Yesterday, Jes wrote about ALL the preparations we do during Advent and Christmas and why some of our Christmas traditions are worth keeping.
I would like to share one of the traditions I grew up with that I treasure. Growing up, every year we would receive a Christmas themed book. Looking at those books from childhood takes me right back to the age, location, and memories of "Christmas past". Don't worry they are good memories unlike Scrooge. ;)
Now that we have our own children we have continued this tradition and include a little note on the inside cover with our child's name and age.
Below is a collection of favorite Christmas books that some of us HHH writers collaborated on to share with you! If you are looking for a book to gift your loved ones (young and old!) you have a great list to go by. Click on the titles to open our Amazon affiliated links and learn more about the books!
A Gift For The Baby by Diana Manning 
Hallmark book with coordinating ornament. As you press the buttons as they appear in the story (side panel), the ornament lights up and plays a short clip of the character in the story (i.e. the donkey who was glad to help carry Mary to Bethlehem)
Jesus, Me, and My Christmas Tree by Crystal Bowman
Tree shaped :)
"My tree tells a story of long, long ago
from the star on the top to the present below.
When God in his mercy and wonderful love
sent his son Jesus from heaven above."
Touch and Feel Baby Jesus Is Born by Allia Zobel Nolan 
The Story of Christmas by Patricia Pingry
Room for a Little One: A Christmas Tale by Martin Waddell
A cute infant board book. Kelly's family even did that as a cousin skit last year for Christmas, complete with homemade stable and manger.
Carl's Christmas by Alexandra Day
A book with minimal text tells the story of a family's faithful dog and the baby left in his charge and their adventure-filled Christmas Eve.
One Starry Night by Jan Godfrey
This book tells of the first Christmas with imaginative art, while incorporating a counting element within the rhythmic text.
The Little Shepherd Girl: A Christmas Story by Juliann Henry
A sister feels left out while her brothers go to watch the sheep, so she joins them and witnesses something even more exciting than she could have dreamed. Her Savior!
The Very First Christmas (Sticker Stories) by Elise Mills
Reusable stickers help your little one play the Christmas story over and over.
Little Tree by e.e. cummings
In a warm and touching poem, e.e. cummings describes the wonder and excitement of a young brother and sister who find a little tree on a city sidewalk and carry it home, where they adorn it with Christmas finery.
The Christmas Story by Jane Werner Watson
I had this Christmas book when I was a child and still love the illustrations. The book is a straight forward account of Christmas.
This Is the Stable by Cynthia Cotton
This lovely picture book combines beautiful artwork and a seamless, thoughtful 'The house that Jack built' style to tell the story of the Nativity. I gifted it to all of my nieces as toddlers but my 6 year old loves to read this one and is adequately challenged. The illustrations are beautiful.
Snowmen at Night by Caralyn Buehner
She incorporates little hidden pictures on every page that the kids absolutely love looking for. There are multiple books in her Snowmen series and we love them all!
The Little Drummer Mouse by Mercer Mayer
Children will relish the moment when the little drummer mouse realizes that no matter how small he is, he is a part of this exciting event. Mercer Mayer’s glowing and friendly artwork brings enormous charisma to this cozy version of the Nativity.
Waiting for Noel: An Advent Story by Ann Dixon
As Noel's family lights the Advent candles each weekbefore Christmas, Noel's father tells her the specialstory of the year her family waited andprepared for her birth on Christmas Day.
The Nativity by Julie Vivas
With illustrations that are enchanting and unexpected, Julie Vivas reveals the human side to Mary's story, beautifully imagining the Angel Gabriel delivering the news to her, the exhausting journey with Joseph to Bethlehem, and at last the deliverance of the baby Jesus.
Peanuts: A Charlie Brown Christmas Deluxe Ed by Charles M. Schulz
Read along with Charlie Brown in his heartwarming quest to uncover the true meaning of Christmas with Snoopy, Linus, and friends!
The Visit of the Wise Men by Martha Jander
Through gentle verse and rich illustrations, children hear an accurate portrayal of the Magi, dispelling minunderstandings that put three Wise Men at Jesus birthplace.
Song of the Stars: A Christmas Story by Sally Lloyd Jones
The moment had come. The long-awaited child had arrived! Creation cried out in celebration, but only a few people heard. Only a few joined nature's chorus, a song in praise of the newborn King.
The Tale of Three Trees by Angela Elwell Hunt
Children will be deeply touched as they understand, perhaps for the first time, the significance of Christ’s life and his atoning sacrifice on the cross.
The Christmas Miracle of Jonathan Toomey by Susan Wojciechowski
The spirit of Christmas heals a sorrowing woodcarver's heart in this splendid edition of a holiday classic, complete with a CD masterfully narrated by James Earl Jones.
The First Christmas by Carol Heyer
This is the story of Jesus' birth, retold by Carol Heyer in clear and simple language for little ones. Her accompanying artwork is luminous and adds depth to the story of why Christians celebrate Christmas.
