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Here are 24 Christmas Books that are a must read, we absolute love these!! Dare I say I have more than 24 favorite Christmas books, but there I said it. There are just too many great books that I love reading with my children during December. If you’re like me and love reading there is a huge list of Christmas Books at the end of this post for you to print out and take with you to the library. But for now here are 24 just really amazing books you’ll want to read with your children this Christmas season.
The Polar Express– This book is read on repeat each year. It follows a young boy who lies awake on Christmas eve wondering if Santa is real. When he hears a train outside his window and hops aboard. Through dark forests, over tall mountains, and across a barren desert of ice, the Polar Express makes its way to the huge city standing alone at the top of the world, where the boy will make his Christmas wish.
Letters From Father Christmas-Every December an envelope bearing a stamp from the North Pole would arrive for J.R.R.Tolkien’s children. Inside would be a letter in strange spidery handwriting and a beautiful colored drawing or some sketches. The letters were from Father Christmas.
Great Joy– It is just before Christmas when an organ grinder and monkey appear on the street outside Frances’s apartment. When it’s quiet she can hear their music, and when she looks out her window at midnight, she sees them sleeping outside. Finally the day of the Christmas pageant arrives, but when it’s Frances’s turn to speak, all she can think about is the organ grinder’s sad eyes — until a door opens just in time, and she finds the perfect words to share.
Christmas Tapestry-When a leak ruins the sacristy wall in his father’s church, Jonathan Jefferson Weeks thinks Christmas Eve service will be ruined. Luckily he and his father find a beautiful tapestry, perfect for covering the damaged wall and giving the church a festive look! But then, an old Jewish woman recognizes the beautiful cloth. Her discovery leads to a real miracle on Christmas Eve.
Christmas Farm-When Wilma decides her garden needs a new beginning, she gathers string, scissors, shovels, sixty-two dozen balsam seedlings, and Parker, her five-year-old neighbor. Year after year, Wilma and Parker nurture their trees, keeping careful count of how many they plant, how many perish, and how many grow to become fine, full Christmas trees.
Mr. Willowby’s Christmas Tree-Christmas is here and Mr. Willowby’s tree has arrived. There’s just one big problem: The tree is too tall for his parlor! He cuts off the top so it will fit, and soon the top of that tree is passed along again and again to bring holiday cheer to all the animals in the forest.
Cobweb Christmas: The Tradition of Tinsel-Everybody loves Christmas at Tante’s. The old lady decorates a wonderful tree and makes certain to have something for all who come to visit, be it the nearby village children or the shy animals of the pine forest.
The Christmas Miracle of Jonathan Toomey– Jonathan Toomey is the best woodcarver in the valley, but he is always alone and never smiles. No one knows about the mementos of his lost wife and child that he keeps in an unopened drawer. But one early winter’s day, a widow and her young son approach him with a gentle request that leads to a joyful miracle.
Night Tree– By moonlight in the quiet forest, a young boy and his family decorate their favorite tree with popcorn, apples, tangerines, and sunflower-seed balls as a gift for the animals of the woods.
The Nutcracker– I love so many versions of this classic story but the one by Jan Brett is so much fun with her classic art! When Marie and her brother Fritz receive a special Christmas nutcracker from their uncle, Marie immediately feels something magical. “He looks like a real boy,” she mused. “A real boy with a secret, who came from far away.”
The Wild Christmas Reindeer– Teeka has an important job training the reindeer in time for their Christmas Eve ride. The animals are spirited and mischievous, but kindness wins the day just in time.
The Sweet Smell of Christmas– Probably the only scratch and sniff book they still make, but this one is a classic. The one from our childhood still smells like all the Christmas goodness.
The Night Before Christmas– Again so many great versions of this story but who can pass up on a Jan Brett?! It’s nostalgia from my childhood!
The Story of Holly and Ivy– Ivy, Holly, and Mr. and Mrs. Jones all have one Christmas wish. Ivy, an orphan, wishes for a real home and sets out in search of the grandmother she’s sure she can find. Holly, a doll, wishes for a child to bring her to life.
How the Grinch Stole Christmas!– A classic, an old Grinch who hates Christmas does whatever it takes to ruin the Whos Christmas. But then he learns Christmas doesn’t come from a store and material goods aren’t what this season is about! I think it’s Dr. Seuss at his best!
The Baker’s Dozen– Van Amsterdam the baker was well known for his honesty as well as for his fine Saint Nicholas cookies. He always gave his customers exactly what they paid for — not more and not less. So, he was not about to give in when a mysterious old woman comes to him on Saint Nicholas Day and insists that a dozen is thirteen!
The Friendly Beasts-The simple strains of this old Christmas melody are superbly reflected in the graceful, delicate, yet strong images that dePaola brings to the page….A Christmas remembrance to be long treasured.
Christmas in Noisy Village–The noisy children of three neighboring families are celebrating the season by baking cookies, cutting and decorating trees, eating fruitcake and tarts, and opening Christmas gifts.
Christmas in the Country– A story of a young girl who lives with her grandparents in the country.
An Orange for Frankie– The Stowell family is abuzz with holiday excitement, and Frankie, the youngest boy, is the most excited of all. But there’s a cloud over the joyous season: Tomorrow is Christmas Eve, and Pa hasn’t returned yet from his trip to Lansing. He promised to bring back the oranges for the mantelpiece.
The Carpenter’s Gift-Opening in Depression-era New York City, The Carpenter’s Gift tells the story of eight-year-old Henry and his father selling Christmas trees. They give a Christmas tree to construction workers building Rockefeller Center and celebrate together. Through the kindness of the construction workers and neighbors, Henry gets his wish for a nice, warm home to replace his family’s drafty shack. He plants a pinecone from that first Rockefeller Center Tree.
The All-I’ll-Ever-Want Christmas Doll-Christmas always comes to Nella’s house, but Santa Claus brings gifts only once in a while. That’s because it’s the Depression and Nella’s family is poor. Even so, Nella’s hoping that this year she and her two sisters will get a beautiful Baby Betty doll.
Tree of Cranes– If you’ve never read an Allen Say book you definitly need to. His artwork alone is so well done but the stories bring you and and warm your heart! As a young Japanese boy recovers from a bad chill, his mother busily folds origami paper into delicate silver cranes in preparation for the boy’s very first Christmas.
Red and Lulu-Red and Lulu make their nest in a particularly beautiful evergreen tree. It shades them in the hot months and keeps them cozy in the cold months, and once a year the people who live nearby string lights on their tree and sing a special song: O Christmas Tree, O Christmas Tree. But one day, something unthinkable happens, and Red and Lulu are separated. It will take a miracle for them to find each other again.
I’d love to know what your must reads are each year for Christmas?
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