Countdown to Christmas With a Book Advent

Thanksgiving is over and now it feels as if everyone is racing toward Christmas! I’ve found that the sooner I get things accomplished in the month of December, the more calm I can exude and the more I can enjoy time with my kids. So although it does seem like a mad dash immediately after Thanksgiving, I much prefer it to scrambling around on December 22nd trying to cram every tradition in.

Everyone in our house enjoys the book Advent and I’m so glad we started this tradition. Creating new traditions has been one of my favorite parts of starting our family and I hope you have created some of your own. I did not start this tradition until Brinley was 2.5 years old, so don’t feel like you can’t start something new. Who cares if you’ve never done it before? If you want to make a new tradition for your family, now is the perfect time to start. Your future self will be so happy!

Let’s dig a little deeper into the book Advent idea and I’ll give you the list of books we are using this year, plus some alternatives. We have a few traditions in our house during the Advent season and they all occur after dinner because we definitely don’t have time in the morning before school or work. We have an Advent calendar that my grandmother made when I was a child, an Advent wreath with candles, we read a devotion and sing a song or hymn, and then we open our book for the night right before bed.

I wrap all of our books in a paper that does not get used for anything else that year. The paper changes every year and honestly, I think the first year I might have been so exhausted (hi new baby that didn’t sleep) that I put them in a giant gift bag for the first few days because I forgot to wrap them! The books live under our tree in a stack and get returned there after we are done reading them. We keep them separate because we reuse the same books every year and my kids can be rough on book covers. The kids are welcome to look at them during the day, but we try to keep them separate from our everyday December books.

I sometimes label the books 1-25 so there is a predetermined book to be openend every night. Depending on my energy level, some years I even coordinate the books to reflect what we will be doing on a certain day. For example, Pick a Pine Tree is always our first book because we get our Christmas tree the weekend after Thanksgiving. This year we will be opening up the classic movie books like Frosty and Rudolph on Friday or Saturday so we can snuggle in to watch the corresponding movie the next day. This is totally optional, but the kids get a kick out of it and I have the bandwidth to make it happen this year. Some years in the future it might not be coordinated at all, so you do what is right for you and your family without guilt!

Christmas books and book advent countdown to Christmas

I mentioned earlier that we reuse the same books every year, so it was a time and money investment up front to select and purchase so many books. This is our fourth year of organizing a book Advent, so I’ve swapped out some that were too long or mature for the ages we have in our house right now. We keep the alternates stored away in the same box throughout the year which makes it easy to assess and decide the following year.

Here are the 25 books we selected for 2022:

Pick a Pine Tree- I love the illustrations in this book every year. The kids love to recount our tree hunt and decorating day, making this a perfect way to kick off our Christmas countdown.
Christmas in the Manger- We still have a baby (she’s technically 1, but I’m still counting her as a baby this year) in our house, so I like to include some board books for her.
The Legend of the Poinsettia- I had never heard the Mexican legend of the poinsettia before reading this book, but it is a touching story that the kids want to read over and over again.
The Christmas Wish- This book really embraces the magic of the Christmas season. The photos are simple, yet beautiful. This is a great read year after year.
The Animals’ Christmas Eve- This sweet story counts 1 to 12 from the perspective of the animals in a barn. This is a wonderful book and my kids like reading it multiple times in a season.
Who is Coming to Our House?- This story shares how animals in a barn prepare for the most special guest. Another kid favorite that is simple enough for little listeners. We have the board book version for sturdiness.
The Very First Christmas- An approachable introduction to the story of Christmas and Jesus.
The Story of Christmas- A simple recounting of why we give gifts at Christmas. We have the board book version, and it has been loved every year.
The Littlest Christmas Tree- This book makes my top 5 every Christmas season. It’s an enduring story about wanting to find a home. The kids also love it!
The Little Drummer Boy- The girls love this song every year and the book makes them so happy. Ezra Jack Keats is phenomenal and although the words aren’t surprising, seeing them alongside the beautiful illustrations feels special.
Too Many Tamales- It’s hard for me to pick a favorite book from this list, but this book might be it! I read this book as a child and assumed that everyone did. I didn’t realize it wasn’t a national treasure until I was in college or grad school. I still haven’t found very many people who have heard of this book, but I love it. In the book, Maria wears her mother’s wedding ring and loses it while making tamales. The girls love to put my ring on while we read and it makes me smile.
Where is Baby’s Christmas Present?- Even my older girls still like to lift the flaps on these books, but this will likely be one of the first books to get replaced as the kids get older. It’s perfect for the stage we are in right now, though!
The Polar Express- Ryan is adamant that this book makes the cut every year! He is usually ready to tap out after dinner, but always perks up when this book gets opened. It’s still a little long for 3 year olds, but Brinley loved this last year at 4. A heartfelt story about believing in the magic of Christmas. Our version came with an ornament that we HAVE to hang on our tree.
How Santa Got His Job- The kids think this book is hilarious. It’s a fun read and explains how Santa became Santa.
How the Grinch Stole Christmas!- We have to include this classic! I also still love the original cartoon movie and hear the narrator in my head when we read this one out loud.
Mr. Willowby’s Christmas Tree- Apparently this book is a classic, I just never heard of it until a few years ago. Written in 1963, it is charming and shows how much joy one tree can bring at Christmas time.
All the Colors of Christmas- We received this book as a gift a few years ago and I knew I would include it in our book Advent the following year. The colors and beautiful illustrations accompany such a wonderful meaning. It’s not a sad book in any way, but I always get teary (in a good and sentimental way) when I read it.
The Christmas Cookie Sprinkle Snitcher- Although this book was written in 1969, I never heard of it until I was researching what to include in our book Advent the first year. This quickly became a favorite and I love the rhymes and humor.
Christmas Day in the Morning- I love this book for highlighting the giving aspect of Christmas, even when we don’t have much money. It was a little long when the kids were 2.5 years and 6 months old, but they really enjoyed it last year at 2.5 and 4.5 years old.
The Little Reindeer- What an enchanting book to spark some Christmas spirit. Perfect for the kids and I enjoy reading this one as well.
Dream Snow- I would invest in the hardcover version of this book if you can. Ours has a button at the back of the book that plays a little chime. The illustrations are classic Eric Carle and there are transparent pages for more interaction with the book. Again, this is always a hit at my house.
Frosty the Snowman- We pair this with the movie and all snuggle on the couch together to watch.
Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer- Anyone else have an Abominable Snow Monster nickname at your house? I don’t really know why, but it stuck one year after reading this book. If we are playing chase, the chaser is the Abominable Snow Monster!
The Night before Christmas- This is always our Christmas Eve book. The last few years the kids were not a fan of the length, so although Ryan loves reading this out loud, it hasn’t lived up to his imagined scenario just yet. Maybe this will be the year the kids love it as much as he does.
Red & Lulu- This is a new addition to our collection this year, but I’ve read it on my own and it is a lovely story about love and Christmas miracles.

