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Make reading books as a family a treasured Christmas tradition. Here are 35 of our all time favorite and best Christmas books for families.
Do you unwrap Christmas books to countdown to Christmas? It has been a favorite tradition of ours for years and years. I love the chance to slow down each evening and connect over beautiful literature and art as well as fun and meaningful Christmas messages.
I have a long list of over 35 of our absolute favorite Christmas books which I have slowly collected over the years. My hope is that you too will find a few to bring home each year and add to your collection.
Even if buying books isn’t in your budget, you can check some out from the library and I even collected many of these by searching the books at the thrift stores. However, some felt so meaningful I have purchased a few treasured books each year to have the kids unwrap as we countdown 25 days to Christmas. The kiddos just love unwrapping old ones we have grown to love, and look forward to seeing a few new ones each year. Then I am sure to tuck them away in a box until the next Christmas, making them all the more special.
I hope you enjoy this list and PLEASE let me know in the comments below if you have any recommendations for me! I’m looking for a few new ones for this year!
*You can also view my recommendations on my Amazon storefront.
A new one for us last year, and hands down one of our favorites. The artwork is stunning and the classic message of selflessly giving is priceless. My kids were delighted by the unexpected ending.
We have a thing for “olden days” and times of simplicity. I loved reading this sweet book and talking to my kids about how it would be like to have lived back then.
These fairy books are fun, colorful and delightful. The thick glossy pages have my kids turning them over and over even after we read them as a family.
Another gorgeous book full of beautiful artwork, and a heart warming story of the stable animals welcoming the Savior to the world. Simple and amazing! A great read as you gather with extended family as well.
This Christmas Farm book is a sweet message of hard work and focusing on what truly matters.
An Appalachian story that will warm your heart to the core! I love books that teach us the joy that can be found in giving.
Originally a book from the 1960’s, we love this fun and silly classic Christmas story of Mr. Willowby’s Christmas Tree.
SNOWI ROLIE
I found this book buried in the thrift store when we started this tradition. Everyone gives a cheer when it is unwrapped. Beautiful graphics, soft cover, and a fun take on snowmen and Christmas.
THOMAS KINKADE AWAY IN A MANGER
Away in a Manger is my all time favorite Christmas song, so I naturally adore this book illustrating the beautiful words. Just so happens Thomas Kinkade is a favorite artist too!
THE YEAR OF THE PERFECT CHRISTMAS TREE
Another beautiful Appalachian tale, that we adore imagining what that kind of life would be like through this sweet story detailing the magic of Christmas.
If you can find this one, it’s another favorite. Not well known, but I love the reminder to enjoy even the cold days of winter. It’s so fun and another one my kids will read over and over by themselves.
Pretty sure it is mandatory to have a Frosty book in every home. We like to all sing together as we turn the pages of the book.
THE NIGHT BEFORE CHRISTMAS ILLUSTRATED BY BECKY KELLY
Another “must have” is the classic poem of “The Night Before Christmas”. There are a lot of versions out there, but we were gifted this version as new parents, and my kids love the textured pages and sweet envelope for their “letters to Santa”. It’s a beautifully illustrated book!
We have and enjoy the first book “How Santa Lost His Job”, and I just discovered the “got his job” version! Excited to share it with the kiddos this year!
Gotta love Llama Llama! It’s a fun one for the whole family!
WHO WILL GUIDE MY SLEIGH TONIGHT
We all laugh and laugh together as this book illustrates the disastrous decisions Santa had to make to find what animals to use to pull his sleigh. Such a fun book!
Bring your box of tissues to this reading! I had to make my husband finish reading it, and then he pretended not to cry. 😉
This is a rather long one, and I prefer to read it reflectively myself and encourage my older kids to read it. The illustrations are stunning, and the message will hit you to your core. It’s a must read every year for me.
I bet you already have this one! Truthfully, I don’t love to read it, but for some reason my kids adore it! I guess that’s what matters.
THOMAS KINKADE A CHILD’S CHRISTMAS AT ST. NICHOLAS CIRCLE
Any other Thomas Kinkade fans out there? I have a budding artist that sneaks this book to her room to study the images. I’m not even sure I’ve read all the words, I just love to soak up the magic in his paintings!
