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These are some of my family’s very favorite Christmas books. The books in BOLD are my absolute TOTAL favorites that I think literally everyone should own. The ones with an asterisk are books I think go perfectly with your Truth in the Tinsel celebration.

Oh, and sadly, some of these are out of print, but feel free to grab them used on Amazon or Thriftbooks!

OK, I think that’s it! Wait! I forgot to tell you, I categorized the books and I think you’re gonna like ’em! Enjoy.

Non-Santa, Non-Jesus, But Still Fun

The Twelve Days of Christmas by Hilary Knight // Imagine if your true love really did give you all those gifts! Whew! The illustrations in this one are outstanding.

Mr. Willowby’s Christmas Tree by Robert Barry // A giant tree becomes a Christmas tree for more than just Mr. Willowby! 

Fancy Nancy Splendiferous Christmas by Jane O’Connor // Fancy Nancy books are always more family than fanciness. I love this sweet grandfather/granddaughter story.

If You Take a Mouse to the Movies by Laura Numeroff // Typical If You… fun at Christmas time!

Christmas Magic by Michael Garland // Two snowpeople experience some Christmas magic! (This is not my favorite book but my kids LOVE it!)

Santa-ish

Dream Snow by Eric Carle // A farmer (dressed in red and white) tends to his farm animals on Christmas. Includes clear pages and lights and music!

The Christmas Quiet Book by Deborah Underwood // adorable animals experience a quiet Christmas (“hoping for a snow day quiet”, “writing letters to Santa quiet”)

Bear Stays Up for Christmas by Karma Wilson // Bear and his friends try to stay up for Christmas morning. (Santa isn’t seen, just his presents the next day.)

The Sweet Smell of Christmas by Patricia Scarry // A little bear experiences all the smells of Christmas–you do, too with scratch-and-sniff stickers! (Santa is seen in this one, but is not the main point of the story.)

Merry Christmas, Ollie! by Olivier Dunrea // A duck and his friends wait for Father Christmas Goose.

A Pirate’s Night Before Christmas by Philip Yates // A funny retelling including Sir Peggedy and his eight giant seahorses.

Non-Santa, Not About Jesus, But Kinda Still About Jesus

The Christmas House by Carol Bullman // Busy neighbors are drawn to a young couple’s home (and their baby).

17 Christmases by Dandi Daley Mackall // A family travels the country to visit allllll their family during Christmas.

The Christmas Miracle of Jonathan Toomey by Susan Wojciechowski // A grumpy old man is loved on by a widow and her son as he carves a Nativity scene for them.

The Pine Tree Parable by Liz Curtis Higgs // A farmer’s wife gives her favorite Christmas tree on the farm to a needy family.

Merry Creature Christmas by Dandi Daley Mackall // Forest friends have a Christmas celebration in the woods and try not to wake the mean old bear.

*Mortimer’s Christmas Manger by Karma Wilson // Mortimer the mouse discovers a funny little mouse-sized house at Christmas. He’s not a fan of the inhabitants until he learns who they are.

Stories about Christmas Symbols and Traditions

The Legend of the Candy Cane by Lori Walburg // A little girl meets a candy maker and learns the legend of the candy cane.

A Very Merry Christmas Prayer by Bonnie Rickner Jensen // adorable little animals look around at the fun parts and symbols of Christmas and thank God for them as they are reminders of Jesus and his birth.

Jesus, Me, and My Christmas Tree by Crystal Bowman // Part of a series of board books about the symbols of Christmas. Included in the series is *J is for Jesus, *A Star for Jesus and My Christmas Gift

Christmas Books With Biblical Prophecy and Teaching or are Just SO GOOD You Should Totally Own Them

*Song of the Stars: A Christmas Story by Sally Lloyd-Jones // One of the best books to show God’s majesty. (Also, if you don’t own Sally Lloyd-Jones’ Jesus Storybook Bible, YOU MUST.)

*The Wonder of Christmas by Dandi Daley Mackall // Maybe my favorite Christmas book ever. Turns a simple Christmas play into declarations to follow God.

Why Do We Call It Christmas? by Phil Vischer // I could talk about this book forever. See my full review here.

Ordinary Baby Extraordinary Gift by Gloria Gaither // A song set inside a book with lots of great truth about WHY Jesus came.

*The Tale of Three Trees retold by Angela Hunt // This book ties in all of Christmas AND Easter. Must have.

*Born on Christmas Morn by Melinda Kay Busch // A simple little paperback telling the Nativity story but it ends at the cross & resurrection!

