The 30 Best Christmas Books of All Time (Adults, YA and Kids)
Today I will share with you the 30 Best Christmas Books of All Time.
Entering December, the world ushered in the official "Christmas season". This is the month of love and magic, and how you spend this month will affect your mood and luck for the year ahead.
One of the most wonderful ways to enjoy the deepest fun of the Christmas season and gain the magical power to warm people's hearts is still reading... As someone said in "One Thousand and One Nights":
The real meaning of Christmas is not just for everyone to be able to Take this opportunity to party, go shopping, and eat a big meal is all about being grateful, caring for others, and paying attention to the weak.
Here are The 30 famous Christmas books, each of which will help you gain a deeper Christmas experience.
The 30 Famous Christmas Books for Adults, YA, and Kids
Christmas is a traditional festival in the World. Old people in red hats, reindeer, bells, and gifts stuffed into socks make people feel warm and happy. Watching "Love Actually" at Christmas has also become a romantic tradition.
The love story that happened at Christmas immerses people in this strong Christmas atmosphere.
In addition to watching this movie this Christmas, what are some unique famous Christmas books we can read together around the fire, listening to bells and bells?
Below I will recommend the 30 best classic and most popular and top-selling Christmas books for your reference.
1. A Christmas Carol - Dickens
Dickens is known as "the man who invented Christmas". What we now call "Merry Christmas" became popular after the book was published (1843). Dickens tells an easy-to-understand fable about the "discovery of conscience" of an old miser who hates Christmas.
"A Christmas Carol" makes people realize that Christmas is not an objective question of eating goose or turkey, but a subjective question of reflecting on how people—since they are all created by God—should love each other.
A Christmas Carol is a book that popularized the idea of a "generously shared" Christmas, profoundly changing the status and value of modern Christmas in British society.
Rich but mean Scrooge is visited by three Christmas elves on Christmas Eve. Under the leadership of the elf, he saw his poor but happy past, the happy present when his clerks couldn't afford gifts and the lonely future of his aging self. He realized that Shibina was happier.
The language of this classic is unpretentious and fluent, making it ideal for improving English reading. It is also because of the influence of this book that people began to use turkey as the main meat for Christmas dinners.
2. Polar Express -Chris Van Allsberg
For many children in the West, reading The Polar Express before Christmas is a holiday tradition.
In addition to its delicate drawing and light-hearted narrative style, the story has a subtle poignancy that conveys a deeper meaning that is equally applicable to adults.
On a snowy Christmas Eve, a young boy boarded an enchanted train to the North Pole when he met Santa Claus who could give him any present he wanted.
The story explores themes of trust and imagination intertwined with the magical nature of Christmas.
3. The Night Before Christmas by Nikolai Gogol
"The Night Before Christmas" is a short story in the 19th-century Russian writer Gogol's "Night Talks near Dikonka". Unlike a warm Christmas, this is a story of lust, sin, and vengeance: the tale of the devil who wants to "walk around the world and fill the minds of good people with evil thoughts" overnight.
So he decided to put the moon in his pocket and go to the remote village of Jikanika on a snowy Christmas Eve to wreak havoc... For readers who don't want to fall into the Christmas stereotype, this "dark" masterpiece will never let you disappointed.
4. The Snow Queen -Andersen
One of the longest and most characters in Andersen's fairy tales. There is a pair of childhood sweethearts, Kay and Gilda, who live next to each other in the city. They spent the summer playing in the garden and planting roses, and in the winter they lived at their grandmother's house.
One winter, they joked that if the Snow Queen came to the house, they would put her on the stove and melt her. Later, there was a blizzard, and a shard of the magic mirror pierced Kai's heart, making him cold. He was very cold to Gilda.
When Kai was on a sleigh ride with friends, there was another snowstorm, and the Snow Queen took the opportunity to pick Kai up and make him forget Gilda completely with her kiss. ...vivid winter scenes, and depictions of magical creatures, bring to life the mysticism and danger of winter. (Disney's animated film "Frozen" is based on this)
5. Little Women -Louise May Alcott
My favorite Christmas book. The March sisters' story begins on Christmas Eve, with the famous line "Christmas doesn't feel like Christmas with nothing at all" —they lament that they are suave but poor, their father is not around, and they cannot be beautiful one's gift.
However, the girls are determined to have a great season and Christmas ends up being a joyous time. The novel revolves around the four sisters throughout the year, delving into their lively characters, Victorian traditions, and tangled relationships, and ends with another Christmas scene.
"Little Women," tells the story of a family of four sisters during the American Civil War, delicate and beautiful, warm and meaningful. The sisters' anticipation and selfless devotion to Christmas in the book are touching. Although the sisters were not able to own and give beautiful Christmas gifts due to the war, their laughter and joy-filled this happy festival.
