24 Christmas Reading Calendar Ideas
Yesterday was the launch of the 2024 Christmas Reading Chart (grab a free copy here if you haven’t already!) and thousands of you have already downloaded it!
I can’t wait to see your families and communities using it this holiday season!
Each day from Dec 1-24, there is a reading prompt/challenge and to make it easy on you, my team and I have compiled recommendations for each day so you have somewhere to start!
I hope it’ll make it even more fun and simple to make reading a delightful part of your celebrations this year.
1. Drink hot cocoa while you read.
I love a warm drink during the colder months, but add a warm beverage with a great Christmas book stack to read with my kids – that’s what holiday dreams are made of! If you want to go above and beyond and make homemade hot cocoa, this recipe looks amazing!
2. Enjoy a Christmas book you’ve never read before.
For the past few years I have loved doing seasonal reading, especially titles I have never read before! My kids are the same way. Each year I release a book list of new Christmas picture books to check out, so if you are looking for something new, this list if full of great ideas! (And stay tuned for a list of 2024 Christmas picture book releases later this month!).
3. Sing a Christmas song before you read.
I don’t know about you, but Christmas music is a surefire way to quickly bring the Christmas spirit into any room. And I love that you can go as silly as you want, like Grandma Got Ran Over By a Reindeer or choose something more serious and lovely, like Silent Night.
4. Read a book with a movie adaptation.
It’s so magical to see your favorite Christmas books, come to life on screen. Here are a few of my favorite Christmas books that have been turned into movies.
- The Polar Express (book // movie)
- Miracle on 34th Street (book // movie)
- A Christmas Carol (book // movie)
- How the Grinch Stole Christmas (book // movie // animated movie)
- Rudolph the Red Nose Reindeer (book // movie)
5. Ask a librarian for a recommendation.
If there is anyone who will know of some fantastic Christmas books, and possibly one you can take home same day – it would be the librarian. They are a wealth of knowledge!
6. Enjoy a book about snowmen.
Whether you have snow outside or you are dreaming of snow, these snowmen books easily bring the magic inside!
- The Snowman by Raymond Briggs
- Snowballs by Lois Ehlert
- Snowmen at Christmas by Caralyn Buehner, illustrated by Mark Buehner
- A Hat for Minerva Louise by Janet Morgan Stoeke
And, if you are looking for more options, I have a whole post of snowman books here!
7. Share a Christmas book your parent loved.
Mom and dads know best, and chances are they know of a Christmas book that could potentially become, or already is a family tradition. (And probably brings about a lot of nostalgia.)
8. Make a cozy fort and read inside.
Grab some couch cushions and blankets and get cozy inside a homemade fort…you may not want to stop reading once you are in.
9. Read a book about reindeer.
There are so many great reindeer books out there, but below are a few of my favorites!
- Santa’s Story by Will Hillenbrand
- The Little Reindeer by Nicola Killen
- Imogene’s Antlers by David Small
- The Wild Christmas Reindeer by Jan Brett
If you want even more reindeer book suggestions, I have an entire post here!
10. Read a book about Christmas trees.
It just doesn’t feel like Christmas without a Christmas tree adorned with lights, ornaments, and a topper. Here are a few of my favorite books about this holiday evergreen.
- Pick a Pine Tree by Patricia Toht, illustrated by Jarvis
- Mr. Willowby’s Christmas Tree by Robert Barry
- The Perfect Tree by Corinne Demas, illustrated by Penelope Dullaghan
- The Christmas Pine by Julia Donaldson, illustrated by Victoria Sandoy
- Decorate the Tree! by Amanda Jane Jones
If you want even more Christmas tree book suggestions, I have an entire post here!
11. Read a book about Santa.
For so many families, Santa Claus is an integral part of the holiday season! And Santa books lend themselves so well to hilarity, sweetness, and imagination. Here are some of our favorite books featuring the jolly St. Nicholas!
- How Does Santa Go Down the Chimney? by Mac Barnett
- Samurai Santa: A Very Ninja Christmas by Rubin Pingk
- Santa Mouse by Michael Brown
- When Santa Was a Baby by Linda Bailey, illustrated by Genevieve Godbout
If you want even more Santa book suggestions, I have an entire post here!
12. Read a book set in another country
If you’re looking for books that introduce your child to Christmas around the world, these 8 picture books are a great place to start!
- The Legend of Old Befana by Tomie DePaola
- Tree of Cranes by Allen Say
- Nine Days to Christmas by Marie Hall Ets, illustrated by Aurora Labastida
- Walk This World at Christmastime by Big Picture Press, illustrated by Debbie Powell
- The Night Before Christmas by Rachel Isadora
If you are looking for more Christmas books set in other countries, I have even more books in this blog post!
13. Read a nutcracker book.
For many, attending a performance of The Nutcracker is a vital part of holiday celebrations. These children’s books about The Nutcracker are the perfect way to introduce this classic story, whether or not you’ll be seeing it danced on stage!
