By Maria Papagiannopoulou,
One of the best Christmas activities we can think of is curling up by the fire with a good book. Of course, you can read whatever you want, but there are all kinds of Christmas books with a Christmas theme that make your reading session extra cozy.
From time-honored classics to enchanting novels, from intriguing mysteries to children’s Christmas books, these are the books that will keep you turning pages all December long. Books are, of course, only part of the holiday fun; Celebrate the Christmas season with the best Christmas songs and also the best Christmas movies.
- Little Women by Louisa May Alcott
Little Women is a coming-of-age classic that takes place around Christmas, making it a perfect tale to read each year. Follow along as sisters Jo, Beth, Meg, and Amy try to carve their own paths in life while keeping their familial bonds strong. Little Women is also a book that was made into a movie (a couple of times, actually!), so feel free to stream the 1994 or 2019 film adaptions after reading this timeless novel.
- Letters from Father Christmas by J.R.R. Tolkien
That is right, J. R. R. Tolkien, the famous English author who gave us brilliant fantasy books like The Hobbit and The Lord of the Rings, also gave us one of the best Christmas books to get lost in. Tolkien fans will love Letters from Santa Claus which features Christmas letters the popular author wrote for his children. Find yourself at Tolkien’s North Pole, where Santa Claus knows best and where reindeer and polar bears wreak havoc.
- A Christmas Carol by Charles Dickens
A Christmas Carol is a classic for a reason! It has spawned countless adaptations, but Dickens’ original 1843 book about Ebenezer Scrooge, his four ghostly encounters, and his resulting new life, deserves a high place on any list of the best Christmas books – and one of the best short books you can ever read.
- A Christmas Memory by Truman Capote
Technically a short story, Capote’s True Christmas Story is set in the 1930s and was originally published in 1956. Based on his own life, A Christmas Memory chronicles a boy’s relationship with his family, focusing on the Christmas season from his childhood. For a lively activity after the reading session, play one of these Christmas games.
- The Gift of the Magi by O. Henry
The 1905 tale The Gift of the Magi is a classic tale with a poignantly ironic twist. Jim and Della, a young newlywed couple with little money, are each trying to figure out what to get each other for Christmas. They make sacrifices to give each other their gifts – and learn powerful lessons about love and true gifts beyond material things. Sounds like it could be the plot of a romantic Christmas movie!
- Hercule Poirot’s Christmas by Agatha Christie
Who does not love a good Christmas mystery?! In this 1938 whodunit by mysterious tycoon Christie, an old man invites his somewhat estranged family to his estate for Christmas… but eventually dies on Christmas Eve. It is time for master detective Hercule Poirot to solve this Christmas case in Hercule Poirot’s Christmas. This book is a great gift for women or men who like to sit by the fire and read.
- The Greatest Gift by Philip Van Doren Stern
Before It’s a Wonderful Life, one of the greatest Christmas movies of all time, was The Greatest Gift. Originally published in 1943, this story is the premise that would become the blockbuster film. If you are a fan of the film, you will love reading the source material.
- Mr. Dickens and His Carol by Samantha Silva
Mr. Dickens and His Carol is another Christmas book to flip through curled up on the sofa. Published in 2017 but written in a Dickensian Victorian style, this historical fiction novel depicts the life of Charles Dickens as a struggling writer who came up with the idea for A Christmas Carol. You are carried away by the old-fashioned Christmas atmosphere, even if it is a modern book. If your partner likes to read, this can be a great gift for your boyfriend or girlfriend.
- Skipping Christmas by John Grisham
Here is another Christmas book turned movie – it is a fun and favorite Christmas movie! If you know Christmas with the Kranks, this book inspired the rough Christmas story. After their adult daughter leaves for the Peace Corps, Luther and Nora Krank decide to forgo all the excitement of the vacation this year and instead go on a Caribbean cruise. But a surprise changes all their plans and hilarious jokes ensue. Skip the Christmas hits in 2001.
- Royal Holiday by Jasmine Guillory
In Royal Holiday 2019, Vivian accompanies her daughter on a Christmas work trip to England – and falls in love with the Queen’s pretty secretary. Although both know she needs to return to the United States, letting go of their romance is easier said than done. Get your hands on this romance novel and read it by the glow of your Christmas tree.
- Holidays on Ice by David Sedaris
Brilliant humorist Sedaris graces your Christmas library with his 1997 Christmas collection Holidays on Ice. It offers hilarious perspectives on school Christmas parades, working in a department store during the holidays, overgenerous neighbors, and more seasonal themes.
- Last Christmas in Paris by Hazel Gaynor and Heather Webb
Here is another Christmas book for lovers of historical fiction. Spanning the four Christmases of World War I and also jumping to 1968, Last Christmas in Paris tells the story of Evie and Thomas as they experience the turmoil of war – and their growing love for each other – against the backdrop of the holiday season. It was released in 2017, making it a more recent addition to the world of Christmas books.
- The Wish Book Christmas by Lynn Austin
The Wish Book Christmas is sure to become a holiday favorite. Shortly after World War II, two friends look forward to raising their children in peacetime. But when Sears’ Christmas Wish Book comes out, both boys grow fond of it, forcing the moms to find ways to teach them that the holidays are not just about gifts. They have put their heads together to find good deeds for their children to do — learning a thing or two for themselves in a historical narrative that is just as relevant today.
These are some of my suggestions to read for this Christmas time! See you next year!
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