Holiday Books for Children

The holiday season is upon us. For many young children, it can be a time of physical exhaustion and mental over-stimulation. Children can easily become overcome by the hustle and bustle surrounding the holidays. With parents becoming distracted by and preoccupied with holiday shopping, baking, and entertaining, kids are often lost in the shuffle. Add to that the fact that understanding the true meaning of the holidays is overwhelming for young children, and you’ve got yourself a meltdown in the making.

To help alleviate my children’s holiday stress, I’ve turned to children’s books. There are a multitude of holiday books on the market that explore numerous aspects of the various holidays. You can find books that delve into the origins and true meanings of holidays to books that focus on the fun side of holidays. Whatever your preference, your local library or book store is a great resource for finding what you need.

As a lover of books, I have an extensive home library of children’s books. In that library are some tried and true holiday books that have successfully gotten us through the holiday seasons by teaching my children about the holidays and how to enjoy them. I have so many favorites, but here are a few of my recommendations.

Thanks for Thanksgiving by Julie Markes   A charming look at a traditional Thanksgiving celebration from the perspective of children. This book also highlights all that is glorious about fall including gold leaves and pumpkin pie. The children express their appreciation for everything from pets to kisses.

Chanukah Lights Everywhere by Michael J. Rosen   A little boy and his family celebrate the Festival of Lights in their city. Each night something happens to remind the little boy of the number of candles they have just lit. This is a nice introduction to the celebration of Chanukah for small children.

Mrs. Greenberg’s Messy Hanukkah by Linda Glaser   A simple and heartwarming story of a little girl and her love of latkes. This story teaches the importance of cross-generational friendships and the joy of holiday traditions.

My First Kwanzaa Book by Deborah Chocolate   This book provides an introduction to how African-American families celebrate Kwanzaa. The story is told from the viewpoint of a little boy, and this is his story of his family’s celebration.

What is Christmas? by Michelle Medlock Adams   What I love most about this book is that it includes an impressive message to help remind all of us (adult and child) the reason for celebrating Christmas while acknowledging other seasonal activities that many enjoy. This charming book also succeeds at striking a balance while stressing that the reason for the season is the birth of Jesus.

Holidays Around The World: Celebrate Christmas: With Carols, Presents, and Peace by Deborah Heiligman   While touching on the birth of Jesus, this book focuses on the many ways Christmas is celebrated throughout the world. Keeping with the general theme of peace, this book which includes beautiful photographs explores how some cultures celebrate with gifts and others with prayers and expressions of peace. Other traditions mentioned include baking, sending cards, making wreaths, decorating homes and trees, and going to church.

However you choose to ease the burden of the holidays on yourself and your children, sitting down to read a book with them is a relaxing and educational way to relieve some of the holiday stress and chaos.