Christmas Books with Saint Nicholas

Click for our list of currently available books from Amazon and other sources.
Out-of-print books may be found in libraries or the used book market.

= some of our favorites
  • The Usborne Christmas Treasury: Stories, Carols and Activities

    Bates, Michelle; Tyler, Jenny and Watt, Fiona, ed.
    Usborne Publishing, 2001

    Nice illustration version of the dowry story. Also available in an Usborne Miniature Edition.

    Purchase from amazon.com, amazon.co.uk, amazon.ca

  • Joy to the World

    Beneduce, Ann Keay, ed.
    Atheneum, 2000

    Nice illustration of Nicholas as gift giver

  • The Way to Bethlehem

    Biffi, Inos, illustrated by Franco Vignazia
    Eerdmans, originally Editoriale Jaca Book spa, Milan, Italy, 1997

    Children's book telling the Christmas Story along with the Saints of Christmas

    Purchase from amazon.com, amazon.co.uk, amazon.ca

  • Happy Christmas! Tales for Boys and Girls

    Bishop, Claire Hughet, editor
    Stephen Daye Press, 1956

    Christmas story anthology with Henri Ghéon's "Saint Nicholas"

    Purchase from amazon.com, amazon.co.uk, amazon.ca

  • Christmas

    Blanford Press, Ltd.
    1978

    Nice Christmas book with a bit on Nicholas and Dutch recipes

  • The Christmas Book

    Blyton, Enid
    MacMillan & Co., London, 1945

    Two nice chapters on the story behind Santa by the popular children's author

  • Santa Claus: A Biography

    Bowler, Gerry
    McClelland & Stewart Ltd, Toronto, 2005

    Comprehensive account of the development of the American Santa Claus.

    Purchase from amazon.com, amazon.co.uk, amazon.ca

  • Christmas in the Crosshairs: Two Thousand Years of Denouncing and Defending the World's Most Celebrated Holiday

    Bowler, Gerry
    Oxford University Press, 2017
    Oxford, England; New York, New York USA

    Through meticulous research, historian Bowler shows that controversy about Christmas is nothing new—it has been going on for hundreds of years. However, Christmas continues to thrive despite all the battles. St. Nicholas is included, of course.

    Purchase from amazon.com, amazon.co.uk, amazon.ca

  • The World Encyclopedia of Christmas

    Bowler, Gerry
    McClelland & Stewart Ltd, Toronto, 2000

    Recommended comprehensive Christmas resource

    Purchase from amazon.com, amazon.co.uk, amazon.ca

  • The Book of Christmas Folklore

    Coffin, Tristram P.
    Seabury, 1973

    Lovely introduction to the origin of Christmas customs, with a charming illustration of st. Nicholas

  • Christmas

    Cooney, Barbara, illustrated by Barbara Cooney
    Thomas Y. Crowell, 1967

    An earlier edition of the book listed below by Barbara Cooney

  • The Story of Christmas

    Cooney, Barbara, illustrated by Loretta Krupinski
    HarperCollins, 1995

    Comprehensive Christmas information

  • The Christmas Almanack

    Del Re, Gerard and Patricia
    Random House, 1979, 2004

    Good information on Saint Nicholas and Santa Claus development.

    Purchase from amazon.com, amazon.co.uk, amazon.ca

  • Christmas

    de Sike, Yvonne
    Hatchette Illustrated UK, Octopus Publishing Group, London, 2003

    Illustrated traditions and legends from around the world

    Purchase from amazon.com, amazon.co.uk, amazon.ca

  • A Dutch Christmas: The Legend of Sinterklaas

    Dutch Village, Holland, MI, USA

    Small pamphlet with Dutch customs, Nicholas info, recipes & song

  • Inventing Christmas: How our Holiday Came to Be

    Elliott, Jock
    Abrams, New York, 2001

    Lavishly illustrated coffe table book, telling how US Christmas tradition came to be.

    Purchase from amazon.com, amazon.co.uk, amazon.ca

  • Christmas: Theological Anticipations

    English, Adam C.
    Cascade Books, 2016
    Eugene, Oregon USA

    Historical, spiritual, and religious aspects of Christmas look to the future, focusing on forgiveness and justice. A delightful section offers ten ways to understand saints.

    Purchase from amazon.com, amazon.co.uk, amazon.ca

  • Christmas the World Over: How the Season of Joy and Goodwill Is Observed and Enjoyed by Peoples Here and Everywhere

    Foley, Daniel J.
    Chilton, 1963

    Customs and photos from many countries

  • Christmas: A Candid History

    Forbes, Bruce David
    University of California Press, 2007

    Readable history of American Christmas customs with a good chapter on Saint Nicholas morphing into Santa Claus.

