lovely, not too expensive, christmas book

[AuntieDen]

every year I buy my great niblings a 'special' christmas book to share - eldest is currently 5. The idea is it will be kept for every year and read to them, not to read themselves at the moment.

I have done the Christmas Emporium ones and was thinking of the Night Before Christmas from either Bookishly or the Usborne pop up version this year (less 'special' but more fun at that age)

There is a lovely one at The Folio Society but its too spendy really - ideally top budget £20.

before I commit are there any other visually lovely ones people could recommend? - doesn't need to be that specific title, but Christmassy and special in some way. I had considered the Tolkein letters one but I don't think its the best gift for that agegroup.

A bit off the beaten track: Both my kids absolutely loved Percy the Park-keeper “One Snowy Night.” The paperback at £7.99 is beautifully illustrated. It’s not specifically a Christmas book but it’s so wintery and when read well, absolutely captivating, a little scary (at first when the animals are scared there’s a monster and it turns out to be a little mole) and very funny (I’d put on a West Country accent for my Percy voice, something squeaky for the mice, and a really silly dopey voice for the mole).My kids loved spotting the animals hiding on the last page.

You could buy a wooden Nativity scene for them to build and play with, using the remaining money!

Miranda Hart is releasing a children’s book in October, I think it’s called ‘The Christmas tree that loved to dance’. My kids have both absolutely loved the Jolly Christmas Postman book. It’s always exciting to open the letters and envelopes inside

The Christmas Alphabet by Robert Sabuda is really special. Only thing is the littler ones might try and grab and tear the beautiful paper art, it’s just irresistible. But my teens still look at this one now!

Jolly christmas postman, I still love opening the letters myself!

I got "The Nurcracker" musical book by the Story Orchestra for DD last year. It tells the story and plays some of the music from the ballet. Its about £15 she loves it and we have since got sleeping beauty and swan lake as well.

There's a beautifully illustrated Julia Donaldson one that might be worth looking at.

I was coming on to link this one - it's a lovely book.

https://amzn.eu/d/3NVrc7T

We got the hardback a few years ago and it is lovely (looks like it might only be paperback or board now?)

How Winston Delivered Christmas
It’s a lovely advent book. A chapter for each day before Xmas with little activity suggestions for each day as well.

Second vote for the jolly Christmas postman!

Haha my DS was absolutely terrified of this book and wouldn't let me read it until he was about 3 and a half. But that might be a bit of a niche response!

DS2 has a beautiful picture book of Stopping By Woods on a Snowy Evening by Robert Frost.

Wombat divine! He tries out for all the nativity parts and in the end plays baby Jesus in the manager.

The Polar Express ( lots of special editions available) The Snowman or Father Christmas Raymond Briggs.
Jesus’ Christmas Party Nicholas Allan. Lots of repetitive text to join in with.

DS and I love The Christmas Eve Tree by Delia Huddy. It’s on Amazon.

There's a gorgeous book called "Christmas in Exeter Street" where for various reasons lots of different families pile into one house on Christmas Eve. It's really lovely.

Another ‘jolly postman’ vote. I just bloody love it!!!

Pick a pine tree book is lovely (note: hard cover only - important as only this edition has a special surprise in it).

thank you everyone! I will look through them all - I am also finding other great looking books for gifts as I research them -Cat Family Christmas interactive advent book anyone? 😻

is it this version of the Jolly Christmas postman? I know they sometimes have different bits in different versions (pic may take a while to be approved I guess)

The musical nutcracker book is beautiful

Cat family Christmas. Such a lovely book, I got it for my kids last year and it’s the only Christmas book so far that’s reached cherished status. Lots of doors to open, little mice hiding doing cute things. It’s just adorable, 100% recommend to anyone.

I collect children's Christmas books. My favourites are:

Christmas on Exeter Street.
The Tomtes' Christmas Porridge.
Shirley Hughes: The Snow Lady, The Christmas Eve Ghost, Angel Mae, Dogger's Christmas, Lucy and Tom's Christmas.
The Night Before Christmas (the Ingpen illustrated one is stunning).
The Jolly Christmas Postman.
A Child's Christmas in Wales.
The Story of Holly & Ivy.

This was my favourite book as a child. Loved it and I so wanted to be a park keeper when I grew up!

We have a huge box of Christmas books!
special favourites
jolly postman
exeter st
harvey schlumfenberger
Out smelly sprout!
the mole family’s Christmas - I think this is long out of print, Russell Hoban, I love it

I was going to suggest this. It’s such a lovely little book with different activities. We’ve still got DD’s!

These are all adorable and I want to buy them all.

I hope it's ok to jump on, but does anyone have any lovely ones for under 1s? I don't know if it's a bit niche, but I have a few to buy and I don't want them to just eat the pages 🤣