As Christmas approaches, the magic of the season can be felt through many facets, including decorations, social gatherings, traditions, and music. But what about holiday books? Can you feel the magic of the Christmas season when you remember a specific book? Holiday books are like magical portals that can bring us back to a specific memory or place. In addition, books can help us create new memories during the holiday season.
As a child, I remember going to the library and feeling the joy of looking at the holiday displays and flipping through the pages. I was always the kid whose mom had to drag me out of the library. Often, I had the exact number of books that were allowed and maybe one or two extras (thanks to my small-town librarian). I remember sitting at a small square table under the fluorescent lights skimming the books that I had come to know year after year.
The Christmas books that were my favorite were always filled with characters in winter clothes finding the magic of the season through multiple plot twists. I read under or near my tree with the lights sparkling on my pages with my cat curled on my lap. I lived in the Northeast, so there was often snow or ice or both! It created a picturesque backdrop for an already beautiful time of year.
Today’s world is filled with expensive material items, and we tend to forget that books can bring joy and excitement. There is something timeless about sharing a book with your child that you also read during your childhood. As you are re-reading the story, you are not only experiencing the plot again but you are also basking in your memories. Maybe this is the reason that ‘Twas the Night Before Christmas resonates with so many of us. Or what about the feeling that Charles Dickens’ The Christmas Carol, or O. Henry’s Gift of the Magi creates? During the Christmas season, there are so many books that are worth mentioning and swooning over.
If you don’t believe me, visualize this scene: You are in second grade and asked to come to circle time. Your teacher grabs a book from her counter, a red mitten, and some animal puppets. The room is filled with excitement! She begins reading, asking for volunteers, and the sensory details of the pages come alive… Did you guess it? Do you remember The Mitten by Jan Brett? This story is centered around a beautiful winter adventure involving woodland animals. Or maybe it is a different book that sparks such joyous memories? Looking back, class read-alouds always brought me such warmth and a feeling of accomplishment when I understood and loved the story!
Over the next few weeks, as you complete your holiday shopping and think about the loved ones in your life, take time to purchase a Christmas book to give as a present. You can write a note in it, underline a part that is important to you, or simply wrap it in the prettiest paper that you can find. If you are buying the book for a child, the best gift could be putting your phone down, reading the pages, and enjoying the story together. The holidays fly by, and every year, they seem to go faster and get busier. Take the time to read to your children, nieces, and nephews. In thirty years, they may share that book with their families.
Here is a list of Christmas books that helped me feel the spirit of the season! You may recognize some of them. These books are not listed for any specific reason other than at some point they brought me smiles and joy. Also, some of these suggestions are popular stories that have multiple versions of picture books. These are the ones that I own and love.
- The Snowman– Raymond Briggs (Children’s Picture Book)
- Little Blue Truck’s Christmas– Alice Schertle (Children’s Picture Book)
- A Wish to be a Christmas Tree– Colleen Monroe (Children’s Picture Book)
- The Nutcracker– Jan Brett (Children’s Picture Book)
- The Mitten– Jan Brett (Children’s Picture Book)
- The Wild Christmas Reindeer– Jan Brett (Children’s Picture Book)
- 1001 Things to Spot at Christmas– Alex Frith (Children’s Activity Book)
- Winter Street Series– Elin Hilderbrand (Adult Fiction)
- Comfort and Joy– Kristin Hannah (Adult Fiction)
- The Keepsake Quilters– Felicity Hayes-McCoy (Adult Fiction)
- The Santa Suit– Mary Kay Andrews (Adult Fiction)
Do you feel the magic of the season now? Do you feel love from the memories of the past? If none of these books speak to you, that is okay too. Go ahead and search for your magical Christmas portal by running to your local library or bookstore. Ask for help or just spend time browsing. Search high and low for either an old or new Christmas book that speaks to you. There are so many Christmas themed books including children’s books, adult fiction, and non-fiction. Once you find the perfect read, I challenge you to take a moment and flip through the pages while listening to Christmas music. Then read it curled up under your tree with sparkling Christmas lights.
And now I am off to The Christmas Pig written by J.K. Rowling… Merry Christmas from one reader to another!
Disclaimer: We are a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates and other Affiliate Programs designed to provide a means for us to earn fees by linking to Amazon.com, Target.com, Nordstrom, ABC Mouse, and other affiliate sites.
