Christmas (the song)
Morgan from Shelving: Carol of the Bells
Barb from Tech Services: Christmas Carol (both the book and the film starring Alistair Sim)
Mary from Tech Services: The Bishop's Wife
Rita from Circulation: It's a Wonderful Life
Torey from Circulation: This Christmas by Donny Hathaway
Kristin from Reference: The Muppet Christmas Carol
Meredith from Reference: All I Want for Christmas Is You by Mariah Carey
Mary from our Children's Department: National Lampoon's Christmas Vacation and O Holy Night by Josh Groban
Judy from Circulation: The Santa Clause and Underneath the Christmas Tree by Kelly Clarkson
Lisa from Children's: A Charlie Brown Christmas (both the movie and soundtrack)
Kelly from Finance: Miracle on 34th Street
Tiffany from Tech Services: Elf
Mary Beth from Tech Services: Lilies of the Field
Julie from Tech Services: The Christmas Donkey by T. William Taylor
Lynn from Administration: The Hallelujah Chorus
Caleb from Circulation: 2000 Miles by The Pretenders
Amanda from Reference: A Garfield Christmas and Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas
Cailey from Reference: The Year Without Santa Claus
Pam from the Mentor Headlands Branch: Sound of Music
Mary from Reference: Grandma Got Run over by a Reindeer by Elmo 'n Patsy
Jason from Community Outreach: I Hate Christmas by Oscar, the Grouch

You can find all of our favorites at Mentor Public Library. What's your favorite Christmas song, movie or book?

Catching Gingerbread Men at Mentor Library

Emily traces the outline of her cookie man with frosting during a holiday story time on Saturday at Mentor Public Library.

Children didn’t have to run too fast to catch their own gingerbread men during a holiday story time on Saturday at our Main Branch.

Kids decorated their cookie men with frosting and candy. They also listened to “Gingerbread Boy” by Paul Galdone and sang along to author Erin Dealey’s “Deck the Walls.” (“Deck the walls with mashed potatoes/Fa la la la la la la la la…”)

Mentor Public Library has several other holiday programs for both kids and adults scheduled this December, including a Holiday Cookie Exchange on Dec. 10, Deck the Halls Family Story Times on Dec. 11 and 17, a Countdown to Christmas on Dec. 13, and a Holiday House Party on Dec. 22.

For information on these programs and more, check out our event calendar.

And for more photos from our holiday story time, visit our Facebook page.

Jules sneaks a bit of frosting while decorating her gingerbread man.

Season's Readings: 12 Christmas Stories

With respect to the 12 days of Christmas, here are a dozen seasonal stories to see you through until the New Year.

1. Holidays on Ice by David Sedaris

If you like Sedaris and his droll sense of humor, you probably already consider this collection of short stories a classic. If you don't like Sedaris, I don't know if there's anything in here that will change your mind. But if you haven't read any Sedaris, then SantaLand Diaries--the story of a 33-year-old man working as an elf at SantaLand--is a great point of entry.

2. A Different Kind of Christmas by Alex Haley

Haley's best known as the author of Roots and the ghostwriter of Malcolm X's autobiography. That sort of resume doesn't immediately make one think of Christmas. However, A Different Kind of Christmas is true to both the season and Haley. It tells the story of a young man who's trying to help one of his father's slaves escape on Christmas Eve.

3. A Christmas Carol by Charles Dickens

You know this one: stingy lender, hobbled child, three ghosts, humbug. Even if you've seen a half-dozen movie versions of this story, you should still read the book. It has some of Dickens' finest writing. (And, if you're looking for a movie version, my personal favorite is the Muppets.)

4. A Christmas Memory by Truman Capote

Let's be honest. It's easy to make Christmas stories (especially those involving children) saccharine. But this story about a 7-year-old boy and an elderly woman, who is also his best friend, hits the sweet spot. It's a beautiful rumination on odd friendships and growing up.

5. Mrs. Miracle by Debbie Macomber

Even if you don't know Macomber by name, you probably still know her stories. She's responsible for the stories behind several Hallmark films. If you enjoy Hallmark films, you'll love Macomber's books. If you don't, there's always Holidays on Ice.

6. Matchless by Gregory Maguire

Maguire--the writer behind Wicked and Confessions of an Ugly Step-Sister--gives his version of the Hans Christian Andersen's The Little Match Girl. Fair warning: You'll probably cry when you read this (but you already know that if you're familiar with the original.)

7. You Better Not Cry by Augusten Burroughs

Burroughs was on his sixth memoir by the time he wrote You Better Not Cry. That's even more than Winston Churchill. You would think Burroughs would be out of material by now, but his Christmas-tinged recollections range from sweet to sad and never miss their mark.

8. Winter Dream by Richard Paul Evans

You were expecting The Christmas Box, right? That's his stadium hit, his Layla or Stairway to Heaven. But Evans has written a lot of seasonally appropriate tomes. This one incorporates the Old Testament story of Joseph and his prophetic dreams and gives it a modern retelling.

