The Best Classic Christmas Books to Read to Children

I hope for many cozy days in the house, 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 with 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 embodies 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. 

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 notated 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. How the Grinch Stole Christmas by Dr. Seuss
44. 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