37+ Christmas Books To Get You Into The Festive Spirit
There’s nothing quite like curling up with a cozy Christmas book to get into the festive spirit.
I used to wait until December 1st to start reading Christmas books, but I love them so much (and have so many on my list!) that now I start reading them in early November. Whether you’re looking for a heartwarming story for some holiday self-care or a magical tale to share with your little ones, this list of over 37 Christmas books has something for everyone. I’ve gathered a mix of holiday reads for both adults and children, so you’ll find options to unwind with after the kids go to bed as well as delightful read-alouds to enjoy as a family. Now, let’s dive into these festive picks!
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Christmas Books for Adults
Ready to curl up under a blanket by the fireplace and escape into some Christmas books? The following books are some of my favorites that I have read over the past few years.
Winter Street series by Elin Hilderbrand
The Winter Street series by Elin Hilderbrand is by far my favorite set of Christmas books. I’ve read the series twice so far, and know I’ll read it again. The series consists of four books: Winter Street, Winter Stroll, Winter Storms, and Winter Solstice. I loved all the books, and felt so attached to the characters that I cried my eyes out both times that I finished the fourth book. Make sure you have a box of tissues handy when you finish this series.
The Book Club Hotel by Sarah Morgan
Sarah Morgan’s Christmas books are must-reads for me each year. Her release last year, The Book Club Hotel, did not disappoint! Hattie is a widow with a young daughter struggling to keep the Maple Sugar Inn running, which was really her late husband’s dream. Erica, Claudia, and Anna are best friends who meet up at the hotel for a book club girls’ weekend in December. I loved the festive Christmas inn setting, as well as the characters whose lives become intertwined.
A Wish for Christmas by Courtney Cole
In A Wish for Christmas, unhappily married couple Noel and Jonah Blake make a wish on an old snow globe that they had never met. The next day they wake up in separate beds in separate lives. They live the lives they had wished for, but both feel like something is missing. There were some twists in this book that I don’t want to give away, but this was such a sweet story!
Bright Lights, Big Christmas by Mary Kay Andrews
Mary Kay Andrews is another author whose Christmas books I really enjoy! In Bright Lights, Big Christmas, Kerry Tolliver leaves her family’s Christmas tree farm in North Carolina to sell their trees on a street corner in New York City. Kerry becomes close with the neighbors and develops chemistry with Patrick, a single dad. This book was both funny and romantic. Besides, I love Christmas books set in New York City! It brings back memories of traveling into Manhattan each year with my family to hit up all the holiday hotspots.
Christmas at the Shelter Inn by RaeAnne Thayne
Natalie Shepherd returns to Shelter Springs to help her sister McKenna run the family’s inn while she is on pregnancy bedrest. Natalie also runs into her late brother’s best friend Griffin, who has been carrying a secret about her brother. Christmas at the Shelter Inn is such a sweet, heartwarming novel. It really reminded me so much of a Hallmark Christmas movie. I loved it! I plan to read the sequel this year.
The Christmas Orphans Club by Becca Freeman
Hannah and Finn have spent every Christmas together since college since Hannah’s parents passed away and Finn’s parents disowned him. They added Priya and Theo to their Christmas tradition after moving to New York City. Now Finn shares that he’s moving to Los Angeles so this may be their last Christmas as they know it. The Christmas Orphans Club is a funny romantic comedy that I really enjoyed!
A Magical New York Christmas by Anita Hughes
A Magical New York Christmas is a holiday love story set at the Plaza Hotel. You can’t get a better location than that for a Christmas story! Sabrina Post gets to stay in a suite at the Plaza Hotel during the holidays while she works as a ghostwriter for the memoir of Grayson Westcott, a famous art dealer. Grayson shares that he worked as a butler at the Plaza Hotel sixty years ago for Kay Thompson, the author of the Eloise books. This is a magical, heartwarming story.
Snowed In for Christmas by Sarah Morgan
The Miller siblings – Ross, Alice, and Clemmie – all have secrets they don’t want to share and have a goal this Christmas is to avoid their family’s prying questions. Lucy Clarke will lose her job if she doesn’t win a major piece of business from Ross. When she shows up at the Miller family’s doorstep to deliver a proposal for Ross, she’s mistaken as his girlfriend! The confusion gets cleared up, but then they’re snowed in so Lucy can’t leave. As I said earlier, Sarah Morgan’s Christmas books are a must-read for me each year and Snowed In for Christmas did not disappoint!
The Christmas Wedding Guest by Susan Mallery
In The Christmas Wedding Guest, the Somerville sisters have lost faith that they’ll ever find love but just may find it as they help their parents plan their Christmas wedding vow renewal. The setting is Wishing Tree, the town where Christmas comes to life. This is such a heartwarming book, with multiple love stories!
The Santa Suit by Mary Kay Andrews
In The Santa Suit, Ivy Perkins buys an old farmhouse sight unseen, and finds an old Santa suit at the top of a closet. In the suit is a note from a child who has one Christmas wish, that her father returns home from war. Ivy goes on a mission to find answers to her many questions about the suit and the note. This is a quick read being a novella, and is such a sweet story making you believe in miracles.
In a Holidaze by Christina Lauren
This is the last Christmas that Maelyn Jones will be at her family’s snowy Utah cabin. After she leaves the cabin for the final time, she asks the universe to show her what will make her happy. The next thing she knows, she crashes and everything goes black. When Maelyn wakes up, she’s on a plane headed to Utah where she lives the holiday all over again. Maelyn keeps getting sent back to the plane and has to figure out how to get out of the strange time loop. In a Holidaze is a hilarious Christmas book, with romance too! I really enjoyed it.
