Get ready to embrace the holiday spirit with these classic Christmas stories that will leave you feeling festive. Â As the days grow shorter and the air turns chilly, there’s nothing quite like snuggling up with a cup of hot cocoa or beverage of your choice and immersing yourself in a story about Christmas or stories set during the Christmas season. Â Besides, if you’re looking for a way to get into the Christmas spirit, what better way than reading some classic Christmas stories? Â There are plenty of great books to choose from, and they will leave you feeling festive. Â Whether you’re looking for something heartwarming and funny or dark and sinister, we have a story for you. Â So put on your comfy socks, brew a cuppa, and get ready to cozy up with a good book!
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All About Christmas Stories
What is the most famous Christmas story?
The most famous Christmas story is “A Christmas Carol” by Charles Dickens (Amazon or Bookshop.) Â It tells the story of Ebenezer Scrooge, a mean and miserly old man who is visited by three ghosts on Christmas Eve. Â Through his journey with the ghosts, Scrooge learns about the joys of Christmas and discovers the importance of kindness and generosity. Â This timeless classic has been adapted into countless adaptations over the years, making it one of the most beloved and recognizable stories of the holiday season. Â This story is a must-read for anyone wanting to feel the festive spirit of Christmas.
What are the most popular Christmas stories?
The most popular Christmas stories are classic tales that have been loved and cherished for generations, such as “A Christmas Carol” by Charles Dickens (Amazon or Bookshop,) “The Nutcracker and the Mouse King” by E.T.A. Hoffmann (Amazon or Bookshop,) “How the Grinch Stole Christmas!” by Dr. Seuss (Amazon or Bookshop,) and “The Polar Express” by Chris Van Allsburg (Amazon or Bookshop.) Â These stories evoke the spirit of Christmas and have become timeless classics. Â They are sure to bring a sense of joy, wonder, and nostalgia to any holiday celebration.
What is a good Christmas short story?
“The Gift of the Magi” by O. Henry (Amazon or Bookshop) is a great Christmas short story to read during the holiday season. Â It tells the heartwarming tale of two young lovers who are too poor to buy each other Christmas presents. Â With love and selflessness in their hearts, they make a difficult sacrifice to get the perfect gift for each other. Â This classic story is full of emotion and celebrates the spirit of giving that is essential to Christmas. Â It is sure to leave you feeling warm and fuzzy inside.
What Christmas story do you read on Christmas Eve?
“The Night Before Christmas” by Clement C. Moore (Amazon or Bookshop) is the perfect story to read on Christmas Eve. Â This beloved tale tells of Santa Claus and his reindeer making their rounds on Christmas Eve while children eagerly await his arrival with presents. Â With its warm and festive tone, this charming story is sure to get everyone in the spirit of the season. Â So, gather your family and read this story together on Christmas Eve to create some special memories. Â And don’t forget the hot cocoa!
List of Classic Christmas Stories that Will Leave You Feeling Festive
5 Classic Short Christmas Stories
If you’re looking for a story to get you into the Christmas spirit, there are plenty of classics to choose from. Â Here are some of our favorite short stories that will make perfect additions to your festive reading list.
- A Christmas Carol by Charles Dickens: This classic tale of a miserly man’s redemption on Christmas Eve is still beloved today. Â Get a copy on Amazon or Bookshop.
- The Night Before Christmas by Clement Clarke Moore: This popular poem follows a family as they get ready for Santa’s arrival! Â Get a copy on Amazon or Bookshop.
- The Gift of the Magi by O Henry: This touching story follows two impoverished lovers as they make sacrifices for each other at Christmas. Â Get a copy on Amazon or Bookshop.
- The Little Match Girl by Hans Christian Andersen: This heartbreaking story follows a poor girl who sells matches in the cold winter streets. Â Get a copy on Amazon or Bookshop.
- How the Grinch Stole Christmas! by Dr Seuss: Follow the grumpy Grinch as he attempts to steal Christmas from the Whos of Who-ville. Â Get a copy on Amazon or Bookshop.
Classic Christmas Stories for Children
Looking for something for the children to read on their own? Here are some Christmas stories that will get children in the festive spirit.
