Christmas books aren’t just stories; they’re rituals. Whether it’s nostalgia, mystery, magic, or mayhem, certain books just feel like Christmas the moment you open them.

Here we have a top ten of Christmas reads, each offering something different for festive season book lovers.

1. A Christmas Carol: Charles Dickens (1843)

Synopsis: Miserly Ebenezer Scrooge is visited by the Ghosts of Christmas Past, Present, and Yet to Come, forcing him to confront the choices that shaped his life.
Why it’s perfect for Christmas: Do we even need to say? It’s the quintessential Christmas redemption story. Dickens practically shaped how we imagine Christmas today.
Great for readers who love: Heartwarming classics, moral transformation tales, books like The Christmas Box or Little Women.

2. The Snowman: Raymond Briggs (1978)

Synopsis: A wordless picture book following a young boy whose snowman comes to life, leading to a night of adventure.
Why it’s perfect for Christmas: Iconic, magical, and emotional without a single line of dialogue. A pure shot of childhood wonder.
Great for readers who love: Christmas animation classics, gentle emotional stories, The Polar Express.

3. Hercule Poirot’s Christmas: Agatha Christie (1938)

Synopsis: A wealthy patriarch is found murdered during a tense family Christmas. Poirot must unravel the secrets and lies hidden beneath the tinsel.
Why it’s perfect for Christmas: A cosy but clever locked-room mystery wrapped in festive trimmings.
Great for readers who love: Classic crime, Knives Out, slow-burn whodunnits, atmospheric mysteries.

4. The Christmasaurus: Tom Fletcher (2016)

Synopsis: Young William Trundle forms an unlikely friendship with a dinosaur at the North Pole, leading to a magical, musical holiday adventure.
Why it’s perfect for Christmas: Modern Christmas charm with humour, heart, and a touch of the fantastical.
Great for readers who love: How to Train Your Dragon, imaginative children’s fiction, family-friendly holiday stories.

5. Letters from Father Christmas: J.R.R. Tolkien (compiled 1976)

Synopsis: A collection of letters Tolkien wrote to his children as "Father Christmas," complete with illustrations, stories, and charming mischief from the North Pole.
Why it’s perfect for Christmas: Personal, whimsical, and unexpectedly funny. You get to see Tolkien the dad, not Tolkien the epic fantasy author.
Great for readers who love: Tolkien’s worldbuilding, cosy folklore, The Chronicles of Narnia.

6. The Polar Express: Chris Van Allsburg (1985)

Synopsis: A boy boards a magical train to the North Pole and learns about belief, wonder, and the meaning of Christmas.
Why it’s perfect for Christmas: A modern classic with stunning art; it reminds adults and children alike of the magic of belief.
Great for readers who love: Heartwarming children’s books, Christmas stories with magical realism.

7. The Adventure of the Blue Carbuncle: Arthur Conan Doyle (1892)

Synopsis: Sherlock Holmes investigates a Christmas goose, a missing jewel, and a case filled with festive intrigue.
Why it’s perfect for Christmas: A short, cosy, low-stakes mystery full of Victorian charm and Christmas atmosphere.
Great for readers who love: Sherlock Holmes, Victorian London mysteries, comforting detective tales.

8. One Day in December: Josie Silver (2018)

Synopsis: Laurie spots a man through a bus window—love at first sight—but fate, friendship, and timing complicate things across several Christmases.
Why it’s perfect for Christmas: Romantic, emotional, and ideal for curling up with a hot drink.
Great for readers who love: Contemporary romance, Love Actually, Beth O’Leary’s novels.

9. Skipping Christmas: John Grisham (2001)

Synopsis: The Kranks decide to skip Christmas in favour of a Caribbean cruise—but their neighbours, traditions, and chaos intervene.
Why it’s perfect for Christmas: Hilarious, relatable, and the inspiration for Christmas with the Kranks.
Great for readers who love: Light humour, suburban satire, feel-good holiday comedies.

10. The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe: C.S. Lewis (1950)

Synopsis: Four siblings step through a wardrobe into Narnia, discovering magic, danger, and the tyranny of the White Witch.
Why it’s perfect for Christmas: It’s wintery, cosy, hopeful — and Father Christmas himself appears at a pivotal moment.
Great for readers who love: Mythology, fantasy, childhood nostalgia, Harry Potter.

Final Thoughts: A Christmas Reading List for Every Mood

Whether you want cosy warmth, mystery, magic, or pure emotional nostalgia, these books capture the essence of Christmas in their own unique ways. They’re perfect for:

• curling up beside the tree

• reading aloud with family

• gifting to book lovers

• escaping into festive worlds during the holiday chaos