The Best Christmas Books To Give As Gifts

Buy it: $4.49, amazon.com

This is The Night Before Christmas that you know and love. The classic poem is printed here in an utterly winning Little Golden Book version that will charm kids and adults alike.

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When we think of classic Christmas books, Charles Dickens invariably comes to mind.

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Everyone's favorite French child-heroine enjoys a Christmas celebration in this fun book.

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All aboard The Polar Express, one of the most beloved wintertime children’s books of the past century.

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This beautifully illustrated picture book was also made into an enchanting television special you’ll want to watch every year.

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Everyone’s hearts grow a few sizes when they re-read Dr. Seuss’ Christmas classic.

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The beloved ballet about a young girl, a mouse king, and a nutcracker from the Land of the Toys comes to life on the page in the classic 1816 folktale by E.T.A. Hoffmann. It’s beautifully illustrated here by Maurice Sendak.

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The author of The Three Musketeers and The Count of Monte Cristo also wrote a thrilling version of E.T.A. Hoffmann’s traditional Nutcracker tale in 1845.

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You could always gift your friends another copy of Little Women (we’re sure they’d love it), or you could add some Christmas cheer to their wintertime reading lists with this charming story collection by the same author.

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When you’re writing the card that will accompany this heartwarming Christmas story, you can also include a reminder that The Christmas Train is premiering as a Hallmark movie this year.

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The classic tune is also a holly-jolly Little Golden Book that makes a cheery gift for little ones.

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In 1902, L. Frank Baum followed up his beloved Wonderful Wizard of Oz stories with this Santa Claus tale, a magical chronicle of the gift-giver’s life.

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This novel (one of many in the popular Irish Country series) transports readers to the lovely, snow-blanketed world of a Christmas spent in Ireland.

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For all the lovers of Victorian literature on your shopping list, gift this Christmas collection by English novelist Anthony Trollope.

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Count down the twelve days of Christmas with the classic carol, complete with gorgeous illustrations of all the song's whimsical holiday gifts.

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Gift friends and family a Christmas celebration with the Peanuts crew in the form of this fun pop-up book.

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This popular novel is a personal tribute to parenthood, love, and the endurance of the Christmas spirit.

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This version of Truman Capote’s enchanting Christmas story includes an audiobook alongside the text so that your family can enjoy the tale beside the fire or on the road.

Buy it: $7.99, amazon.com

Readers will learn about the Mexican legend of the Christmas-blooming poinsettia flower in Newberry- and Caldecott-winner Tomie dePaola’s lovely book.

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Even if you’re spending your Christmas far from falling snow, this children’s book by Ezra Jack Keats will keep the wintertime wonder alive. (This book is also the inspiration for seasonal stamps from the U.S. Postal Service this year!)

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This Little Golden Book is an heirloom in the making. First published in 1952, it presents an illustrated retelling of the story of Jesus’ birth in a manger in Bethlehem.

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Count down the days until Christmas with the Advent Storybook. It’s filled with 24 beautifully illustrated tales about the spirit of the season.

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Middle- and elementary-grade readers will devour this funny story about the trials and triumphs that happen when trying to put on a zany Christmas pageant.

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Any Pete the Cat fans in your family will be thrilled to add this Christmas tale to their collection.

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O. Henry’s short story sums up one of the best-loved aspects of the season—showing those we love just how much we love them.

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Letters from Father Christmas is a beautiful collection of correspondence written by J.R.R. Tolkien for his children. Each letter was delivered on Christmas morning (from none other than Father Christmas himself), and they are collected here as stories and illustrations of adventures at the North Pole.

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The beloved Strega Nona story gets a Christmas spin in this holiday classic.

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The newest Christmastime tradition has fast become a classic.

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This lovely collectible edition of The Nutcracker includes 10 heartwarming holiday tales.

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This Oxford World Classics edition of A Christmas Carol is one to read, re-read, and treasure for years to come.

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Filled with nine Little Golden Book stories about Christmastime, this lovely keepsake is perfect for kids' holiday reading.

Buy it: $19.99, barnesandnoble.com

This beautiful anthology from the British Library is filled with Christmas stories both classic and contemporary that children will enjoy revisiting year after year.