I imagine we will be keeping most of the books I listed above in our Advent countdown for the foreseeable future, however there are some other books that were included in years prior that we still love. Some of the picks below are simply too long for our little kids. We will may include them as the kids get older, but for now we leave them out for free reading. Feel free to substitute the original list as it suits your family.

Merry Christmas Curious George- Brinley went through a Curious George obsessed phase. It’s a fun read, but I prefer some of the messaging of the other books.
Merry Christmas (Bright Baby Touch and Feel)- This has been a favorite of all 3 kids. Simple and baby friendly.
The Legend of the Christmas Stocking- This book was part of the Advent countdown last year, but it was a little too long to keep everyone’s attention. I swapped it out this year, but will likely include it as the kids get older.
The Christmas Story- This was a gift and shares the story of Jesus’ birth. I think the kids are more engaged with some of the other versions.
5 Busy Little Elves- A cute and interactive counting story. Babies (and even my 3-year-old) love the texture on every page.
Snowmen at Night- Imaginative and fun! My kids love this book every year.
Snowmen at Christmas- Clever and cute. Also loved by my kids.
Ten Tiny Gingerbread Men- This was a gift 1-2 years ago and the kids love looking at it all month. We leave this one out because it is so interactive.
Biscuit’s Pet & Play Christmas: A Touch & Feel Book- A favorite when the kids are younger, but not substation enough for my 5.5-year-old kindergarten girl. My other two kids still love this one.
Bear Stays Up for Chistmas- This is a sweet story about giving. We all like it, but it just didn’t make the cut this year with the addition of some newer books.
Holly & Ivy- I included this the first year of our book countdown, but it was much too long and the kids were too young. This will come out every year, but it will be a while before it becomes part of the Advent rotation.
The Carpenter’s Gift- I really like this book, but it was a bit too long for the kids last year. I will add it back to our list as Ellette approaches 3 or 4 years old.
Llama Llama Holiday Drama- This book has made the list every year before, but I swapped it for a new one this year. This is a kid favorite and we usually read it at least once a day. Definitely a top contender from the alternate list!
Star Bright, Christmas Night- This is a great book, but I didn’t want to have all board books for the older kids. Recommend if your kids are 4 and under.
Lift the Flap Nativity- The flaps are fun, but the text is a little too long for little kids. It’s a great book to have out, but if we are going to spend that much time reading, my kids would much prefer a different story.

Whew! That was a lot of books. I love reading and I strive to cultivate a love of reading in my children.

A countdown to Christmas using a book Advent is the perfect way to help your kids prepare for the magic and wonder of the season. Comment below which book is new to you or let me know of any your favorites that I didn’t mention! I would love to read them.