Christmas book recommendations of every genre

Christmas is approaching. This means virtual parties, watching movies, as well as giving and receiving gifts.

For others, it may mean reading books about Christmas.

If you’re one who prefers to spend the long weekend flipping pages while sipping a cup of coffee, here are some Christmas-themed books to add to your list! 

For those who want to read a fluffy romance that will make you feel all warm and fuzzy, One Day in December by Josie Silver is the book for you.

When Laurie makes eye contact with a handsome stranger at the bus stop, she instantly knows he’s The One – but then her bus drives away. She spends a year trying – and failing – to find him again. Then, at a Christmas party, her best friend introduces her to the “love of her life”: the same person she saw a year ago.

The book follows the three characters every December for the next 10 years. Over the decade, the heartwarming coming-of-age story features friendship, missed opportunities, longing – and Christmas parties!

You may have heard of the 2017 thriller film Murder on the Orient Express, which was based on the novel of the same name. If you enjoyed it and want to read something by the same author, Agatha Christie, try Hercule Poirot’s Christmas.

The story starts with the wealthy Simeon Lee inviting his four sons and their families to his home for Christmas. where he announces that he is updating his will. After their reunion dinner, he is found dead in his room.

With an investigation led by Belgian detective Hercule Poirot, this murder mystery story is sure to keep you on your toes.

It would be impossible to recommend Christmas books without bringing up the iconic novella, A Christmas Carol by Charles Dickens. 

The story features Ebenezer Scrooge, a cold-hearted and inconsiderate man who refuses to participate in Christmas. After being faced with happy memories from his past, he changes for the better.

The story teaches people to be open-minded and kind, making it the perfect festive read.

If you would prefer to read a less jovial book this festive season, A Christmas Tale by Austin Crawley is a scary twist on A Christmas Carol. 

Inspired by the aforementioned story, three girls hold a séance to raise the fictional Ghosts of Christmas Past, Present and Future. They are forced to face their past, but there are no happy memories – just trauma, fear and things they would rather forget.

There are non-fiction books about Christmas as well!

The Man Who Invented Christmas by Les Standiford is a biography about Charles Dickens himself and how A Christmas Carol helped to revive both his career and the holiday spirit in 1843. 

The short book describes how Dickens was as a child, how he struggled financially, the events leading up to him writing A Christmas Carol and the impact his novel had on the Christmas spirit.

For a more exciting read with colourful illustrations, you can read a graphic novel about Christmas.

Krampus!, created by Dean Kotz and Brian Joines, is inspired by the legendary half-goat, half-demon figure of the same name. After being imprisoned for punishing misbehaving children, he finds himself freed for the first time in decades to recover the stolen power of the Secret Society of Santa Claus. 

As they say, Christmas is magic, so why not combine the holiday with some magic itself?

While not exactly a Christmas book, many of the books in J.K. Rowling’s Harry Potter series take place during autumn or winter. The story’s protagonist, Harry Potter, also often celebrates Christmas at his school, the Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry.

The series is about Harry and his friends’ adventures in Hogwarts and his struggle against Voldemort, but you can also expect details about Harry’s many Christmas presents and drool-worthy descriptions of Christmas feasts.