12.06.2012

On the fifth day of Christmas: 20 Favorite Children's Christmas Picture Books

** So sorry this is late!  I had a child get sick yesterday afternoon and my whole day was changed, I'll post 2 today!**

Being an elementary teacher and fan of children's literature, I LOVE the opportunity Christmas allows for us to delve into Christmas books, both classics and new finds.  Rachel posted the nightly routine of the Christmas candle where they read books, sing songs and enjoy each other's company.  A few year's back, I started giving my kids a new Christmas book on December 1st to kick off the season and start our annual candle burning.  The best thing is you can get these books the year prior on crazy good after Christmas sales!  What I love most is that these children's books tell so simply the true meaning of Christmas amidst all the chaos and hub-ub of the season.

** As a side note, one of our newer traditions is having a cousin book exchange for Christmas.  The cousins each get to pick a name and give that cousin a book to treasure.  My kids look forward to it every year!

Below is a list of 20 of my favorite children's Christmas books.  And this only scratches the surface.  We love our Christmas book collection:

1. Christmas Oranges
A delightful story about Rose who comes is transferred to a new orphanage the cold and heartless.  The other children work together to make Christmas the best Rose has ever had with something as simple as an orange.


2. Why Christmas Trees Aren't Perfect
A perfect little tree named Small Pine opens his heart to birds, rabbit and deer in the forest and ruins his perfection.  But the queen sees deeper with in him as this story tells why Christmas trees aren't perfect.


3. The Polar Express
 One of the top Christmas stories for years now, but there is a reason for this!  It is a classic tale of a boy's journey to the North Pole where he learns to believe in all of the magic of Santa.



4. Olive the Other Reindeer
A clever story playing off of the familiar song "Rudolph" and the phrase "All of the other reindeer".  This dog, Olive, ends up joining the reindeer at the North Pole in a very fun story for all ages.



5. The Christmas Miracle of Jonathan Toomey
A scrooge-like Jonathan Toomey is transformed during the Christmas season by a young boy and his mother who ask Jonathan to carve a Christmas nativity.


6. If you take a Mouse to the Movies 
A Christmas take on the ever-so-popular "If you Give a Mouse a Cookie" series.




7. Snowmen at Christmas
A perfect book for kids of all ages that answers what snowmen do when we aren't looking - full of delightful pictures.


8/9. The Christmas Alphabet and The Night Before Christmas
Popup books that even wow me as a mom!  My kids find such delight in this author's books.


10. The Jolly Christmas Postman - A very fun story that takes you through the postman's path in all of our common fairytale figure's town.  Readers get to even open the letters, pull them out and read what's in the mail!

Other favorites:
 How the Grinch Stole Christmas
 The Best Christmas Pageant Ever
 Santa Claus Is Comin' to Town
The Tale of Three Trees: A Traditional Folktale
The Legend of the Candy Cane
  Santa's Favorite Story
  Mortimer's Christmas Manger
Mr. Finnegan's Giving Chest
 Christmas Day in the Morning
 A Christmas Dress For Ellen
The Last Straw (added this extra one when I wrote this post)



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1 comment:

Heidi said...

There are a few here that I hadn't heard of before. Can never have too many Christmas books!