Delightful Christmas Read-Aloud Books You Need to Read: A Guide

Use this handy list of Christmas read-aloud books as a guide for your Christmas homeschool, gift giving, or library trips! 

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When my boys were young, I often created Christmas Countdown calendars for them. One year, I made an Activity Advent Calendar, where we did one Christmas themed activity each day. You can still read the posts and download the printable activity list here!

Another year, I created the Book a Day Advent Calendar for the boys. I wrapped 25 books up and we picked a book each day to unwrap and read.

Our Christmas Read-Aloud Book Countdown Calendar

To make our read-aloud countdown, I gathered all our winter and Christmas story-themed books. Then I wrapped them in bright Christmas paper and stuck numbers on each one (don’t be like me – remember to number the first book you want to read with 25! I forgot we were counting DOWN!).

I always keep an eye out at library book sales for winter and Christmas books, so I’d grown quite a collection over the years. Most of these books we have read before, still they were fun to unwrap every day.

I positioned new books and old favorites close to the start of the countdown so they would be available for re-reading longer!

How to assemble your own book-a-day countdown

To make your own version of a DIY Book-a-Day Advent Calendar, wrap up 25 books (used or new!) and number them for the 25 days leading up to Christmas! Done!

If you don’t have enough of your own books, visit the library and take out a bunch! Make sure you open these books first, so you can get them back to the library on time!

Then every day, your child opens a book, and you read together!

Wrapping the books took gobs of paper – so if you’re concerned about the waste factor, or want to cut back on the work of wrapping, use Christmas gift bags instead. Bags are much easier to fill, and you can reuse them! Or put all the books in a wrapped box or basket and pull one out each day.

I think this Book-a-Day Advent Calendar is a lovely way to enjoy the anticipation of the coming of Christmas day, as well as make sure each day is focused on the season!

What’s on our Christmas Read-Aloud List?

Here’s an updated version of the books I recommend. Some of the books we actually used when our son was a toddler were more winter themed than Christmas. So I’ve updated this list with books that are decidedly Christmas themed. Most titles have a religious / Christ-centered theme, but there are also a few cultural / historical tales in the mix!

Want to see what we’ll be reading? Here’s my list (Amazon affiliate links used):

1. Christmas in the Manger – Nola Buck
2. The Friendly Beasts with Read-along CD (Read my review!)
3. Sounding Joy – Ellie Holcomb
4. Charlie Brown Christmas (Hallmark Recordable Storybook)
5. Berenstein Bears Getting Ready for Christmas (Read my review!)
6. Mary Englebreit Peace on Earth
7. The Legend of the Candy Cane (Read my review!)
8. Gift of the Magi – O. Henry (If you can find the P.J. Lynch illustrated version, I’ve heard that is a good one but is not available on Amazon)
9. Christmas in the Big Woods (A Little House Picture Book)
10. Fancy Nancy’s Splendiferous Christmas
11. The Story of Holly & Ivy 
12. The Christmas Promise Storybook – Alison Mitchell
13. An Early American Christmas (Tomi DePaola)
14. The Story of the Orchestra – The Nutcracker
15. The Tale of the Three Trees – A Traditional Folktale – Angela Elwell Hunt
16. Song of the Stars (Read my review!)
17. The Night Before Jesus – Herbert Brokering
18. The First Christmas Night– Keith Christopher
19. Emma’s Christmas Wish – A Child’s Recipe for Love – Sallyann J. Murphey
20. The Message of the Birds – Kate Westerlund
21. Silver Packages – An Appalachian Christmas Story – Cynthia Rylant
22. What Can I Give Him? Christina Rossetti’s poem with beautiful artwork
23. The Christmas Miracle of Jonathan Toomey – Susan Wojciechowski
24. The Story of the Nativity – Elizabeth Winthrop
25. The Christmas Story (Gospel of Luke, illustrated)

Shop this read aloud book list!

Add to your bookshelf a little each year. Save these books to your child’s wishlists on Amazon, and watch your Christmas library grow!

I’m an Amazon Affiliate and earn commission on qualifying purchases.

Christmas in the MangerThe Friendly Beasts: an old English Christmas carolSounding JoyA Charlie Brown Christmas Recordable StorybookThe Berenstain Bears Get Ready for ChristmasPeace on Earth, A Christmas CollectionThe Legend of the Candy Cane by Lori WalburgThe Gift of the Magi & Other Christmas Stories by O. HenryChristmas in the Big WoodsFancy Nancy: Splendiferous Christmas: A Christmas Holiday Book for KidsThe Story of Holly and IvyThe Christmas Promise Advent CalendarEarly American ChristmasThe Story Orchestra: The NutcrackerThe Tale of Three Trees: A Traditional FolktaleSong of the Stars: A Christmas StoryThe Night Before JesusThe First Christmas NightEmma’s Christmas Wish A Child’s Recipe for LoveThe Message of the BirdsThe Christmas Miracle of Jonathan ToomeySilver Packages: An Appalachian Christmas StoryWhat Can I Give Him?The Story of the NativityThe Christmas Story According to Luke

 

What Christmas read-aloud books would you recommend? What kind of Advent or Christmas Countdown calendars have you used?

PIN IT: If you love this list, Pin this to your Christmas or reading boards for next year, and share with your friends!