*The Christmas Promise by Alison Mitchell // I love this author so much! This story is the nativity story but told thru the lens of God’s promises to the people of Israel–and how the Messiah would come as a new, rescuing, forever King! (also: the companion sticker Advent Calendar and Activity Book)

*The Ballad of Matthew’s Begats by Andrew Peterson is based on his CD, Behold the Lamb. And if you do not own that CD, you must have it! It tells the whole story of Jesus–from Passover in Egypt to the Passover before the Crucifixion. Absolutely an essential part of Christmas!

Nativity Stories

A Night of Great Joy by Mary Engelbreit // children in a play act out the first Christmas.

A Savior Is Born: Rocks Tell the Story of Christmas by Patti Rokus // coolest book EVER! Literally rocks set up in the form of the Christmas story.  

A Very Noisy Christmas by Tim Thornborough // Dynamic, simple & powerful retelling. Perfect for preschool. Bonus: characters have more authentic skin tones!

*The Voices of Christmas by Nikki Grimes // The characters of the Christmas story tell their part in the first person.

*Who is Coming to Our House? by Joseph Slate // A sweet board book about animals in the stable waiting for Mary and Joseph.

Christmas in the Stable by Astrid Lindgren // A mother tells her daughter the story of the first Christmas. The little girl sees it in her own time and location. Very cool retelling.

A Christmas Goodnight by Nola Buck // A little boy tells everyone in his toy manger scene goodnight.

*The Christmas Story (Peek a Bible: A Lift the Flap Book) by Tracy Harrast // A simple retelling of the Nativity with flaps and fun cartoon illustrations.

The Very First Christmas by Jan and Mike Berenstain // The first Christmas as shown by the Berenstain Bears. Sticks close to Scripture!

*Goodnight Manger by Laura Sassi // A funny interpretation of how noisy the stable must have been!

*Listen to the Silent Night by Dandi Daley Mackall // Another story about the noises of the first Christmas.

*M is for Manger by Crystal Bowman // Not technically a story, it’s an ABC re-telling of the Christmas story. Beautiful and perfect for preschoolers.

The Littlest Watchman by Scott James // A fictional account of a little boy waiting for the “root of Jesse” to appear.

Stories about Giving

A Royal Christmas to Remember by Jeanna Young & Jacqueline Johnson // Thieves steal from the villagers so the five princesses give their Christmas gifts to the villagers.

Annika’s Secret Wish by Beverly Lewis // Set in turn-of-the-century Sweden, Annika hopes to find the almond in her Christmas pudding. Instead, she learns it’s more blessed to give than to receive.

The Gift of the Magi by O. Henry, illustrated by PJ Lynch // a classic short story beautifully illustrated by PJ Lynch.

The Three Gifts of Christmas by Jennie Bishop // A selfish Princess receives only three gifts for Christmas and then learns about giving to others. This book led us to do something special with our kids’ Christmas gifts.

The King’s Christmas List by Eldon Johnson // A little girl learns how to give to Jesus at Christmas. The illustrations are kinda weird but this book has set up our favorite Christmas tradition.

And a couple more Bible books you should own:

I AM: 40 Reasons to Trust God by Diane Stortz // not a Christmas book but a great devotional for the names of God. Perfect for Day 2 of Truth in the Tinsel!

The Jesus Storybook Bible by Sally Lloyd-Jones // The byline of this book is, “every story whispers his name”. This whole book seems Christmasy because it is all leading to the coming of our King! MUST OWN.

The Garden, the Curtain and the Cross by Alison Mitchell // This book shows how sin kept us out of the Garden and the Holy of Holies but Jesus came to bring us back in.

The Beginning Reader’s Bible // Each Bible story is told with actual text from the International Children’s Bible translation (including verse numbers) and the illustrations are detailed and seem more culturally and historically accurate than usual.

More of my favorite books & gift guides—>
 

photo copyright: maglara / 123RF Stock Photo
Affiliate links are included in this post. If you make a purchase via one of these links, I will make a small percentage. Very small. But very appreciated. It doesn’t change your price, just helps support Truth in the Tinsel and my family. Thanks! 

A few days ago I was at my mom’s house and she had a giant pile of Christmas gift catalogs on her couch–all kinds of stores with all kinds of goodies. I was supposed to be doing some work with the kids for school but I stacked those little catalogs up next to me because I sincerely love shopping for Christmas! I don’t love walking through the mall but the hustle and bustle of Christmas is exciting!

How are we supposed to keep that hustle and bustle fun and not turn it into a big crazy greed-fest for us and our kids? Well, the best thing I know is to simply GIVE. To take it a step further, I think it’s important to give first. Let your first act of the holidays be to give in a big and significant way.

