Christmas is quickly approaching. Our stack of Christmas books is ready and waiting to make their appearance right after Thanksgiving, and I couldn’t be more excited.
We are finishing up our first term this week and then we will have the whole month of December off of school! We have done this for the last few years. It does push our schooling a bit further into the summer but makes such a lovely and relaxed Christmas season- it is worth it. We have time to focus on the joy and glory of the birth of Christ and giving to others. So instead of a full school schedule we focus on Christmas and Advent through special art study, music study, handicrafts(making gifts), baking, playing in the snow and lots of read alouds! I will try to get another post up with our Advent Morning Time plans and some wonderful resources we are using this year! But for now I am going to share a few of our favorite Christmas books! I have done various things with them in the past including wrapping them all and opening one each day, but this year I think I will just put them all in a basket and we will enjoy them at whim.
Enjoy!
Picture Books~
This is a new book for us this year. We have enjoyed Sally Loyd-Jones’ Jesus Storybook Bible for several years now so I thought I would give her Christmas book a try. I bought it in the board book format because this year we have a baby in the house and I wanted her to be able to participate in our Christmas book fun! This is a sweet and simple book celebrating Jesus’ birth from the perspective of the creation. The illustrations are also lovely.
Christmas in Noisy Village by Astrid Lindgren
We all love the Children of Noisy Village by Astrid Lindgren and the Christmas chapter is especially delightful! If you haven’t listened to it on Audible you are in for a treat! This little book is simply a short version of the Christmas chapter with darling old-fashioned illustrations.
The Twelve Days of Christmas by Jan Brett
The first time I ever saw a Jan Brett book was when I was babysitting as a teenager. I fell in love with her illustrations and knew that someday I would have her books for my own children. Her illustrations have never disappointed. The attention to detail, vibrant color and clever use of the sidebar to show more of the story always catches my children’s eye. We discovered this book a few years ago at our local public library and we have made sure to check it out out every year since. Someday we will probably need to add it to our own personal collection. Be prepared that your children will want you to sing the words to this one and you will probably be sick of it, but it is worth it!
The Birds of Bethlehem and The Friendly Beasts: An Old English Carol by Tomie de Paola
We all enjoy almost everything we have seen by Tommie dePaola and these are no exception. Both of these tell the birth of Jesus from the perspective of various animals. Keep in mind that these are both imaginative retellings (one is an old carol) and therefore not completely Biblical. The illustrations are simply lovely!
If your children enjoy the Little House series they will love this sweetly illustrated book. It tells of Mary and Laura’s simple old-fashioned Christmas. I love the simplicity and joy portrayed.
One Wintry Night by Ruth Graham Bell
This is one of my favorite Christmas books of all. My fondness for this one probably goes back to my Dad reading this on aloud every Christmas while growing up. The illustrations are absolutely stunning! It is a beautiful retelling of the Christmas story from creation to the cross tying everything in to our need for a Savior.
Christmas Day in the Morning by Pearl S. Buck
A sweet story about a young boy who realizes how much he loves his father on Christmas Eve and wants to give him something special for Christmas. But they are poor and he doesn’t have any money, what can he give him?
The Story of Christmas pictures by Jane Rey
Text straight from the gospels of Matthew and Luke(KJV) adorned with stunning illustrations by Jane Rey.
‘Twas the Night Before Christmas by Clement C. Moore
We don’t put a big emphasis on Santa Claus in our family, however we don’t mind tales about him just as we enjoy other fairy tales. This is a fun classic poem with vintage illustrations.
A Tale of Three Trees by Angela Elwell Hunt
This book is actually often read at Easter, but growing up we always got it out at Christmas.
Short Chapter Books~
The Family Under the Bridge by Natalie Savage Carlson
A heartwarming and memorable story about Armand a beggar living on the streets of Paris who soon finds himself caring for 3 homeless children.
The Bird’s Christmas Carol by Kate Douglas Wiggin
A simple and touching tale of Carol Bird a little girl born on Christmas day. You won’t be able to read it with dry eyes, so keep the tissue handy.
A Tree for Peter by Kate Seredy
A story of hope. The people of Shantytown live in misery and hopelessness until a small gift given to a lame boy and a Christmas Eve miracle things begin to change. This was our favorite read aloud last year!
Books Just for Mom~
I Saw Three Ships by Elizabeth Goudge
This one could be a family read aloud, but the story is a bit slower and my children would probably not fully appreciate it yet. It is a lovely, rich story with beautiful language that I enjoy myself for now.
A Christmas Carol by Charles Dickens
What can I say? This on is a classic that I read almost every year. I also enjoy Charles Dickens other Holiday tales, especially A Cricket on the Hearth.
Journey into Christmas by Bess Streeter Aldrich
I love this collection of Christmas short stories that range from humorous to solemn. I will occasionally read these aloud to my family, but mostly just savor them myself
Leave a comment and tell me what your family’s favorite Christmas books are. I love adding more to my list!
Leave a Reply