While I was growing up, Christmas in our house meant, in part, listening to the next installment of A Christmas Carol every Sunday night. I tried to carry on that tradition in my own family of boys, but there are so many, many Christmas books that it has been hard for me to stay only with Dickens. Here are some of the Christmas books we’ve enjoyed over the years, as well as some new ones that I hope to read to grandchildren when they come along in a decade or two.
The Last Straw, by Fredrick H. Thury, illustrated by Vlasta van Kampen. Hoshmakaka is a proud old camel who has the responsibility to carry the wise men’s gifts to the new baby king. As he has to carry each new item, his burden gets heavier and heavier until finally he sinks to his knees—right in front of the manger.
Christmas in the Country, by Cynthia Rylant and Diane Goode. This book is a reminiscence of childhood Christmases. It is a warm and loving celebration of memorable moments. This book can be a good springboard for family tradition memories.
Silver Packages, by Cynthia Rylant, paintings by Chris K. Soentpiet. Every year a train car chugs its way into the hills of Appalachia to bring presents to the children who live in a particular valley. Every year Frankie hopes and hopes for a doctor’s kit as a rich man tosses silver wrapped packages to the children. Frankie grows up, always hoping for the doctor’s kit. But although he never receives this hoped-for gift, he realizes he owes a great debt to the rich man who tosses the packages. How can he repay?
Old Dog Cora and the Christmas Tree, by Consie Powell. Every Christmas for as long as she can remember, old Cora has helped to haul in the Christmas tree. But this year, Mom says Cora is too creaky to pull such a heavy load. The old dog heads to the woods with the family, but she soon realizes something awful: the other dogs are starting the job without her!
Uncle Vova’s Tree, by Patricia Polacco. Uncle Vova came from Russia and he keeps Christmas in the old way. The book is full of Christmas traditions from the old country. When he and Aunt Svetlana came from Russia, they planted a tree in the forest and decorate it every year. What happens when Vova finally leaves this world is a Christmas miracle everyone can remember.
Too Many Tamales, by Gary Soto, illustrated by Ed Martinez. When the cousins come over to help make Christmas tamales, everything seems perfect and cozy. But then Maria’s mother’s beautiful diamond ring has disappeared. Maybe it has been wrapped in one of the tamales!
Lucy and Tom’s Christmas, written and illustrated by Shirley Hughes. Tom and Lucy take us through their preparations for Christmas and the happy times with their family. This is a beautiful, British story.
The Night Tree, by Eve Bunting, illustrated by Ted Rand. A family goes every year to decorate a tree in the forest for the woodland creatures. Not only is this book beautifully illustrated, but its warm writing and friendly tone tells of a lovely tradition.
Shall I Knit You a Hat: A Christmas Yarn, by Kate Klise and illustrated by M. Sarah Klise. A mother rabbit knits her son a hat, and then together they plan knitted gifts for many of their animal friends.
December, by Eve Bunting. A homeless mother and son have a cardboard shelter decorated for Christmas with pictures torn from magazines and a tiny tree. When an unexpected guest comes to share Christmas Eve night with the family, the young boy realizes that maybe angels are real.
There are so many, many beautiful Christmas stories. Share some with your family this year!
There’s a particular video version/enactment of Dylan Thomas’s “A Child’s Christmas in Wales” that has become one of my family’s Christmas traditions. Not a book as such, but anything by Thomas has such tangible, chewable language that I feel like it qualifies nonetheless.