Here’s 3 of my favorite give-first activities:

1. Operation Christmas Child

If you’ve been around me for even ten minutes, you’ll know that I adore Operation Christmas Child. If you’re not familiar with this fun organization here’s the skinny—you pack a shoebox full of fun toys, toiletries and school supplies. Then, you add $7 for shipping and drop it off at a a pick-up location. From there, the shoebox is shipped to a Processing Center (just to make sure it’s all OK) and then shipped to poor and marginalized kids around the world.

You can read a plethora of thoughts and emotions I have about Operation Christmas Child (especially lots of stuff about my trip to the Dominican Republic with them) but here’s where as a normal Christian American mom, I love Operation Christmas Child so much–-they help my kids not be greedy.

Every year, we are picking out and buying gifts that my kids would LOVE and they don’t get to keep them. In fact, the opposite seems to happen–they get excited about buying and giving away!

The best part is the National Collection Week for OCC is this week–right before the Christmas crazy starts. It’s the perfect beginning to your holiday celebration. Start your kids off looking into Christmas through a shoebox gift. It will change their heart. It’s changed my family.

2. Sponsored Kids Letters

Do you sponsor a child? We sponsor two kids through Compassion International and it is one of our favorite things we do. Every year, Compassion suggests we send our kids’ families money and we usually do. We also like to send them an actual gift–but since you can’t send big items, we try to figure out fun presents that can fit in an envelope.

Last year we colored  and laminated a printable Nativity Scene. You can find all kinds of printable gifts and toys online (just search Pinterest!) that fit easily into an envelope.

It’s a simple thing but it can help your kids set a standard for the first Christmas card, the first Christmas gift being for someone else!

And if you don’t sponsor a child yet? It might be the best gift you and your family give this year!

3. Ornaments for Orphans

Are you in charge of decorating a Christmas tree at your church or school? Maybe your office? Instead of stocking up on Target’s latest designs, why not do something that really helps others?

Ornaments for Orphans contracts artists in Uganda to design and create beautiful handmade ornaments. You can order (free of charge!) a box of 100 ornaments to decorate your Christmas tree then, people who pass by can stop and buy an ornament for $10 each. This money goes back to O4O who then pass it on to the artists so they can provide and care for their children. How great is this?

You decorate a tree. Your friends, neighbors, co-workers and passers-by undecorate it for you and kids around the world are protected! Don’t you love it? (And if there happens to be any leftover ornaments–O4O will pay the shipping!)

We did this at my husband’s CrossFit gym a few years ago and my kids absolutely loved decorating the tree and checking up on it to see how many ornaments had disappeared off the tree.

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This picture is of the woman who  is the head of the widow’s co-op that makes all the stuffed animal ornaments for O4O. The women in this co-op are the sole providers for their families and this work enables them to care for their children. Ornaments for Orphans is actually in the job of orphan prevention because the majority of Ugandan children living in orphanages actually have a living parent or relative. But women have to leave their children at orphanages because they are too poor to feed them. O4O’s work can keep vulnerable families united by providing an opportunity for dignified income. I love it!!

 

I hope you use one of these great ideas to begin your holiday. I think it’s kind of a “firstfruits” thing like with tithing. When you give to God first, it sorta evens out everything else. If nothing else, put it to the test and see what happens when you give first this Christmas!

 

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When I  had my daughter, my husband and I decided there would be no Santa in our Christmas celebration. Neither of us had believed in Santa and I just didn’t want it mixing up our Jesus-is-born holiday.

I was pretty strict about it and basically didn’t say the word “Santa” for two years. Even when my daughter would point out Santa hats on people we’d say, “Oh, look! They have a Christmas hat!”. We didn’t even listen to “Santa Claus is Coming To Town” because I just didn’t want those words in her mind (“He sees you when you’re sleeping…he knows when you’re awake…”).

On my daughter’s 2nd Christmas, she saw a tall traditional, velvet-y, fur clad Santa statute at a store and pointed at it yelling, “Noah!!” As in “and the ark”. Yeah, I did a good job shielding her.

As she got a little older and we let her see Rudolph the Red Nosed Reindeer and read The Night Before Christmas, we continued to push Santa as a fun, fictional character similar to Rudolph or Frosty or even Mickey Mouse.

One day on the way home from church when she was 3 she said to me, “I can’t wait for Christmas!”.

I said, “Me, too, baby! What made you say that?”

She replied, “Santa is going to come down our chimney and give us presents!”