    Purchase from amazon.com, amazon.co.uk, amazon.ca

  • Christmas Always

    Frye, Mary K.
    MaJor Presentations, 1995

    Booklet with information on the gift-givers featured in MaJor Presentations cross-stitch charts of Joretta Headlee's wooden Santa figures

  • Welcome Christmas: Legends, Carols, Stories, Riddles, etc.

    Graham, Eleanor
    Ernest Benn Ltd, London, 1931

    Anthology of Christmas lore, with black and white illustrations by Priscilla M. Ellingford

  • The Twelve Days of Christmas

    Hadfield, Miles & John
    Little, Brown, 1961

    Comprehensive book of Christmas lore, well-illustrated St Nicholas/Santa chapter with a plate of St. Nicholas from a triptych in the Scottish National Gallery

  • Joy to the World: A Victorian Christmas

    Hart, Cynthia, John Grossman and Priscilla Dunhill
    Workman Publishing, 1990

    Lavishly illustrated with ephemera, including some Bishop Nicholas images

  • Spirit of Christmas

    Intaglio Service Corporation
    ca 1950s

    Gift booklet with folklore about St. Nicholas and four other gift givers

  • The Medieval Christmas

    Jackson, Sophie
    Sutton Publishing, UK, 2005

    Medieval roots of modern Christmas celebration, including St. Nicholas

    Purchase from amazon.com, amazon.co.uk, amazon.ca

  • My Christmas Book of Stories and Carols

    Jennings, Linda, illus. by Anne Grahame Johnstone
    Derrydale Books, 1990

    Lovely, detailed illustrations

  • Christmas Past

    Kissinger, Barbara Hallman
    Pelican Publishing, 2005

    The development of Christmas customs in many places, lavishly illustrated with the author's collection of vintage memorabilia

    Purchase from amazon.com, amazon.co.uk, amazon.ca

  • All About Christmas: The customs, legends and traditions asociated with Christmas around the world

    Krythe, Maymie R.
    Harper & Row, 1954

    Background on American Christmas customs, one chapter on St Nicholas

  • Little Book about Santa Claus

    Lauritsen, Birthe
    Puella's Edition, Denmark, 2005

    Nice information about Saint Nicholas and Santa around the world, English and Danish editions

  • Around the World with Santa Claus

    Merrimack, reprint from McLoughlin Bros.
    1849

    Shows Bishop Nicholas in Germany and Holland

  • Christmas in Holland: Hands Across the Nations

    Mirkhah, Patricia A.
    Vantage Press, 1998

    Small booklet for elementary age children

  • The Night Before Christmas

    Moore, Clement Clarke, illustrations by Lisbeth Zwerger
    Minedition, Penguin, 2005

    The only version with bishop Saint Nicholas—at least in part!

    Purchase from amazon.com, amazon.co.uk, amazon.ca

  • The Battle for Christmas: A cultural history of America's most cherished holiday

    Nissenbaum, Stephen
    Vintage Books, Random House, Inc., 1996

    This social history chronicles the transition from a raucous, carnival holiday with drunkeness and riot into a warm, domesticated family and consumer-centered festival.

    Purchase from amazon.com, amazon.co.uk, amazon.ca

  • God with Us: Rediscovering the Meaning of Christmas

    Pennoyer, Gred and Gregory Wolfe, editors
    Paraclete Press, Brewster, Massachusetts, 2007
    Sections by Scott Cairns, Emilie Griffin, Richard John Neuhaus, Kathleen Norris, Eugene Peterson and Luci Shaw

    Daily meditations, scripture, prayer for each day in Advent through Epiphany.

    Purchase from amazon.com, amazon.co.uk, amazon.ca

  • Treasured Polish Christmas Customs and Traditions

    Polanie Club
    Polanie Publishing Companyh, Minneapolis, 1974

    A book for the whole holiday season with traditions, songs, recipes; a little on Nicholas with a recipe for piernik

  • Swiss Folk Art

    Pro Helvetia Foundation
    1968

    Some information regarding Nicholas traditions

  • Christmas Treasury: Family Classic Edition

    Publications International, Ltd
    2000

    Large Christmas anthology, fully illustrated in color, includes music for 22 carols & songs, customs from 11 countries and many traditional stories and legends. Gilded pages & padded cover.

