5 Christmas Books To Share With Kids

One of my favorite things to do during the holiday season is snuggle up by the fire with my daughter and read aloud our favorite Christmas books. Since I pack the books away along with the Christmas decorations, every year it is like discovering old friends again. I have been buying Christmas books for 13 years now so I tons and love them all, but here are 5 of my favorites.

The Nativity: Six Glorious Pop-Up Scenes by Francesca Crespi I have several books about the nativity, but I love this one because I like pop-up books. Usually I would not recommend pop-up books for young children, but this one is very sturdy and pretty kid-friendly.

Christmas For 10 by Cathryn Falwell This book is a holiday version of another book by Cathryn Falwell, Feast for 10. When my son was about 2 1/2 he had memorized Feast for 10 and “read” it aloud during our local bookstore story hour, so Ms. Falwell books have sentimental meaning for me. But mother-pride aside, I love her books because they show a family working co-operatively to create a meal and enjoy it together, or in this case prepare for Christmas while spending quality time together. As a bonus, it is always nice to find books featuring people of color.

Mrs. Claus Take a Vacation by Linas Alsenas This is a fairly new book to our collection and while it is very simple, I like it. Mrs. Claus gets fed up staying home while Santa sees the world, so she decides to go a solo trip, leaving Santa at home to prepare for Christmas by himself. I like that Mrs. Claus is independent enough to have a great time by herself (while Santa is at home moping), but that eventually she does miss Santa and comes home. A fun read for kids, but a thoughtful message about the growth of a marriage too.

‘Twas the Night B’fore Christmas: An African American Version Retold by Melodye Rosales I know; just how many versions of this story is necessary? I have several versions myself, but this is my favorite. I will tell you that the written language in this version is not “proper” english, but instead colloquial language that would have been used during the turn of the century, so if you have a problem with that, this is not the book for you. But I found the language to be rich and full of detail, like reading Zora Neale Hurston. The illustrations are beautiful and the Santa in this version of the famous poem is quite a character! I just love the last line in the book as Santa rides away in his sleigh, “Merry Christmas To All! Y’all Sleep Tight!”

*If you see a copy of this book, snag it right away! As I just searched for it on Amazon, I saw that people are selling this book starting at $50 and well into the $100′s. Wow.

My final book suggestion is only for true believers in Santa Claus. I bought this book, Santa Claus by Rod Green, in 2006 when it first came out and I think that we might have gotten through the whole book once because it is so rich and full of information. If you or your kids have ever wondered just how Santa does all that he does, this is the book for you! The North Pole, Santa’s workshop, the reindeer, the suit, the sleigh, delivering the presents–it’s all explained in this book. This book is best explored a little bit at a time because it is quite a lot to digest in one sitting. It would also make a great gift as it is a really beautiful book.

I hope that I have given you a suggestion or two of Christmas books to share with your child. Make some hot cocoa, get a cozy blanket, grab a book and snuggle up to read together; these are the times that memories are made of.