Search for books, people and lists
Read This Twice
HomePeopleBooksSonaLibrariesSign in

Best Christmas Novels

Explore the magic of the season with the most recommended Christmas novels, capturing the warmth and spirit of the holidays. Ranked based on frequency of features across celebrated book blogs.

Recommendations from 49 articles, Hillary Clinton, J. K. Rowling, Larry King and 12 others.
100 books on the list
Sort by
Number of Articles
Layout
Hercule Poirot's Christmas book cover
Hercule Poirot's Christmas
Agatha Christie - 2001-01-01 (first published in 1938)
Goodreads Rating
A wealthy patriarch demands that his estranged family gather for Christmas, but it's not a heartwarming affair. He bedevils his sons and announces plans to change his will, then winds up murdered. The fastidious Hercule Poirot is on the case to uncover the killer in Agatha Christie's classic tale.
A Christmas Carol book cover
A Christmas Carol
Charles Dickens - 1999-09-23 (first published in 1843)
Goodreads Rating
This classic tale explores the transformative power of the holiday season. Follow the journey of bitter and miserly Ebenezer Scrooge as he is visited by the ghost of his deceased business partner and forced to confront the errors of his ways. With an introduction and discussion questions by Joe Wheeler, this book is a part of the beloved Focus on the Family Great Stories collection. "A Christmas Carol" is a timeless novel that reminds us of the importance of compassion and generosity during the festive season.
Recommended by
Larry King
Last Christmas in Paris book cover
Last Christmas in Paris
A Novel of World War I
Hazel Gaynor, Heather Webb - 2017-10-03
Goodreads Rating
Experience the love and tragedy of the Great War in this unforgettable novel. Follow the story of Evie and Thomas as they navigate their way through personal battles and the realities of war. As they correspond through letters, they grow ever fonder from afar. Can their love survive the horrors of the First World War? Discover the answer in the heart-wrenching Last Christmas in Paris.
One Day in December book cover
One Day in December
A Novel
Josie Silver - 2018-10-16
Goodreads Rating
A love story that spans a decade, One Day in December captures the magic of destiny and missed opportunities. Laurie sees the man of her dreams through a bus window one December day, but fate keeps them apart. Over the next ten years, they face heartbreak, friendship, and unexpected twists. This heartwarming and emotional novel will remind you that love is worth the wait.
Polar Express 30th anniversary edition book cover
Polar Express 30th anniversary edition
Chris van Allsburg - 2000-01-01 (first published in 1985)
Goodreads Rating
Enter a magical world of holiday wonder with this beloved classic, now celebrating its 30th anniversary. Follow a young boy as he embarks on a mysterious journey to the North Pole on the Polar Express, encountering breathtaking sights and heartwarming moments along the way. With a CD audio recording read by Liam Neeson, a keepsake ornament, and a special note from author Chris Van Allsburg, this gift set is the perfect way to share the enchantment of The Polar Express with loved ones. Winner of the esteemed Caldecott Medal and beloved by millions, this book has even been adapted into a holiday movie and stage production.
The Christmas Bookshop book cover
The Christmas Bookshop
A Novel
Jenny Colgan - 2021-11-16
Goodreads Rating
Escape into the holiday spirit with a heartwarming new novel from a beloved New York Times bestselling author. When Carmen's department store closes, she's without options and low on cash. Reluctantly, she moves in with her perfect, but difficult sister and takes a job at an ailing bookshop. As Christmas approaches, Carmen must use her design skills to bring the store back to life and navigate her love life while healing old family wounds.
In a Holidaze book cover
In a Holidaze
Christina Lauren - 2020-10-06
Goodreads Rating
Escape to a snowy Utah cabin with Mae, whose life is turned upside down when she enters a time loop on her last holiday there. With hilarious mishaps and a cast of charming characters, In a Holidaze is the quintessential holiday romance that will make you believe in the power of wishes and the magic of the season.
How the Grinch Stole Christmas! book cover
How the Grinch Stole Christmas!
Dr. Seuss - 2004-10-04 (first published in 1957)
Goodreads Rating
This beloved Christmas classic tells the heartwarming story of the Grinch, who lives just north of Who-ville and hates Christmas. But when the Christmas spirit touches him, he learns the true meaning of the holiday. This perfect read-along for all ages is a mainstay of the holidays, and the inspiration for an annual holiday tradition encouraging readers to do good deeds. Join the Grinch-mas cheer and grow your heart three sizes with this ultimate Dr. Seuss Christmas classic!
