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Best Christmas Books of All Time

Ranked #7,176 in Books, Poetry & Writing, #249,827 overall

Time to get cosy with a good Christmas Book!

As the winter nights draw in, there's no better time to snuggle up in front of the fire with a good Christmas book. Whether you're looking for fun, adventure or a heart-warming tale, there's plenty of choice to be found in your local library, bookstore or online.

Get ready to stoke up that festive mood by tucking yourself under that blanket, pouring a small sherry and stacking up a pile of the best Christmas books ever. This selection includes some great classics and also some surprise titles which you might not have expected.

Best Christmas Reads At A Glance

Click on the title to read more about the book

  1. A Christmas Carol - Charles Dickens
  2. The Box of Delights - John Masefield
  4. Hercule Poirot's Christmas - Agatha Christie
  5. How the Grinch Stole Christmas - Dr.Seuss
  6. Must-Haves for the perfect Christmas Read
  7. The Christmas Mystery - Jostein Gaarder
  8. The Night Before Christmas Pop-Up - Clement Clarke Moore (Author) and Robert Sabuda (Ilustrator)
  9. Unplug the Christmas Machine: A Complete Guide to Putting Love and Joy Back into the Season - Jo Robinson and Jean C. Staeheli
  11. The Snowman - Raymond Briggs
  12. The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe - C.S.Lewis
  13. Gawain and the Green Knight - W.S.Merwin
  14. Are there any Christmas Books that aren't on here - please share your favourites!

A Christmas Carol - Charles Dickens

"Humbug!"

Probably the most famous Christmas book after the Nativity story. This famously recounts the tale of Ebenezer Scrooge as he learns to value the true spirit of Christmas and of life itself. The novella is essentially a ghost story with some chilling moments, but it is still one of the most popular festive reads of all time.
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The Box of Delights - John Masefield

"The wolves are running"

The Box of Delights was written for children, but is as equally enjoyable for adults. It is a fantasy novel and follows the adventures of Kay Harker as he returns home for Christmas from boarding school. On the journey home, he becomes the guardian of a magical box and unwittingly finds himself at the centre of a battle to possess the box's power.
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“"Read the best books first, or you may not have a chance to read them at all"”

Hercule Poirot's Christmas - Agatha Christie

"Yet who would have thought the old man to have had so much blood in him?"

Whilst this may not be automatically considered within the best Christmas books of all time, it is certainly a very well-plotted Christie novel which will keep you guessing until the end. The story surrounds the murder of a tyrannical patriarch, Simeon Lee who is murdered on Christmas Eve, whilst the family gathers downstairs. A great who-dunnit for the festive season.
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How the Grinch Stole Christmas - Dr.Seuss

"...Stink, stank, stunk!"

Another classic Christmas morality tale and again, one of the best Christmas books ever, but from a completely different perspective. Enter the weird world of Dr.Seuss and discover a strange land of fuzzles and bingle balls. Kids love this one even though the Grinch is a bit scary!
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Must-Haves for the perfect Christmas Read

Log Fire
Glass of Port
Warm Cardigan
Comfy Slippers
Some peaceful background music
No distractions (v.important!)
Big box of chocolates
Stack of great books

The Christmas Mystery - Jostein Gaarder

"... perhaps the clock hands had become so tired of going in the same direction year after year that they had suddenly begun to go the opposite way instead..."

The Christmas Mystery is a wonderful book which blends magic with the Nativity story. A young boy called Joachim finds a magic advent calendar which contains pieces of paper describing the journey of a girl called Elisabet, as she goes on a journey to witness the birth of Jesus. Each chapter follows the days running up to Christmas and makes this a perfect book to read with the whole family.
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The Night Before Christmas Pop-Up - Clement Clarke Moore (Author) and Robert Sabuda (Ilustrator)

"T'was the night before Christmas, and all through the house, not a creature was stirring, not even a mouse."

This seasonal tale has been a firm favourite for many years. It tells the story of Santa doing his rounds on Christmas Eve. There are lots of different versions, but I've picked this edition because it is so fantastic. The pop-ups are truly magical - ensuring it's status as one of the best Christmas books ever.
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Unplug the Christmas Machine: A Complete Guide to Putting Love and Joy Back into the Season - Jo Robinson and Jean C. Staeheli

"If most people are longing for such a simple celebration, why are their holidays so complicated?"

If Christmas excess isn't your bag and you're aiming for a simple and more spiritual Christmas then you might like to try reading this book. Now in it's 13th reprint, it contains advice for getting the best out of the festive season without resorting to materialism and last-minute stress. The emphasis here is on family, fun and joy. One to read even if you do enjoy your Christmas presents!
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"Do give books - religious or otherwise - for Christmas. They're never fattening, seldom sinful, and permanently personal."

Lenore Hershey

The Snowman - Raymond Briggs

"Walking in the Air"

A beautifully-illustrated classic which follows the friendship between a boy and the snowman that he has made in his garden. The book is more about the pictures than the words, and is perfect for younger children, but it still touches the heart of everyone who reads it.
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The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe - C.S.Lewis

"Aslan is a lion%u2014the Lion, the great Lion."

Not necessarily an obvious choice, but this has all the hallmarks of a classic Christmas book. The children walk through the wardrobe and find themselves in an eternal winter which can only be broken if they defeat the White Witch by liberating the mighty lord, Aslan. The beauty of this story is that it can be read as simple fantasy or with the religious undertones that C.S. Lewis intended. Pure escapism.
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Gawain and the Green Knight - W.S.Merwin

"Gawain gripped his ax and heaved it up on high.."

Gawain and the Green Knight is an ideal Christmas book for those who enjoy a literary adventure. This traditional 14th century English tale of life and death is written in verse form. Gawain's journey to seek the Green Knight takes place during Christmas Eve and New Year and explores the thin line between decay and renewal. There are also allusions to Christianity and paganism throughout the narrative. A more difficult read, but ultimately rewarding.
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Are there any Christmas Books that aren't on here - please share your favourites!

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  • Reply
    lostinfiction Dec 15, 2009 @ 9:00 am | delete
    These books always make me feel all warm and fuzzy, even years past the recommending reading ages on them ;) If you're curious about the authors, also try looking them up on Infloox cos you can find heaps of really interesting info there about the kinds of books and authors that helped influence these ones.
  • Reply
    femelas Dec 12, 2008 @ 10:12 pm | delete
    Everytime I relax I always open any book and it refreshes my mind. I might look for those christmas books you have recommend.
  • Reply
    rms Dec 6, 2008 @ 9:52 am | delete
    Excellent choices! I'm lensrlling this on to my best Christmas cookbooks lens!
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