17 thoughts on “The Busy Mom’s Favorite Christmas Books

  1. Thank you for these!! We are a homeschooling family of four (and growing!) and these suggestions are perfect. Last year when I tried to reserve Christmas books from our library (through their website) all the good ones were gone, I did it too late in the season- but not this year, mwhaha! Thanks for posting this now!

  2. I would like to recommend another adult book to you – The Modern Magi by Carol Lynn Pearson. It is a delightful story that can be read in one sitting. I read it each Christmas, then have a tradition of handing it to different friends to read. I think you would like it.

  3. I second every suggestion! I would like to additionally recommend a couple of adult Christmas reads, both by Jan Karon. I love the little Mitford Snowman book and I also like the full length, Shepherds Abiding. For those unfamiliar with Jan Karon’s Father Tim Series you might want to use this coming year to catch up on the story. My homeschooled daughter and I enjoyed the entire series over a year while traveling for soccer. These are books to be savored.

    One children’s book that never makes anyone’s list, but remains one of my children’s all-time favorite is The Christmas Barn by C. L. Davis which is a memoir set in NC. For younger children there is Christmas In The Barn by Margaret Wise Brown. This was a long forgotten favorite of my own childhood until I found an older copy at a book sale. The illustrations alone make this a keeper.

    1. Oh! I loved The Christmas Barn! I’ll add it. Thank you Diane! I’ll check out the Mitford Snowman book too. These are great! Merry Christmas. 🙂

  4. My favorite Christmas book of all time is The Other Wise Man by Henry Van Dyke. I read it aloud to the kids every Christmas (and I always cry). I own a precious edition printed in 1901, but I’ve bought it again and again for friends. 3 years ago my oldest daughter and I hosted a cookie exchange, pajama/bedtime story party. We supplied the hot cider and hot chocolate and a hot cranberry cider and invited moms and their daughters to come in pjs with blankets and pillows. (it even snowed that evening!) We asked everyone to bring 4 dozen cookies with multiple copies of the recipes and a snack to share. We exchanged the cookies and everyone went home with a wonderful assortment and the recipes, we ate wonderful snacks, and then gathered in the living room with only candles and Christmas lights and I read The Other Wise Man aloud to everyone and then we surprised everyone with their own copy to take home! One of the best Christmas events we’ve ever had. We’ll do it again when my 2nd daughter is older. Anyway, if you haven’t read The Other Wise Man, check it out. But make sure you get a copy with the Introduction in it as it adds a lot to the story! Enjoy!

  5. Thank you for this great list of wonderful books! I reserved several of them from the library! One we’re reading now w/ the kids is: The Quiet Little Woman – A Christmas Story by Louisa May Alcott (and we just watched the DVD of “Little Women” last night! My favorite Christmas movie of all times!) =) Merry Christmas!

  6. This year another book has been added to the advent series with Jotham, Bartholomew, and Tabitha. It’s about Ishtar who experiencing the advent from the perspective of the wise men. So far, it’s excellent!

  7. Have you ever read “The First Christmas Night” by Keith Christopher? It’s got the same cadence/feel to it as the classic “twas the night before Christmas”, but it’s about the REAL Christmas, and the illustrations are oil paintings and they’re gorgeous! My two year old loves loves it. It’s a favorite bedtime story, Christmastime or not [:

    Here’s the link to the book on Amazon, just so we know we’re talking about the same book: https://www.amazon.com/First-Christmas-Night-Keith-Christopher/dp/0824956532/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1487623343&sr=8-1&keywords=the+first+christmas+night

  8. So thankful for your book lists, Heidi! My kids are still wee littles but already enjoy reading a lot together! So grateful to have so many great books to check out as they grow!! Thank you, thank you!

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