7. Doctor Zhivago -Boris Pasternak
For many, Doctor Zhivago is a romance novel set in the Russian Revolution of the early 20th century. With the snow-covered Russian land as the background, the third chapter is "Christmas Party at the Svenditskys", which is full of joy.
"Doctor Zhivago" not only shows the Russian Christmas customs, but today's readers may also secretly rejoice: they did not live in such a cold and miserable winter.
8. Hercule Poirot's Christmas -Agatha Christie
For detective fiction lovers, "Christmas Picks" wouldn't be perfect without the work of Agatha Christie. Polo's Christmas Detective is about a family party thrown by the tyrannical multimillionaire Simon.
With many unexpected guests, the orgy turned into a killing, and the house quickly hosted some potential suspects.
Instead of the usual Christmas cheer, this mysterious tale paints a disturbing scene in the home of a malevolent pornographer.
For Detective Poirot, this Christmas is not a holiday, because secrets must be revealed. Full of bizarre and unexpected plots.
9. The Gift of the Magi -O Henry
Many people read "The Gift of the Maggie" through middle school textbooks. The story of a poor young couple who "fight" over the secret purchase of Christmas gifts for each other.
In the West, the work has become synonymous with gift-giving during the holidays, sending a heartwarming message of how far people are willing to go in love for one another. Stories of dedication and sacrifice still move readers around the world...
In today's extremely rich material life, "The Gift of the Maggie" is beautiful and sadly unreal. A young couple in love makes huge sacrifices to give each other the best gift possible. This transcendental love reminds us that love is giving the best of everything to each other.
10. A Christmas Memory - Truman Capote
A collection of short stories by American writer Capote recalling childhood memories. In the United States, people have given each other this book as a gift at Christmas for many years. Capote, whose parents were divorced since childhood, was fostered by relatives in the countryside of Alabama.
The company and care of the pure and kind old maid Miss Su Ke made what could have been a miserable childhood the happiest time in his life. Time has passed, and the Country Boy of the Year has become an excellent tour in the New York celebrity circle.
The heights are so cold, and the brilliance in front of him is flowing, but he looks back to his childhood time and time again. The three short stories he wrote intermittently in the thirty years since he became famous seem to be completed in one go.
11. The Adventure of the Christmas Pudding By Agatha Christie
"Queen of Mystery" Agatha Christie's detective Poirot is invited to an English country house. His visit is not to celebrate Christmas, but to solve the mystery of the theft of a priceless ruby.
The English-inspired Christmas elements in the book are immersive: the Christmas tree, the Christmas plum pudding, the Christmas dinner, and Boxing Day are all lively and interesting.
12. Noelle: A Novel
In this fourth installment of the poignant stories of the McCray family and their lovable canines in rural Kansas, matriarch Mary Ann McCray is determined to shake up Christmas by accepting the role of Crossing Trail's first woman Santa Claus.
Mary Ann, always a bit of a rebel, is looking to offer a more progressive voice in the staunchly conservative town at Christmastime and has a few ideas up her red velvet sleeves.
13. Letters from Father Christmas
Letters From Father Christmas, a collection of Tolkien's letters to his children, also features vivid color drawings. These children receive letters from the North Pole at Christmas, sometimes from Father Christmas himself, sometimes from his assistant Polar Bear, and sometimes from his secretary Elf.
In the beginning, the letter was very short because the children were not literate, but as the years passed, the letter started to get longer and started to tell a story, about Father Christmas driving eight pairs of reindeer, if you add a pair of narrations at the top The reindeer said that he was very anxious.
He was so angry that his hands trembled when he talked about how the polar bear was so mischievous. Sure enough, all the writing in the letter trembled so badly.
He also secretly drew a small picture on the envelope to "revenge" Father Christmas, and told how they celebrated the holiday and drove the goblin out. . .
Tolkien's children have been receiving Christmas letters like this for twenty years! And this book selects only a fraction of them.
14. The Nutcracker and Mouse King
A new edition of the classic Christmas tale of the Nutcracker and the Mouse King -- the inspiration for Tchaikovsky's timeless Christmas ballet -- written by the master German storyteller E.T.A. Hoffmann.
Few people can tell you who the author Hoffman is, but many people know the most famous Christmas story - The Nutcracker. Since its publication in 1816, the adaptation of the story has captivated audiences, inspiring numerous ballet choreographers and composers, especially Russian musician Tchaikovsky.
