There is something magical about reading books during the holidays. It’s the comfort food of family time and is enjoyed across the ages. Reading together creates memories and slows the hectic pace we often keep as we dash through the holidays.
We gathered responses from our Power of Moms community to see what their favorite holiday books are, and we’ve compiled a fabulous list here that we’re excited to share with you.
A few ideas for how to use this list:
- Keep this list close and each holiday season check out a few from your local library
- Read by candle or Christmas tree light
- Grow a collection – purchase a few each year (get used copies)
- Wrap some books and use as a countdown
- Store your Christmas books under the Christmas tree during the month of December
- Offer a book or two off this list for anyone asking what your children need this year
- Schedule a few minutes of book time into the holiday calendar
- Have each family member take a turn reading one book a night at dinner time
HOLIDAY BOOK LIST
Picture Books:
A Charlie Brown Christmas by Charles M. Schulz
A Christmas Dress For Ellen by Thomas S. Monson
A Wish to be a Christmas Tree by Colleen Monroe
The All-I’ll-Ever-Want Christmas Doll by Paricia McKissack
An Orange for Frankie by Patricia Polacco
Babushka: A Christmas Tale by Dawn Casey
Bear Stays Up For Christmas by Karma Wilson
The Berenstain Bears’ Christmas Tree by Stan and Jan Berenstain
Berenstain Bears and the Joy of Giving by Jan and Mike Berenstain
Can You See What I See: Night Before Christmas by Walter Wick
Carl’s Christmas by Alexandra Day
Charlie and the Christmas Kitty (Charlie the Ranch Dog) by Ree Drummond
The Christmas Boot by Lisa Wheeler
Christmas Day in the Morning by Pearl S. Buck
Christmas From Heaven by Tom Brokaw
Christmas in Noisy Village by Astrid Lindgren
Christmas in the Barn by Margaret Brown
Christmas in the Big Woods by Laura Ingalls Wilder and Renee Graef
The Christmas Miracle of Jonathan Toomey by Susan Wojciechowski
Christmas Oranges by Linda Bethers
Christmas Tapestry by Patricia Polacco
Christmas Train by Thomas S. Monson
Country Angel Christmas by Tomie dePaola
The Crippled Lamb by Max Lucado
Elf on the shelf by Carol V. Aebersold
The Elves and the Shoemaker by Jacob Grimm
Fancy Nancy Splendiferous Christmas by Jane O’Connor
Findus at Christmas by Sven Nordqvist
The First Christmas by Carol Heyer
The Gift of the Magi by O. Henry
Gingerbread Christmas by Jan Brett
Home for Christmas by Jan Brett
How the Grinch Stole Christmas! by Dr. Seuss
Humphrey’s First Christmas by Carol Heyer
I Believe in Santa Claus by Diane Adamson
I Spy Little Christmas by Jean Marzollo
If You Take a Mouse to the Movies by Laura Numeroff
Jolly Christmas Postman by Allan Ahlberg
The Last Straw by Paula Palangi McDonald
The Legend of the Candy Cane by Lori Walburg
The Legend of the Poinsettia by Tomie dePaola
The Little Drummer Boy by Ezra Jack Keats
The Little Fir Tree by Margaret Brown
Merry Christmas, Strega Nona by Tomie dePaola
The Miracle of Saint Nicholas by Gloria Whelan
Mortimer’s Christmas Manger by Karma Wilson
Mr. Willowby’s Christmas Tree by Robert Barry
The Night Before Christmas by Clement Moore
The Nutcracker by Susan Jeffers
Olive, the Other Reindeer by J. Otto Seibold
One Baby Jesus by Patricia Pingry
One Starry Night by Lauren Thompson
The Polar Express by Chris Van Allsburg
Room For a Little One by Martin Waddell
Santa’s Favorite Story by Hisako Aoki
Snowmen at Christmas by Caralyn Buehner
The Spirit of Christmas by Nancy Tillman
The Stable Where Jesus Was Born by Rhonda Gowler Greene
The Tale of the Three Trees by Angela Hunt
The Wild Christmas Reindeer by Jan Brett
The Year of the Perfect Christmas Tree by Gloria Houston
This is the Stable by Cynthia Cotten
Where is Christmas, Jesse Bear? by Nancy White Carlstrom
Who’s that Knocking on Christmas Eve by Jan Brett
Chapter Books:
The Christmas Candle by Max Lucado
A Christmas Carol by Charles Dickens
The Bears’ Christmas by Stan and Jan Berenstain (Early Reader)
The Best Christmas Pageant Ever by Barbara Robison
Henry and Mudge and a Very Merry Christmas by Cynthia Rylant (Early Reader)
Poppleton in Winter by Mark Teague (Early Reader)
The Vanderbeekers of 141st Street by Karina Yan Glaser
QUESTION: Do you remember any favorite Christmas books from your childhood? Which do you most like to read in your family now?
CHALLENGE: Schedule some family time this week to read some Christmas books. Hop on your library website right now and try to put some on hold. Maybe do a Christmas book rotation/swap with your neighbors.
Photo by Drew Coffman on Unsplash
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