Our Favorite Christmas Books We Read Each Year

As a homeschooling mama, I have the privilege of creating a special type of December for my children.  We aren’t forced to be 5 million places, if we don’t want to be.  We can take it slow and have what I call “Christmas School.”

The backbone of our Christmas School is living books.  These are not books that you read once and toss aside, but those that stay with you long after you’ve turned the last page.

During our 5 homeschool years, I’ve found books that have become true treasures to my children and me.

These are books that we ponder, that we talk about while cooking supper, and books that that cause little voices to whisper favorite passages as I tuck them into bed at night.

Mama, will you call me ‘pretty young’un” like Ruthie’s daddy did?  Of course, Sweet Girl, my Pretty Young’un.

During the Christmas Season, I try my very best to let our days be slow and peaceful.  I want the days to be memory-makers, where we sit on the couch and read one rich book after another.

Christmas School – with rich, living books – is a tradition my children and I cherish!

Update in December 2022: This post was originally written in 2014 when I only had four children – 9, 7, 5, and just turned 3.  Since all of my children were elementary and preschool age, our days looked quite different than they do now with children 17 down to 5!  I consider Christmas School to be a luxury of those early homeschool years. ❤

I am leaving this post as-is and also adding the recent video that I recorded on 4 of the books listed below.

Finding Living Christmas Books that Make Memories!

I had several criteria when searching for Christmas Books that would make memories:

• Books that would  provide us with a topic we could discuss (even with my littles!)
• Books that would touch our hearts – not ones we would forget as soon as we closed the book
• Most importantly: books that point to Christ

While not every one of these books points to Christ, they have given us lots of conversation about Jesus.

Here are my findings, which have turned into our favorites!

Our Favorite Living Christmas Books

If you and your children enjoy reading classic books and doing learning activities about the book, these books are for you!  They are packed with learning ideas.

Also, I’ve included a few of the topics that my children and I discuss when reading these books, in case you need some help with what to talk about.

I sometimes ask questions after each section of the book, especially if the book is a longer selection.  Occasionally, I’ll ask a few questions at the end of the book.  And sometimes I’ll leave a few questions to ask when my children bring up the story again later in the day or week.

Talking about what happens in each book is one of our favorite things, so I always try to create an environment where they’ll want to discuss.

Happy Reading!

This post contains affiliate links.  Please see my disclosure policy for more information.

4 of Our Favorite Christmas Books Video

I made a video about 4 of our current favorite Christmas books, 3 of which are listed in this post.  Take a peek!

Click here if you’d rather watch the video on You Tube.

The Year of the Perfect Christmas Tree

The Year of the Perfect Christmas Tree by Gloria Houston is one of our favorites that we read over and over, no matter the season.  In fact, it’s my favorite children’s book.

It took me reading this book the first 100 times to not cry!  This is such a tender story and is sure to touch the hearts of you and your children.

Talking topics with my children:

• Papa being away for war during Christmastime
• How Mama and Ruthie had to work extra hard with Papa gone (to cut down the tree, to be extra frugal)
• What sacrifice means; why it was such a sacrifice for Mama to cut up her wedding dress
• Why it was so important to the family to place the Christmas tree in the church
• Why her Papa’s return was considered a wonderful gift
• Traditions – why they’re important; traditions that our family has
• What makes the Christmas tree ‘perfect’ for the town this year

Apple Tree Christmas

Apple Tree Christmas by Trinka Hakes Noble was the first Christmas book that whetted our appetites for rich, classic stories.

This is a moving story of how a father turned a hard situation into a beautiful gift.  My children turn to this story time and time again.

Talking topics with my children:

• How the Ansterburg house is different from our house (theirs is part barn/part house)
• Apple picking season – what it entails, what they’ll make from the apples, how all have to help
• They live on a farm – how all have to help with chores (shelling corn, milking cows, feeding and watering animals)
• How scary the blizzard would be – roof might cave in, sleeping under the table
• How safe the girls felt with Mama and Papa to protect them
• Losing something that means a lot to us (the girls and their apple tree)
• Homemade Christmas gifts – what can we make to give others?
• Truly thoughtful gifts, such as what Papa gave the girls.  He put so much time and effort into his gifts – they weren’t frivolous, but pondered over

The Christmas Miracle of Jonathan Toomey

The Christmas Miracle of Jonathan Toomey by Susan Wojchehowski is also another Christmas book that doesn’t grow old!

