“Every year as traditions go, they get in their cars at the first sign of snow, and head to the farm at the edge of town, to cut the family Christmas tree down. As Christmas neared, the trees rejoiced, for families would come and make their choice. Which trees would go and which would stay, ‘Oh, please pick me,’ the trees would say.”
– A Wish to Be a Christmas Tree by Colleen Monroe
One of our favorite ways to celebrate the holiday season is to cuddle up next to the Christmas tree with a big stack of Christmas stories…and a cup of hot cocoa in hand! Reading books is a wonderful way to explore the many wonders of Christmas. I remember reading The Twelve Days of Christmas every holiday season throughout elementary school – it was always my favorite! So, I guess it’s of no surprise that our little nugget could recite the entire song/story at the age of two. 🙂 I love sharing fond memories of my childhood with our daughter…as we create new memories at the very same time. Books hold such a cherished place in our household – they bring us together! And we hope that your family will come together to enjoy reading some of our favorite holiday stories of the year!
I’m proud to report that these Christmas tales were a huge hit with every single member of our family…even our dogs! One afternoon, as I finished cleaning up after snack, I walked into the living room to find our little nugget reading her choice favorites to our dog, Max. She had even lovingly covered him with a blanket, so that he would be super cozy for story time.
Books really do bring our family together…and coming together at the holidays is what Christmas is all about. So, pickup a few of these Christmas books from your local library – grab your blankets and your hot cocoa – and settle in for a nice cozy Christmas story time!
Our Favorite Christmas Books (2018)
- The Little Reindeer by Nicola Killen
- When a jingling sound wakes Ollie on Christmas Eve, she sets off on a search, and begins a magical adventure she will likely never forget. She discovers a jingle bell collar caught on a tree branch deep within the woods. When a reindeer comes crunching through the snow in search of the lost collar, an unlikely friendship is born. Could this reindeer be from Santa’s magical herd? You will have to read this beautiful and enchanting tale to find out. We fell in love with this book the very moment we opened the front cover. Nicola Killen’s lovely illustrations will simply captivate you – with die-cut pages, glittery foil, and flashes of festive red.
- Christmas Farm by Mary Lyn Ray
- Wilma had grown flowers on her farm for years on end. She was ready to grow something new…but she had no idea what to plant. As she cut down her Christmas tree from the hill behind her house, a brilliant idea popped into her mind – she would plant Christmas trees! When Spring arrived, Wilma grabbed a shovel, string, scissors, sixty-two dozen balsam seedlings…and Parker – the boy from next door. For ten years, Wilma and Parker nurtured the trees until they were mature. And that December, the trees that they had so lovingly grown, provided Christmas ambiance in hundreds of homes.
- A Christmas for Bear by Bonny Becker
- Bear had never celebrated Christmas before, but he had promised to host a holiday party that year – complete with Christmas pickles, cheese, cookies, and the reading of a difficult poem. When Mouse arrives for the party, he dashes right to the Christmas tree in search of presents…much to Bear’s dismay. Every time Bear returns from the kitchen he finds an empty living room…and a mouse who’s on a mission to find gifts – be it under the bed, in the front closet, or hiding in the tree itself. Dejected, Mouse sits down to enjoy a pickle as he listens to Bear’s telling of The Night Before Christmas…but he soon discovers that his dear friend really did have a wonderful Christmas surprise…just for him!
- A Charlie Brown Christmas by Charles M. Schulz
- You can never go wrong with this classic retelling of the beloved Peanuts holiday special. The entire gang is enjoying the Christmas festivities…everyone except Charlie Brown, of course. Charlie Brown is distraught to discover that his friends are only interested in the present-receiving aspect of Christmas – even his dog Snoopy is trying to win money in a Christmas lights and display contest. Will Charlie Brown be able to help his friends find the true meaning of Christmas?
- Snowmen at Christmas by Caralyn Buehner
- How do snowmen celebrate Christmas? Well…when the streets are asleep, they slip down snowy sidewalks and gather together in the center of town. They trim the tree in the town square, play games, indulge on icy cold sweets, dance, sing, and mingle…until they hear the jingling bells of the snowman Kris Kringle! He hands them presents each made of snow, before they head back to their places with their hearts all aglow.
- Duck & Goose It’s Time for Christmas! by Tad Hills
- It’s snowing and Goose is ready to catch snowflakes, go sledding, make snow angels, and build snow forts…but Duck keeps reminding Goose that it’s not time for any of those things. It’s time for Christmas!
- A Wish to Be a Christmas Tree by Colleen Monroe
- This charming tale of an incredibly tall pine tree, who’s always overlooked at Christmastime, captured our hearts in an instant. Another season of Christmas tree shopping comes and goes, and the tall pine is left in tears – all he’s ever wanted was to be someone’s Christmas tree. As he sleeps that night, his woodland friends (all of the animals that count on the tall pine for food and shelter) gather together to make their dear friend’s Christmas wish finally come true!
- Pete the Cat Saves Christmas by James Dean & Eric Litwin
- On Christmas Eve, Santa is ill. Oh no! Will Christmas be canceled? Will it come to that? Not with the help of Pete the Cat! Pete saves the day and along the way, he shows us that giving your all at Christmastime is the totally groovy thing to do.
- The Reindeer Wish by Lori Evert & Per Breiehagen
- The Christmas Wish by Lori Evert & Per Breiehagen made our list of favorites last year, so we obviously had to read the next installment this holiday season. A year has passed when the magical red cardinal appears again…this time to ask young Anja for her help raising an abandoned baby reindeer. Anja names the reindeer Odin (after her grandfather) and the two become fast friends. But as Odin grows older, he longs to be with his own kind. So, Anja leads him to the North Pole to join the greatest reindeer of all.
And there you have it…our favorite Christmas books of 2018! If you’re on the hunt for a few more heartwarming holiday stories, make sure to check out our favorites from 2016 and 2017 too!
Happy reading! And HAPPY HOLIDAYS!
