25+ Christmas Books for Toddlers and Babies to Love in 2023

Your child’s very first Christmases are designed for memory-making. While they can’t trim the tree, sing carols, or wrap presents, they can still curl up in your lap for a bit of storytime. That’s why we rounded up our favorite Christmas books for toddlers and babies.
We’ve rounded up cute books that help with reading readiness AND get babies and toddlers into the holiday spirit. We’ve got interactive books with lights, fuzzy elements, and pop-ups.
We’ve also collected Christmas books for toddlers featuring some of the characters they will know by this point. Characters like bluey, pout-pout fish, llama llama, and other beloved favorites.
Looking for more Christmas Books for kids and adults? Check out our Christmas Books Hub for book club guides, book lists, book-related present ideas, and more!
*Christmas books for babies Post contains affiliate links. Purchases made through links result in a small commission to us at no cost to you. Some books have been gifted. All opinions are our own.
New Baby Christmas Books

Green Is for Christmas by Drew Daywalt
Green is for Christmas is the newest Christmas book for toddlers set in the world of the crayons. Drew Daywalt brings his signature humor, along with Oliver Jeffers’s outstanding illustrations, to this board book for the holidays.

Don’t Let the Pigeon Drive the Sleigh! by Mo Willems
Mo Willems is back with a new Pigeon book and this time it’s set at Christmas! Pigeon is back and trying to drive Santa’s sleigh in this charming toddler Christmas book. It’s one of the best children’s books of 2023 because Mo Willems can do no wrong!

The Very Hungry Caterpillar’s Peekaboo Christmas by Eric Carle
This new Christmas book for babies is an interactive treat. Celebrate Christmas with Eric Carle’s beloved caterpillar in this charming tale.
Lift the flaps of this Holiday board book that’s shaped like a Christmas tree!
Christmas Books for Babies

First 100 Christmas Words by Roger Priddy
Working on teaching your older baby to talk? Try this adorable book of Christmas words. Each word has a picture of the holiday item that goes along with it.
Practice pointing to a word and having your baby say it, or if they are still young, you say the word and see if baby can point! This is one baby Christmas book that helps with reading readiness.
Looking for more reading readiness tips? Check out this post about the stages of reading, with book recommendations and tips for newborns to elementary-aged kids.

Merry Christmas, Little Baby! by Holly Berry Byrd
This cute keepsake is an abbreviated version of A Night Before Christmas just for baby!
The best part is the front cover flips open with a built in card for the gift-giver to sign. What a wonderful book to cherish for years to come!

Your My Little Christmas Cookie by Nicola Edwards
This is such a cute Christmas board book with adorable cutouts of gingerbread men, snowmen, and other cute friends.

Jingle Baby by Kate Merritt
Does your baby have an indestructible book in their home library? If not, consider getting them the Christmas version.
These books are amazing because they are unrippable, machine washable, lightweight, and generally awesome.
Interactive Baby Christmas Board Books

Dear Santa, a lift-the-flap book by Rod Campbell
From the author of Dear Zoo, this delightful lift-the-flap book is the perfect interactive Christmas board book for babies!
Each present is a flap that can be lifted to reveal a present underneath. Can Santa find the perfect gift to send?

Where is Baby’s Christmas Present? by Karen Katz
This lift-the-flap book is a Christmas book for babies in true Karen Katz fashion!
Your child can hunt with the baby and peek under the flaps to discover where the presents are hidden!

Christmas Pop-Up Peekaboo! by DK Publishing
This cute pop-up lift-the-flap book is an interactive Christmas board book any baby will love. Find all the hidden holiday friends within the pages of this book.

Jingle, Jingle Little Reindeer by Cottage Door Press
What baby doesn’t like a finger puppet? This story is all about a cute little reindeer trying to help Santa.
Move your finger around and make the tale come to life! Your little one will love this fuzzy reindeer.

