What's Your Favorite Christmas Book?

Reading Christmas Books Make a Great Family Tradition

Reading Christmas books to children is a great holiday tradition. It enhances their beautiful memories of Christmas, as they are snuggled up close and warm, feeling secure, and loved. Reading Christmas books add to that certain magic only a child's imagination could create.

The best fictional Christmas books are the classic ones. You don't have to buy them, because they are usually found in the library. But, owning the books makes a Christmas tradition of reading it during the holidays. These make great Christmas gifts for your charges.

Here are our favorite Christmas books. What are yours?

The Night Before Christmas by Clement Clarke Moore
"'Twas the night before Christmas, when all through the house. Not a creature was stirring, not even a mouse..."Thus begins the famous Christmas poem that describes St. Nick and his reindeers' visits to drop gifts inside kids' stockings. This, to me, is the definitive version of the Santa story. Little children love to hear stories told in rhymes, and Clement Clarke Moore's classic fascinating verse, along with illustrations by Jan Brett featuring two stowaway elves, makes this an enjoyable read.



A Christmas Carol by Charles Dickens
This classic tale about the infamous old grouch Scrooge who learns the true meaning of Christmas is one of the most famous Christmas stories, and a great introduction to Charles Dicken's literary work. Mr. Scrooge, who says "Bah! Hambug!" whenever somebody greets him "Merry Christmas," transforms into a loving and giving person after he is visited by the ghosts of Christmas Past, Present, and Future. The combination of Ghosts and Christmas is intriguing to kids, and the story may teach your kids profound Christmas life lessons.



Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer by Robert L. May
The original Rudolph story about the most famous reindeer of them all will capture your kid's heart. Rudolph is made fun of by his peers because of his bright red nose, but ends up to be Santa's hero. The original story is much better than the movie that it inspired. And it gives its popular song more meaning and stirs up a richer imagination for a child.



How the Grinch Stole Christmas! by Dr. Seuss
Kids are fans of Dr. Seuss because of his fanciful, funny rhymes and wacky characters and situations. It doesn't get wackier than this tale of the Grinch, a nasty creature who hates Christmas and stole children's presents in Whoville so that Christmas wouldn't come. It comes anyway, and the Grinch discovers the true meaning of the holiday. The fun illustrations in this book perfectly suit the wonderful and crazy story.



The Polar Express by Chris Van Allsburg
This award winning book is about an old-fashioned steam train that takes children to the North Pole on Christmas Eve to meet the red-suited gentleman and to see him off on his annual sleigh ride. This is a more sophisticated children's story about belief in Santa. With wonderful illustration that takes kids to a land they have never visited before, it is an unforgettable read for kid's five and older!



What is your favorite Christmas story book?