10 Heartwarming Christmas Children's Classics

Christmas stories never fail to warm the hearts of both young and old alike. I personally love Christmas-themed books, as they are a great way for me to give my son the right perspective about this season - that there’s definitely more to Christmas than just receiving presents.    

Start a tradition with your children and get them into the true spirit of Christmas by sharing beautiful, heartwarming stories about everyone’s favorite time of the year. Most Christmas readings not only entertain; they also teach valuable lessons.

Classic Christmas books are a wonderful choice.  Here are some of the well-loved, all-time-favorite Christmas classics for kids:

 

1. The Little Match Girl by Hans Christian Andersen

“The Little Match Girl” is a short story originally published in 1845 by Danish author, Hans Christian Andersen. It is a story of a poor little girl’s hopes and dreams. This may seem too sad or even too tragic for Christmas but it also presents a beautiful story of hope. 

The Little Match Girl will open everyone’s hearts and minds that Christmas is for everyone, no matter what your status in life is. This story will inspire our little kids to be thankful for their loved ones and share their blessings to other people.

 

2. A Christmas Carol by Charles Dickens

This is perhaps one of the most popular Christmas classics.  “A Christmas Carol,” written by English author Charles Dickens, was first published in 1843. Many of us are probably quite familiar with the character of stingy old Ebenezer Scrooge, who “hates Christmas” who encounters the ghosts of Christmas Past, Present and Future for a personal journey of renewal and transformation.

This is a great story to teach our kids about kindness, compassion and generosity to others – even beyond Christmas. 

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3. The Polar Express by Chris Van Allsburg

The Polar Express became more famous as a film featuring Tom Hanks but the book version of it will also make for a great Christmas read. This is a 1985 storybook about a young boy’s journey to the North Pole to meet Santa and his elves, where he receives a wonderful gift.  .  

The Polar Express is every child’s dream. It is a great way to keep the magic of Christmas alive in the hearts of our children.  

 

4. The Nutcracker and the Mouse King by E.T.A Hoffman

The Nutcracker and the Mouse King is an 1816 story by E.T.A Hoffman, which later on became more famous as a ballet. It is a magical tale of a 7-year old girl named Marie and her Nutcracker doll, who took her to an adventure of a lifetime meeting the Mouse King, Sugar Plum fairies and other dolls.  
This story is a perfect way to encourage every child’s dream world and imagination.  Share your child’s wonder of a beautiful Christmas fantasy through this magical book.  

The original book may be difficult to find these days, but various updated versions have been published. Check out the adaptation by Janet Schulman, The Nutcracker – A Christmas Story.

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5. The Night Before Christmas by Clement C. Moore

The Night Before Christmas by Clement C. Moore is a personal favorite of mine. I remember memorizing the lines of this beautiful Christmas poem as a child. 

It is a poem published in 1823, under the original title, A Visit from St. Nicholas, about a man’s brief encounter with Santa Claus while his wife and children were asleep, and gives a vivid description of the iconic Santa Claus.  Children who love Santa will definitely enjoy this book.

(Related story: Book review - The Night Before Christmas)

 

6. How the Grinch Stole Christmas by Dr. Seuss

I love books by Dr. Seuss. How the Grinch Stole Christmas is definitely another personal favorite of mine. Originally published in 1957, the Grinch is a grouchy creature who lives alone and has a “heart two sizes too small”. He doesn’t understand the happiness shared by the people of Whoville as they prepare for Christmas, so he tried to “steal” their joy away by taking all their fancy holiday decors, sumptuous food and presents.  But later on, he realized that Christmas is beyond the festivities and that being with friends and family is more important than all the presents.  

This story is perfect to teach our kids that Christmas is in our hearts and can be celebrated even without the material presents for as long it is shared with our loved ones.  

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7. Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer by Robert L. May

The story of the iconic Rudolph the Red-nosed Reindeer was originally written by Robert L. May in 1939, but through the years, many adaptations have been published about the story of this loveable reindeer.  
Rudolph was made famous for his shiny, red nose, but it was also for this reason that he became an outcast. In the process, he befriended an elf and a bunch of broken toys who all felt unwanted. He has proven his worth later on when he was able to help Santa deliver his gifts to all children during a foggy, snowy night with his shiny nose as guiding light.  

It is a simple story of friendship and acceptance that younger kids can appreciate.

 

8. Twelve Days of Christmas by Jane Ray

Based on the popular Christmas carol The Twelve Days of Christmas, author Jane Ray gave new life to the “lords-a-leaping”, “pipers piping” and many others through this graphic interpretation. Children will have fun singing this classic holiday song and appreciating the images of the book at the same time.  
From 1558 to 1829, a time when the practice of Catholicism was still restricted in England, The Twelve Days of Christmas was used as a catechism song to teach young children about their catholic faith.  For instance, “partridge in a pear tree” refers to Jesus Christ.   

From this, parents can research on the different meanings of the twelve gifts in the song which can also be taught to the kids to give this classic a new perspective.

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9. A Wish to be a Christmas Tree by Colleen Monroe

This story written by Colleen Monroe is a modern classic.  It’s the story of a very old pine tree who, through the years, has always been passed up to be a Christmas tree until he’s grown too big to be in someone’s home.  As he witnessed other trees being chosen, he felt sad, lonely and unwanted, but his friends from the woods think otherwise as they all worked together to create a special Christmas for him and show him how truly important he really was.  

This is a touching tale of friendship and shares the value of spreading yuletide cheer to a friend who needs it the most. More importantly, the story also presents an important lesson on appreciating our self-worth.  

 

10. The Christmas Story by Ian Beck

Of course, no Christmas library will ever be complete without The Christmas Story.  Author Ian Beck wrote a simple, but meaningful book on the Nativity, the first Christmas ever and the very reason for this wonderful season of love.

Every child will love the story of a baby born in a manger. This book is a great way for us parents to teach our kids the true meaning of Christmas and essence of the season.

These classics will definitely be perfect for your child’s very own Christmas library. It’s truly a great way to bond with your kids and instill that merry meaningful spirit of the season in their hearts and keep that child-like wonder alive even for generations to come. 

 

Research Reference: WikipediaImages: Wikipedia, Amazon.com, Goodreads

 

Main photo by Out of Chicago via flickr creative commons