The plot is rough as follows: At Christmas, the girl Mary gets a nutcracker. At night, she dreamed that the Nutcracker had become a prince, leading her pack of toys to fight the rat soldiers. She was later taken to Jam Mountain, where she was greeted by the Candy Fairy for a fun time of toys, dancing, and feasting.
15. The Fir Tree
"The Fir Tree" by Hans Christian Andersen, published originally in 1845, follows the life of a young fir tree living in the woods (of all places). Compared to the other trees around him, he feels small, spindly, and short, and he constantly utters complaints to any and all woodland creatures within earshot.
Most pointedly, he wonders "When will he truly be alive?" When he sees humans cut down some beautiful trees nearby and then drag them across the snow, he asks the swallows, "Where are they going?"
In answer, they tell him of all the Christmas splendor and beauty of which those lucky trees will soon be a part. Yet when the time came for our little fir tree to have his turn, he taught an unexpected and irreversible lesson.
16. A Christmas Return
As Charlotte Pitt’s grandmother Mariah Ellison finds herself investigating a long-unsolved slaying, it becomes clear that grappling with intrigue and foul play runs in the family.
A festive Christmas package left on Mariah’s doorstep contains an ominous present, sparking memories of a twenty-year-old murder that shattered her friendship with the victim’s widow.
Though the gift is a bitter reminder of that tragic time, in the spirit of the season Mariah travels to Surrey in hopes of reconciling with her estranged friend and solving the crime that drove them apart.
On arrival, Mariah joins forces with the murdered man’s grandson, a sleuth in his own right who’s discovered promising evidence as well as a suspect. But Surrey’s picturesque hills conceal dark doings and shocking revelations that could make the holiday anything but calm and bright.
Decked with intrigue and trimmed with Yuletide spirit, A Christmas Return is a holiday treat wrapped in the glorious storytelling talents of the reigning master of Victorian mystery.
17. The Little Match Girl
The luminous art of three-time Caldecott Honor recipient Jerry Pinkney transforms the nineteenth-century Danish girl of Andersen's tale into a child plucked straight from America's melting pot, shedding new light on the invisibility of the poor among the prosperous-a circumstance as familiar in Andersen's day as it is in our own.
18. How the Grinch Stole Christmas!
This is a picture book from Dr. Seuss, the storyline is very simple, Grinch hates Christmas and hates everything that has to do with Christmas. But, Christmas is here again, and this time, Grinch can't stand it!
He came up with the idea of dressing up as Santa Claus, going to the village at night, and stealing everything from Christmas, from the Christmas tree to the Christmas presents and food.
When he was about to destroy everything he had stolen, he heard the sound of the village celebrating Christmas. In an instant, the Grinch seemed to understand something, the prodigal son turned back and returned what he had taken, and he enjoyed Christmas himself.
19. The Snowman
This is British painter Raymond Brigg's wordless picture book: "The Snowman".
A little red-haired boy in a brown nightgown and blue striped pajamas, about seven or eight years old, we don't know his name except that he lives in a cold place with his parents.
The snowman, younger than the little boy, has only been in this world for one day. He was tall and chubby, with coal eyes and shiny coat buttons, a red-orange nose, a cap, and a scarf.
Their appearance, as well as all the pictures, are drawn with colored pencils, with a strong handmade flavor and a simple and elegant style. It's like a silent movie with 167 consecutive frames, the camera always tracking the little boy and his snowman, recording the important day in their lives.
20. The Christmas Miracle of Jonathan Toomey by Susan Wojciechowski
Jonathan Toomey is the best woodcarver in the valley, but he is always alone and never smiles. No one knows about the mementos of his lost wife and child that he keeps in an unopened drawer.
But one early winter’s day, a widow and her young son approach him with a gentle request that leads to a joyful miracle. The moving, lyrical tale, gloriously illustrated by P.J. Lynch, has been widely hailed as a true Christmas classic.
This beautiful anniversary edition includes a new note from the author and an audio narration by James Earl Jones available as a complimentary download.
21. Silent Night: The Story of the WWI Christmas Truce by Stanley Weintraub
In the early months of World War I, on Christmas Eve, men on both sides of the trenches laid down their arms and joined in a spontaneous celebration. Despite orders to continue shooting, the unofficial truce spread across the front lines.
Even the participants found what they were doing incredible: Germans placed candlelit Christmas trees on trench parapets, warring soldiers sang carols, and men on both sides shared food parcels from home.
They climbed from the trenches to meet in "No Man's Land" where they buried the dead, exchanged gifts, ate and drank together, and even played soccer.
Throughout his narrative, Stanley Weintraub uses the stories of the men who were there, as well as their letters and diaries, to illuminate the fragile truce and bring to life this extraordinary moment in time.
