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Christmas

From present ideas to party food, find all your Christmas inspiration here.

Original poster

Can you recommend some beautiful Christmas books?

112 replies

ShowOfHands · 13/10/2019 11:10

Particularly vintage or children's books. I collect Christmas books and have just ordered the new Shirley Hughes. I think it's the illustrations I like the most. Shirley Hughes is a favourite because of the evocative illustrations.

I am idly browsing online and wondered if anybody had recommendations for much loved, beautiful Christmas books that I haven't stumbled across before?

OP posts:
thetardis · 13/10/2019 11:15

if you don't already have jan pienkowski's christmas/first christmas you should :)

AfterSomeAdvice1234 · 13/10/2019 11:16

It's for very young children, but a firm favourite in our house is Harvey Slumfenburger's Christmas Present!

DownWentTheFlag · 13/10/2019 11:18

I came on here to recommend Alfie’s Christmas by Shirley Hughes. What’s the new one called?

BeyondMyWits · 13/10/2019 11:19

Mimi Mouse's Christmas... by Martin Waddell (also published as Mimi's Christmas) just lovely, my girls are 17 and 18 and still want it read to them on Christmas Eve.

IggyAce · 13/10/2019 11:19

My Dcs love the jolly postman Christmas book and the night before Christmas illustrated by Eric Putbaret is beautiful and read every Christmas Eve in our house.

PrivateSpidey · 13/10/2019 11:26

Christmas In Exeter Street is lovely OP. It's about a big house full of guests on Christmas Eve, and whether Father Christmas will be able to deliver presents to all of them. It's quite an old book I think.

There's also Holly and Ivy by Rumer Godden. And a lovely illustrated story called The Animals' Christmas Eve, about how the animals saw the birth of Jesus (I'm not v religious it's just a very moving story,and actually it gives me the shivers in a magical Christmassy sort of way).

But my all time favourite is Teddy Robinson meets Father Christmas - it's not a standalone story but part of one of the Teddy R books - The Adventures of Teddy Robinson I think.

Original poster
ShowOfHands · 13/10/2019 11:38

The new Shirley Hughes is Angel on the Roof. I love all her books but particularly her Christmas ones.

Christmas On Exeter Street is one of my absolute favourites. I adore the full page picture once everybody is in situ and the slightly deaf neighbour who smiles and smiles and smiles.

I've just ordered the Jan Pienkowski ones (love the Halloween and Meg & Mog books) and Harvey Slumfenburger's Christmas Present. I have some of the others but not all of them so off to look for them too...

Thank you.

Keep them coming!

OP posts:
Dinosauratemydaffodils · 13/10/2019 12:26

Enid Blyton's the Christmas Book? My absolute favourite as a child. Some of the older editions have lovely illustrations.

The Miracle of the First Poinsettia: A Mexican Christmas Story is a favourite in our house.

The Twelve Days of Christmas by Alison Jay. Beautiful illustrations, I'm steadily collecting all the books she's illustrated because I love her style.

Rainbowx2 · 13/10/2019 12:38

Jolly Christmas postman is lovely

PunkAssMoFo · 13/10/2019 13:34

Michael murporgo has written a version of The Snowman that I’ve bought for dd along with them christmasaurus’.

Obviously ‘the night before Christmas’ and then nutcracker’, ‘the polar express’ and ‘the grinch’.

Original poster
ShowOfHands · 13/10/2019 14:01

I hadn't heard of Alison Jay before this thread. My favourite illustrator is Robert Ingpen. His versions of The Nutcracker, The Night Before Christmas and The Christmas Carol are stunning. The Michael Morpurgo Snowman book is lovely. I bought it a week ago!

OP posts:
Ormally · 13/10/2019 14:46

Dylan Thomas 'A Child's Christmas in Wales'. Look for the Ardizzone illustrated one. Classic for sure.
I also like the Tolkein 'Letters from Father Christmas' (his real letters to his children). Amazing illustration - but not all that approachable otherwise unless a Tolkein/mythology fan.
Also completely love the pop up Robert Sabuda books (including the mini ones) which are alphabets, not stories as such.

GETTINGLIKEMYMOTHER · 13/10/2019 17:52

'Room for a Little One' is lovely - Nativity based but more about all the animals sheltering in the stable on a cold night - really beautiful whole page illustrations. More suited to very young children.

Original poster
ShowOfHands · 13/10/2019 17:58

A Child's Christmas in Wales and Tolkien's Letters both come out on December 1st. Both firm favourites.

I'll look up Robert Sabuda and Room For A Little One.

OP posts:
Bloodybridget · 13/10/2019 18:02

PrivateSpidey I love The Story of Holly and Ivy! I re-read it a few weeks ago (doing a lot of comfort reading atm!).
There's a chapter book by Margaret Baker, Castaway Christmas, which I like a lot. Probably suitable for good readers of 7 and above.

Barbarara · 13/10/2019 18:58

Quite an eclectic selection here:

The Illustrated Fairy Gazette Christmas Celebration by Avril & Frances Tyrell (Fairy book with letters, activities and games)

The Snow Lady by Shirley Hughes

The Donkey and the Golden Light by John and Jill Speirs (not particularly for children but if you like medieval manuscripts and fine art you’ll appreciate this)

The Church Mice at Christmas by Graham Oakley (Possibly a slight spoiler for a very perceptive child)

The Christmas Workshop by Paul Stickland. 3D picture book with lovely detail

The Christmas Eve Tree by Delia Huddy and Emily Sutton (a modern classic)

The Christmas Angel by Hans Wilhelm

WineIsMyCarb · 13/10/2019 19:02

First Letters of Christmas
Just bought one- DC can write their letters to FC, read out and send and the book 'keeps' a carbon copy.

Barbarara · 13/10/2019 19:03

And thank you for starting this thread.

WineIsMyCarb · 13/10/2019 19:04

I like the Ahlberg's books too but not sure if there's a Christmas one.

SupportHuman · 13/10/2019 19:07

I really love Ollie's Ski Trip but it might not be your thing...

Also a very beautifully illustrated (by Nicola Bayley who did The Patchwork Cat) one called All For The Newborn Baby.

SupportHuman · 13/10/2019 19:07

I really love Ollie's Ski Trip but it might not be your thing...

Also a very beautifully illustrated (by Nicola Bayley who did The Patchwork Cat) one called All For The Newborn Baby.

Original poster
ShowOfHands · 13/10/2019 19:26

Thank you so much everybody. Lots and lots I don't have and so many beautiful ones.

I still re-read childhood Christmas books and my collection grows exponentially. Watching the dc unpack my wicker baskets and rediscover them each year is so lovely. I hope that they'll share them with their dc too.

OP posts:
Ormally · 13/10/2019 20:49

Sorry - might be about to revitalise the thread a bit, but just remembered:
The Christmas Truce, C-A Duffy (an illustrated poem) and The Children of Green Knowe (but if you have some of the above, then I don't doubt that you must also have that one and bring out on December 1st). Incidentally, you can also visit the real 'Green Knowe' on certain days of the year (called The Manor) and I would recommend this without reservation.

Sadik · 13/10/2019 21:00

I'm not sure anyone has mentioned Lucy and Tom's Christmas, also by Shirley Hughes, or Mog's Christmas (used to be one of my DD's favourites)

sproutsandparsnips · 13/10/2019 21:10

John Masefield The Box of Delights?

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