Not a whole lot of words in this book (bring it out on a night you are in a hurry to get them to bed!). The sweet critters and adorable illustrations make it worth the read!
We LOVE bundling up and delivering gifts to our friends and neighbors, and this book shares in that joy. It’s a sweet and simple book.
WHERE DID THEY HIDE MY PRESENTS
This one I do not read as a family, but the kids are obsessed! It takes the tune of all your favorite Christmas songs and puts new silly words to them. For years we find them all willfully snuggled close on the couch, laughing as they try to sing the silly words to the tune. It’s music to my mama ears.
IF YOU TAKE A MOUSE TO THE MOVIES
I have one boy in particular who loves the Laura Numeroff books! He gets giddy excited for this one every year. I had to eventually pull it from his fingers mid January, to put it away till next year!
A cute little tale and play on words. Another one my kids get a kick out of (even if I would rather pass.)
The message of this book – even though you are little, you can still do big things. My little tiny 8 year old loves this one!
Every parents hope is that their children feel the joy of service and giving, rather than getting. This book is one of my top 5, and always leads to meaningful discussions.
THE CHRISTMAS MIRACLE OF JONATHAN TOOMEY
This Christmas miracle will warm your heart, and the pictures will be a feast to your eyes! A classic!
THERE WAS A COLD LADY WHO SWALLOWED SOME SNOW
Some nights you just need a fun silly Christmas book! This one will take care of that!
I actually had a friend recommend this book, so it is in my cart. It sounds like a good one and she assures me my kids will love it!
We are hanging dried oranges on our Christmas tree this year, and I’m getting this book to go with our simple theme. I read it at a relatives house years back and I am excited to have it in our home. It’s wonderful!
THE VISIT: THE ORIGIN OF THE NIGHT BEFORE CHRISTMAS
These next 3 are ones we are adding to our collection this year. I looked through them on Amazon, and they seem wonderful!
I have a truck loving boy and I know he will love this one!
WHY CHRISTMAS TREES AREN’T PERFECT
I always try to teach my kids to let go of perfectionism . . . which is easier for me to say then do. I’m excited to read this one together!
There you go! A huge list of wonderful books to read during the Holiday season! I hope you found some treasures!
Thanks for reading! Be sure to pin this post for easy reference.
For more of my Christmas recommendations, check out The Best Christmas Movies to Watch on Netflix.
An excellent selection of books.
Amazing selection! Bravo
I also put my children’s Christmas books away to keep them more exciting. Instead of wrapping them each in wasteful wrapping paper, we reuse a special bow and place it on the book under the tree. Every morning in December, the kids wake up to a Christmas book surprise. It’s a lovely tradition.
Thanks Cami! There are so many choices out there it’s nice to see a list of good ones from someone I know. Excited to add a few. Merry Christmas
You have to add The Tale of the Three Trees! It’s a keeper all year long but especially for Christmas!!
Thank you so much for this list! As a grandma of 13, this list is like a Christmas gift to me! As I read through your list, I could immediately see which books would delight which kids. Now to get busy and find them! Wishing you and your family a blessed Christmas!
I echo what Maria said ☝? I too am a grandmother of 13 (and now great grandma of 4) and this is all wonderful gift to me. I have a lot of Christmas books but only a few were on your list. I’m excited to add some new ones to my collection. They all looked amazing.
Great book list! Thank you. Just wanted to add a few of our favorites:
The Three Gifts of Christmas ( has a cd reading as well) by Jenni Bishop
A Wish to Be a Christmas Tree by Colleen Monroe
Toot and Puddle I’ll Be Hone For Christmas by Holly Hobbie
Why Christmas Trees aren’t Perfect by Richard Schneider
Stranger in the Woods by Carl r sams II and Jean Stoick
Christmas in the Country by cynthia Rylant and Diane Goode
Thanks again. I love the Christmas book tradition. I added a few of yours I didn’t have. Thanks so much. I too love old fashioned years gone by books – like Ox Cart Man ( great year round book) and Miss Rumphius of course. Merry Christmas!!!