all time favourite Christmas books

When I was a little one, one of the most anticipated holiday traditions at my house was when my mom would get our collection of Christmas books out of storage. They would be on constant rotation during story time throughout the month of December.

Nowadays I look forward to the time when I can read some of these dear old favourites to my little one.

Here's a list of my all time favourite Christmas books.

1. Richard Scarry's The Animals' Merry Christmas. A series of tales about all kinds of animals (woodland, farm, jungle) and how they celebrate their Christmases. My favourite of all time.

2. Tasha Tudor's The Night Before Christmas. Tasha's illustrations are my absolute favourite. In this version you can find corgi dogs dancing and smoking pipes, little highland dancing mice and more!

3. The Apple Tree Christmas by Trinka Hakes Noble. Set in the 1800s on a farm, this story tells how two little sisters and their parents celebrate Christmas. The story is centred around a beloved apple tree and the lovely gifts that it bears. Read this if you love the olden days, farms, if you have little girls or you are a little girl at heart.

4. The Christmas Cat by Efner Tudor Holmes. A story about a little cat who lives in the forest and really deserves a warm home. This special cat is given to two very good little boys who live in a dear country cottage. Thr perfect book if you love country cottages, love to make cookies, love cats, have little boys, or just love excellent illustrations.

5. A scratch and sniff book that takes you through Bear's favourite Christmas smells. Includes the smell of Christmas trees, hot chocolate, gingerbread cookies, and an orange in his stocking on Christmas morning.

6. A classic with the most stunning illustrations.

Do you have a favourite Christmas book? I'd love to know what books make your Christmas special.