9. Polar Express by Chris Van Allsburg

Don't let the dead-eyed motion-capture movie deter you. This story is a classic.

10. Decked With Holly by Marni Bates

This YA book about a girl pretending to be fauxmantically involved with a mega-popular rock star is over the top in all the right ways. Teens who liked Bates' Awkward will get a kick out of Holly too.

11. Santa & Pete by Christopher Moore & Pamela Johnson

Did you know that Santa used to have an African accomplice named Pete? You know about the elves and Rudolph; but, somehow, Santa's most important helper has disappeared in the annals of time. (If you liked Moore's story about Jesus' forgotten friend Biff, then you'll get a kick out of this too.)

12. How the Grinch Stole Christmas by Dr. Seuss

Most people think the instance where the Grinch's heart grows three sizes is a nice moment. But cardiomegaly can lead to congestive heart failure. It may have even contributed to Secretariat's death.

That aside, this book is pretty much perfect. I read it every Christmas... and Easter... and most Octobers... and sometimes in June.

12 Christmas Specials You Can Watch for Free on Hoopla

In the mood to watch something seasonal but don't feel like leaving home today?

That's not a problem. With Hoopla, you can stream more than 300,000 audiobooks, movies and albums to your phone, tablet or computer anywhere at anytime. And it's free with your Mentor Public Library card.

Here are 12 different Christmas movies and TV episodes that you can start streaming now.

1. Madeline's Christmas

All lists that can include Madeline's Christmas should, including lists about holiday specials, beloved children's literature characters, and pandemics.

There's not a whole lot of plot to Madeline's Christmas (but since when has Madeline been about things happening.) Basically, Madeline must take care of her classmates who have fallen ill around holiday time.

That's right. Any cartoon character can save Christmas! Madeline saves the holiday and cures the common cold. Is there anything this adorable moppet can't do?

2. The Office (UK)—BBC Special

No, not the one with the Yankee swap. This is the original British The Office—the one that inspired the American variant and made Ricky Gervais your favorite comedian's favorite comedian.

This isn't just a Christmas special. It's also the finale. Can David Brent (Gervais as the pre-Michael Scott entertainer/boss) find a date in time for the office Christmas party? And will Dawn and Tim—the British versions of Pam and Jim, but you probably figured that out—make it work?

3. The Munsters' Scary Little Christmas

Ready to have yourself a Munster little Christmas?

Eddie is missing Transylvania so the rest of his family rallies around him in this holiday Munsterpiece.

4. Archie's Weird Mysteries, The Christmas Phantom

Speaking of holiday monsters...

We'll forgive you if you've never heard of Archie's Weird Mysteries. Simply put, some television executive thought it would be a good idea to turn the Riverdale gang into the Scooby-Doo Crew.

Consequently, in this series, Archie, Betty, Veronica and Jughead solve mysteries with a supernatural twist. It's every bit as awful/awesome as it sounds.

If you want a seasonal sampling, check out The Christmas Phantom. It's the best Christmas special about a specter lurking in a department store that we've ever seen.

5. The Night Before Christmas

Or if you're looking for something more traditional, you can watch as Anthony Edwards narrates this Christmas classic.

6. Strawberry Shortcake, Berry Merry Christmas

Just when you thought this shortcake couldn't get any sweeter, she made a Christmas special.

Get ready for some adorable. Strawberry Shortcake and her friends make Madeline look like Edgar Allan Poe.

7. Christmas with the Addams Family

Uncle Fester gets stuck in the chimney while dressed as Santa. That's all you needed to know, right?

8. The Story of Christmas

Christmas isn't just about mystery-solving teenagers and princess-saving plumbers. (Oh, we'll get to the Mario Christmas special later.) It's not just about Santa Claus or talking snowmen either.

The Story of Christmas recounts the tale of Jesus's birth simply and sweetly. Watch it with your kids if they start to forget the reason for the season.

9. Bah Humduck! A Looney Christmas

There are hundreds of iterations on Charles Dickens' A Christmas Carol, but this is the only one with Plucky Duck.

Ergo, it must also be the best. (Though we also acknowledge the awesomeness of A Muppet Christmas Carol.)

10. Christmas Kiss

Consider this the obligatory romantic comedy option.

On second thought, maybe you'd be better off borrowing one of our copies of Love Actually.

11. Franklin's Magic Christmas

Franklin's having a difficult Christmas. His grandpa's sick, Faraway Farm is snowed in, and his sister Harriet is driving him crazy.

I wonder if the holiday will teach him any special lessons about appreciating his younger sibling.

12. Super Mario World, The Night Before Cave Christmas

As is probably obvious by now, we have an enormous soft spot for Christmas specials that border on the ridiculous.