- The Polar Express by Chris Van Allsburg: Follow a young boy’s magical journey on the Polar Express train to the North Pole! Â Get a copy on Amazon or Bookshop.
- How the Grinch Stole Christmas! by Dr Seuss: Follow the grumpy Grinch as he attempts to steal Christmas from the Whos of Who-ville. Â Get a copy on Amazon or Bookshop.
- The Little Match Girl by Hans Christian Andersen: This heartbreaking story follows a poor girl who sells matches in the cold winter streets. Â Get a copy on Amazon or Bookshop.
- Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer by Robert L. May: a beloved classic about a misfit reindeer who eventually saves Christmas. Â Get a copy on Amazon or Bookshop.
- The Snowy Day by Ezra Jack Keats: a beautiful story about a young boy exploring the snow on a winter day. Â Get a copy on Amazon or Bookshop.
Classic Christmas Stories for Adults
If you’re looking for something a bit more grown-up, there are plenty of options to choose from. Here are some of our favorite Christmas stories for adults that will leave you feeling festive.
- The Snow Queen by Hans Christian Andersen: a magical story about two children who go on an adventure to find their friend taken away by the Snow Queen. Â Get a copy on Amazon or Bookshop.
- The Night Before Christmas by Nikolai Gogol: Follow the misadventures of Vakula, an eccentric artist who wants to win the heart of a Czar’s daughter on Christmas Eve.  Get a copy on Amazon or Bookshop.
- A Christmas Memory by Truman Capote: This short story follows young Truman and his elderly cousin as they prepare for a traditional holiday feast. Â Get a copy on Amazon or Bookshop.
- The Nutcracker by E.T.A Hoffmann: This beloved tale follows Marie as she encounters a magical nutcracker prince, battling the Mouse King. Â Get a copy on Amazon or Bookshop.
- Christmas at Cold Comfort Farm by Stella Gibbons: Follow Flora Poste as she attempts to bring joy and hope to her relatives at a strange farmhouse on Christmas. Â Get a copy on Amazon or Bookshop.
More Classic Christmas Stories for Adults
Letters From Father Christmas by J.R.R. Tolkien
Every December, an envelope bearing a stamp from the North Pole would arrive for J.R.R. Tolkien’s children. Inside would be a letter in strange spidery handwriting and a beautiful colored drawing or some sketches. The letters were from Father Christmas. Letters from Father Christmas is a gorgeous, festive gift featuring a wealth of letters that Tolkien created for his children, appearing in this format for the first time. Published on the 100th anniversary of the first letter Tolkien sent to his firstborn, John, in 1920, this handsome edition will also include an introduction from daughter-in-law Baillie Tolkien, reflecting on the centenary anniversary of the letters, as well as a personal note by Tolkien himself reproduced for the first time.
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The Life and Adventures of Santa Claus by Frank Baum
Baum chronicles Santa’s life from his childhood in an enchanted forest–to his destiny of sharing gifts and spreading love to his fellow man. Along the way we witness him making his first toys, learn the origins of the Christmas tree and Christmas stockings, and discover the stories behind many Christmas secrets, like why Santa slides down chimneys, how he picks his reindeer, and how he delivers all his toys in one night.
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A Christmas Carol by Charles Dickens
A Christmas Carol recounts the story of Ebenezer Scrooge, an elderly miser who is visited by the ghost of his former business partner Jacob Marley and the spirits of Christmas Past, Present, and Yet to Come. After their visits, Scrooge is transformed into a kinder, gentler man.
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Hercule Poirot’s Christmas by Agatha Christie
On the night before Christmas, cruel, tyrannical, filthy rich Simeon Lee is found in his locked bedroom with his throat cut. Now Hercule Poirot must put his detective powers to the test to solve one of his most chilling cases – and to prevent a clever killer from spilling more blood.
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The Fir-Tree by Hans Christian Andersen
In the middle of the wood is a little fir tree who thinks of one thing only – growing bigger. He takes no pleasure from life because he always thinks about how he is not as big as the other fir trees. So, when the little fir tree finally grows up, Christmas approaches and his destiny is turned upside down.
