Christmas Around the World Book List
Take a trip around the globe this holiday season and learn about the many ways Christmas is celebrated around the world.
Did you ever wonder where the first Christmas tree originated? Or want to know more about Saint Nicholas? What about the Tomte? How is Las Posadas celebrated? As you read your way through the “Christmas Around the World” book list, you’ll learn about the many Christmas traditions, legends, and customs from different countries.
Looking for a Christmas book taking place in a specific country? The “Christmas Around the World” book list is separated by continent. In the Table of Contents below, simply click your desired continent and then scroll to see if your desired country is listed.
Disclosure: This post contains affiliate links at no cost to you. This means I may receive a small commission if you make a purchase using these links.
Christmas Around the World Book List
- Christmas is Coming: Traditions From Around the World by Monica Utnik
- A World of Cookies for Santa: Follow Santa’s Tasty Trip Around the World by M.E. Furman
- Walk This World at Christmastime (Big Picture Press)
North America
- US: Becky’s Christmas by Tasha Tudor
- US: The Christmas Miracle of Jonathan Toomey by Susan Wojciechowski
- US: Prairie Christmas by Elizabeth Van Steenwyk
- US: Christmas Day in the Morning by Pearl S. Buck
- US: The Peterkins’ Christmas adapted by Elizabeth Spurr
- US: Everett Anderson’s Christmas Coming by Lucille Clifton
- US/South Korea: Yoon and the Christmas Mitten by Helen Recorvits
- US – Maine: The Maine Christmas Song by Con Fullam
- US – Michigan: An Orange for Frankie by Patricia Polacco
- US – Michigan: The Christmas Tree Ship by Carol Crane
- US – Wisconsin: The Gingerbread Doll by Susan Tews
- US – Wisconsin: Christmas in the Big Woods by Laura Ingalls Wilder
- US – New York: Lion in the Box by Marguerite de Angeli
- US – New York: The Gift of the Magi by O. Henry
- US – New York: The Baker’s Dozen by Aaron Shepard
- US – New York: The Carpenter’s Gift by David Rubel
- US – New York/Pennsylvania: Mim’s Christmas Jam by Andrea Davis Pinkney
- US – New York/Puerto Rico: Grandma’s Gift by Eric Velasquez
- US – New York/Puerto Rico: The Storyteller’s Candle by Lucia Gonzalez
- US – New Jersey: Apple Tree Christmas by Trinka Hakes Noble
- US – Florida/Cuba: La Noche Buena by Antonio Sacre
- US – Appalachia: The Year of the Perfect Christmas Tree by Gloria Houston
- US – Appalachia: Silver Packages by Cynthia Rylant
- US – Appalachia: One Christmas Dawn by Candice F. Ransom
- US – Hawaii: Alice Mongoose and Alistair Rat’s Hawaiian Christmas by Mary Pfaff
- CANADA: The Twelve Days of Christmas in Canada by Ellen Warwick
- CANADA: The Olden Days Coat by Margaret Laurence
- CANADA: Merry Christmas, Anne by Kallie George
- CANADA: Baseball Bats for Christmas by Michael Kusugak
- MEXICO: The Night of Las Posadas by Tomie dePaola
- MEXICO: The Legend of the Poinsettia by Tomie dePaola
- MEXICO: The Miracle of the First Poinsettia by Joanne Oppenheim
- MEXICO: Nine Days to Christmas by Marie Hall Ets and Aurora Labastida
- MEXICO: Pablo’s Christmas by Hugo C. Martin
- MEXICO: Going Home by Eve Bunting
- MEXICO: Carlos, Light the Farolito by Jean Ciavonne
- MEXICO: May Your Life Be Deliciosa by Michael Genhart
- PANAMA: A Christmas Surprise for Chabelita by Argentina Palacios
- CARIBBEAN: An Island Christmas by Lynn Joseph
- CUBA: The Road to Santiago by D. H. Figueredo
South America
- ECUADOR: Christmas in the Andes by Jose Simbaña
Do you know any Christmas books based in South America? If so, I’d love for you to share them with me! Feel free to send me an email or leave a comment below. Thanks!