Baby’s First Christmas Book by DK Publishing
An interactive Christmas book for babies who love touch-and-feel stories! Each page has one word and a picture with a 3D effect for tactile learning. A fuzzy polar bear, a cuddly penguin, a shiny star, and more are highlighted in this story.
Christmas Books for Toddlers

Llama Llama Jingle Bells by Anna Dewdney
Short, easy sentences explain holiday festivities to little ones in this charming board book.
Add in the delightful illustrations of Llama Llama and friends, and you’ll see why this is the perfect Christmas book for toddlers.
For more of our favorite Llama Llama books, check out this post.

Dream Snow by Eric Carle
Eric Carle at his finest. I adore Carle’s straightforward, colorful style of illustration. The story features a farmer wanting snow for the holiday and is perfect for little ones learning to count!
If your toddler loves The Very Hungry Caterpillar, they will love this story too!

The Snowman by Raymond Briggs
A gorgeous wordless story for winter. The pictures depict a tale of a little boy who goes to check on his snowman one night.
When he sees his snowman outside in the cold, he decides to invite him in. What happens next is a magical adventure you and your child will adore. If you are looking for kids’ winter books, this is a wonderful pick.
For more wordless picture books, check out this post!

Bear Stays Up by Karma Wilson
Bear stories are the best. They are colorful, short tales about relatable issues. This Christmas version is a perfect addition to the series!
In this version, all of Bear’s friends wake him up from his hibernation to get him to experience Christmas. Soon, he is the only one awake as he wraps presents for his friends and sees a special visitor!
Interactive Toddler Christmas Books

Little Blue Truck’s Christmas by Alice Schertle
What is better than a Christmas book about Little Blue Truck? A light-up Christmas toddler book about Little Blue Truck!
Follow along with Little Blue as he delivers Christmas trees to all his little friends!

Merry Christmas, Baby Shark by Pinkfong
An interactive Christmas book for toddlers to enjoy! This book includes a gift wrap and a letter to Santa for your little one to fill out.
Baby Shark is having trouble settling down on Christmas Eve, but soon he is able to fall asleep and dream of a winter wonderland.

Pete the Kitty’s Cozy Christmas by Kimberly and James Dean
A touch-and-feel Christmas story featuring Pete the Cat as a kitten! From a cozy cup of cocoa to a visit from a seasonal friend, this charming Christmas board book is one toddlers and babies will adore.
Christmas Books for Toddlers and Babies Featuring Beloved Characters

Merry Christmas, Mouse by Laura Numeroff
Everyone’s favorite mouse is back with this delightful holiday story. This board book teaches numbers and gets toddlers into the holiday spirit at the same time.
Your preschooler can count along with the mouse as he adds ornaments to the tree, counting upwards as he goes. It’s such a cute Christmas toddler book.

Construction Site on Christmas Night by Sheri Duskey Rinker
A holiday version from the Goodnight, Goodnight, Construction Site series features Excavator, Bulldozer, Crane, and more vehicles building a home for their fire engine friends.
When they finish the job, they get a special Christmas present too! A must if your kids love trucks!

The Not Very Merry Pout-Pout Fish by Deborah Diesen
Pout-Pout Fish is back and this time he’s a grumpy holiday shopper. He’s out shopping for gifts but he can’t find any good gifts for his friends.
Will he be able to find a meaningful gift that isn’t just a flashing thing?

Bluey: Christmas Eve with Veranda Santa
Bluey, the hit character from the Disney+ series, is here for an all new Christmas story.
Bluey, Bingo, and Muffin are learning to practice not peeking for Santa in a fun game. What will Santa bring them this holiday season.

Merry Christmas, Stinky Face by Lisa McCourt
This is the perfect Christmas book for toddlers who love to get a little rowdy! Stinky face has lots of questions about Christmas but his mama has all the answers to help him feel better as he waits for the big day.
Then Stinky Face lays out all kinds of silly things for Santa to use in case of emergency.
More Favorite Character Christmas Books for Babies and Toddlers
We couldn’t put all our favorite character books on this list, so check below to see if your child’s favorite character is in a book listed below.
Did you find any Christmas books for the toddlers and babies in your life?

Christmas Books Hub
Looking for more Christmas Books for kids and adults? Check out our Christmas Hub for book club guides, book lists, book-related present ideas, and more!
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