12 Must-Read Books for Moms This Christmas

A good book, a cup of something warm, and a cozy blanket is my ideal December evening. Take time for your own rest this winter with Christmas books. These are 12 of my favorites for Advent readings, non-fiction, inspirational, and a little ‘chic lit’.

Every year, from Thanksgiving to New Year’s Day, I set aside to read only Christmas or winter-themed books.  It’s a tradition I anticipate all year. And it’s a tradition we’ve carried over to our homeschool, as well.

Heads up. As you know, I share secular resources here & on my channel. The products I create are secular. Etc. But my personal faith is as a Christian. I don’t hide this; I just don’t bring it into my blog & channel. This blog post does contain some Christian books in the form of Advent readings. I put those at the end of this blog post.

Christmas Fiction Books

I love books that challenge me or leave me wishing it was longer. But, sometimes, I just really want a cheesy, feel-good story that feels like a Lifetime or Hallmark Christmas movie. These ideas are a mixture of the two because who can choose just one type??

A Modern Spin

In a spin on the Biblical Christmas story but without the religion, The Christmas Bus features a young couple who have made an old school bus their home. Pregnant and with no room at Shepherd’s Inn, the town of Christmas Valley is in for a Christmas like none they’ve ever had.

Buy it on Amazon Buy it on Bookshop

The Autobiography of Santa Claus intertwines a bit of history with a bit of magic combined to produce a classic book you can share with your kids.

More Fiction Book Ideas

Non-Fiction Christmas Books

I mentioned The True St. Nicholas: Why He Matters to Christmas in my winter audiobooks post but I’m putting it here, as well, because I think it’s a great choice just for adults, too.

The Eleven Days of Christmas: America’s Last Vietnam Battle isn’t exactly a cheery book or the type of book one puts on their Christmas reading list!  But I read it last year as part of my ‘professional development’ for our modern history study.  It was interesting, and I certainly learned about a battle I had only heard about before. If you want a feel-good book, save this one for January!

I’d be remiss if I didn’t mention Christmas Soup for the Soul: Christmas Cheer in my recommendations.  It’s the embodiment of feel-good stories.  As much as I used to roll my 20-something eyes at all the editions of Soup for the Soul books, I now understand their popularity.  Something for everyone and even with the sappiness in many of the stories, they’re just a good read when you need a dose of “Wow, there’s still good in the world.”

More Non-Fiction Ideas

Books for Advent

While I love a good light-hearted, mildly inspirational advent book, there are times I want a reading that goes deeper and challenges my mind.  That is when I pull out Watch for the Light: Readings for Advent and Christmas.  With authors like Dietrich Bonhoeffer and Thomas Aquinas, this isn’t light reading!  It’s perfect for a mid-afternoon read with a cup of something warm.

All I Really Want: Readings for a Modern Christmas, on the other hand, is a perfect advent book for those times when you want something inspiring but easy to read (and not cheesy!).  The purse-sized book has two short readings a day plus a calendar of easy activities to do (call a friend and make a lunch date, find a Christmas song, and dance to it) for each week of Advent.

Other Advent Books

When you buy through links on my site, I may earn an affiliate commission. My goal is to keep this site 100% reader-supported and free of ads or sponsorships. Your purchases help me make this possible. Thank you! Read more here.