Favourite Christmas books for children

[nickievans1987]

I'm thinking of getting my 3 year old a few Christmas stories for bedtimes in the lead up to Christmas. We have Twas the Night Before Christmas that we read on Christmas Eve but that's about it at the moment. Does anyone have any favourites they would like to share?

I love the Christmasaurus but maybe too old for a three year old. Definitely in a few years though. It's written by Tom Fletcher

Don't forget me, Father Christmas. No words. Just pictures. My DSs still love it. We dig it out every year and they're 16 and 11 now.

A bad start for Santa Claus. I loved this one and so did my siblings! ♥️ He loses a mitten so can't drive the sleigh etc. Really lovely book.

www.amazon.co.uk/Bad-Start-Santa-Claus/dp/0763603481

Thank you for asking this question - bought back some really lovely memories.

The dinosaur who pooped Christmas is good until they're old enough for the Christmasaurus!
The jolly Christmas Postman is fantastic.
I love threadbear.

The snowman, the snowman and the snowdog, Father Christmas, the bear - not really Christmassy but always on tv this time of year and all by same author, the polar express, jolly postman, the grinch who stole Christmas, Father Christmas needs a wee!

I just read Mog's Christmas with DS1 (aged 4) tonight. We also have Christmas Bear by Julia Donaldson which is quite nice.

I had a lovely moment this morning between the children beating the shit out of each .

Someone on Instagram went through all her and DC favourite Christmas books past and present and I sat looking them up, remembering from my childhood and ordered a pile of EBay.

I purposely went for copies that were a bit dog eared, creased and well loved as the thought of generations of children excitedly reading them on the run up to Christmas made me ridiculously happy!!

I got...

Christmas in Exeter street
Coming Home (Author Michael Morpurgo)
Santa Clause and the woodcutter
The Christmas Eve Ghost
The Christmas Robin
Alfie’s Christmas.

Lucy and Tom’s Christmas by Shirley Hughes is my absolute favourite. I’m also very fond of Kipper’s Christmas Eve.

We used to love this when the boys were small
farmyard tales lift the flap

Alfie's Christmas and Lucy and Toms Christmas and the Christmas Eve ghost are my favourites too, nothing beats Shirley Hughes for nostalgia.

There is a new Christmas edition Pip and Posy, we love those.

Pick a Pine Tree I've bought this year and it's just beautiful.

@slappinthebass I was so tempted by pick a pine tree but my although it looked beautiful my youngest is 7 and I though it might be a bit young for.

For slightly older children, The Christmas Miracle of Jonathan (T(w)oomey" (?sp) is lovely. A truly beautifully illustrated story of personal salvation through the spirit of Christmas - a bit like a picture book version of "A Christmas Carol."

The Cajun Night Before Christmas

One of my favourites is Santa's Suit by Kate Lee. It's a board book with touchy feely bits and a lovely rhyme and helps little ones learn colours.

Also The Grinch that stole Christmas. My three year old enjoys Dr Seuss but not as much as I do.

great thread, i just bought 3 off ebay!

Sophie' s little angel
Lucy and Tom's Christmas
Mogs Christmas
The jolly Christmas postman

We have a new christmassy book on Christmas eve every year- my mum did this for.me and I loved it so I now do it for my DC

I gave DD8 'Letters from Father Christmas' JRR Tolkien a couple of weeks ago which are letters that he wrote to his children. She has devoured it and loves reading them over and over. 🎅🏼

Also Enid Blyton's Christmas Stories which has a few short stories gets read every year.

Father Christmas needs a wee
How the grinch stole Christmas
The jolly Christmas postman

We have a load of Christmassy books but these ^ are the most popular in our house.

Thanks for the ideas everyone. Those should keep us going for a while!

Another vote for Alfie’s Christmas, and The Jolly Christmas Postman.
These are popular in our house too:

Hans Williams The Christmas Angel
Delia Huddy The Christmas Eve Tree
Martin Waddell Room for a Little One
Kate Lee Santa’s Suit (touch and feel)
Paul Strickland The Christmas Workshop (Gorgeous 3D book)

Definitely the jolly Christmas postman. 6yo DD and I have read it 3 times already this week, she loves it

She also really likes this one

www.amazon.co.uk/Just-Right-Christmas-Birdie-Black/dp/085763030X/ref=mp_s_a_1_5?ref=plSrch&keywords=just+right&dpPl=1&dpID=5164xy6gtgL&pi=AC_SX236_SY340_QL65&tag=mumsnetforum-21&ie=UTF8&qid=1543789023&sr=8-5

@Twitchintervention probably too young, but then I enjoyed it. Have you got any younger relatives or friends children you can buy it for and just enjoy first?

Off the back of this thread I went looking for the Michael Morpurgo Robin one, and then discovered that he's recently written a children's novel adaption of the Raymond Briggs Snowman! So I ordered that for my 11 year old, it had most of reviews from adults, but it's probably too young for her. I'd say it's best for 6-10's, or 4 and up as a read aloud.