As you know, I really like reading. Christmas time is my favorite time of year for many reasons, but one of those reasons is that I have time to read!! Below is a list of some favorite books our family has, for both kids and grownups.
Favorite Christmas Picture Books
Charlie and the Christmas Kitty (Ree Drummond)
This is a funny and cute book about Charlie the Ranch Dog. He just sits back and watches as his owners get ready for Christmas. Then, on Christmas day, he wakes up to see a kitten that has arrived on the ranch. At first, Charlie is upset, but then he learns how to get along. The book is written from Charlie's perspective, and it is SOOOO funny!
The Crippled Lamb (Max Lucado)
This has been one of my favorite Christmas books for years. It is a sweet story about a crippled lamb that gets left behind at the stable when the rest of the sheep go out to graze. Because of that, he gets to witness the birth of the savior, and even keep him warm for the night.
Tiny Baby Jesus (Dandi Daley Mackall)
This book is a poem about baby Jesus and looking ahead to when he would grow up and what he would do as a man. I love this book for the pictures!
The Legend of the Candy Cane (Lori Walburg)
A man moves into town, and buys the old deserted shop. Over the next few weeks, the townspeople make guesses about what he could be making while he hammers and saws in the shop. Finally, one curious little girl can't stand it any longer, and she knocks on the door and asks if she can help. She finds out that he is a candy store owner! As she helps him unpack the candies, she uncovers one she has never seen. The candy store owner tells her the story of the candy cane and all it signifies.
How the Grinch Stole Christmas (Dr. Suess)
Another classic in our family, read multiple times every year. The Grinch is a nasty fellow who hates Christmas. One year, he can't stand it anymore and decides to steal everything about Christmas to try to put an end to the holiday. But in a turn of events, it is the Grinch's heart that is changed by the end of the book.
The Christmas Miracle of Jonathan Toomey (Susan Wojciechowski)
Oh, this is a good one. It is a must-read every Christmas Season. Jonathan Toomey is an gruff, grumpy woodcarver who never smiles. One day, he meets a widow and her son. They ask him to carve a nativity set for them. Slowly, over the next few weeks, as the little boy watches, Jonathan Tommey's hard heart is softened.
Humphrey's First Christmas (Carol Heyer)
This book is SOOOOO funny!!! It is about a camel who wants to be comfortable and "dragged" on a journey by his master to a little town called Bethlehem. He meets the baby Jesus and his attitude is changed. This book is really fun to read aloud!
Favorite Christmas Chapter Books
The Best Christmas Pageant Ever (Barbara Robinson)
There is this family named the Herdmans. They are nasty and never go to church. All the other kids hate them. Then, somehow, they end up at the Christmas pageant rehearsal...and steal all the parts. The nastiest, meanest kids you know are now playing the parts of Mary, Joseph, angels, shepherds, wise men... Read along as the Herdman family makes this year's Christmas pageant the BEST EVER. (note: My sister (who hates to read) is reading this to the other sister AND recommended it to a friend!)
The Angel Tree (Daphne Benedis Grab)
Every year, the tree goes up in the middle of the town. Everyone knows how it works. You tie a slip of paper with a wish on it to a branch on the tree. Someone takes it down, and by Christmas, your wish has come true. No one knows who is behind the miracle tree. But four kids are about to find out. They set of on a journey to solve the mystery and thank the person behind the angel tree.
The Family Under the Bridge (Natalie Savage Carlson)
I know, this isn't actually a "Christmas Book", but it takes place at Christmas time. This book is about a hobo who lives under a bridge. One day, he meets a family with a few young children. The hobo hates children, but he ends up taking care of them and falling in love with them.
Favorite Advent Devotionals
Come Let Us Adore Him (Paul Tripp)
We have been reading this one just about every morning as a family. This devotional looks at the Christmas story in a different way every morning. Warning: It is also very convicting at times.
Waiting Here For You (Louie Giglio)
I've been reading this one every night before bed. Each day is a nice and short devotional with a short Bible passage to read, a thought from the author, a song to meditate on, and a prayer. It takes like 5 minutes or less to go through each day.
Jotham's Journey, Bartholomew's Passage, Tabitha's Travels, and Ishtar's Odyssey (Arnold Ytreeide)
While these are technically Advent devotionals, we always read them as just a regular chapter book. These 4 books are all connected to each other. They are the story of 9-10 year old children and their journey to the side of the Messiah. They are suspense filled and funny. If you read them as a devotional, each day's chapter is accompanied by a bible passage and thought that connects to the chapter.
Do you have any books to add to this list? Let me know in the comments below! Merry Christmas!
