I was trying to decide what to write about in my blog today, and I thought, what better subject than Christmas books? Your favourite Christmas book can set the tone for the season, and it seems like there are endless movie adaptations of some of the classics.
Before kicking off, I have annotated a couple of Dickens Christmas books. Both of these titles have been split into 24 readings for advent reading. Of course, if you are beginning them now, you’ll be just a few days behind, so you might want to double up for the first few days.
(Covers and titles are clickable.)
A Christmas Carol
This edition of A Christmas Carol is perfect for families to read together, and has been specially formatted into 24 readings suitable for reading during December.
experience one of the greatest Christmas stories of all time all over again!
This Workman Family Classic edition contains:
• Background/Introduction
• Biography
• Footnotes
• a scriptural passage and discussion question after each day’s reading
• Extension activities
Share the Dickens Christmas Classic with your Family
The Life of Our Lord
Written by Charles Dickens for his Children This story of the life of Christ is perfect for families to read together, and has been specially formatted into 24 short readings suitable for reading during December.
Sit back and listen to the master storyteller Charles Dickens share the life of our Lord with his children.
Contains the same special features as A Christmas Carol, above.
Dickens Advent Reader
Get both A Christmas Carol and The Life of Our Lord in one volume. All of the special features of both books for one low price.
Here are some of my other favourites
Please feel free to share your favourites in the comments area below. (If you are reading this article on the front page of my site, you will not see the comment area. Click to jump to the article page, where you can comment.)
How the Grinch Stole Christmas!
Who doesn’t love to read about the anti-Santa?
“Every Who down in Who-ville liked Christmas a lot… but the Grinch, who lived just north of Who-ville, did NOT!” Not since “’Twas the night before Christmas” has the beginning of a Christmas tale been so instantly recognizable. This heartwarming story about the effects of the Christmas spirit will grow even the coldest and smallest of hearts. Like mistletoe, candy canes, and caroling, the Grinch is a mainstay of the holidays, and his story is the perfect gift for young and old.
The Night Before Christmas
Free ebook
I remember reading this one almost every Christmas when I was a little girl.
First published anonymously in 1823—and later attributed to Clemente C. Moore—The Night Before Christmas is arguably one of the most famous and cherished Christmas poems of all time. Moore’s depiction of St. Nicholas played a significant role in our modern conception of Santa Claus. It is, and always has been, the quintessential holiday tale.
The Christmas Story
Speaking of our annual Christmas reading, this is the one we read every Christmas night. We read directly from the Bible, but this looks like a beautiful edition to share with your family.
And she brought forth her firstborn son,
and wrapped him in swaddling clothes,
and laid him in a manger,
because there was no room for them in the inn.
When all the world is to be taxed, a carpenter named Joseph takes his pregnant wife, Mary, to a place called Bethlehem to deliver a miracle to the world. This is the story of the birth of Jesus Christ, taken directly from the Gospel according to St. Luke in the King James Bible.
These simple yet profound words tell a powerful story of life, love, and hope, while James Bernardin’s stunning paintings masterfully transport us to this magical time and place. The Christmas Story is the perfect way to share one of the most famous stories of all time with your family.
The Shepherd
This is another favorite Christmas Eve reading for my family. We love the reading by Fireside Al.
It is Christmas Eve, 1957. Flying home, on leave from Germany, he is alone in the cockpit of the Vampire. Sixty-six minutes of flying time, with the descent and landing – destination Lakenheath. No problem, all routine procedures.
Then, out over the North sea, the fog begins to close in. Radio contact ceases and the compass goes haywire. Suddenly, out of the mist appears a World War II bomber. It is flying just below the Vampire, as of trying to make contact…
This collection also brings together several other compulsive tales from the international master of intrigue.
The Best Christmas Pageant Ever
I remember the year this book came out. It was the best Christmas story I had ever heard. So much more interesting than the perfectly-behaved children in most Christmas stories! It cut through the traditions and fripperies of Christmas to get down to its real spirit and meaning.
Laughs abound in this bestselling Christmas classic by Barbara Robinson! The Best Christmas Pageant Ever follows the outrageous shenanigans of the Herdman siblings, or “the worst kids in the history of the world.” The siblings take over the annual Christmas pageant in a hilarious yet heartwarming tale involving the Three Wise Men, a ham, scared shepherds, and six rowdy kids.
Ralph, Imogene, Leroy, Claude, Ollie, and Gladys Herdman are an awful bunch. They set fire to Fred Shoemaker’s toolshed, blackmailed Wanda Pierce to get her charm bracelet, and smacked Alice Wendelken across the head. And that’s just the start! When the Herdmans show up at church for the free snacks and suddenly take over the Christmas pageant, the other kids are shocked. It’s obvious that they’re up to no good. But Christmas magic is all around and the Herdmans, who have never heard the Christmas story before, start to reimagine it in their own way.
This year’s pageant is definitely like no other, but maybe that’s exactly what makes it so special.
The Christmas Box
“Whatever the reason, I find that with each passing Christmas the story of The Christmas Box is told less and needed more. So I record it now for all future generations to accept or dismiss as seems them good. As for me, I believe. And it is, after all, my story.”
So begins The Christmas Box, the touching story of a widow and the young family who moves in with her. Rick, Keri, and their 4-year-old daughter, Jenna, are hired as caretakers and are welcomed into the Victorian home of Mary Parkins, an elderly widow, just before the holiday season. As the relationship between Mary and the family develops we learn that Mary’s past sorrows are compelling her to share an important message with Richard. But will he understand her message in time? A heartwarming story of parental love, healing, and Christmas.
Polar Express
I actually haven’t read this, one, but I love the movie!
A young boy, lying awake one Christmas Eve, is welcomed aboard a magical trip to the North Pole…
Through dark forests, over tall mountains, and across a desert of ice, the Polar Express makes its way to the city atop the world, where the boy will make his Christmas wish.
One of my favorite Christmas books, among many is ‘The Littlest Christmas Tree’!
“The Night Before Christmas,”The Christmas Story” “Christmas On The Farm” and “An Old Fashioned Christmas” are a few of my favorites.
Marion
I read Kenneth Grahame’s Wind in the Willows every year around this time of the year. I love the imagery Grahame uses. While not a Christmas story, it does have a scene where the little field sing a carol about who the first ones to know when Jesus was born (other than Mary and Joseph; if you want the answer, read the book, it usually can be found as a free e-book).