And what can be more ridiculous than Christmas with Mario and Luigi, especially when Mario is trying to stop King Koopa from stealing a bunch of cavemen's Christmas gifts?

Nothing. There is a not a single thing that can be more ridiculous than that.

If you want to watch any of these videos but don't know how to use Hoopla, you can check out this video tutorial that one of our librarians made.

And check out Mentor Public Library for more awesome holiday books, movies and music.

Have Yourself a very Freegal Christmas

Thanksgiving is over. Nobody can give you a dirty look for playing Christmas music now.

So if you're looking for something different to play this Christmas or just need a new copy of an old favorite, you should check out Freegal.

Freegal is one of the library's digital services, which lets you download DRM-free mp3s of your favorite songs. Moreover, once you download a song, you can keep the mp3 forever. Put it on your phone, your computer, your iPod--wherever you want. It's yours.

If you have a Mentor Public Library card, you can download five songs for free every week from Freegal. Note: It's difficult picking just five because there are so many options.

So here are just a smattering of your seasonal choices.

Welcome to 34 consecutive days of Christmas music

1. Kelly Clarkson, Wrapped in Red
Clarkson's Christmas album is already ubiquitous. You can start downloading songs from it now for free. (If you have the patience to spread it out over a couple of weeks, then you can get the entire album. And, yes, I still call them albums.)

Personal favorite: I'm always game for a new cover of Run, Run Rudolph. I'm less enthusiastic about Baby, It's Cold Outside, which is pretty much the holiday version of Blurred Lines.

2. Harry Belafonte, Christmas
Belafonte could sing about muddy slush and it would still sound great with his voice, so it's a delight to hear him sing these carols.

3. Dolly Parton, Home for Christmas
As a general rule, I love Dolly. This is doubly true during the holidays.

4. Ukulele Christmas
This album's for all the people who loved Israel Kamakawiwo`ole's version of Over the Rainbow. And, no, these standards aren't performed by IZ, but they have that same combination of earnestness and sweetness.

Personal favorite: Auld Lang Syne, but you might also like the Over the Rainbow/We Wish You a Merry Christmas medley.

5. Kirk Franklin, Christmas
If you need some gospel music this time of year, Kirk Franklin and the Family have you covered. Standards like Go Tell It on the Mountain and O Come All Ye Faithful sound sweeter than ever.

6. Harry Connick Jr., When my Heart Finds Christmas
Connick has a lot of Christmas albums in his discography. This one's my favorite but they are all available on Freegal.

Personal favorite: I Pray on Christmas.

7. Parranda All-Stars: Navidad
There's a lot more to Latin Christmas music than Feliz Navidad. This album is a good place to start.

8. NSYNC, Home for Christmas
Any NSYNC fans out there? There must be some. These guys only sold 50 bajillion records.

If you bought the CD or even *gasp* the cassette when you were in middle school, here's a chance to update your medium for free.

9. Glee Cast, Blue Christmas
If you don't like Glee...

10. Elvis, The Classic Christmas Album
Freegal has the Elvis version of Blue Christmas too.

What are some of your favorite Christmas albums?

If you're having trouble with Freegal, MPL Librarian Mary Pelton made video explaining how to navigate its web site.

10 tips to keep you safe when shopping online

Keep yourself safe while shopping online this holiday season.

Online shopping can be convenient and thrifty.

It can also be dangerous.

You don't want strangers using your money to buy their holiday gifts, so keep yourself safe by following a few helpful tips from MPL Librarian Mary Pelton.

1. Make sure you're on a secure, encrypted site. Fortunately, there's an easy way to tell if a site is secure. Make sure the URL of the website begins with https:// as opposed to http://. Some sites also use "padlock" icons to show they're secure.
2. Know who you're buying from. Research the company's reputation, return and privacy policies, restocking fees, and shipping and handling costs. All of this information should be stated on the company's website. You should also check for reviews and buyer feedback if you're buying from an individual.
3. Only provide the necessary information when you're buying something online. No vendor needs your social security number or birth date.
4. Don't use your debit card when buying online. Use your credit card. It comes with fraud protection. Also, criminals can do more damage with a debit card because it draws directly from your bank account.
5. And only use one credit card for online shopping. This makes it easier to monitor your purchases. (Gift cards are another safe buying option.)
6. Never—I repeat, never—send your account numbers or any other personal information via email. Email is not secure.
7. Keep records when you shop online. Either save or print out receipts.
8. Keep your security software and web browsers up to date to protect against viruses, malware and other online threats.
9. Have good passwords—long passwords with uppercase and lowercase letters, numbers and symbols. This is good advice for email accounts too.
10. Make sure you're using a secure Wi-Fi connection/network whenever money is changing hands.

These tips come courtesy of Mary Pelton's monthly Computers & Cookies series. In December, she'll be offering tips for those who are looking to buy a computer or tablet—either for themselves or as a gift.

The talks are free and open to everyone. You can register for them on Mentor Library's website.