Christmas-themed books come in many different flavors, from Jean Shepard’s humorous Christmas musings that were the basis for A Christmas Story movie to Chris Van Allsburg’s classic children’s book, The Polar Express, and so many more.
The following are a list of Christmas- or holiday-themed books that I’ve that I’ve read or listened to. Keep coming back as this alphabetical list will continue to grow and grow! They are likely available wherever books are sold or lent (e.g., Barnes & Noble, eBay, your local library, etc.).
Our latest addition to the Christmas book list!
Thomas Nast’s Christmas Drawings
Thomas Nast’s Christmas Drawings feels less like a traditional art book and more like a quiet holiday inspired gallery that you can wander through at your own pace. The book features Nast’s holiday illustrations from the pages of Harper’s Weekly, and describes how one artist helped define the visual language of Christmas in America.
What makes the collection especially compelling is how narrative-driven the illustrations are. Nast’s Santas are not static mascots. They are busy, expressive, and deeply human figures, delivering gifts, checking lists, and embodying moral themes such as generosity, reward, and consequence. Alongside Santa, Nast often depicted families, soldiers, and children, tying Christmas to moments of national identity, especially during and after the Civil War. The drawings quietly suggest that the holiday could serve as a unifying force during fractured times.
Reproductions are clear and detailed, making it easy to linger over small visual cues: the weight of fur-trimmed coats, the warmth of candlelit interiors, the playful authority of Santa himself. Brief contextual notes enhance rather than interrupt the experience, grounding each image historically without overexplaining it. As a whole, Thomas Nast’s Christmas Drawings succeeds not only as an art collection but as a cultural document. It reminds readers that many holiday images we now take for granted were once radical acts of imagination. For anyone interested in Christmas history, American illustration, or the evolution of Santa Claus, the book offers a rewarding and reflective read that feels especially fitting when winter settles in.
C
Christmas Box by Richard Paul Evans
I recently read The Christmas Box by Richard Paul Evans for the first time, understanding it has become such a holiday classic for so many. I can see why this simple story has become a holiday favorite, although it may not be everyone’s particular cup of holiday tea. It’s about a young family who moves in with an elderly widow, Mary, and discovers the true meaning of the holiday during the Christmas season after facing a previous familial loss.
It’s a story about grief, love, family, and redemption all happening during the most wonderful season of the year. The author originally wrote the story for his two young daughters, never intending for it to be published let alone having it become a cherished holiday hit. The book has since been adapted into a TV movie and inspired various spinoffs by Evans. So many people love this story that I’m left, as I often am, believing whether it’s good or not is in the eyes of the beholder.
Christmas in America by Penne L. Rested
Christmas in America by Penne L. Restad is a fascinating academic look into the origins of Christmas and its traditions in the U.S. Restad, a lecturer in American history at the University of Texas, examines the most popular traditions from Santa to Christmas trees to how we celebrate the holidays today.
While sections of the book can be heartbreaking (e.g., how the holidays were recognized by owners and their slaves in the 1800s), Restad moves sensitively through these topics while examining in detail so many of the traditions we know and love today. I highly recommend it for any Christmas enthusiast.
You can find the book online either in paperback or hardback via all the usual platforms as well as online used bookstores for as little as $10. Well worth the price!
Christmas in Plains by Jimmy Carter
Former President Jimmy Carter published a wonderful holiday memoir in 2001 in which the one-time peanut farmer walks us through his Christmas memories from early childhood to his time in the White House and beyond. From the simplest celebrations in his childhood home to his time in the Navy to the elaborate decorations in the White House, President Carter’s heartfelt holiday memories come alive for the reader in this brief (155-page) but engaging memoir, which was illustrated by his daughter Amy.
Included in the book are descriptions of simple gifts he gave and received as a child (e.g., a homemade broomstick) to his uncle Earl Carter’s “famous” recipe for eggnog. And finally, he saves the best for last with memories of his favorite Christmas.
My only issue with the book, and it’s a big one, is that it’s too short. I would have loved to hear more detail about his various traditions, specific holidays, and how they came up with the White House holiday themes each year. But I still enjoyed this well-written and engaging read.
F
Father Christmas by Raymond Briggs
In this unique holiday-themed children’s book, Raymond Briggs uses whimsical illustrations, no text, to capture Santa during his most important night of the year. You’ll find a Santa in this wonderful story that can get a bit grumpy at times as he toils away up at the North Pole, but also one that is endearing and sweet. Briggs’ amazing illustrations are the centerpiece of this story as we follow the big guy on his Christmas eve travels across the globe with his dedicated reindeer in tow.
I loved this book as a child, loved sharing it with my kids, and love looking through it today when Christmas rolls around each year. And if you love this one, don’t miss the sequel, Father Christmas Goes on Holiday, as well as his other, The Snowman and Fungus the Bogeyman.
H
Holidays on Ice by David Sedaris
One of my favorite holiday-themed book has become quite the Christmas classic in David Sedaris’ short story collection called Holidays on Ice. Featuring hilarious travails of his time as a Macy’s Department Store elf and other brilliant holiday humor, Sedaris brings his unique narrative style to the holiday season in this must-read book. And truth be told, I’d highly recommend the audio book as Sedaris himself acts as the reader of this holiday classic and makes it all the more funnier as a result. Frankly, I’ve never read a David Sedaris book because I always listen to him read it, which is so much funnier in his unique voice. The printed or audio book is available where all great holiday books are sold, available as a download from Audible, and likely available at your local library.
I
In the Dark Streets Shinto, A 1941 Christmas Eve Story by David McCullough
Historian David McCullough, two-time winner of the Pulitzer Prize for history, a National Book recipient, and narrator of one of the most powerful historical documentaries of all-time in Ken Burns’ The Civil War, entered the Christmas genre with a bit of a puzzler in 2010. In The Dark Streets Shineth, A 1941 Christmas Eve Story is a hodge-podge of things.