Africa
- AFRICA: The 12 Days of Christmas by Rachel Isadora
- NIGERIA: Christmas in Lagos by Sharon Abimbola Salu
- KENYA: Kenya Christmas by Tony Johnston
- SOUTH AFRICA: What’s Cooking, Jamela? by Niki Daly
- SOUTH AFRICA: An African Christmas Cloth by Reviva Schermbrucker
- UGANDA: Christmas in Uganda by Paul Fair
- EGYPT: Mary’s Little Donkey and the Escape to Egypt by Gunhild Sehlin
Asia
- JAPAN: Tree of Cranes by Allen Say
- MIDDLE EAST: The Third Gift by Linda Sue Park
- MIDDLE EAST: There Was No Snow on Christmas Eve by Pamela Munoz Ryan
- MIDDLE EAST: Home by Another Way by Barbara Brown Taylor
Europe
- ENGLAND: Christmas in Exeter Street by Diana Hendry
- ENGLAND: Alfie’s Christmas by Shirley Hughes
- ENGLAND: The Christmas Eve Ghost by Shirley Hughes
- ENGLAND: The Christmas Doll by Elvira Woodruff
- ENGLAND: I Saw Three Ships by Elizabeth Goudge
- ENGLAND: The Queen and the First Christmas Tree by Nancy Churnin
- ENGLAND: The Christmas Pine by Julia Donaldson
- FRANCE: The Christmas Donkey by Alta Halverson Seymour
- FRANCE: Madeline’s Christmas by Ludwig Bemelmans
- FRANCE: The Family Under the Bridge by Natalie Savage Carlson
- ITALY: Bambinelli Sunday by Amy Welborn
- ITALY: Amahl and the Night Visitors by Gian Carlo Menotti
- ITALY: Saint Francis and the Christmas Donkey by Robert Byrd
- ITALY: The Legend of Old Befana by Tomie dePaola
- ITALY: Merry Christmas, Strega Nona by Tomie dePaola
- ITALY: Strega Nona’s Gifts by Tomie dePaola
- GREECE: Saint Nicholas and the Nine Gold Coins by Jim Forest
- GREECE: Saint Nicholas – The Real Story of the Christmas Legend by Julie Stiegemeyer
- NETHERLANDS: The Christmas Compass by Alta Halverson Seymour
- NETHERLANDS: A Wooden Shoe for Nell by Vicki Johnson and Kelly Walseth
- SWITZERLAND: The Christmas Stove by Alta Halverson Seymour
- SWEDEN: Christmas in Noisy Village by Astrid Lindgren
- SWEDEN: A Calf for Christmas by Astrid Lindgren
- SWEDEN: Peter and Lotta’s Christmas by Elsa Beskow
- SWEDEN: Lucia Morning in Sweden by Ewa Rydaker
- SWEDEN: Lucia – Saint of Light by Katherine Bolger Hyde
- SWEDEN: Annika’s Secret Wish by Beverly Lewis
- SWEDEN: Findus at Christmas by Sven Nordqvist
- SWEDEN: Findus and the Christmas Tomte by Sven Nordqvist
- SWEDEN: The Tomtes’ Christmas Porridge by Sven Nordqvist
- NORWAY: A Grandma for Christmas by Alta Halverson Seymour
- NORWAY: The Cat on the Dovrefell by Tomie dePaola
- FINLAND: A Gnome’s Christmas by Rien Poortvliet
- POLAND: Marta and the Manger Straw by Virginia Kroll
- GERMANY: The Christmas Rose by Sepp Bauer
- GERMANY: Christmas Season in Germany by Heidi Rosenhof
- GERMANY: Cobweb Christmas by Shirley Climo
- GERMANY: Oma and Me by Kevin M. Donovan
- CZECH REPUBLIC: Tom’s Christmas Fish by Rita Törnqvist-Verschuur
- CZECH REPUBLIC: Stephen’s Feast by Jean Richardson
- RUSSIA: Shoemaker Martin by Leo Tolstoy
- RUSSIA: The Miracle of Saint Nicholas by Gloria Whelan
- RUSSIA: Babushka by Dawn Casey
- RUSSIA: Baboushka and the Three Kings by Ruth Robbins
Australia + Oceania
- AUSTRALIA: John Williamson’s Christmas in Australia by John Williamson
- AUSTRALIA: Tea and Sugar Christmas by Jane Jolly
- AUSTRALIA: What Do You Wish For? by Jane Godwin
- AUSTRALIA: Wombat Divine by Mem Fox
- AUSTRALIA: Christmas Wombat by Jackie French
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