Christmas Books Countdown Christmas Traditions blog post contains affiliate links.
CHRISTMAS BOOKS COUNTDOWN TRADITION
Kids love Christmas traditions, and a children’s books countdown is a good one, especially for young children.
Simply wrap a number of books, and unwrap one to read every day of the holiday season.
One of the perks of the Christmas wrapped books tradition is you can start it anytime. If you want to do all 25 Days of Christmas, be ready to start reading on December 1st.
For the 12 Days of Christmas, start reading on December 13.
MOST LOVED CHRISTMAS BOOKS FOR KIDS
I listed 25 of our favorite children’s holiday books, both classics and new finds, below. Our picks include books that focus on the traditional Christmas story as well as kindness, giving to others, holiday-themed stories, and creativity.
Look for these books at your local library and check them out for free. Or, if you prefer to purchase books, I have included a direct Amazon link to each of the books on our list.
Any of these books would be a great addition to your child’s countdown to Christmas! Unwrap and read one book every day to make magical moments together this holiday season.
Children's Holiday Books Countdown
How the Grinch Stole Christmas! (Classic Seuss)
Grow your heart three sizes and get in on all of the Grinch excitement with the original How the Grinch Stole Christmas—the ultimate Dr. Seuss Christmas classic that no holiday season is complete without!
The Night Before Christmas Hardcover: The Classic Edition
Since it was first published anonymously in 1823, The Night Before Christmas has enchanted children with the story of St. Nicholas climbing down the chimney and filling all the stockings before springing back to his sleigh.
Little Blue Truck's Christmas
It's the most wonderful time of the year! Little Blue Truck is spreading cheer by delivering Christmas trees to his animal friends. Can you help count each green tree from one to five and back again? Don’t forget to save one for Blue! Beep! Beep!
The Crayons' Christmas
'Tis the season for all of us to write our holiday wishlists. But everyone--even the crayons--know the best presents are the ones that you give. In this unique book, readers get to see how Duncan, the crayons, and their families celebrate the holidays. With real, folded letters from the Crayons that you can pull from their envelopes and read, games, punch-out ornaments, a poster, and a pop-up tree.
The Polar Express
1986 Caldecott Medal Winner. A young boy, lying awake one Christmas Eve, is welcomed aboard a magical trip to the North Pole . . .
Through dark forests, over tall mountains, and across a desert of ice, the Polar Express makes its way to the city atop the world, where the boy will make his Christmas wish.
The Berenstain Bears and the Joy of Giving
In The Berenstain Bears and The Joy of Giving Brother and Sister Bear can’t wait for Christmas and all the presents they’ll open. But during the Christmas Eve pageant, something special happens! The Bear cubs learn a very valuable lesson about the joy of giving to others.
Home for Christmas
A wild little troll runs away from home because he doesn't want to do his chores. Rollo tries living with various woodland animals, but he finds out that there is no place like home, and returns to his family just in time for "the best Christmas ever."
How to Catch Santa
After waiting for days and days and days, it’s finally Christmas Eve. And that’s when you can try to catch Santa. . . .
A #1 New York Times bestseller that's a Christmas must-read!
Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer
Little Golden Book retelling of the classic 1964 holiday TV special, Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer. All of the other reindeer make fun of Rudolph and won't let him play in their reindeer games because he's different. But when Christmas is almost cancelled because of a huge snowstorm, Rudolph comes to the rescue with his wonderful shiny red nose.
Santa's Underwear
It's Christmas Eve and Santa is busy getting gussied up for the big night. But when he goes to put on his warm, cozy (holey, ragged) Christmas underwear, they're nowhere to be found! With undies for every occasion, he tries on the rest of his collection. But nothing is quite right.
Just when he's about to give up he find a surprise from his considerate team of reindeer. Ho, ho, ho, Merry Christmas!
Paint by Sticker Kids: Christmas
Bestselling activity series, Paint by Sticker Kids: Christmas includes everything kids need to create ten vibrant images, including Santa, a snowman, stockings filled with presents, and a dazzling Christmas tree—with glitter stickers that make the images shine.
Construction Site on Christmas Night
This beautiful holiday picture book shows Excavator, Bulldozer, Crane, Dump Truck and Cement Mixer building a new home for fire engines. As they finish their big, important job, they get their own Christmas surprises.
