Christmas is most often revered as a merry time of year, and rightly so, with lots of holiday treats, family time, time off from school and work, and gifts piled under the tree. However, there are many people in the world who cannot celebrate Christmas the way we do because of poverty and hunger. While some of the books listed below will give you and your kiddos that warm and fuzzy feeling true to the spirit of the season, there are a few that may bring a tear to your eye and remind you how many blessings we have every day of the year.
1. The Berenstain Bears and the Joy of Giving
In The Berenstain Bears and The Joy of Giving Brother and Sister Bear can’t wait for Christmas and all the presents they’ll open, but during the Christmas Eve pageant, something special happens! The Bear cubs learn a very valuable lesson about the joy of giving to others.
2. A Christmas Carol
In this classic tale written by Charles Dickens, Ebenezer Scrooge has eerie encounters with a series of spectral visitors. Journeying with them through Christmases past, present, and future, he is ultimately transformed from an arrogant, obstinate, and insensitive miser to a generous, warmhearted, and caring human being.
3. The Christmas Story: The Brick Bible for Kids
Santa, sleigh bells, mistletoe, reindeer, and presents: these are the tell-tale signs of Christmas. But December 25 is also the time to celebrate the birth of Jesus, and what better way to introduce your kids to the story of the birth of Jesus than through LEGO! Brendan Powell Smith is the author of The Brick Bible for Kids series.
4. The Crippled Lamb
In this bestselling book for kids by Max Lucado, Joshua was a lamb with a crippled leg who felt left out because he couldn’t run and play like the other lambs. God had a very special plan for Joshua’s life, as He does for all who feel alone. Readers can expect a gentle tug on their hearts as the little lamb’s prayers are answered in an amazing way. Original oil-painting illustrations by Liz Bonham brilliantly capture the beauty and warmth of this endearing story.
5. The Gift of the Magi
O. Henry tells the story of unfaltering love in The Gift of the Magi. In a shabby New York flat, Della sobs as she counts the few coins she has saved to buy a Christmas present for her husband, Jim. A gift worthy of her devotion will require a great sacrifice: selling her long, beautiful hair. Jim, meanwhile, has made a sacrifice for Della that is no less difficult. As they exchange gifts on Christmas Eve, the discovery of what each has done fills them with despair, until they realize that the true gifts of Christmas can be found more readily in their humble apartment than in any fine store.
6. How the Grinch Stole Christmas!
“Every Who down in Who-ville liked Christmas a lot . . . but the Grinch, who lived just north of Who-ville, did NOT!” Not since “’Twas the night before Christmas” has the beginning of a Christmas tale been so instantly recognizable. No holiday season is complete without the Grinch, Max, Cindy-Lou, and all the residents of Who-ville, in this heartwarming story about the effects of the Christmas spirit on even the smallest and coldest of hearts. Like mistletoe, candy canes, and caroling, the Grinch is a mainstay of the holidays, and his story is the perfect gift for young and old.
7. The Legend of the Candy Cane
A stranger rides into a small prairie town one dark November night. Who is this man and why has he come to their town? The townspeople wish he were a doctor, a dressmaker, or a trader; but the children have a secret wish. When a young girl named Lucy befriends the newcomer, he reveals his identity and shares with her the legend of the candy cane.
8. Letters from Father Christmas
Every December an envelope bearing a stamp from the North Pole would arrive for J.R.R. Tolkien’s children. Inside would be a letter in a strange, spidery handwriting and a beautiful colored drawing or painting. The letters were from Father Christmas.
They told wonderful tales of life at the North Pole: how the reindeer got loose and scattered presents all over the place; how the accident-prone North Polar Bear climbed the North Pole and fell through the roof of Father Christmas’s house into the dining room; how he broke the Moon into four pieces and made the Man in it fall into the back garden; how there were wars with the troublesome horde of goblins who lived in the caves beneath the house, and many more.
9. The Little Match Girl
A young girl is forced to sell matches in the street by her abusive father. She lights three matches. While the first match burns, she sees a sumptuous feast. With the second match, she has visions of a twinkling Christmas tree. During the third match, her late grandmother’s loving face appears and she runs toward her grandmother. The little girl is found frozen to death the next morning.
This story will remind you and your children about the value of human life and how some people all across the world have similar experiences in the effort to survive.
10. The Night Before Christmas
Many families read this classic poem by Clement C. Moore every year. The Night Before Christmas has enchanted children with the story of St. Nicholas climbing down the chimney and filling all the stockings before springing back to his sleigh.
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