Recommended by
Seth Mandel
The Night Before Christmas book cover
The Night Before Christmas
Clement Clarke Moore - 1998-10-28 (first published in 1823)
Goodreads Rating
This holiday season, discover the origins of a beloved Christmas classic. Originally published as "A Visit From St. Nicholas" in a 1823 newspaper in Troy, New York, the poem was later claimed by poet and professor Clement Clarke Moore as a piece he wrote for his children. But the family of Henry Livingston Jr. argues that their father had been reciting the poem for 15 years before it was published. Regardless of its true author, the poem has become a timeless symbol of the holiday season. delve into the fascinating history of this iconic holiday favorite.
Little Women book cover
Little Women
Louisa May Alcott - 2004-04-06 (first published in 1868)
Goodreads Rating
Four unique sisters rely on each other during their father's absence in this heartwarming story. From putting on plays to forming secret societies, they face life's ups and downs with the one question always on their minds: will Father make it home safely from war?
Letters From Father Christmas, Centenary Edition by J. R. R. Tolkien
Mr. Dickens and His Carol by Samantha Silva
So, This Is Christmas by Tracy Andreen
The Best Christmas Pageant Ever by Barbara Robinson
The Twelve Dates of Christmas by Jenny Bayliss
Comfort and Joy by Kristin Hannah
A Boy Called Christmas by Matt Haig
The Greatest Gift by Philip Van Doren Stern
Christmas Shopaholic by Sophie Kinsella
The Nutcracker by E. T. A. Hoffmann
The Santa Suit by Mary Kay Andrews
The Holiday Swap by Maggie Knox
Royal Holiday by Jasmine Guillory
A Christmas Memory by Truman Capote
Holidays on Ice by David Sedaris
Winter Street by Elin Hilderbrand
Always, in December by Emily Stone
Christmas by the Book by Anne Marie Ryan
Midnight at the Christmas Bookshop by Jenny Colgan
Skipping Christmas by John Grisham
The Gift of the Magi by O. Henry
The Christmas Orphans Club by Becca Freeman
The Christmas Train by David Baldacci
The Matzah Ball by Jean Meltzer
Bear Stays Up for Christmas by Karma Wilson
The Snowman by Raymond Briggs
A Christmas Memory, including One Christmas and The Thanksgiving Visitor by Truman Capote
The Tailor of Gloucester by Beatrix Potter
The 13th Gift by Joanne Huist Smith
Amazing Peace by Maya Angelou
Bright Lights, Big Christmas by Mary Kay Andrews
The Christmas Dress by Courtney Cole
Sherlock Holmes Adventure Stories by Arthur Conan Doyle
In God We Trust by Jean Shepherd
Duke, Actually by Jenny Holiday
Christmas at the Island Hotel by Jenny Colgan
Let It Snow by John Green
My True Love Gave To Me by Stephanie Perkins
Seven Days of Us by Francesca Hornak
A Magical New York Christmas by Anita Hughes
Dream Snow by Eric Carle
The Girl Who Saved Christmas by Matt Haig
A Very Merry Bromance by Lyssa Kay Adams
The Christmas Sisters by Sarah Morgan
Winter Solstice by Elin Hilderbrand
A Christmas Legacy by Anne Perry
Winter Stroll by Elin Hilderbrand
A Winter in New York by Josie Silver
A December to Remember by Jenny Bayliss
Wreck the Halls by Tessa Bailey
Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer by Rick Bunsen
The Joy of Gay Sex, Revised & Expanded Third Edition by Charles Silverstein
The Deal of a Lifetime by Fredrik Backman
The Christmas Miracle of Jonathan Toomey by Susan Wojciechowski
The Legend of the Poinsettia by Tomie Depaola
Dear Santa by Debbie Macomber
Llama Llama Holiday Drama by Anna Dewdney
The Nutcracker by New York City Ballet
The Christmas Wish by Lindsey Kelk
The Christmas Box by Richard Paul Evans
A Redbird Christmas by Fannie Flagg
The Afterlife of Holly Chase by Cynthia Hand
The Life and Adventures of Santa Claus by L. Frank Baum
The Night Before Christmas by Nikolai Gogol
Starry Night by Debbie Macomber
The Vanderbeekers of 141st Street by Karina Yan Glaser
The Christmas Appeal by Janice Hallett
Three Holidays and a Wedding by Uzma Jalaluddin
P.S. Your Cat Is Dead by James Kirkwood
The Christmas Guest by Peter Swanson
All I Want for Christmas by Maggie Knox
Christmas in London by Anita Hughes
Dr. Seuss's How the Grinch Lost Christmas! by Alastair Heim, Aristides Ruiz
All the Colors of Christmas by Matthew Paul Turner
Blame It on the Mistletoe by Beth Garrod
The Christmas Shoes by Donna VanLiere
How Winston Delivered Christmas by Alex T. Smith
The Snow Child by Eowyn Ivey
The Christmasaurus by Tom Fletcher
Moo, Baa, Fa La La La La! by Sandra Boynton
A Charlie Brown Christmas by Charles M. Schulz
Mr. Willowby's Christmas Tree by Robert Barry
The Jolly Christmas Postman by Allan Ahlberg
Little Blue Truck's Christmas by Alice Schertle
A Christmas Carol and Other Christmas Stories by Charles Dickens
Elf by Kim Smith
God Gave Us Christmas by Lisa Tawn Bergren
Father Christmas by RAYMOND BRIGGS
The Snowy Day by Ezra Jack Keats
The Plight Before Christmas by Kate Stewart