This book has a great message of hope after grief and presents the birth of Jesus in a beautiful way.

Talking topics with my children:

• Why Jonathan Toomey was so “mean”; why he was nicknamed “Mr. Gloomy”
• Why did the widow McDowell want a new set of Christmas figures?
• Describe what pish-posh means
• What ways did the widow McDowell show she cared about Mr. Toomey?
• The transformation of Mr. Toomey’s attitude towards the widow McDowell and her son
• What did Mr. Toomey use as inspiration to carve Mary and Baby Jesus?

A New Coat for Anna

A New Coat for Anna by Harriet Ziefert and Anita Lobel is another book that we read over and over, regardless of whether it’s the Christmas season or not!

This is a precious story of a mama who trades many of her most treasured possessions to buy the materials for her daughter’s new coat.

Sometimes my children need a fresh perspective, one that is not based on materialism.  At those times, this book is like a breath of fresh air.

Talking topics with my children:

• How does Anna get a new coat?  List all of the steps.
• How is it different from you getting a new coat?
• Why doesn’t Anna’s mother just go buy her a new coat, as we would?
• How bartering works
• How do you think Anna’s mother felt when she gave up her lamp, garnet necklace, and other possessions?
• How did Anna feel about her new coat?  How do you know?

Room for a Little One

Room for a Little One by Martin Waddell warms my heart every time we read it!

This is a simple, gentle book using the animals in the stable to describe the birth of Jesus.  The repeating line in the book is, “There’s always room for a little one here.”

What a perfect reminder that with Jesus, there is always room.

Talking topics with my children:

• What do you think the stable was like where Jesus was actually born?
• The animals in the stable were very eager to accept others – am I eager to do that as well?  Do I look for ways to meet the needs of other people without complaining?
• How Joseph tried to make Mary comfortable, despite giving birth in a stable (made the hay warm)
• How Jesus was born in very humble conditions

The Story of Holly & Ivy

The Story of Holly and Ivy by Rumer Godden and Barbara Cooney is a sweet story about Ivy, an orphan, who has her Christmas wish granted by finding a new family.

The opening line of this story reads, ” This is a story about wishing.”

While ‘wishing’ is a topic that is brought up over and over in this book, I couldn’t help but talk to my kids about prayer.  If you know Jesus, you don’t have to wish for a family, you can pray for a family.

(Before you send me an email about my particular view on wishing: I have no problem with the ‘wishing’ element to this book.  Because we are a Christian family, I want my children to understand that they can pray and know they are being heard by a loving God, not just hope and wish.)

Regardless, this is a lovely story that ends with adoption heavy on my heart!

Talking topics with my children:

• Why did Holly want to be sold so quickly?
• Why was Ivy so upset about going to the Infants’ Home for Christmas?
• The different personalities of the toys & animals in the toy shop
• How Ivy felt after the lights in the market went out
• Describe Mrs. Jones’ home.  What was it like?  Why was it so inviting to Ivy?
• How Ivy felt when she first spoke with Mr. Jones
• How Mrs. Jones felt when she saw Ivy for the first time

The Christmas Tree Ship

The Christmas Tree Ship by Carol Crane took a little bit of time to grow on us.  This is a somber story of how ‘Captain Santa’ (Captain Herman Schuenemann) delivered Christmas Trees to Chicago each year.  However, on his last year, his ship goes down, along with the trees still tied in neat bundles, ready for sale.

My children had a bit of a hard time with the Captain not being able to deliver his last bundle, due to his ship sinking.

However, the beautiful story of the Christmas Trees continues on the next year, with his wife as Captain.

Even though this book was a bit hard for my children the first time through, they quickly grew to love it!

Talking topics with my children:

• How Captain Santa got his nickname
• There’s lots of opportunity for map work!  Wisconsin, Lake Michigan, Chicago
• The tradition of story telling and why it’s important; Is that still a tradition now?  Is story telling as important in modern times as it was in years’ past?
• How Captain knew it was going to be a hard trip across the lake (weather conditions)
• Why his wife decided to deliver the trees the next year; how this honored her husband

What are your favorite tried and true Christmas Stories?

Lauren Hill

Lauren Hill is a Christian mom to 5, ages 19 to 7. She homeschools her children in the classical education tradition and is currently in her 15th year of homeschool. She creates engaging worksheets and hands-on printable activities for Preschool and Elementary age children to supplement their daily studies.

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