Christmas Books

Christmas Collectables

First, some Classic Christmas Books …

Like many book lovers, I have a special collection of treasured Christmas books gathered over the years. Many are works of art. I’m talking here about seasonal books that are specifically designed about Christmas (not general books that could be given as Christmas gifts).

Some timeless highlights are Applesauce and the Christmas Miracle by Glenda Millard and Stephen Michael King, One Night by Penny Mathews and Stephen Michael King, The Christmas Rose by Wendy Blaxland and Lucy Hennessy, The ABC Book of Christmas ed. Mark Macleod with pictures by Australian illustrators, Wombat Divine by Mem Fox and Kerry Argent, Christmas Wombat by Jackie French and Bruce Whatley, Room for a Little One by Martin Waddell and Jason Cockcroft, Jesus’ Christmas Party by Nicholas Allan, The Nativity by Julie Vivas, The Nativity Play by Nick Butterworth and Mick Inkpen, The Fox’s Story by Nick Butterworth, On This Special Night by Claire Freedman and Simon Mendez, Home for Christmas by Sally Grindley and Karin Littlewood, The Lion, the Unicorn and Me by Jeanette Winterson, A Small Miracle by Peter Collington, A Christmas Story by Brian Wildsmith, The Polar Express by Chris Van Allsburg, and Great Joy by Kate DiCamillo and Bagram Ibatoulline.

These are a mixture of Australian and overseas publications either about the Nativity, the birth of Jesus, or other meaningful or magical aspects of Christmas.

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However …

2023 Books About Christmas – some more Ho-Hum than Ho Ho

The Australian picture books released for Christmas 2023 that I have encountered this year (and I certainly haven’t seen them all and may have missed some beauties – so apologies for the inevitable oversights) are often more ho-hum than ho ho.

Some are fun. Many are well-intentioned. A number are facile and garish. Some seem to have been produced only to take advantage of buyers’ appetite for anything Christmassy. Many are not original and will not add anything of beauty or joy to readers’ lives. I doubt these will be cherished and brought out year after year as part of a family’s Christmas tradition as happens with classic or much-loved Christmas books.

Maybe my expectations are too high but I generally feel quite disappointed about this year’s offerings.

Most of the picture books are about helping Santa save Christmas.

However, one that has some lovely qualities is Little Puggle’s Christmas.

Little Puggle’s Christmas by Vikki Conley & Hélène Magisson (New Frontier Publishing) is a sweet, simple story that celebrates a bush ‘family’ Christmas.

A companion book to Little Puggle’s Song, Little Puggle’s Christmas begins just before Christmas when the animals reunite to celebrate together. Each has their own job. Long Tail (a kangaroo or wallaby) wraps the presents and carries them in her pouch. Lacey Tail (a possum) hangs red bells and gumnuts on the tree. Mama Grey (a koala) stuffs nectar puddings.

Puggle, a young echidna, tries to help each one but inadvertently makes a mistake or spoils what they’re doing. Feeling despondent, he makes a Christmas wish on what he thinks is a falling star but is actually Santa falling from the sky. His sleigh becomes stuck and Puggle, helped by Santa’s confidence in him, saves the presents – and Christmas – for his friends.