The Best Classic Christmas Books to Read to Children

I hope for many cozy days at home, snuggled up on the couch, reading children’s Christmas books by the twinkly lights of the Christmas tree. Maybe with a warm cup of hot cocoa or coffee and a cozy blanket. I want to fill my home with beautiful books and wholesome stories with love, virtue, and beauty that inspire me during the holiday season.

These book recommendations are just that and more. I took the classic Christmas books I grew up reading and received more input from a dear friend of mine, including her favorite Christmas books to read to her children, as well as a few other popular choices I’ve seen around. This is an incredible list of the best Christmas books, and I can’t wait to share the love and beauty that embody the true spirit of Christmas in these beautiful Christmas classics. 

How will I share these books with my children? 

I’m hoping to wrap up each book to make our Advent book calendar. Then, every day in December, I will have my boys unwrap a new book as we prepare for the real gift of Christmas. I purchased a handful of these, checked others out from the library, and will continue to add to my collection every year with a few new great Christmas books.

Nothing is better than reading a heartwarming story that takes you back to simpler days. I hope these books help foster a love of reading in our home, which I am still working to develop as an adult. I wish for hours of reading our favorite Christmas stories this year and for years to come. 

Considerations on Books for Toddlers

When choosing board books, we want ones with simple text for young toddlers (longer as they get older) and beautiful illustrations. There are many wonderful books based on classic Christmas carols or poems, which offer rhythmic storytelling that will appeal to a toddler and introduce them to great traditional literature. Some favorites that do this is The Twelve Days of Christmas, The Little Drummer Boy, and The Friendly Beasts.

Books with Talking Animals or Fantasy

Be aware that some Christmas books contain talking animals or fantasy elements. I try to be aware of this becasue we want to offer our children reality and things that could happen in their lives. Books like Lucy and Tom at Christmas are perfect for a young child in the first plane of development (0-6 years old) because they offer a true picture of reality. However, some books are classics, beautifully written and illustrated, and I will often take that over a book truly based in reality, such as The Crippled Lamb.

Books without Words

I list two books without words, only pictures. These picture books encourage conversation and observation, which allow toddlers to engage in a new way at their own pace. The conversation will likely be different every time you sit down because they will notice something new or different in the story. The two classic picture-only stories that I grew up looking at around Christmas time were The Snowman and Peter Spire’s Christmas. If you are looking for a more reality-based picture-only book, Peter Spire’s Christmas is a great option, whereas The Snowman is all fantasy.

What Books are on the List?

Here is my list of the best books to read to the whole family this Christmas time. Books make the perfect gift for any child. I have decided we will start giving our Godchildren books for their birthday and Christmas. One, to make it easier, but also because there are just so many incredibly beautiful books I want to share with them. I’m going to highlight some of my favorite books and the ones that I purchased myself this year. I will share a brief overview of what I loved about my top picks. All the books I purchased will be noted with an asterisk in the list below. I also listed each classic Christmas story I read as a child growing up that my mom shared with me. 

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The List of Classics

1. The Story of Holy and Ivy* (childhood classic)
2. The Twelve Days of Christmas by Jan Brett*
3. Lucy and Tom at Christmas*
4. The Crippled Lamb*
5. Pick a Pine Tree*
6. Christmas in Noisy Village*
7. Room for a Little One*
8. Christmas in the Big Woods*
9. This is the Stable*
10. The Night Before Christmas*
11. Alfie’s Christmas*
12. Christmas Day in the Morning
13. 12 Days of Christmas
14. Christmas Farm
15. Who is Coming to Our House?*
16. The Year of the Perfect Christmas Tree*
17. Night Tree
18. The Three Wise Men*
19. The Christmas Light*
20. Christmas
21. The Mitten*(childhood classic)
22. Christmas in the Manger*
23. The Christmas Miracle of Jonathan Toomey* (childhood classic)
24. B is for Bethlehem*
25. An Orange for Frankie*
26. The Light of Christmas Morning* (Catholic perspective on Christmas tradition) 
27. The Friendly Beasts*
28. The Story Orchestra: The Nutcracker*
29. The Snowman*(Pictures only) (childhood classic)
30. The Legend of the Poinsettia*
31. Merry Christmas Strega Nona*
32. Gingerbread Baby(childhood classic)*
33. The Story of the Three Wise Kings
34. The Legend of the Candy Cane(childhood classic)*
35. The Sweet Smell of Christmas
36. The Little Fir Tree
37. Peter and Lotta’s Christmas*
38. Simple Christmas on the Farm
39. Mortimer’s Christmas Manger*
40. Peter Spire’s Christmas* (Pictures only) (childhood classic)
41. Apple Tree Christmas
42. The Little Drummer Boy*
43. Charlie Brown Christmas*

Books with the Most Beautiful Illustrations 

I found The Year of the Perfect Christmas Tree and The Christmas Miracle of Johnathan Toomey to be the most beautifully illustrated books on this list. There are so many other beautiful illustrations, but I was captivated by the realistic style illustrations that make the story come alive.