Favorite Christmas Picture Books
Charlie and the Christmas Kitty (Ree Drummond)
This is a funny and cute book about Charlie the Ranch Dog. He just sits back and watches as his owners get ready for Christmas. Then, on Christmas day, he wakes up to see a kitten that has arrived on the ranch. At first, Charlie is upset, but then he learns how to get along. The book is written from Charlie's perspective, and it is SOOOO funny!
The Crippled Lamb (Max Lucado)
This has been one of my favorite Christmas books for years. It is a sweet story about a crippled lamb that gets left behind at the stable when the rest of the sheep go out to graze. Because of that, he gets to witness the birth of the savior, and even keep him warm for the night.
Tiny Baby Jesus (Dandi Daley Mackall)
This book is a poem about baby Jesus and looking ahead to when he would grow up and what he would do as a man. I love this book for the pictures!
The Legend of the Candy Cane (Lori Walburg)
A man moves into town, and buys the old deserted shop. Over the next few weeks, the townspeople make guesses about what he could be making while he hammers and saws in the shop. Finally, one curious little girl can't stand it any longer, and she knocks on the door and asks if she can help. She finds out that he is a candy store owner! As she helps him unpack the candies, she uncovers one she has never seen. The candy store owner tells her the story of the candy cane and all it signifies.
How the Grinch Stole Christmas (Dr. Suess)
Another classic in our family, read multiple times every year. The Grinch is a nasty fellow who hates Christmas. One year, he can't stand it anymore and decides to steal everything about Christmas to try to put an end to the holiday. But in a turn of events, it is the Grinch's heart that is changed by the end of the book.
The Christmas Miracle of Jonathan Toomey (Susan Wojciechowski)
Oh, this is a good one. It is a must-read every Christmas Season. Jonathan Toomey is an gruff, grumpy woodcarver who never smiles. One day, he meets a widow and her son. They ask him to carve a nativity set for them. Slowly, over the next few weeks, as the little boy watches, Jonathan Tommey's hard heart is softened.
Humphrey's First Christmas (Carol Heyer)
This book is SOOOOO funny!!! It is about a camel who wants to be comfortable and "dragged" on a journey by his master to a little town called Bethlehem. He meets the baby Jesus and his attitude is changed. This book is really fun to read aloud!
Favorite Christmas Chapter Books
The Best Christmas Pageant Ever (Barbara Robinson)
There is this family named the Herdmans. They are nasty and never go to church. All the other kids hate them. Then, somehow, they end up at the Christmas pageant rehearsal...and steal all the parts. The nastiest, meanest kids you know are now playing the parts of Mary, Joseph, angels, shepherds, wise men... Read along as the Herdman family makes this year's Christmas pageant the BEST EVER. (note: My sister (who hates to read) is reading this to the other sister AND recommended it to a friend!)
The Angel Tree (Daphne Benedis Grab)
Every year, the tree goes up in the middle of the town. Everyone knows how it works. You tie a slip of paper with a wish on it to a branch on the tree. Someone takes it down, and by Christmas, your wish has come true. No one knows who is behind the miracle tree. But four kids are about to find out. They set of on a journey to solve the mystery and thank the person behind the angel tree.
The Family Under the Bridge (Natalie Savage Carlson)
I know, this isn't actually a "Christmas Book", but it takes place at Christmas time. This book is about a hobo who lives under a bridge. One day, he meets a family with a few young children. The hobo hates children, but he ends up taking care of them and falling in love with them.
Favorite Advent Devotionals
Come Let Us Adore Him (Paul Tripp)
We have been reading this one just about every morning as a family. This devotional looks at the Christmas story in a different way every morning. Warning: It is also very convicting at times.
Waiting Here For You (Louie Giglio)
I've been reading this one every night before bed. Each day is a nice and short devotional with a short Bible passage to read, a thought from the author, a song to meditate on, and a prayer. It takes like 5 minutes or less to go through each day.
Jotham's Journey, Bartholomew's Passage, Tabitha's Travels, and Ishtar's Odyssey (Arnold Ytreeide)
While these are technically Advent devotionals, we always read them as just a regular chapter book. These 4 books are all connected to each other. They are the story of 9-10 year old children and their journey to the side of the Messiah. They are suspense filled and funny. If you read them as a devotional, each day's chapter is accompanied by a bible passage and thought that connects to the chapter.
Do you have any books to add to this list? Let me know in the comments below! Merry Christmas!
I have fond memories of "The Best Christmas Pageant Ever." My favorite Christmas book is "The Immortal Nicholas" by Glenn Beck. Not sure if you'd like it, since it's a little sad, but it's really, really good. It's the "true" story of Santa Claus, who is convinced that everyone he loves is doomed to die--and then he meets Jesus. Gives a whole new twist to the Christmas story.
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