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Original poster

Christmas Stories

27 replies

Katherine · 09/12/2002 09:29

Have realised that we don't have any books stories about Christmas to read in the run up. Would like to get a few - maybe one about the nativity (although we are not religious feel they should know the basics) and perhaps one or two others about Fr Christmas or other Christmassy stories. Any favuorites out there you can recommend? DS is 4.5 and DD is 2.5.

OP posts:
GillW · 09/12/2002 10:33

We like the Raymond Briggs ones - The Snowman, and Father Christmas, and have the videos of them too (though they'll be on TV over Christmas anyway I'm sure).

hmb · 09/12/2002 10:41

And you can down load 'Twas the night before christmas' poem from the internet. We lve reading that one on the run up to christmas.

Azzie · 09/12/2002 11:28

My kids (5 and 3) listened very happily last night to 'Kippers Christmas Eve' - wondered if ds would be too old for it but it didn't seem so.

berries · 09/12/2002 11:37

Watch for the RB Father Christmas video. When my dd was bout 2.5, she spent a whole christmas goin round the house singing 'another bloomin christmas' - didn't go down too well with the in-laws

Original poster
Katherine · 09/12/2002 11:51

Thanks - I've got the RB ones n tape from last Christmas and the children love them. Hadn't thought about getting the book versions but its a good idea so they can connect the two.

OP posts:
SoupDragon · 09/12/2002 12:18

Is there a book of "twas the night before christmas" that anyone can recommend?

GillW · 09/12/2002 13:37

There was quite a nice pop-up book of "twas the night before christmas" in one of the discount bookshops (might have been Booksale?) recently.

Redhouse have quite a nice little book called The Christmas Stable for introducing the Christmas story - aimed at 3-5 year olds.

janh · 09/12/2002 14:01

Don't get the Snowman to read though - it only has pictures! (Unless you're a good improviser...)

Do you have a proper bookshop (ie not WHS type) near you? We have quite a selection of Christmas books from down the years, with stories, activities (art, baking etc), pop-out cardboard nativity scenes etc, you might be able to find one of those?

ks · 09/12/2002 14:33

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Marina · 09/12/2002 14:50

The Christmas Miracle of Jonathan Toomey (Walker Books)
Good King Wenceslas (North South, beautifully illustrated carol words for reading or singing)
Christmas in Exeter Street (Walker Books)
All have positive messages about thinking of others, welcoming guests etc, and are big favourites in our house!

star · 09/12/2002 14:58

A lovely christmassy story with a moral message is 'the happy prince'.Trouble is I find it a bit of a tear jerker to read.

batey · 09/12/2002 18:19

One of our dds favourites is "Shhhhh!", Little Tiger Press, about Santa trying and failing in being quiet when delivering the presents. There's a mouse to spot on each page which dd2 (2 1/2) loves.

Inkpen · 09/12/2002 18:34

'Little Robin Red Vest' - Jan Fearnley. Little Robin has seven coloured vests, which he gives away progressively to all his friends, till he's cold and shivery on Christmas Eve. Of course a kindly gentleman in a red coat whisks him away and tells him that he is full of the spirit of Christmas. The kindly gentleman's wife knits him a new red vest with a thread from the red coat, which will 'keep him warm forever' and make others feel warm when they see him. It's done with a light touch, not too sugary, delicious!
Also check out the library - they have special Christmas collections that usually make an appearance around late November.

leese · 09/12/2002 18:41

Soupdragon - Marks and Spencer sell a lovely 'Twas the Night Before Christmas' book - it's the poem and lovely illustrations throiughout - they are £5. Ther are some other nice ones in the set too. for smaller children there are a set of four Christmas books - 'Snowman', 'Reindeer', 'Santa' etc, which tell a lovely poem and are brightly illustrated - dd (18 mths) loves them - sturdy and big for small hands to grasp, but a bargain at £3 a piece!

sobernow · 09/12/2002 18:47

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janh · 09/12/2002 20:09

Just remembered one of our favourites was "Lucy & Tom's Christmas" by Shirley Hughes - very traditional, lovely pictures, sweet story, lots of hospitality - is it still around? (Oooh, it is, just checked amazon!)

We used to have Mog's Christmas too but I think it went to Oxfam. It never occurred to me to keep Christmas stories...

janh · 09/12/2002 20:20

Katherine, have a look at Amazon, they have a Christmas books section within the children's book section, as well as most of those already mentioned they have these:

and pages more. Also if you are a new customer you get £3 off your first order. (And if you go in via www.donateforfree.co.uk your order provides a small donation to charity at the same time - no extra cost to you! )

anais · 09/12/2002 20:55

Jingle Bells is a favourite in this house. I think it's by Nick Butterworth. It gets read all year round here.

susanmt · 10/12/2002 00:24

Another vote here for Jesus Christmas Party - it is soooooo sweet!
And our fave Christmas story at the moment is 'Waiting For Noel - An Advent Story' which is about a family expecting a baby at Christmas and lighting their advent candles together - my dd is nearly 3 and loves it, and it makes me cry when I read it, no idea why! It is also a beautiful book, really gorgeously illustrated, a good 'keeper' and an excellent present.
And 'THe Night Before Christmas' has been a tradition with me since I was a little girl - we all used to gather round the fire on Christmas Eve, read our letters to Santa then throw them on the fire so he would get them, (the twinkling od the soot burning was the words going up the chimney!) - then my Dad would read the poem and we would all hang up our stockings and go to bed - it makes me tingle thinking about it!

Marina · 10/12/2002 08:51

Star, I was thinking about The Happy Prince just the other day. We had a gorgeous version as children and I must ask my parents if it's still around. Like you, my voice starts wobbling if I read it aloud...I love it especially because to me it reveals just what a kind and adorable, as well as a funny and sophisticated, man Oscar Wilde was.

Bron · 10/12/2002 11:27

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star · 10/12/2002 14:49

Marina,hi to you-It's nice to know I'm not the only one who wobbles a bit when i read it.I must read some more Oscar Wilde one day.What a gifted writer he was indeed.I like the fact that we can enjoy a good story too when we read to our children.Dh would be pleased if I picked up any book really,out of the last two weeks I have worked and been out I think it's 12 nights.And have only time to pick up a take a break mag much to dh's disgust.

Tillysmummy · 10/12/2002 15:47

Does anyone remember the Bullaby Children ? I had this book when I was a child, it was about several families in Sweden or Norway I think, and the children had names like Lars, Pip etc. There was a gorgeous Christmas story in that book. All the stories in that book got my imagination working so hard they were great.

SoupDragon · 10/12/2002 17:48

Have just purchased the M&S Night Before Christams so thanks Leese

leese · 10/12/2002 18:35

Great! Lovely isn't it?........