HOLIDAY STORIES
From traditional tales to guides for reducing holiday stress, our selection of Christmas books will help you through the holiday season.
FOR KIDS OF ALL AGES
The Grinch Who Stole Christmas by Dr. Seuss
Recently adapted into a movie, Dr. Seuss's Grinch has “all the tender sweetness of a seasick crocodile.” The Grinch's heart is two sizes too small, he hates Who-ville's holiday celebrations, and plans to steal all the Who's presents to prevent Christmas from coming. To his amazement, Christmas comes anyway, and the Grinch is changed forever when he discovers the true meaning of the holiday. This story is a classic Christmas tale that can be read again and again.
The Polar Express by Chris Van Allsburg
Winner of the 1986 Caldecott Medal for children's literature, The Polar Express is the tale of a young boy lying awake on Christmas Eve. Santa Claus sweeps him and other children away to the North Pole on The Polar Express. Poetic prose and gorgeous illustrations infuse this book with all the wonder and enchantment of the Christmas season.
‘Twas the Night Before Christmas
Christmas just isn't Christmas without at least one reading of the perennial favourite ‘Twas the Night Before Christmas. Even if you're just trying to remember the names of Santa's eight reindeer (and Rudolph makes nine), take the time to reread this Christmas classic.
The Snowman by Raymond Briggs
This beautifully illustrated, wordless wintertime story lets children create a different story each time they pick up the book. In this tale, a boy builds a snowman that comes to life overnight and the snowman takes him on a tour of his world via a winter wind. After you've read the book, get outside and make your own snowman!
A Christmas Carol by Charles Dickens
Since it was originally published in 1843, Charles Dickens' A Christmas Carol has become one of the most beloved Christmas stories in history. The story has it all: heroes, villains, ghosts, time travel, long-lost love, and a happy ending. With worldwide appeal, this story continues to captivate generation after generation.
Chicken Soup for the Soul: Christmas Treasury, edited by Jack Canfield and Mark Victor Hansen
Part of the popular Chicken Soup for the Soul collection, the Christmas edition has short stories that are guaranteed to renew your Christmas spirit. Read them as a family or before bed to help shrug off seasonal stress.
CUT THE CHRISTMAS CHAOS
Simplify Your Life: 100 Ways to Reduce the Stress and Recapture the Joy of the Holidays by Elaine St. James
This book is filled with tips and techniques to help you relax and enjoy the holiday season. St. James' suggestions run the gamut, from simplifying Christmas dinner and giving to a charity to tips for managing difficult relatives and avoiding Christmas debt.
Hundred Dollar Holiday: The Case for a Joyful Christmas by Bill McKibben
If you've ever wondered how to tame the chaos of the holiday season, check out Hundred Dollar Holiday. This simply presented book is full of ideas on how to minimize spending and maximize the meaning and spirit of Christmas by giving “gifts that matter”. If you only spend a hundred dollars this season, make sure Hundred Dollar Holiday is in your budget.
Unplug the Christmas Machine: A Complete Guide to Putting Love and Joy Back into the Season by Jo Robinson and Jean Coppock Staeheli
Combat the commercialism of Christmas with Jo Robinson and Jean Coppock Staeheli's Unplug the Christmas Machine. This book focuses on how to make the season more spiritual and less materialistic. Tips on making shopping lists as well as holiday recipes and ideas for family activities are complemented by deeper issues, such as how to teach children that Christmas is more than a present and how to find meaning in the holiday when you're not especially religious.
CHRISTMAS CRAFTS
Christmas Crafts from Around the World by Judy Ann Sadler and June Bradford
Crafts are a great way to keep kids busy over the Christmas break. Christmas Crafts from Around the World has traditional North American trimmings like popcorn garlands as well as unique decorations from Mexico, Denmark, South Africa and many more. This book is a great way to teach kids about how and why the holiday is celebrated in other parts of the world.
Christmas in Minutes: Festive Crafts in Less than an Hour by Josie Cameron and Carol Cox
Time-strapped and stressed during the holidays? If you still want to indulge in Christmas traditions like homemade decorations and trimmings, Christmas in Minutes is the book for you. 30 projects, including wreaths, centrepieces and garlands, are arranged in sections according to the time required to complete them. Easy-to-find materials keep the projects uncomplicated without sacrificing the handcrafted feeling.
Christmas Trees: Fun and Festive Ideas by Peter Cole, Leslie Jonath, Frankie Frankeny
From traditional and one-of-a-kind to theme trees, Christmas Trees: Fun and Festive Ideas is the ultimate book on decorating the holiday centrepiece. Step-by-step instructions for classic decorations and creative trimmings will help make your Christmas tree magical. Don't miss the recipes for festive fare to help keep the decorators going.