Your kids will have fun discovering the special surprise awaiting each vehicle as much as they will love rhyming along with the story. This cute book is sure to be a classic!
Christmas in the Manger
The classic Christmas story, a joy to share with young children.
The gentle beauty of the story of the first Christmas is now available as a board book. With a simple, lyrical text and radiant artwork, this book is perfect for the youngest child to be a part of the wonder of the Nativity.
Sneezy the Snowman
B-R-R-R-R! AH-CHOO! Sneezy the Snowman is cold, cold, cold. To warm up, he drinks cocoa, sits in a hot tub, stands near a warm fire–and melts! But the children know just what to do to build him up again–and make him feel "just right".
Llama Llama Jingle Bells
In Llama Llama Jingle Bells, little llama and his friends give gifts, sing songs, and decorate cookies. It’s a very merry holiday indeed!
Bear Stays Up for Christmas
Bear’s friends are determined to keep Bear awake for Christmas! So they wake Bear up and have him help them find a Christmas tree, bake cakes, hang up stockings, and sing Christmas songs. Bear stays up—by discovering that giving is one of the best Christmas presents of all!
Pete the Cat's 12 Groovy Days of Christmas
Pete and his friends are rockin’ and groovin’ while counting down the days to Christmas! Who needs five golden rings, when you can have five onion rings?
Join Pete and the gang for one-of-a-kind holiday cheer. He adds a cool-cat spin on a well-known Christmas carol, bringing a hip and energetic spirit to the season.
Pick a Pine Tree
A festive read-aloud brimming with all the joy and excitement of Christmastime — beginning, of course, with picking out a tree!
Christmas Songs: Interactive Children's Sound Book
Everyone loves Christmas music so come introduce your little one to the festive celebration! These classic Christmas carols and festive illustrations are sure to fill your home with holiday cheer!
How to Catch an Elf
You've been waiting all year long, and now it's finally Christmas Eve! Is this the year you'll finally catch an elf?
Mr. Willowby's Christmas Tree
Christmas is here and Mr. Willowby's tree has arrived. There's just one big problem: The tree is too tall for his parlor. He cuts off the top so it will fit, and soon the top of that tree is passed along again and again to bring holiday cheer to all the animals in the forest.
Frosty the Snowman
Everyone's favorite snowman with a magic hat, a button nose, and eyes made out of coal comes to life on Christmas every year. Based on the beloved 1969 television special, this Little Golden Book retells the whole magical story of Frosty the Snowman.
Dasher: How a Brave Little Doe Changed Christmas Forever
Dasher is an adventurous young reindeer with a wish in her heart. She spends her days with her family under the hot sun in a traveling circus, but she longs for a different life — one where there is snow beneath her hooves and the North Star above her head.
One day, when the opportunity arises, Dasher seizes her destiny and takes off in pursuit of the life she wants to live. It’s not long before she meets a nice man in a red suit with a horse-drawn sleigh — a man named Santa. And soon, with the help of a powerful Christmas wish, nothing will be the same.
Christmas Cookie Day!
Christmas Cookie Day! celebrates the beloved tradition of making Christmas treats and even features a special Christmas cookie recipe for you and your child to create.
The Gingerbread Man
"Run, run as fast as you can. You can't catch me, I'm the gingerbread man!" Follow the gingerbread man as he runs from the old woman, the old man, pig, cow, and horse, and meets a sly fox.
There Was an Old Lady Who Swallowed a Bell!
A wacky new Christmas version of the classic "There Was an Old Lady" song!
This time, the hungry old lady swallows a bell, bows, gifts, a sack, a sleigh, and some reindeer! She's about to swallow a candy cane for dessert, when she hears a jolly "Ho! Ho! Ho!" Santa Claus is waiting for a ride! Watch what happens when she whistles, with amazing results!
If you have a Disney fan, an easy way to do a Disney version of the wrapped books tradition is to get the Disney: Storybook Collection Advent Calendar.
Inside the calendar are 24 small paperback books, each individually wrapped in a paper sleeve to keep every story leading up to Christmas a surprise!
Fast and free holiday shipping from Amazon!
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What is your favorite Christmas tradition? Will you be starting a Holiday books countdown tradition this holiday season?
Looking for another fun way to count down to the Christmas holiday? Don’t miss our top picks for Toy Advent Calendars.
We have also got a fun idea for family movie night with The Grinch.