- Charlotte and the Nutcracker: The True Story of a Girl Who Made Ballet History by Charlotte Nebres, illustrated by Alea Marley
- The Nutcracker by Alison Jay
- The Nutcracker Comes to America: How Three Ballet-Loving Brothers Created a Holiday Tradition by Chris Barton, illustrated by Cathy Gendron
- Duke Ellington’s Nutcracker Suite by Anna Harwell Celenza, illustrated by Don Tate
- The Nutcracker by Susan Jeffers
If you are looking for even more Nutcracker books, I have an entire post about it here!
14. Find a 12 Days of Christmas book.
The 12 Days of Christmas is one of the most well-known Christmas songs (even if we all get a little lost around “ten lords a leaping”) and these book versions bring the song to life in magical ways!
- The Twelve Days of Christmas by Alison Jay
- The Twelve Days of Christmas: A Peek-Through Picture Book by Britta Teckentrup
- The 12 Days of Christmas by Greg Pizzoli
- A Pirate’s Twelve Days of Christmas by Philip Yates, illustrated by Sebastià Serra
- The Twelve Cats of Christmas by Feather Flores, illustrated by Carrie Liao
15. Make paper snowflakes and a read a book about snow.
Not everyone gets snow for the holidays, but you can easily make it feel cosy and snowy with this activity. Here are a handful of my favorite books about snow.
- The Snowy Day by Ezra Jack Keats
- The Snowflake by Benji Davies
- Snowflake Bentley by Jacqueline Briggs Martin, illustrated by Mary Azarian
- Blizzard by John Rocco
- Before Morning by Joyce Sidman, illustrated by Beth Krommes
If you want even more books about snow, check out a full list here or my other list featuring books about winter!
16. Find a Christmas book published the year you were born.
There’s just something special about being able to connect yourself to a book on a deeper level and this activity does just that. And every time after when your child sees that title, they can say “Hey, this book was published the year I was born!”
17. Color while you read.
If you haven’t printed off your free Christmas reading countdown calendar yet, this is the moment! It’ll take you just a few minutes and you can enjoy coloring it all month long. Add in a tin of our favorite colored pencils and you are ready to go!
18. Read a book about another winter holiday.
Besides Christmas, there are many other winter holidays celebrated around the same time. Here are some of my favorite books that celebrate just that.
- The Shortest Day by Susan Cooper
- Eight Sweet Nights, A Festival of Lights: A Hanukkah Story by Charlotte Offsay, illustrated by Menahem Halberstadt
- All-of-a-Kind Family Hanukkah by Emily Jenkins, illustrated by Paul O. Zelinsky
- Together for Kwanzaa by Juwanda G. Ford, illustrated by Shelly Hehenberger
19. Read by candlelight.
This is one of those high impact, low effort scenarios. Obviously you can use regular candles for this activity or I’ve seen these amazing flameless candles (safer than real candles), or if you want to avoid fire all together, use my favorite book light to really get into the spirit.
20. Make a treat and munch while you read
Reading + treats = where do I sign up? Most people have a sentimental seasonal treat they love, but my personal favorites are these super easy Salted Caramel Christmas Crackers (often called Christmas Crack for good reason) or these adorable Peanut Butter Sandwich Reindeer Cookies. And if you want to do something classic, try my favorite The Best Chocolate Chip Cookie Recipe.
21. Read a book about elves.
- Elves Are the Worst! by Alex Willan
- How to Catch an Elf by Adam Wallace, illustrated by Andy Elkerton
- The Christmas Wish by Lori Evert, illustrated by Per Breiehagen
- Top Elf by Caleb Huett (this one is a chapter book – but I love it as a read aloud!)
22. FaceTime grandparents or cousins to read with you.
Before my parents moved back to town, we definitely utilized FaceTime to stay connected when we weren’t visiting each other. There is nothing more fun than getting to share some of the holiday festivities with loved ones – no matter how far away they might be.
23. Read a nativity story
Below are some of our favorite nativity books, each beautiful in their own way.
- Song of the Stars by Sally Lloyd-Jones and Alison Jay
- Room for a Little One by Martin Waddell, illustrated by Jason Cockcroft
- Santa’s Favorite Story: Santa Tells the Story of the First Christmas by Hisako Aoki, illustrated by Ivan Gantschev
- Mortimer’s Christmas Manger by Karma Wilson, illustrated by Jane Chapman
Need more suggestions? Check out the full of nativity books we love, right here!
24. Finish your holiday reading with a Night Before Christmas book
Is there a better way to end Christmas Eve than with a Twas the Night Before Christmas book? Wrap up your evening with all of the holiday feels by reading one of these books!
- The Night Before Christmas: The Classic Edition by Clement Moore, illustrated by Charles Santore
- A Creature Was Stirring by Clement Clarke Moore and Carter Goodrich
- The Night Before Christmas by Clement Clarke Moore, illustrated by Holly Hobbie
- The Night Before Christmas by Clement Clarke Moore, illustrated by Sara Gianassi
- The Night Before Christmas Pop-up by Clement Clarke Moore, illustrated by Robert Sabuda
Merry Christmas!