22. The Battered Bastards of Bastogne: The 101st Airborne and the Battle of the Bulge by George Koskimaki
The Battered Bastards of Bastogne is the product of contributions by 530 soldiers who were on the ground or in the air over Bastogne. They lived and made this history, and much of it is told in their own words.
The material contributed by these men of the 101st Airborne Division, the Armor, Tank Destroyer, Army Air Force, and others is tailored meticulously by the author and placed on the historical framework known to most students of the Battle of the Bulge.
Pieces of a nearly 60-year-old jigsaw puzzle come together in this book when memoirs from one soldier fit with those of another unit or group pursuing the battle from another nearby piece of terrain.
23. The Christmas Box Collection
My all-time favorite, unforgettable Christmas stories are part of this "Christmas Box Collection" from Richard Paul Evans. This edition compiles three bestsellers, The Christmas Box, Timepiece, and The Letter.
24. A Boy Called Christmas
The history of Santa Nicholas growing up is really a sad story. The mother died early and the father was just an ordinary lumberjack who lacked a finger to catch up with other adults for a better life Elf sacrificed to the king.
And Nicholas's little friend is only the rotten carrot doll left by his mother, the little mouse Micah. Aunt cooked a doll and tricked him into eating it, and then occupied the hut.
Nicholas was forced to come to the elf country, became good friends with the reindeer, rescued the elf trapped by humans, and successfully stayed in the elf country - but his father died to protect him from falling off a cliff.
He doesn't have any relatives anymore... Maybe that's how he can love so much, become the Santa who can be happy eating gingerbread and bring love and magic to children.
Very warm and healing, this book will plant a dream core in every child's heart to discover that every impossible becomes possible.
25. The Girl Who Saved Christmas
In the sequel to the above "A Boy Called Christmas", Emilia as the protagonist saves Christmas, this seems to be impossible, but in the fairy tale, deduces a different story, this action about search and rescue, and also let the little girl grow up and gain the strength to face life, which is so touching.
26. Shepherds Abiding
Walk into Jan Karon's Mitford this Christmas and be inspired by her hero, Father Tim. While restoring an old nativity as a Christmas surprise for his wife, he begins a heartwarming journey of determination and faith.
27. Esther's Gift: A Mitford Christmas Story
In Jan Karon's small town of Mitford, Esther prepares to bake her yearly Christmas treat of orange marmalade cakes.
As she counts the cost of her gift she is stunned by the expense until the giving spirit of Christmas touches her heart again.
28. Christmas with Dietrich Bonhoeffer
Christmas with Dietrich Bonhoeffer is a gift book featuring wisdom from a remarkable man of God who was executed in a Flossenburg concentration camp in 1945.
This Christmas book features short meditations from a variety of Bonhoeffer inspirational writings, including poems such as, "The Manger and the Cross" and "God Travels Wonderful Paths."
29. Love Found a Way: Stories of Christmas
Ron Mehl fills the 12 days of Christmas with reminders of God's amazing love. Biblical insights and stories to touch the heart will bring hope, peace, and the spirit of Christmas.
30. The Candle in the Window: A Christmas Legend
Grace Johnson warmly retells this timeless story by Leo Tolstoy. Gunther, the widowed cobbler is visited on Christmas Eve by a series of mysterious strangers who bring the love of the Christ child into his hardened heart.
You May Also Like: Best Christmas Books of All Time
- The Steadfast Tin Soldier by Hans Christian Andersen
- Twas The Night Before Christmas by Clement Clarke Moore
- What Christmas Is as We Grow Older by Charles Dickens
- The Life and Adventures of Santa Claus by Frank Baum
- Christmas Trees by Robert Frost
- Christmas Day in the Morning by Pearl S. Buck
- Rudolph the Red-nosed Reindeer by Robert L. May
- How the Grinch Stole Christmas! by Dr. Seuss
- The Cricket on the Hearth by Charles Dickens
- The Adventure of the Blue Carbuncle — Sir Arthur Conan Doyle
- The Best Christmas Pageant Ever by Barbara Robinson
- The Chimes by Charles Dickens
- Amazing Peace by Maya Angelou
- The Greatest Gift by Philip Van Doren Stern
- Miracle on 34th Street by Valentine Davies
- The True Meaning of Christmas as recited by Linus
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About Muhiuddin Alam
Muhiuddin Alam is the Founder and Editor-in-Chief of ReadingAndThinking.com. He serves as a consistent contributor to various websites and publications, including Medium, Quora, Reddit, Linkedin, Substack, Vocal, Flipboard, and Amazon KDP. Alam personally read numerous books and, for the past 10 years, has been providing book recommendations and reviews. Find Me: About Me & Google Knowledge Panel.
