My kids always look forward to our Christmas Book Advent holiday tradition that we start in December to add to the magic. So today I wanted to tell you all about it and share the titles of our favorite books so you can add them to your collection or start this fun tradition, if you’d like to.
We don’t do Elf on a Shelf like so many others, so I wanted to have something special for the kids to look forward to each day throughout the month of December.
We always begin the month by reading the story of the first Christmas in the Bible. It’s important for me to instill in my kids the reason for the season, and that is the birth of our Savior, Jesus Christ. It really sets the tone for the festivities and things that happen the rest of the month.
Then, for the days that follow, we read fun children’s books with simple, sweet holiday messages of love, joy and giving. I add a few new books to our collection each year. We start the advent on December 1st, but since we don’t have quite enough books yet for 25 days, we end a little early before Christmas.
I wrap the books before-hand, write a number on each with permanent marker (nothing fancy) and set them under the tree. The kids then get to rotate opening a package each evening and we snuggle up and read by the light of the Christmas tree all cozy in our pajamas.
It’s a special way to bring the wonder of the holidays into the home. And, possibly my favorite part about this tradition is that the kids get super excited for bedtime because they know what we get to do right before. 🙂
The following books are best for young children, I would say, ages 2-8. Some of them are more catered to the lesser part of that bracket.
Here’s a few of our all-time favorite holiday reads in no particular order:
The Polar Express by Chris Van Allsburg
The Tailor of Gloucester by Beatrix Potter
Fancy Nancy Splendiferous Christmas by Jane O’Connor
Once Upon a Northpole Christmas by Noel Manning
Olivia Claus by Simon Spotlight
Madeline’s Christmas by Ludwig Bemelmans
The Christmas Sweater by Glenn Beck
The Night Before Christmas by Clement C. Moore
Penny’s Christmas Jar Miracle by Jason F. Wright
Llama Llama Holiday Drama by Anna Dewdney
How the Grinch Stole Christmas by Dr. Seuss
The Little Match Girl by Hans Christian Andersen
The Berenstain Bears and the Joy of Giving by Jan Berenstain
The Biggest Christmas Tree Ever by Steven Kroll
The Little Christmas Elf (Little Golden Book) by Nikki Shannon Smith
The Story of the Nutcracker Ballet by Deborah Hautzig
This is such a fun way to count down to Christmas! So now I’m wondering which amazing holiday books I’m missing and need to add to my collection! Do you and your kids have a favorite that’s not on this list? Please, do share!
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