Family Traditions, post 1

This is a post in what I hope will become a series of posts about Family Traditions. 

Most people who know me know that traditions, holidays, and new ways of doing things/thinking about things/celebrating things is something that I always get excited about. I could talk about these things all day long and be ready to start again right away the next day. I simply love it. I love evaluating how different traditions would impact me, impact my family, and if the reason behind the tradition could somehow become more meaningful.

This first post is a bit generic, something I plan to do for all holidays (well, not all holidays, but most). I bought some books describing the purpose behind the different holidays--the reason we celebrate the different holidays. Some board books, specifically, and plan to put them out as though they are decorations, around the time leading up to the holiday. And once the holiday is past, they will get put away much like decorations for that holiday would. So they'll feel new to us each time the holiday comes around and will lead to our family's deeper understanding and appreciation of the holiday. 

Here are the books we currently have/use:

I want my kids, for example, to not just think that the 4th of July is about fireworks and food, but that we celebrate America's birthday (and about all the service men and women who sacrificed so that we could watch fireworks and eat yummy food-enjoying our freedom). I want them to know that Easter is not about bunnies and eggs, but about Jesus' Resurrection. I want them to know that there once was a man named St. Patrick (I haven't yet found a book on that specific holiday, though.). Etc.

Do you/Did your family do anything to remember the meaning behind holidays? Not about a specific holiday, those posts will come later, but about all holidays in general... Was there something y'all did that made every holiday more meaningful? I would love to hear any and all generic focus-on-the-holiday's-purpose ideas or tricks or tips you have. 
Do you have any books you could recommend I add to my pile? (Either books on holidays I do have books for OR on holidays I don't have anything for.) 
Please share!