Skipping Christmas by John Grisham
Christmas With The Kranks is one of my favorite Christmas movies, but I didn’t realize it was based on Skipping Christmas until just a few years ago! I really enjoyed the book even though I knew the plot from watching the movie many times. Could you skip Christmas and go on a Caribbean cruise instead? I don’t think I could!
One More for Christmas by Sarah Morgan
In One More for Christmas, sisters Samantha and Ella Mitchell absolutely love Christmas, and this year they’ll have a surprise guest – their estranged mother who they haven’t seen in five years. This was another Sarah Morgan Christmas book that did not disappoint. It was one of my favorites!
Christmas Shopaholic by Sophie Kinsella
If you’re a fan of Sophie Kinsella’s Shopaholic series, you must read Christmas Shopaholic! It’s the ninth book in the series. While you don’t necessarily need to have read all of them, I think you would get more out of the book if you’re somewhat familiar with the characters. Becky Brandon is hilarious as usual, and this book had a lot of Christmas fun mixed in too.
12 More Christmas Books I Want To Read
I haven’t read the following Christmas books yet, but they’re on my list to read this year!
- One Big Happy Family by Susan Mallery – I’m reading this right now and really enjoying it!
- A Christmas Duet by Debbie Macomber
- The Nightmare Before Kissmas by Sarah Raasch
- Christmas at the Holiday House by RaeAnne Thayne
- The Christmas Inn by Pamela M. Kelley
- The December Market by RaeAnne Thayne – the sequel to Christmas at the Shelter Inn!
- The Christmas Tree Farm by Laurie Gilmore – This book is part of a book series but I did hear it can be read as a standalone book.
- The Merry Matchmaker by Sheila Roberts
- Claus and Effect by Piper Rayne
- Holiday Hideaway by Mary Kay Andrews – Mary Kay is another must-read for me too during the holidays!
- Christmas in Peachtree Bluff by Kristy Woodson Harvey – Another book that is part of a book series that I heard can be read as a standalone book.
- The Holiday Cottage by Sarah Morgan – Sarah’s Christmas books are always a must-read for me so I can’t wait to read this one.
Christmas Books for Kids
There is nothing better than curling up with your little one and reading some Christmas books together to get into the spirit. Below are my daughters’ favorites!
A Charlie Brown Christmas by Charles M. Schulz
You can’t go wrong with a Charlie Brown holiday book! We have the books for all the major holidays, but A Charlie Brown Christmas is definitely my favorite.
The Berenstain Bears Christmas Treasury by Jan and Mike Berenstain
The Berenstain Bears Christmas Treasury is three books in one: The Berenstain Bears and the Christmas Angel, The Berenstain Bears and the Joy of Giving, and The Berenstain Bears: Their Very First Christmas. I loved Berenstain Bears books as a kid so I’m always eager to read them with my girls.
The Berenstain Bears’ Merry Christmas by Stan and Jan Berenstain
The Berenstain Bears’ Merry Christmas contains two stories: The Mad, Mad, Mad Toy Craze and Meet Santa Bear. My first grader loves both of these stories so much and I especially like that they end with really great lessons for this time of the year.
The Polar Express by Chris Van Allsburg
The Polar Express makes me wish that I was young enough to believe in Santa again. It’s such a magical story with beautiful illustrations.
As Cool As It Gets by Jory John and Pete Oswald
My first grader and I love reading the books in The Food Group series. Gift exchanges can be stressful! Will Cool Bean find the perfect gift in time for the party? As Cool As It Gets also comes with over 150 holiday stickers to enjoy.
Santa Post by Emma Yarlett
Santa Post is a lift-the-flap book for big kids! Santa’s helpers send him lots of fun letters (that the reader gets to open) as he struggles to find the perfect gift for Amy.
The Jolly Christmas Postman by Janet and Allan Ahlberg
The Jolly Christmas Postman is such a fun interactive book full of letters, puzzles, and fun. I loved The Jolly Postman as a kid, so when I saw there was a Christmas version I added it to my daughter’s Christmas wishlist!
The Nutcracker by Fiona Watt
The Nutcracker tells the magical story of Clara and her nutcracker doll. This book is full of beautiful illustrations and when you press the sound buttons you’ll hear music from Tchaikovsky’s famous ballet!
Christmas Cookies by Holly Berry Byrd
Christmas Cookies is an adorable touch and feel and smell book for toddlers. My brother and sister-in-law gave it to my six year old for her first or second Christmas and the smell parts still give off the scents! This was one of her favorite books when she was younger and now my three-year-old loves it just as much.
Dance with the Elves by Sam Taplin
My younger daughter loves the “Dance with the…” books and Dance with the Elves does not disappoint. Pressing the buttons plays some fun Christmas tunes that your toddler will enjoy dancing to along with the characters.
Elmo’s Christmas Hugs by Matt Mitter
Play with Elmo’s arms as you learn about his favorite parts of Christmas. Elmo’s Christmas Hugs is an adorable book that Sesame Street fans will love!
Add some magic to your holiday season!
I hope this list of Christmas books brings a little extra magic to your holiday season, whether you’re sneaking in a few quiet moments for yourself, sharing the joy of reading with your family, or looking for some ideas for Christmas gifts. There’s something truly special about connecting over stories that capture the spirit of the season, and these books offer the perfect way to make some cozy memories. So, grab a cup of hot cocoa, get comfortable, and dive into these festive stories.
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