Our Favorite Christmas Books
Every winter, having tucked our holiday books away in the hidden reaches of a closet, I look forward to pulling down those visions of sugarplums and the grumpy Grinch for sparking our Christmas-time imaginations. And every winter, the box grows a bit heavier as we discover new favorites to add to our collection.
This is a list of our family’s favorites. I’d love to hear yours.
The Nutcracker—Last year we went in search of a Nutcracker telling that would prepare the kids for watching the ballet. So many versions either ended with an emphasis on a romance between Clara and the prince, or seemed overly focused on ballet as a thing for girls. Alison Jay’s version is just right for boys and girls alike, capturing all the best moments of the Balanchine ballet. We also recently added The Story Orchestra edition—which is beautiful and plays clips of Tchaikovsky’s music.
The Night Before Christmas—The poem that seems to inform so many’ visions of Christmas. I never tire of reading it during the season. Someone gifted us Holly Hobbie’s beautiful watercolor edition a few years ago, and I still think it’s the most beautiful I’ve seen.
