We bring out these books in December, and it’s like pouring through old familiar friends. My kids will spend hours looking through these. Here are some favorites…

1. Holly & Ivy – This one tops my list. A beautiful adoption story with pages illustrated to ignite the imagination with all the senses of Christmastime.
2. Secrets of Winter – This is more of a fun interactive book that story. You use a flashlight to find the hidden animals hibernating for winter.
3. Advent Storybook – 24 mini stories you can read daily leading up to Christmas about a little bear and his long journey to Bethlehem and the characters he meets along the way.
4. The Jolly Christmas Postman – Another all time favorite. Classic rhyme characters woven together through the jolly postman who delivers mail to someone familiar on each page. The pages have pockets with little interactive elements like a puzzle, look through book, etc.
5. The Polar Express – The illustrations make the story come alive. A perfect picture book for any age.
6. Lucia Morning in Sweden – I love learning about different culture’s traditions, so this is a great book about the Swedish tradition of St. Lucia on December 13th.
7. I Spy Christmas – Growing up my siblings and I would always do I Spy together, and it’s fun to see my kids start to do the same. This one is a more challenging one for older ages.
8. The Mitten – I love Jan Beret as an author and illustrator, and this is just a sweet story about the mitten that grew enough to keep several animals warm from the snow.
9. The Donkey’s Dream – This seems to be out of print, which is why it’s pricier. It is a beautiful story from the donkey’s perspective that carried Mary to Bethlehem.
10. The Nativity – A great option for babies and 1 year olds. It’s a touch and feel book about the Nativity.
11. Can You See What I See? – Another great I spy option that is geared more for the 4+ age range.
12. Silent Night – A sweet book about the night of Christmas through the song of Silent Night.
13. There Was An Old Lady Who Swallowed a Bell – This series makes my kids giggle so hard, so of course they loved the Christmas version!
14. Room for a Little One – Beautifully illustrated and captivating pages. My little ones love this book about Christmas night.
15. A Christmas Wish for Corduroy – I’ve always loved Corduroy, and this is one that Azelie (3 yrs old) really loves as well.
16. Apple Tree Christmas – This was a gift to one of my girls, and it is a really sweet story about a family living a simple life who makes the most of their beloved apple tree. Very Little House on the Prairie feel.
17. The Night of Los Posadas – I come from a Spanish/Mexican background, and Los Posadas is a big tradition in the Mexican culture so I wanted my children to know and understand it as well.
18. Maurice Sendak’s Nutcracker – Little Bear Forever! This book is by the same illustrator, so immediately loved this version of The Nutcracker.
19. The Legend of the Poinsetta – This Mexican legend tells how the poinsettia came to be in this story of a little girl, written by award winning author and illustrator Tomie DePaula.

What are some others you enjoy? We add one or two to the basket each year so I would love to hear:)