    Purchase from amazon.com

  • From the Holly Jolly to the Holy: Reclaiming the sacred during Advent and Christmas

    Rosenthal, Jim
    Forward Movement & Morehouse Publishing, 2013
    Also available as an ebook for Kindle, Nook & iPad

    Devotional booklet with scripture and reflection for all the days of Advent and Christmas; St. Nicholas shows how to live in these seasons with true Christian compassion and generosity, finding ways to recover the true joy and holiness of the season

    Purchase from Cokesbury

    Purchase from amazon.com

  • A Book of Christmas

    Sansom, William
    McGraw-Hill, 1968

    Some information regarding Nicholas traditions

  • The Golden Books Treasury of Christmas Joy

    Sokolova, Skip
    Golden Books Publishing Company, 2001

    Stories, poems, carols and some activities; the story of St. Nicholas, the first Santa Claus, too

    Purchase from amazon.com, amazon.co.uk, amazon.ca

  • UNICEF's Festival Book

    Spiegelman, Judith
    United States Committee for UNICEF, 1966

    Twelve festivals from different countries, Sinterklaas from the Netherlands

  • Popular Customs and Festivals in Switzerland

    Swiss National Tourist Office
    1993

    Includes Nicholas customs in Küssnacht am Rigi, Fribourg, and Glarus

  • The St. Nicholas Solution: Use lessons from St. Nick to transform your Christmas . . . AND YOUR LIFE!

    Thompson, Jim
    Shiny iUniverse, Inc, 2003

    A plan for a Christmas full of magic, fun, and not stress, with changes related to the life and legends of St. Nicholas.

    Purchase from amazon.com, amazon.co.uk, amazon.ca

  • A Calendar of German Customs

    Thonger, Richard
    Oswald Wolff, London, 1966

    Many old customs, including Santa Claus (Nikolaus)

  • Joy Through the World: Holiday colecrations of feasting and giving around the world including authentic recipes, menus, decorations, gifts and toys to make

    U.S. Committee for UNICEF
    Dodd, Mead, 1976

    Many lovely photos illustrate the text; Sinterklaas in the Netherlands, Nicholas in Germany and Switzerland

  • Santa Claus the Dutch Way

    Van Nierop, Henriette
    Netherlands Information Service, before 1963
    New York, New York; Holland, Michigan; San Francisco, California

    Introduction to the Sinterklaas tradition in the Netherlands

  • Ukrainian Christmas: Traditions, Folk Customs, and Recipes

    Vaughn, Mary Ann Woloch
    Ukrainian Heritage Company, 1983
    Munster, Indiana

    Useful information with background and traditions, decorations, seasonal songs and recipes for Christmas and winter. St. Nicholas is included.

    Purchase from amazon.com, amazon.co.uk

  • The Holidays: Christmas, Easter, and Whitsuntide, together with the May-Day, Midsummer, and Harvest-Home Festivals

    Warren, Nathan B., illustrated by F. O. C. Darley
    Hurd & Houghton; Cornell University Library Digital Collections, 1868

    A great deal of information on the development of English holiday customs; a chapter on "St. Nicholas, or the Boy Bishop"

    Purchase from amazon.com

  • The Christmas Book

    Weiser, Francis
    Harcourt, 1952

    From the author of the classic "Handbook of Christian Feasts and Festivals," this simpler work is just about Christmas

  • Christmas in Austria

    World Book
    World Book-Childcraft, 1982

    Recipes, crafts, songs and pictures of Austrian Christmas, including a bit on Nicholas

  • Christmas in Holland

    World Book
    World Book, Inc., 2011
    Chicago, Illinois

    Christmas Around the World From World Book: Customs and traditions in Holland and the other Netherlands provinces, with several sections about Sinterklaas. The book comes with an Advent calendar, recipe cards, and an ice skate ornament.

  • Christmas in the Netherlands

    World Book
    World Book-Childcraft, 1981

    Many photos illustrate customs, recipes, crafts, and songs for Sinterklaas and Christmas

  • Santa Claus the Dutch Way

    Albani, The Hague, Holland, undated

    Describes Sinterklaas season with pictures, songs & recipes; also Christmas and New Year's; greatly updated version of the earlier booklet by the same title

More Books About St. Nicholas
Basic Books about St. Nicholas
Picture Books for Younger Children (and all ages)
Picture Books for Older Children
Books for Older Children
Saints Books for Adults
Saints Books for Children
Activity Books and Other Resources
Christmas Books with St. Nicholas
Related Books
Books in Other Languages
Children's Books in Other Languages

Digital Media

Church Year Resource Books for Families

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