Favorite Story Book for Young Children

Christmas in Noisy Village is such a fun book, and I see it being a Christmas favorite. It is endearing and an overall great book!

Favorite Board Book

I grew up reading The Mitten. Jan Brett has many wonderful Christmas stories, but this is one of my favorites. The illustrations are bright and it is a sweet story to read during the winter time. 

Favorite Christmas Classic

The Story of Holly and Ivy is a longer book but such a great story. This is a great Christmas classic for younger and older children but maybe not your toddler. It goes down as one of my favorite beloved classics. It had been a long time since I had read this book, and I was reminded of how much I loved it growing up and what a beautiful story it is of the beautiful doll Holly, and the young girl, Ivy. 

The Night Before Christmas is a book you almost have to read this time of year. There are many versions of this book, but I chose the classic Jan Brett edition.

Favorite Picture Only Book 

Peter Spire’s Christmas is my favorite Christmas book that has only pictures. These illustrations are beautiful and so detailed. I know this book will be perfect for my toddlers, who love to pick out the small details and want to know the name of everything. 

Favorite Interactive Christmas Book 

The Story Orchestra: The Nutcracker book is a beautiful book with buttons that play clips of the classical music from The Nutcracker. The Nutcracker is a classic story that has stood the test of time. This will be our first Christmas with this book and I know it is going to be a favorite already because of the buttons that play beautiful music!

Favorite Christ-Centered Christmas Book 

If I were to choose a Christ-centered book that shares the true meaning of Christmas, I would have to choose The Little Drummer Boy, which is a simple Christmas song, but it makes a beautiful classic Christmas tale of a poor boy with no gift fit to give a king. I’ve sung the song countless times but was almost moved to tears reading (rather singing) this book this year.

The Light of Christmas Morning was a new recommendation for me and it is a stunning book. I love that it shares a Catholic perspective with traditions like Christmas Eve Mass, an Advent wreath, and unwrapping the best gift of all, Jesus.

Check out this list of Christ-centered Christmas books for more recommendations.

My Top 10 Books In Order

1. The Story of Holly and Ivy 
2. Christmas in Noisy Village
3. The Year of the Perfect Christmas Tree
4. The Little Drummer Boy
5. ​Peter and Lotta’s Christmas
6. The Christmas Miracle of Johnathan Toomey
7. The Twelve Days of Christmas 
8. The Mitten 
9. Merry Christmas, Strega Nona
10. Peter Spire’s Christmas

Frequently Asked Questions

Should I buy new Christmas books every year or keep the same ones?
Toddlers actually benefit from repetition and predictability, so keeping the same beloved Christmas books year after year creates meaningful traditions. The books become markers of the season itself, and children often remember specific books from their toddler years into adulthood. That said, adding one or two new titles each year keeps the collection fresh while maintaining those treasured favorites.

How many Christmas books does a toddler need?
A core collection of 5-8 Christmas books is sufficient for toddlers, allowing enough variety without overwhelming choice. You may collect more if you are planning to do the Advent book Calendar. However, you could do this and only give one or two new books each week rather than one a day.

This size collection means you can rotate through favorites multiple times during the season, which actually enhances toddler engagement more than having dozens of books they only see once. Focus on quality and alignment with your family’s values rather than quantity.

When should I introduce Christmas books—only in December or earlier?
Many families begin reading Christmas books right after Thanksgiving or in early December to build anticipation throughout Advent. However, books that focus on winter themes, kindness, or general holiday preparation can be introduced even earlier without feeling premature. Save the most specifically Christmas-focused books (about the nativity, Christmas morning, Santa) for the weeks closest to the holiday itself, or the 12 days after Christmas.

Are wordless picture books too advanced for toddlers who can’t read yet?
Wordless picture books are actually perfectly suited for toddlers and offer unique benefits. They encourage observation skills, allow children to construct their own narratives, and eliminate the pressure to “get through” text. Parents can narrate as simply or elaborately as fits their child’s attention span, and the books grow with the child as they notice new details with each reading.

What if my toddler only wants to look at one page or won’t sit through whole stories?
This is completely normal toddler behavior and doesn’t mean they aren’t enjoying books. Following their lead by lingering on pages that interest them builds positive associations with reading. Brief, frequent book interactions often serve toddlers better than forced longer sessions. Some children prefer books they can explore independently before wanting them read aloud, which is also developmentally appropriate.

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Most Important Things to Remember When Buying Books

#1: Board books with a simple, poetic text and clear illustrations will provide the most developmentally appropriate introduction to Christmas literature for young toddlers (12- 24 months old).

#2: Books based on actual Christmas carols and traditional poems engage toddlers through familiar melodies and rhythm while introducing classic holiday literature they can grow with over the years.

#3: Reality-based Christmas stories featuring relatable family experiences like choosing a tree or preparing for visitors help toddlers understand and anticipate holiday traditions in their own lives.

#4: Special considerations about talking animals and fantasy elements matter during the toddler years because children under the age of three are still forming their understanding of what is real versus imaginary.

#5: Short story collections and wordless picture books offer flexibility for toddler attention spans, allowing parents to adjust reading sessions to match their child’s engagement level on any given day.