Our children love them – Mickey and the gang, The Smurfs, Barney, Mater and McQueen, Dora the Explorer, Buzz Lightyear and many others - but having them star in their very own Christmas stories will surely be a double treat for our kids.  

These stories also share lessons and insights on the spirit of Christmas. They make wonderful gift ideas and bonding tools for every mom and dad to enjoy together with their kids.  

Here are 7 Christmas movies and 3 storybooks which our children can enjoy during the holidays:

1. Smurfs: A Christmas Carol

This short Christmas movie was released as part of “The Smurfs” 2011 movie in Blu-Ray / DVD pack.  

The story is an adaptation of a Charles Dickens classic, A Christmas Carol. In the movie animation, Papa Smurf, together with the rest of the Smurfs gang, are singing carols as they go around the “Smurf Forest”. The entire village is decked with yuletide spirit except for the house of Grouchy Smurf who tells the entire village how much he “hates” Christmas. Papa Smurf attempts to create something that will help Grouchy feel the Christmas spirit. With a glowing ball of light which magically travels through Grouchy’s house and causes him to fall asleep, he begins his journey through Christmas past, present and future.

Key message:  Christmas is not about always getting what you want but it is being with family and friends who care about you the most.

2. Shrek the Halls

This “Shrek” Christmas Special was released after the movie Shrek the Third was featured in cinemas, as a direct-to-DVD film.  

It is Shrek’s first Christmas since, according to him, "ogres don't celebrate anything," but he doesn’t want to admit this fact to Fiona because he promised her a special Christmas surprise. Not having an idea as to what Christmas is all about, Shrek goes to a bookstore and was given a copy of Christmas For Village Idiots, a step-by-step guide to celebrating the holiday. Shrek follows the book's advice by decorating the house and getting a tree so he can spend a quiet Christmas Eve with his family, but Donkey brings the rest of the gang to the swamp, ruining Shrek's plans. Shrek loses his temper and throws everyone out of the house. After a Christmas talk with Fiona, she gathers everyone back in to the house and talk it out with them like a real family.  

Key message: We all have our own Christmas traditions and stories to share but the true meaning of Christmas can truly and fully be shared with our loved ones.