One part DVD, one part Christmas photo gallery, and one part very short story (26 pages) with Christmas eve messages from FDR and Winston Churchill thrown into the mix, this hardback/DVD seems like a bit of a money grab.
The scenario is this: mere days after the Japanese attacked Pearl Harbor, England’s Prime Minister Winston Churchill and U.S. President Franklin D. Roosevelt met at the White House on Christmas Eve, 1941. As war raged throughout the world, the two leaders delivered messages to the masses.
P
The Polar Express by Chris Van Allsburg
Chris Van Allsburg’s The Polar Express, is a stunning picture book with oil-based painting/illustrations by the author. With minimal words, Allsburg tells the story of a young boy who’s on the verge of becoming a non-believer with friends whispering in his ear that Santa’s not real. To help the boy maintain his belief in Santa, Allsburg takes him, and us, on a nighttime journey to the North Pole and back on Christmas Eve.
From the very first page of the book when The Polar Express pulls up to the boy’s house, we know we’re in for a special ride. Allsburg’s ethereal illustrations earned him the 1986 Caldecott Medal, the most prestigious award for children’s picture books. And once you’ve laid eyes on his illustrations you’ll know why. From the train itself, to the ride through mountains and forests to the ultimate destination of Santa’s village up north, each beautifully rendered illustration is worth a 1,000 words, as they say.
The book, of course, has since become a classic and spawned a movie of the same name starring Tom Hanks. If you’ve never read the book, I highly recommend you buy a copy or take it out of your local library. I’m going to bet it becomes part of your annual Christmas celebration as it has mine.
Pretty Paper – A Christmas Tale by Willie Nelson and David Ritz
Pretty Paper by Willie Nelson (with David Ritz) is a heartwarming holiday novel inspired by Nelson’s classic Christmas song of the same name. The story centers on a struggling street vendor named Vernon Clay, who sells colorful wrapping paper on the cold sidewalks of Fort Worth, Texas, during the holiday season. When a younger Willie Nelson—portrayed as a rising musician—becomes intrigued by the mysterious vendor’s quiet dignity, he sets out to learn more about the man behind the paper stand.
As the story unfolds, Nelson discovers that Vernon Clay is not merely a down-on-his-luck salesman, but a gifted musician with a remarkable past. Through their growing friendship, Vernon’s poignant life story emerges—one filled with hardship, resilience, and lost dreams. Nelson’s curiosity turns into deep respect as he learns how art and music can endure even in the face of poverty and pain.
Blending fact and fiction, Pretty Paper captures the warmth, melancholy, and humanity that define Willie Nelson’s music. It’s both a tender Christmas tale and a meditation on compassion, creativity, and second chances. With its simple, soulful prose and heartfelt message, the book reminds readers that even in the bustle of the holidays, beauty and grace can be found in the most unexpected people and places.
S
Skipping Christmas by John Grisham
Having seen the movie version starring Tim Allen and Jamie Lee Curtis (it was called “Christmas with the Kranks”), I didn’t think I’d enjoy this one and I’m not really a fan of John Grisham’s work so there’s that. But it’s a Christmas tale that can be enjoyed by kids and adults alike so there’s merit in that for a holiday-themed tale.
The main story plot centers on the Kranks “cancelling” Christmas after their beloved daughter announces she can’t make it for the holidays this year. But as Grisham himself said at the movie’s premiere, it’s really about how the commerialization of the holiday overshadows the true meaning of Christmas.
He also said he wished that there was a better way to celebrate Christmas every year. I’d say it’s worth taking a dip into these kranky waters.
T
Thomas Nast’s Christmas Drawings
Thomas Nast’s Christmas Drawings feels less like a traditional art book and more like a quiet holiday inspired gallery that you can wander through at your own pace. The book features Nast’s holiday illustrations from the pages of Harper’s Weekly, and describes how one artist helped define the visual language of Christmas in America.
What makes the collection especially compelling is how narrative-driven the illustrations are. Nast’s Santas are not static mascots. They are busy, expressive, and deeply human figures, delivering gifts, checking lists, and embodying moral themes such as generosity, reward, and consequence. Alongside Santa, Nast often depicted families, soldiers, and children, tying Christmas to moments of national identity, especially during and after the Civil War. The drawings quietly suggest that the holiday could serve as a unifying force during fractured times.
Reproductions are clear and detailed, making it easy to linger over small visual cues: the weight of fur-trimmed coats, the warmth of candlelit interiors, the playful authority of Santa himself. Brief contextual notes enhance rather than interrupt the experience, grounding each image historically without overexplaining it. As a whole, Thomas Nast’s Christmas Drawings succeeds not only as an art collection but as a cultural document. It reminds readers that many holiday images we now take for granted were once radical acts of imagination. For anyone interested in Christmas history, American illustration, or the evolution of Santa Claus, the book offers a rewarding and reflective read that feels especially fitting when winter settles in.
W
Wishin’ and Hopin‘ by Wally Lamb
A delightful holiday tale filled with interesting and lively characters set against the backdrop of 1964 and the fictional St. Aloysius Gonzaga Parochial School.
The tale follows the antics of Felix Funicello as he, and his schoolmates, work to make their December holiday program a success for the entire community.
Lamb weaves a wonderful tale filled with eclectic characters in a book that’s now taken its rightful place amongst my other cherished Christmas books.
Check out our holiday movies and soundtracks list as well as a link to various websites that can tell you whether they think the movie is appropriate for you and your family. I also provide a review of each movie’s soundtrack, if one was released.