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Christmas Pudding by Nancy Mitford
In Christmas Pudding, an array of colorful characters converge on the hunt-obsessed Lady Bobbin’s country house, including her rebellious daughter Philadelphia, the girl’s pompous suitor, a couple of children obsessed with newspaper death notices, and an aspiring writer whose serious first novel has been acclaimed as the funniest book of the year, to his utter dismay.
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The Polar Express by Chris Van Allsburg
A young boy, lying awake one Christmas Eve, is welcomed aboard a magical train to the North Pole. The Polar Express makes its way to the city atop the world, where the boy will make his Christmas wish. This is a story for all who believe in the spirit of Christmas and those who treasure the sound of a reindeer’s silver bell.
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The Night Before Christmas by Nikolai Gogol
Written in 1831 by the father of Russian literature, this uproarious tale tells of the blacksmith Vakula’s battle with the devil, who has stolen the moon and hidden it in his pocket, allowing him to wreak havoc on the village of Dikanka. Both the devil and Vakula are in love with Oksana, the most beautiful girl in Dikanka. Vakula is determined to win her over; the devil, equally determined, unleashes a snowstorm to thwart Vakula’s efforts. Zany and mischievous, and drawing inspiration from the folk tales of Gogol’s far-flung village in Ukraine.
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A Christmas Memory by Truman Capote
First published in 1956, this much sought-after autobiographical recollection from Truman Capote about his rural Alabama boyhood. Â In the book, seven-year-old Buddy inaugurates the Christmas season by crying out to his cousin, Miss Sook Falk: “It’s fruitcake weather!” Thus begins an unforgettable portrait of an odd but enduring friendship and the memories the two friends share of beloved holiday rituals.
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The Nutcracker by E. T. A. Hoffmann
On Christmas Eve, Fritz and Marie excitedly await the arrival of Godfather Drosselmeier and the marvelous gifts he brings for them every year. When Marie discovers a rather curious nutcracker doll amongst the presents, she suddenly finds herself caught up in an age-old battle and ultimately transported to a magical world of sugar-frosted castles, chocolate kings, and true love.
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Christmas at Cold Comfort Farm by Stella Gibbons
Christmas at Cold Comfort Farm is a charming collection whose hilarious title story features Christmas dinner with the Starkadders before Flora’s arrival. With Adam playing Santa while draped in Mrs. Starkadders’s shawls, the family shares their traditional “Christmas pudding”-a mélange containing random objects of doom foretelling the coming year: a coffin nail for death, a bad sixpence for financial ruin, and a menthol cone to indicate that the lucky recipient will go “blind wi’ headache.”
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The Magic of Christmas Stories
Christmas stories are a great way of getting into the festive spirit. Â Whether you want to sit by the fire, cozy up in bed, or take a break from your holiday planning, these stories will provide an escape and help you get into the Christmas spirit. Â Plus, reading about Christmas is the perfect way to pass the time until you can actually start celebrating!
How do you tell a Christmas story?
Telling a Christmas story involves invoking the spirit and magic of the holiday season and connecting with your listeners in a warm and engaging manner. Â Start by creating the right atmosphere: perhaps gather your listeners around a fireplace, under the Christmas tree, or cozy in their beds. Â Speak with a soft, inviting tone that allows your audience to visualize the story. Â When telling the story, emphasize the universal themes of love, hope, and joy, that are at the heart of many Christmas stories. Â Use expressive language and incorporate emotions and sensory details to make the story vivid and engaging. Â Pause at the right moments to build suspense and engage your listeners. Â Remember, the goal is not just to tell a story but to share the spirit of Christmas.
What do you think about these classic Christmas stories?
Have you read any books from this list? Â What are your favorite classic Christmas stories? Â What books would you add to the list?
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Last Updated on July 29, 2023 by BiblioLifestyle
I have read many of the books listed here. My favorite is A Christmas Carol. I have several different editions, illustrated by different artists. My favorite one is illustrated by John Leech.
I love this novel because, no matter how you have lived your life, you can have a second chance in life if you really want to.
I love your sentiments, Michelle! A Christmas Carol for me is quintessential Christmas and now I’ll want to add that illustrated edition you recommended. Thank you so much for sharing!