The Nutcracker Ballet: A Book, Theater, and Paper Doll Fold-out Play Set (Foldout Play Set) by Mara Conlon
The classic story of The Nutcracker comes to life with this book, theater, and paper doll play set. Read along in the 32-page storybook as your paper doll characters (more than 40 of them!) dance their way through three different foldout stages!
Santa's Favorite Story by Hisako Aoki
"No, no, no," said Santa in a kindly voice, "Christmas hasn't got anything to do with me. Sit down and I'll tell you all the story of the first Christmas."
The Candymaker's Gift: The Legend of the Candy Cane by David Haidel
The legend of how the candy cane came into being, and what it signifies, wonderfully proclaims the best gift of Christmas.
Christmas Day in the Morning by Pearl S. Buck
Rob wants to get his father something special for Christmas this year -- something that shows how much he really loves him. But it's Christmas Eve, and he doesn't have much money to spend. What could he possibly get?
The Family Under the Bridge by Natalie Savage Carlson
the children who lived under the bridge recognized a true friend when they met one, even if the friend seemed a trifle unwilling at the start. And it did not take Armand very long to realize that he had gotten himself ready-made family; one that he loved with all his heart, and one for whom he would have to find a better home than the bridge.
The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe by C. S. Lewis
Four adventurous siblings—Peter, Susan, Edmund, and Lucy Pevensie—step through a wardrobe door and into the land of Narnia, a land frozen in eternal winter and enslaved by the power of the White Witch. But when almost all hope is lost, the return of the Great Lion, Aslan, signals a great change . . . and a great sacrifice.
A Little House Christmas Treasury: Festive Holiday Stories by Laura Ingalls Wilder
One Wintry Night by Ruth Bell Graham
an injured mountain boy, caught in a snowstorm at Christmastime, is taken in by a woman who lives in a log home the boy's grandfather helped build years before. After the snowbound pair become acquainted and the grandfather is notified of the boy's whereabouts, the woman launches into a telling of the Christmas story--beginning with the Creation and ending with the Resurrection.
How the Grinch Stole Christmas! Dr. Seuss
Classics Illustrated Deluxe #9: A Christmas Carol and the Remembrance of Mugby
this version of Scrooge's classic story is illustrated like a comic book - sweet!
Chicken Soup for the Soul: It's Christmas!: 101 Joyful Stories 
A Charlie Brown Christmas: The Making of a Tradition
Charles M. Schulz's A Charlie Brown Christmas: The Making of a Tradition is a lushly illustrated tribute to the beloved television classic that takes readers behind-the-scenes of the Peanuts holiday special
A Walk One Winter Night: A Christmas Story by Al Andrews
What started as a simple, late night stroll to clear his head from the hassles of the season turned into something that can only be described as...real.
A Christmas Carol by Charles Dickens
The Women of Christmas: Experience the Season Afresh with Elizabeth, Mary, and Anna by Liz Curtis Higgs
A sacred season is about to unfold for three women whose hearts belong to God. Elizabeth is barren, yet her trust in God remains fertile. Mary is betrothed in marriage, yet she is willing to bear God’s Son. Anna is a widow full of years, yet she waits patiently, prayerfully for the Messiah to appear in the temple courts.
Come, Thou Long-Expected Jesus: Experiencing the Peace and Promise of Christmas (multiple contributors)
this special volume-draws from the works and sermons of classic theologians such as Whitefield, Luther, Spurgeon, and Augustine, and from leading contemporary communicators such as John Piper, J. Ligon Duncan, Randy Alcorn, John MacArthur, Francis Schaeffer, R. C. Sproul, Skip Ryan, and Joni Eareckson Tada to beckon you and your family into the wonder of Jesus' incarnation and birth.
The Greatest Gift: Unwrapping the Full Love Story of Christmas by Ann Voskamp
God Is in the Manger: Reflections on Advent and Christmas by Dietrich Bonhoeffer 
Dietrich Bonhoeffer (1906-45) was a Christian minister, seminary professor, and theologian who became one of the leading voices of opposition against Nazism during World War II. He was a founding member of Germany's Confessing Church and was executed for participating in a plot to assassinate Hitler. His theological views have become highly influential in the years since his death.
Messiah - The Greatest Sermon Ever Sung "Messiah--the Greatest Sermon Ever Sung" combines devotional explanations & beautiful illustrations with the sacred texts used in Handel's "Messiah". We are currently running a giveaway for this book. Enter here!
Chicken Soup for the Soul: The Gift of Christmas: A Special Collection of Joyful Holiday Stories
The Christmas Box Collection: The Christmas Box, Timepiece, and The Letter by Richard Paul Evans 
Richard Paul Evans' #1 New York Times bestseller The Christmas Box has become a holiday classic, a tale so touching that it continues to "tug families' heartstrings" (USA Today).
Don't see your favorite Christmas book on the list above? Let us know your favorites in the comments so we can enjoy them too!
AND don't forget to enter the Christmas book, Messiah - the Greatest Sermon Ever Sung, giveaway we have this week! Click here to enter. The winner will be announced tomorrow.
