10 Holiday Books for Babies & Toddlers
Reading to your tot during the holidays can create wonderful and heartwarming memories. Hand picked by our team of self-confessed bibliophile parents, here are the 10 best holiday books for kids.
One of the most special memories you can make during the holidays is reading with your child.
Books, like good friends, can stay with you throughout your life and offer a sense of familiarity wherever you may go. They also enable your imagination to run wild! Reading books about the holidays often turns into a memorable Hanukkah ritual or favorite Christmas tradition. These books can also teach your kids the meaning and history behind Christmas and Hanukkah. With so many incredible books available, we made it our mission to narrow down our list to the top 10 heartwarming books we love reading with our kiddos.
From classics like A Christmas Carol that teach kids the importance of generosity, love and respect to the beloved and award-winning The Polar Express, these books have all been written with the same goal in mind: evoke feelings of excitement, wonder, faith and gratitude. Throughout each story, special characters are there to help guide children and parents on a magical holiday season journey they’ll remember forever.
Hanukkah and Christmas Books for Kids
Here are our choices for the Top 10 books that are full of holiday spirit.
- The Crayons’ Christmas
- Happy Hanukkah, Curious George
- The Polar Express
- How the Grinch Stole Christmas
- D is for Dreidel
- The Nutcracker
- A Christmas Carol
- The Night Before Christmas
- S is for Santa
- Christmas is Here
Scroll down for a closer look at these holiday books for kids.
The Crayons’ Christmas
The world’s favorite crayons are back and this time they’re spreading Christmas cheer! Featuring six red envelopes that kids can open themselves, this book provides an interactive element we can’t get enough of!
Tiny Bee Gift Co. The Crayons’ Christmas
$30
Happy Hanukkah, Curious George
Let Curious George spark your child’s curiosity about Hanukkah! From learning how to light the menorah to dreidel spinning 101 to latke making, your tot will love learning why we celebrate for eight special nights.
Tiny Bee Gift Co. Happy Hanukkah, Curious George
$25
The Polar Express
Late one Christmas Eve, a boy boards the Polar Express, a mysterious train bound for the North Pole. When he arrives, Santa Claus offers to give him any gift he desires. The boy modestly asks for one bell from the reindeer’s harness. It turns out to be a very special gift, for only believers in Santa can hear it ring. This book is sure to become a favorite Christmas tale.
Tiny Bee Gift Co. The Polar Express
$30
How the Grinch Stole Christmas
This Dr. Seuss classic is filled with hilarious rhymes and beautiful illustrations that teach readers the true meaning of Christmas. The Grinch’s zany adventures span from buying presents to stealing Christmas trees to bringing everyone together to celebrate a special time of year.
Tiny Bee Gift Co. How The Grinch Stole Christmas
$30
D is for Dreidel
Introduce your little one to the Festival of Lights with this fun collection of 26 illustrations featuring Hanukkah-themed concepts, such as latkes, gelt, the menorah, and of course dreidels! Reading this picture book with your kids can become a favorite holiday season tradition.
Tiny Bee Gift Co. D is for Dreidel
$25
The Nutcracker
With this colorfully illustrated board book version of the classic Christmas-time ballet, Jennifer Adams and Alison Oliver present a new holiday favorite, The Nutcracker: A BabyLit® Dancing Primer. This board book features soldiers marching, mice prancing, snowflakes swirling, dolls bending, and buffoons skipping as a way to introduce basic movement terms to babies and toddlers.
Tiny Bee Gift Co. The Nutcracker
$25
A Christmas Carol
Take a walk with the Ghosts of Christmas Past, Present, and Yet to Come in Little Master Dickens’ A Christmas Carol: A BabyLit® Colors Primer. See old Jacob Marley shaking silver chains, gold stars shining around the Ghost of Christmas Past, and a red scarf keeping Tiny Tim warm. This bright retelling of a classic Christmas story will scare any “bah, humbug” feelings away.
Tiny Bee Gift Co. A Christmas Carol
$25
The Night Before Christmas
As St. Nick and eight tiny reindeer descend through a brilliant night sky onto the roof of a Victorian house in a snowy New England village, the famous Christmas poem begins. The father of the family narrates the words just as Clement Moore wrote them, while the illustrator captures the spirit in brilliant pictures that reflect this memorable night.
Tiny Bee Gift Co. The Night Before Christmas
$30
S is for Santa
S is for Santa is a wonderful alphabet board book that captures the spirit of Christmas. It features 26 illustrations of Christmas-themed concepts sure to evoke a sense of wonderment for toddlers and nostalgia for parents. Illustrations include Christmas carolers, kids playing in the snow, snowmen, toys piled high under the tree, sparkling decorations and lights, flying sleigh and reindeer, the gift of giving, more toys, and of course jolly ol’ St. Nick and his elves.
Tiny Bee Gift Co. S is for Santa
$25
Christmas is Here
Christmas is Here is a touching tribute to an ancient text that reminds kids to focus on family and our fellow man instead of on gifts and indulgences. Accompanying the timeless text is sweet, nostalgic artwork from acclaimed illustrator Lauren Castillo. This book truly embraces today’s ever-changing definition of family.
Tiny Bee Gift Co. Christmas is Here
$30
Books you can feel EXTRA good about gifting!
The reason why we love getting ours books from Tiny Bee Gift Co. is because for each Tiny Bee book purchased from The Tot, Tiny Bee donates a second book to Baby2Baby, who provide low-income children with the basic necessities (including books!) that every child deserves.
Continue exploring
- Need help finding holiday gifts for children? Check out our gift guides by age!
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