I whipped around in my seat and said, “Who told you that?!”

She said, “My teacher at church said Santa comes down your chimney and gives you presents.”

I was dumbfounded. I looked at my husband with wide eyes and then back to my daughter and said, “That’s not true.”

I went on to explain who-knows-what about Santa but could not believe that in one second my daughter completely bought into the Santa story with a simple push from her teacher! I’m not blaming the teacher at all–she probably just said, “What’s Santa bringing you?” and got started on a conversation that my little girl had never heard before!

After this conversation, we started talking about the real Saint Nicholas and how his story morphed through the years. We’ve watched Veggie Tales’ Saint Nicholas and probably even read a book or two about the real guy. My kids (now 8 and 6) don’t believe in Santa and honestly are a little confused at kids who do.

I tell you this whole story (because I felt like I finally needed to get it out into the internet) but also because I’m not exactly sure the best way to tell your kids about Santa. My father-in-law says “for every mile of road, there are two miles of ditch”. And I think that’s how the Santa debate has been. There’s the group of people who pull off elaborate stunts to perpetuate a lie about a jolly man who comes down your chimney and the others who equate him to Satan.

Where is the balance and the real education–not skewed by tradition and personal feelings?

I think I found it.

Does that sound like crazy hyperbole? (I’VE FOUND THE ANSWER TO THE SANTA DILEMMA!!!)

If you’ve been around me for any amount of time you know I love What’s in the Bible?. They produce the most amazing (hilarious) DVDs that walk kids straight through the story of the whole Bible with real and rich details. It’s like a Bible college lesson rolled into a bite-sized piece for a kid.

Anywhoo, their Christmas DVD, Why Do We Call it Christmas? does the same thing with Christmas–addresses all the traditions and their histories. This year, Phil Vischer (creator of WITB and Veggie Tales) released a new picture book called, Why Do We Call It Christmas?.

At first, I thought it was going to be a simple paper-and-ink version of the DVD. In fact, it’s quite different and really really good.

In the book, Buck Denver (famous news anchor and star of all the What’s in the Bible? DVDs) is confused about Christmas because it seems to be two different holidays–the Jesus holiday at church and the Santa holiday at stores.

Buck’s friend, Sunday School Lady uses her magic flannelgraph (see how funny this is?!) to explain the word “Christmas”. She then begins the story of “Saint Nick” and how the Catholic Church gives certain people their own special day, like Saint Nicholas Day.

She then explains that Saint Nicholas Day is on December 6 and since Christmas is on December 25 and other churches didn’t always celebrate these special saint days–but they liked the traditions of them (hello! gifts left in stockings!) they just combined the two days. And bad-a-bing bad-a-boom we have our American Christmas traditions.

So. If you’re familiar with the Santa story, this might not seem like new information. It’s not the Santa-background that’s so great in this book. I know lots of people that celebrate Saint Nicholas Day. I’ve read all the books that tell Saint Nicholas’ true story. Instead, this book gives the explanation of WHY we celebrate Santa and Jesus on the same day. I love the clear delineation of the two celebrations.

When I finished reading the book, it was like a breathed a sigh of relief. There was no dancing around the story, or trying to walk on eggshells about should-you-or-shouldn’t-you believe in Santa. It is simply the story of how the Santa legend has arrived to our modern world. Period.

I think it’s so important to teach kids truth–in all circumstances. Not showing them too much, or inappropriate themes. But truth. This book will help you do just that–whether Santa is a part of your celebration or not.

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If your kids have been confused about Santa–maybe they don’t believe and don’t know why he’s not included in your celebration, or they aren’t sure what to say to their friends, or maybe they do believe and you want to tell them the truth, or maybe they believe and you just want them to know where Santa’s story all began–this book covers all those bases.

Do you know the lyrics to “O Little Town of Bethlehem”? It seems funny that there is an entire song dedicated to a place in the Bible. The detail of Bethlehem (and day 13 of Truth in the Tinsel) seems more geography than theology.

O little town of Bethlehem
How still we see thee lie
Above thy deep and dreamless sleep
The silent stars go by
Yet in thy dark streets shineth
The everlasting Light
The hopes and fears of all the years
Are met in thee tonight

For Christ is born of Mary
And gathered all above
While mortals sleep, the angels keep
Their watch of wondering love
O morning stars together
Proclaim the holy birth
And praises sing to God the King
And Peace to men on earth

How silently, how silently
The wondrous gift is given!
So God imparts to human hearts
The blessings of His heaven.
No ear may his His coming,
But in this world of sin,
Where meek souls will receive him still,
The dear Christ enters in.

