Reading Christmas books in the run up to Christmas is a long held tradition for me. It heightens the feeling of anticipation and magic. I still have some of the Christmas books that I had as a child including Miss Flora McFlimsey’s Christmas Eve – by Mariana, Father Christmas – by Raymond Briggs, Little Grey Rabbit’s Christmas – by Alison Uttley & Margaret Tempestand and A Christmas Card – by Paul Theroux.

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I have continued this tradition with my own children and they have their own collections of Christmas books including Lucy & Tom’s Christmas – Shirley Hughes, Winter’s Tale – Robert Sabuda,  The Jolly Christmas Postman – Janet & Allan Ahlberg, Another Night Before Christmas – Carol Ann Duffy & Marc Boutavant and Slinky Malinki’s Christmas Crackers – Lynley Dodd.

My children now read to themselves at bedtime but Christmas is an exceptional time so we make time to share these books (and not just at bedtime).