our favorite christmas books

OK, I just pulled out our collection of Christmas books and it’s, well, just a *wee* bit larger than I remember. I mean we have collected A LOT of holiday books over the years. There is a tiny pile of ‘meh’ ones that I set aside, but the rest are seriously awesome and I’m so excited to get into them. If you follow along, you know by now that I love a good holiday book. They’re just such a sweet and festive way to really launch the season and then enjoy it each night. Plus those books build such tender lasting memories as the boys and I get them out each year, saying ‘oh, I remember this one, I love this one.’ It’s precious time I get with my boys and I’m going to cherish it for as long as I can.

SO, I’VE ditched those ‘meh’ titles, and am sharing with you just the holiday books that we LOVE. There are such fantastic gems in here. I hope you enjoy reading them as much as we do. And PLEASE do share your favorites in the comments below, I’m just sure there’s still a wee bit of space on the shelf. xo

Our Favorite Christmas Books

> Samurai Santa is one of our favorites by a long shot. Yukio almost ruins Christmas for the other ninjas because they’re spoiling his fun, but a mysterious samurai cleverly reminds him of the true meaning of the holiday. The illustrations are FANTASTIC and it’s just an awesome, clever, non-traditional Christmas story. If you have ninja-lovers, this is epic. <

> Oh, we love The 12 Sleighs of Christmas. Santa’s sleigh is in bad shape so the elves compete to design some souped up replacements and they are SO fun. The illustrations are super clever, especially if you have a vehicle lover or budding engineer. There’s also a Book + PJ Set that’s so cute. <

> The whole series of Laura Murray’s Gingerbread Man books exemplify kindness and intention. The Gingerbread Man Loose at Christmas is a fun and adorable Christmas version done with the same whimsey and fun and lyrical brilliance as all the others. And Mike Lowery’s fantastic illustrations are a perfect match. <

> Bear’s back and this time he’s planning a holiday party for all of his friends. He needs help finding all of the things that make a festive celebration. Bear’s Merry Book of Hidden Things has THE cutest illustrations and is such a fun seek + find book. <

> The Gingerbread Pirates is another favorite. The cookies for santa think they’re real pirates and set out to look for their crew. It’s a perilous journey, but they get some help from an unexpected visitor. <

> My husband has a real soft spot for Toot & Puddle. All the books in the series are SO sweet and Toot & Puddle Let it Snow is, too. It’s about finding the perfect gift for your best friend, a present that can’t be bought in a store. <

> Christmas is Awesome is a funny, sweet board book with well, just awesome, illustrations. It celebrates everything that’s special about the holiday and it’s adorable. <

> I love this book. Olive the Other Reindeer is a story about Olive the dog who gets a bit confused by the classic Rudolph song and thinks she’s a reindeer so she heads to the North Pole to help Santa. J. Otto Seibold’s illustrations are so wonderful and it’s just a darling and silly story. <

> The Dinosaurs’ Night Before Christmas is a prehistoric take on the classic gives you a peek at how the dinosaurs in the museum celebrate the holidays when nobody’s watching. It’s festive and fun and a must for dino-lovers. A portion of the proceeds from this book go to the American Museum of Natural History in NYC where the story is set. <

> The Animals’ Santa is a Jan Brett book through and through. The woodland animals are all speculating about who [or what] the Animals’ Santa might be because nobody had seen him before. Little Snow thinks they’re all full of it until something majestic changes his mind. The illustrations are beautiful and detailed and just what you’d expect from Jan Brett. <

> Freddy is Santa’s biggest fan and he’s trying desperately to get a photo with his hero. He hatches an elaborate Rube Goldberg-like plan to trick him, but Santa’s just too smart. The Great Santa Stakeout is a fun book for little engineers. I love all of Dan Santat’s colorful, energetic illustrations. <

> I’m not gonna lie, before I read A Bad Kitty Christmas I was about to discount it as a bit cheesy, but I was seriously wrong. It is unexpectedly one of the most profound Christmas stories I’ve read and truly illustrates the meaning of the holiday. Yes, it’s silly and goofy, but it’s also incredibly touching. I’m only a little embarrassed to admit that I get a bit teary every time I read it aloud. <

> We love ALL the 'Bear Books' by Karma Wilson + Jane Chapman and Bear Stays Up for Christmas one is no exception. It’s just the sweetest story of friendship and celebrating what’s important for the holidays. And the illustrations are beautiful and energetic and perfectly match the lyrical story-telling. <

> This is just a straight up illustrated version of the super classic movie Home Alone, and those illustrations are really awesome. A reminder that there are def ‘bad guys’ in this story, so be aware if you have sensitive littles, but it’s otherwise really fun. <

> Oh man, Pig is sooo greedy and it doesn’t end well for him. Pig the Elf is super silly and really highlights the anti-spirit of the season, which of course ultimately illustrates the true beauty of it. The Pig the Pug books are all really goofy and have good lessons about how NOT to behave. <

> Construction Site on Christmas Night is such a great addition to this series. It has the sweetest message and everything you love about the Construction Site books. <

> Santa’s sick and calls on Pete the Cat to help deliver the presents worldwide. Pete the Cat Saves Christmas is a story about how size doesn’t matter when you ‘give it your all.’ And of course Pete saves the day. <

> Mr. Willowby’s Christmas Tree is a relatively new addition to our collection and I just love it. Mr. Willowby’s tree is too tall to fit in his house, so he lops off the top and chucks it outside. The story follows that tree top as it gets smaller and smaller as it’s shared among all the woodland animals in the forest [that also get smaller and smaller]. It’s really clever and cute. <

> Tough Cookie is such a charming book about a cookie that doesn’t taste good and his quest to fit in with the other sweets in the Land of Holiday Treats. You can bet it has a surprise happy ending. I LOVE the happy, vintage-feeling illustrations. <

> Santa’s feeling a bit old and crotchety and is having trouble mustering the Christmas spirit. So he makes a wish to be young again and gets way more than he bargained for. Santa Baby is a story about how Santa is reminded of the wonder of Christmas in an unusual way. It’s cute and funny and has a sweet message. <

> Fans of Otis the lovable tractor will love An Otis Christmas. It’s Christmas Eve and the farmer’s horse is in trouble trying to give birth to her foal. A huge snowstorm has made the road to Doc Baker’s house impassable, so it’s Otis to the rescue. It’s a sweet story and the illustrations are detailed and beautiful. <

> The North Pole Ninjas are a secret band of Santa’s Elves who are tasked with performing random acts of kindness throughout the holiday season. And they want your help. The book comes with a ‘mission’ for your kiddo and 50 suggestions for carrying out their own quiet random acts of kindness. <

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