O holy Child of Bethlehem
Descend to us, we pray
Cast out our sin and enter in
Be born to us today
We hear the Christmas angels
The great glad tidings tell
O come to us, abide with us
Our Lord Emmanuel

However, the Christmas story taking place in Bethlehem is not a geographical detail but a gorgeous reminder and picture of the miracle of Jesus coming to earth as Emmanuel, “God with us”.

I mention in the ebook that Bethlehem means “house of bread” and that Jesus describes Himself as the “bread of life” (John 6:35). Did you also know that King David was born in Bethlehem? King David, the shepherd boy, the man after God’s own heart born in Bethlehem where the King of Kings Jesus, the Good Shepherd, God’s own Son would be born. What foreshadowing and fulfillment!

Every detail of the Christmas story seems to be connected with layers of meaning and significance. And I think He gives us these details to further convince us of His love, His miracle and intimate care for us.

One of my favorite Christmas books, Why a Manger? by Bodie Thoene explain that Jesus was born in Bethlehem for another reason: this is where the sacrifical lambs were born and raised. The shepherds who saw the angels and then found Jesus in the manger, were the shepherds who raised lambs to be sacrificed in the temple. So, “where else would ‘the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world’ (John 1:29) have to be born if not Bethlehem, among the sacred Temple flocks?”

God sent Jesus to be Emmanuel, to abide with us as the Lamb of God, to take away our sins. He was born to die. He came to give us life. Thank you, Jesus, Lamb of God!

My friend, Annie from Be Small Studios recognizes this same wonder of Jesus, King, Bread, Lamb, Emmanuel. She’s created some beautiful paintings (like the one pictured above) based on beloved Christmas carols. Please check out her site!

I’m kind of a sucker for a Christmas book. I just can’t get enough of them. Like all Christmas traditions, I think many of these books and illustrations will stick in kids’ hearts and memories forever. Some of these books tell more than just the facts of the story, they tell the heart of the story.

Here are some of my favorite Christmas books that I think showcase that heart and will enhance and supplement Truth in the Tinsel.

Ready? Let’s go…

1. The Wonder of Christmas by Dandi Daley Mackall

I. Love. This. Book. The pictures are of kids in a Christmas pageant. But the words are thoughts of a child, “I wonder what did Mary think…” and goes through each character. But the best part is the end when the words turn from questions to declarations like, “I will kneel like Mary, let my heart obey.” It is so powerful.

Perfect for Truth in the Tinsel days 4, 5, 9, 18, 19, 22

2. A Christmas Goodnight by Nola Buck

I bought this book because the illustrator is Sarah Jane, whom I have loved for years. The book is kind of a Goodnight Moon-type of book. A little boy says goodnight to the characters of the Christmas story. You discover halfway through that he’s actually playing with his nativity scene. It’s super sweet!

Perfect for Truth in the Tinsel days 5, 9, 14, 15, 18, 19, 21, 22

3. Song of the Stars: A Christmas Story

This book was written by Sally Lloyd Jones, author of The Jesus Storybook Bible. It’s such a gorgeous book filled with important phrases like “Might King”, “Prince of Peace”, “Bright and Morning Star”, “Good Shepherd”, “Light to light up the whole world”, “Rescuer” and Emmanuel.

Perfect for Truth in the Tinsel days 2 and 11.

4. Who Is Coming to Our House? by Joseph Slate

The animals in the stable get ready for someone coming to their house. It perfectly displays the idea of making room for Jesus in your home and heart.

Perfect for Truth in the Tinsel day 14.

5. A Star for Jesus by Crystal Bowman

This is part of a series of board books that showcase symbols of Christmas (Christmas tree, candy cane, angels, stocking, gifts) and give them Jesus-centered meanings. This one focuses on the Wise Men and the star’s meaning. It’s perfect for the preschool crowd.

Perfect for Truth in the Tinsel day 21

6. The Tale of Three Trees by Angela Elwell Hunt

This book is the only book I actually suggest reading in one of the “Do More Together” sections (day 15, the manger). I’ve read this one to the kids already this year and as usual, it made me cry. It’s the story of three trees with big dreams–one to become a treasure chest, one to be a king’s ship and the other to point to God. Their prayers are answered in different ways than they think–the first tree becomes the manger and holds the greatest treasure of all, the second tree becomes a fishing boat and carries the King of all Kings while the third becomes a cross that will always cause people to think of the living God.
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See my ULTIMATE LIST OF CHRISTMAS BOOKS here!