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Every year, the very first thing I do to prepare my house for Christmas is bring out our collection of Christmas books. There’s an incredibly tattered board book called “What Did Santa Bring?” which has survived since my son’s first Christmas over 30 years ago. There are four or five different versions of The Night Before Christmas, several editions of the story of the first Christmas, and an elaborate pop-up Christmas alphabet book that belongs in a museum which my beloved great-aunt gave us one year. There are books featuring snowmen, candy canes, woodland creatures, and Babar. There are big books and tiny books. There are more books than we can read in one holiday season—and I can’t get rid of any of them.

As soon as I had grandchildren, I started building their Christmas book collection. I try to limit myself to one book a year, knowing how quickly a collection grows. This year, they’ll be getting The Jolly Christmas Postman, which I actually bought three years ago and have been saving until they are old enough to appreciate it. It’s always so hard to choose!

In the hopes that you’ll start a Christmas book tradition for your grandbaby, we’ve sorted through the overwhelming number of titles to find the ones that will stand the test of time. Read on for all titles we recommend for baby’s first Christmas.

Moo, Baa, Fa La La La La! 
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Ah, what would a list of best board books be without something from Sandra Boynton? She doesn’t disappoint with Moo, Baa, Fa La La La La!, which features her classic characters and signature bouncy rhymes. It’s impossible to read without smiling—and will elicit smiles from your grandchild.

Buy it on Amazon.

The First Christmas 

If you are looking for a story about the birth of Jesus, this is a perfect first book. It tells the story of the first Christmas in simple words and charming pictures that will captivate your grandchild. This will definitely become a favorite.

Buy it on Amazon.

Mary Engelbreit’s A Merry Little Christmas Board Book: Celebrate from A to Z 
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The delightful Mary Engelbreit illustrations shine in this alphabetical Christmas story. The words themselves aren’t as lyrical as the original full-sized hardcover book, but that edition is no longer in print. The board book, with its sweet story about the mouse family’s Christmas, is still well worth buying for your grandbaby!

Buy now on Amazon.

Room for a Little One: A Christmas Tale

In this beautiful take on the nativity story, animals seeking shelter are welcomed into the manger, with Mary on the donkey’s back appearing last. The theme of kindness and sharing come through, and it will be a requested book for years to come.

Buy it on Amazon.

​​Baby Touch and Feel: Merry Christmas  

​Perfect for the youngest babies! This DK Christmas board book has pictures and textures that will fascinate your grandbaby. It’s sized for little hands, and designed to be handled roughly! It’s a perfect way to introduce the sights of Christmas while developing early motor and language skills.

Buy it on Amazon.

Christmas in the Manger

The first Christmas is also the subject of this delightful book, which is told from the perspective of the animals in the manger. The illustrations are clean and bright, and the rhythmic words are a pleasure to read—and reread!

Buy it on Amazon.

Dear Santa: A Lift-the-Flap Book 

Rod Campbell’s lively drawings will delight your grandchild as Santa searches for the perfect gift for a special someone. Babies and toddlers love lifting the flaps to see what gifts are considered before the perfect one is revealed at the end.

Buy it on Amazon.

You might also like:

• Give the Gift of Tradition
• 6 Surefire Gifts for Babies
• Celebrating Your Grandbaby's First Holiday Season

Reading with small children helps them learn the building blocks of language. It also introduces them to stories, which are a rich, vital part of human life. Books can ignite their imagination and curiosity, and the right books can entertain them for long stretches. And for grandparents, it’s a lovely way to share time together, even if it’s only over video chat.

But how do you keep the attention of a squirrely two-year-old, or a three-year-old with better things to do? The secret to picking books for your grandchildren is finding ones that demand their attention: books that ask them questions, encourage them to jump around, or are filled with silliness. These interactive stories will keep toddlers and preschoolers tuned in.

The following books all have a collaborative element that goes beyond lifting the flap, and are fun for the reader as well as the child. Click on any book cover to learn more about it and order it from Amazon!

The day that Apple announced FaceTime, I felt giddy. The Future, which held so many crazy possibilities, was soon going to be my pocket. Of all the things I imagined using it for, I failed to see it as a chance to read stories to my grandson even when we are hundreds of miles apart.
 
We FaceTime several times a week, but my favorite days are when he shouts, “Read me a story!” I’ll go up to the book shelf where we keep the children’s books, and he’ll request one of his favorites. Turning the camera lens so he can see the book instead of me, I’ll read. Though I miss out on getting to snuggle him on my lap while we read, I instead get to watch his face. I get to see him as he worries whether the baby bird will find his mother or points out the funny things the hen is buying in as she makes a pizza. Just as if we were together, he finishes lines he knows by heart. And each time I say, “The END!”, he says the same four words: “Read me another one!”
 
Not only do we get to enjoy story time together, but it gives his mother a chance to focus on his sister, or get dinner started without simultaneously wrangling two toddlers. And it makes it all the sweeter when we are together, and I get to read the stories and snuggle at the same time.