Our Big Christmas Around the World Book List
Step into a world of festive wonders with our curated list of 21 Christmas Around the World book list. From the enchanting traditions of European holiday markets to the vibrant celebrations in Mexico, check out our favorite Christmas around the world stories for kids young and old! Our list also includes other December holidays around the world that aren’t Christmas.
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In our house, we love books and board games.
And if you didn’t already know this about us, you will know now – we love global culture! We eat it up – literally and figuratively! Being from a multi-cultural family and having a mom who is an English as a Second Language specialist at her school, we have always been around other cultures.
Whether you’re seeking multicultural stories for children to warm your heart, are hoping to learn some new December traditions from other countries, or just want to re-read an old favorite, we hope our collection brings the joy and warmth of Christmas from every corner of the globe right into your home.
21 Christmas Around the World Book Recommendations
The Night Before Christmas: A Multicultural Celebration by Natasha Wing
This charming book showcases how various cultures around the world celebrate Christmas Eve.
Lucia Morning in Sweden by Ewa Rydaker
Follow the traditions of Saint Lucia Day in Sweden through the eyes of a young girl named Kirsten.
The Legend of Old Befana: An Italian Christmas Story by Tomie dePaola
Experience an Italian Christmas with the magical tale of Old Befana, the gift-giving old woman.
Set in a Mexican-American household, this story captures the joy and chaos of a Christmas tamale-making tradition.
Joy to the World: Christmas Around the Globe by Kate DePalma
With 13 countries featured, this Christmas around the world book for kids offers lots of new knowledge about December holidays!
Seven Spools of Thread: A Kwanzaa Story by Angela Shelf Medearis
Explore the principles of Kwanzaa as seven brothers in Africa learn to work together and celebrate their heritage.
This is a wonderful December holiday book for kids that focuses on a holiday that your kids or students may not know as much about! We love this story, and we actually learned a lot of things about Kwanzaa!
The Christmas Cobwebs by Odds Bodkin
A Ukrainian folktale about the Christmas Spider and the magic it weaves on a family’s tree.
The Christmas Wish by Lori Evert
Follow Anja, a Nordic girl, on her magical journey to find Santa Claus and experience the beauty of Scandinavian landscapes.
A classic Swedish tale featuring the mythical Tomten who watches over the farm animals on Christmas Eve.
A bilingual book that explores Christmas and Three Kings’ Day traditions in Latin America.
The Polar Express by Chris Van Allsburg
Join a young boy on a magical train ride to the North Pole, capturing the spirit of Christmas for all ages.
Christmas in the Big Woods by Laura Ingalls Wilder
Step back in time with the Ingalls family as they celebrate a simple yet heartwarming Christmas on the prairie.
The Nutcracker in Harlem by T.E. McMorrow
This re-imagined Nutcracker story captures the beauty and passion of a little girl at Christmas time during the Harlem Renaissance.
The Baker’s Dozen: A Saint Nicholas Tale by Aaron Shepard
Discover the origins of the “baker’s dozen” in this Dutch-inspired story about kindness and generosity.
If you are a teacher or homeschool mom, you might be interested to know you can find the free reader’s theater version of The Baker’s Dozen for your students on the author’s website! Our mom loves doing reader’s theater with her students, and she has actually used some of the other free reader’s theater scripts from Aaron Shepard’s website in the past. The recommended age for this particular Christmas reader’s theater is for tween readers – ages 8-13.
A World of Cookies for Santa by M.E. Furman
Jetset all over the place with this fun book which covers Christmas from all around through a tour of Christmas cookies!
The Christmas Boot by Lisa Wheeler
A delightful Alaskan tale of a lonely old woman who receives unexpected gifts from the wildlife in her snowy surroundings.
Part of the National Geographic Kids series, this non-fiction book explores Christmas customs across the globe.
Set in Japan, this beautifully illustrated book follows a young boy and his mother as they celebrate Christmas in a unique cultural context.
The Legend of the Poinsettia by by Tomie dePaola
This beautiful and colorful book brings to life the legend of a young girl’s gift to the Christ child.
Room for a Little One: A Christmas Tale by Martin Waddell
A heartwarming story set in Bethlehem, where a kind ox opens his stable to various animals seeking shelter on a snowy night.
An Angel Just Like Me by Mary Hoffman
Follow the journey of Tyler, an African-American boy, who discovers a Christmas tree angel that looks just like him, promoting diversity and inclusion.
Santa Claus is Coming to Arkansas (Texas, Nashville, Georgia, etc.) by Steve Smallman
This wonderful series of children’s Christmas books features a state or city from all over the United States. Smallman and the illustrators, Robert Dunn and Luis Suarez, do a fantastic job of capturing local landmarks, state mascots, and sometimes even the big sports teams! It is one of our favorite books, and we read it every year!
And there we have it! We hope you will enjoy our collection of favorite Christmas around the world books as much as we do!
