Christmas Stories Across Generations

There are few things I enjoy as much as cuddling up with Isla and a stack of great books. It is such a cozy time of connection for us.

When I was little, my mom spent countless hours reading to me. On warm summer days, stacks of books surrounded us as we stretched across quilts beneath the trees in our backyard. On colder days, we’d snuggle inside together on one of our beds and read for hours. These were treasured times. I vividly remember how my heart would race each year when we opened up our holiday bins and I rediscovered our Christmas books. Seeing those beloved familiar stories, tucked between festive ornaments and sparkly decor, was so exciting! Now I have the joy and excitement of sharing some of the very same holiday books with Isla that I loved so dearly as a child. My heart nearly bursts when we bring the Christmas bins out each year and I see her eyes light up as the books are unpacked.

I wanted to share a handful of favorite Christmas stories from my childhood that Isla is enjoying now, in case you’re looking for some fantastic new titles for your library.

First up, my favorite Christmas book of all time, hands-down! A Christmas Card for Mr. McFizz embodies all of the qualities that make a picture book absolutely magical to me: a beautiful lesson, brilliantly witty writing, and stunning illustrations. Mr. McFizz, a fastidious and fussy (but good-hearted) critter, learns to overcome loneliness and jealousy after a family of pack rats moves in next door. Just seeing the cover makes my heart all kinds of warm and fuzzy! The above photo shows my mom’s favorite page of the book. I don’t think she’s ever read this line without completely cracking up and commenting on the genius of the writing. I now find myself joyfully anticipating this line as I am reading to Isla.A Christmas Guest gives me a lump in my throat every time I read it. It is the story of a how young boy and his mom help an elderly woman who appears at their door on Christmas Eve. It is such a beautiful reminder of the importance of giving to others.What is it about Little Golden Books that instantly evokes such strong childhood nostalgia?! The Biggest, Most Beautiful Christmas Tree was one of my most read and highly treasured Christmas books, as you can clearly see from the well-loved cover. It’s a sweet, simple tale about a group of critters who were sad that Santa never came to their tree. Great Aunt Mim came for a visit and inspired them to decorate their home, turning it into the biggest, most beautiful Christmas tree, in an effort to catch Santa’s attention.We love all the Mousekin books! I was so captivated by the illustrations when I was little, and Isla is now. Mousekin’s Christmas Eve follows Mousekin as he unexpectedly searches for a new home and settles in the coziest place.Speaking of illustrations, aren’t Tomie dePaola’s so stunning?! We have a number of his books, but our favorite is The Friendly Beasts. It tells the Christmas story from the perspective of the animals of the manger.In Sophie Windham’s version of the The Twelve Days of Christmas, her illustrations are so charming you don’t mind the reading through the whole repetitive song! Ha! Isla loves lifting every single flap on each page, and I remembering spending so much time doing the same when I was little.

Lastly, How the Grinch Stole Christmas. It’s a classic. Isla is crazy about this book and asks to read it every day. It has even inspired some of her recent artwork!

“Every who down in Whoville liked Christmas a lot.”

We hope you often find yourselves under the glow of twinkly lights, snuggled up with loved ones, and surrounded by piles of heartwarming stories this season! If you end up adding any of these books to your library we’d love to hear what you think of them!