Books Celebrating Christmas Around the World
Add a little diversity to your bookshelf this Christmas with these fabulous Christmas around the world books for kids. These awesome books show children how people in different countries and cultures all around the world celebrate the holiday with their families or share the traditional stories that shaped the holiday story for a culture or region. Some are modern day tales, others stories of the past, together they are all wonderful!
Books Celebrating Christmas Around the World
For more information about the titles listed below, each is linked to an online bookstore page where you can find reviews and age recommendations for titles you are unfamiliar with (these are affiliate links and I may earn a small commission from qualifying purchases).
Pair your new Christmas books with our Holidays Around the World Interactive Notebook & Lapbook;
All Around the World: Walk This World at Christmas Time by Debbie Powell
This lovely lift-the-flap book shares interesting facts about Christmas celebrations and festivities the world over.
Available: Amazon | The Book Depository
A World of Cookies for Santa by M.E. Furman
Take a trip across the world, learning about how the children of each country prepare for a visit for Santa and the treats they leave for him to enjoy – including puto seko cookies and ginger tea in the Philippines, a honey-spice cookie in Russia and sweet potato cookies in Malawi! Includes recipes for the various treats for you to try too.
Available: Amazon | The Book Depository
Christmas Around the World by Mary D Lankford
A detailed description of Christmas traditions and their inception from 12 diverse countries of the world are included in this wonderful celebration of Christmas. Children will learn about Ethiopian fringed umbrellas, star-shaped Filipino parol lanterns and candlelit Swedish St. Lucia crowns, and so much more.
Available: Amazon | The Book Depository
List continues below.
Mexico: The Legend of the Poinsettia by Tomie dePaola
The Legend of the Poinsettia is a Mexican legend that tells how the poinsettia came to be the flower of the Holy Night. Tomie dePaola is a master storyteller and the illustrations in the book are beautiful.
Available: Amazon | The Book Depository
Sweden: Hanna’s Christmas by Melissa Peterson
Hanna’s family recently moved to America and she is not happy about the move. She misses her home in Sweden with her Mormor, the farm and life in general. Then, a box from her Mormor arrives and inside she discovers lots of Christmas goodies and a tomten who had mistakenly been placed inside the box. Tomtens are magical creatures who live on farms and help with chores. They say that if a tomten is happy, then he will bring you good luck. Will this tomten bring Hanna good luck? Learn about Swedish customs in this sweet story.
A difficult title to find new, you can see and hear it being read by the author here:
Africa: A Stork in a Baobab Tree: An African 12 Days of Christmas by Catherine House
A Stork in a Baobab Tree is set to the tune of the 12 Days of Christmas. We are swooped away to an African village and introduced to thatched roofs, grazing goats and a Baobab tree.
Available: Amazon | The Book Depository
Japan: Tree of Cranes by Allen Say
The beautiful story of a Japanese family’s Christmas as the American born mother reflects on her own Christmas traditions and mother and child decorate their special version of a Christmas tree with traditional paper cranes and candles to celebrate the coming holiday.
Available: Amazon | The Book Depository
England: Katie’s London Christmas by James Mayhew
Fly high across London, over snow-dusted landmarks, through the star-scattered sky with the one and only Father Christmas, in his sleigh, with his magical reindeer! Can Katie and Jack help Father Christmas to deliver all his presents in time for Christmas morning?
Available: Amazon | The Book Depository
Scotland: The 12 Days O Yule by Susan Rennie
With a cast of skaters skooshin, lassies birlin, sheep a-shooglin, the all-important five gowden rings and a reid robin in a rowan tree, this version of the traditional Christmas song features easy to pronounce Scots words alongside lovely illustrations.
Available: Amazon | The Book Depository
Italy: Bambinelli Sunday: A Christmas Blessing by Amy Welborn
Alessandro watches his grandfather and thinks about his parents who are away. His grandparents suggest he make a Bambino for Bambinelli Sunday in Rome. This is a tradition that takes place on the third Sunday of Advent. Children come to St. Peter’s Square where the Holy Father blesses them. The children then return the babies to their manger scenes.
Available: Amazon | The Book Depository
Russia: The Miracle of St. Nicholas by Gloria Whelan
Set in a small Russian village, a babushka tells the story of a past Christmas before the soldiers arrived. It’s a story of having faith and hope.
Available: Amazon | The Book Depository
United States: Christmas in America by Callista Gingrich
Learn how Christmas has been celebrated in the United States throughout history in Christmas in America. Topics include colonists in Williamsburg, Virginia, Andrew Jackson at the White House, and Calvin Coolidge as he lights the first national Christmas tree.
Available: Amazon | The Book Depository
Cuban-American: La Noche Buena – A Christmas Story by Antonio Sacre
Sprinkled with Spanish words, Nina is visiting with her father’s Cuban-American family as they prepare for their Christmas Eve feast. Her father has told her that La Noche Buena is the best night of the year in many Cuban homes. When the big night finally arrives, the family shares the joy of eating a magnificent meal, attending Misa del Gallo (midnight mass) together, and then continuing the celebrations with music and dancing.
Available: Amazon | The Book Depository
Canada: An Aboriginal Carol by David Bouchard
Before the angels stars grew dim, And wondering hunters heard their hymn, One mystic flute – one hundred drums, One message clear, “A King has come!” A beautiful reworking of Canada’s oldest and most well-known carol, The Huron Carol, with stunning illustrations by First Nations artist Moses Beaver
Available: Amazon | The Book Depository
Australia: John Williamson’s Christmas in Australia by John Williamson
It’s Christmas in Australia and Dad wants to capture the perfect family photo but can he get everyone in the same place at once??!
Available: The Book Depository
Tea and Sugar Christmas by Jane Jolly and Robert Ingpen
The Tea and Sugar train only came once a week on a Thursday. But the special Christmas train only came once a year. Today was Sunday. Four more days without sugar. Four more days until the Christmas train! Join Kathleen in the Australian outback as she eagerly awaits the Christmas Tea and Sugar train. Will she meet Father Christmas? Will she receive a Christmas gift from him?
Available: Amazon
Do you have a favourite picture book celebrating Christmas in your corner of the world?
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