If you’re planning holiday read-alouds for your students this season, these Christmas around the world books for kids are the perfect way to celebrate diversity, geography, and joy all at once. These titles introduce your students to how families around the globe decorate, sing, and gather during this magical time of year. They make it easy to combine literacy and cultural studies while keeping your December lessons festive and meaningful.
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Best Christmas Around the World Books for Kids in Your Classroom
1. Jingle Bells by Iza Trapani
If you teach primary or upper elementary, you might already know this one. Jingle Bells follows children in a flying sleigh as they visit different countries from Mexico and Sweden to Kenya and the Philippines, all to the tune of the classic song. Your students will love singing along while learning how other kids celebrate Christmas. After reading, try having them create a map tracing the sleigh’s route or write about which country they’d most like to visit.
2. Joy to the World!: Christmas Around the Globe by Kate DePalma
This bright and rhythmic book takes you through 13 countries, highlighting traditional foods, decorations, and celebrations. Each page gives a peek into global customs while celebrating togetherness and kindness. Use it as a springboard for a research project where each student picks one country and creates a “holiday postcard” describing what they’ve learned.
3. Holidays Around the World: Celebrate Christmas by Deborah Heiligman
Part of the National Geographic Kids series, this nonfiction favorite pairs vivid photography with short, engaging text. It’s perfect for comparing traditions and noting similarities across cultures. Students can use this one to gather facts for a “Christmas Around the World” chart or Venn diagram comparing their own family traditions to those in other countries.
4. Christmas Around the World by Mary D. Lankford
This beautifully illustrated nonfiction book explores how Christmas is celebrated in twelve different countries, highlighting customs, foods, and holiday symbols unique to each culture. It also includes craft ideas, a pronunciation guide, and festive sayings from around the world. The clear, informative text makes it perfect for grades 3–6, especially if you’re connecting literacy with geography or social studies. Try reading about one country each day and having your students locate it on a map or create a craft inspired by that tradition.
5. An Aussie Night Before Christmas by Yvonne Morrison
Your students will laugh at this playful twist on the familiar poem, complete with kangaroos, beach picnics, and summer sunshine. It’s a fun way to wrap up your unit and discuss how Christmas looks completely different in the Southern Hemisphere.
6. How Kids Celebrate Christmas Around the World by Pavla Hanáčková
This modern nonfiction option focuses specifically on how children celebrate, from hanging stockings to sharing meals and lighting candles. The colorful illustrations and conversational tone make it ideal for grades 3–5. Try pairing it with a writing prompt like “What Christmas tradition would you like to try from another country, and why?”
7. A World of Cookies for Santa: Follow Santa’s Tasty Trip Around the World by M. E. Furman
Take your students on a delicious global adventure with this charming picture book that follows Santa’s journey on Christmas Eve as he visits homes around the world. From kourabiedes in Greece to vanilla kipferl in Austria and alfajores in Argentina, readers discover the sweet treats children leave out for Santa in different countries. Each page highlights a new culture and its unique holiday traditions, making this book a perfect mix of geography, culture, and fun. It even includes a cookie recipe at the end, so you can turn it into a class baking or writing activity. After reading, have students write a paragraph describing what kind of cookie they would leave for Santa and why.
8. The Legend of Old Befana by Tomie dePaola
Step into Italian folklore with this heartwarming story of Befana, the kind old woman who delivers gifts on Epiphany. It’s a great way to introduce how some cultures extend the Christmas season into January. You might pair it with a lesson on folktales or have students write their own version of a holiday legend.
Classroom Ideas for Teaching Christmas Around the World
- Create a class map and mark each country from your read-alouds
- Give each student a “holiday passport” page to stamp after every book
- Compare and contrast foods, family traditions, and decorations around the world
- Assign journal prompts like “How would you celebrate if you lived in Australia?” or “Which country’s Christmas sounds most fun to you?”
Reading Christmas around the world books for kids is a joyful way to remind your students that holiday traditions can be both unique and universal. Whether you’re singing through Jingle Bells or exploring Joy to the World, these stories help your students celebrate the beauty of global connection one page at a time.
If you want to take this theme even further, check out my Christmas Around the World Reading Comprehension Passages on Teachers Pay Teachers. They include short nonfiction texts about how Christmas is celebrated in different countries, complete with comprehension questions and answer keys. It’s an easy way to build reading skills while keeping the season fun and educational.
