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
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• The Usborne Christmas Treasury: Stories, Carols and Activities
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
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Joy to the World
Atheneum, 2000
Nice illustration of Nicholas as gift giver -
The Way to Bethlehem
Eerdmans, originally Editoriale Jaca Book spa, Milan, Italy, 1997
Children's book telling the Christmas Story along with the Saints of ChristmasPurchase from amazon.com, amazon.co.uk, amazon.ca
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Happy Christmas! Tales for Boys and Girls
Stephen Daye Press, 1956
Purchase from amazon.com, amazon.co.uk, amazon.ca
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Christmas
1978
Nice Christmas book with a bit on Nicholas and Dutch recipes -
The Christmas Book
MacMillan & Co., London, 1945
Two nice chapters on the story behind Santa by the popular children's author -
• Santa Claus: A Biography
McClelland & Stewart Ltd, Toronto, 2005
Comprehensive account of the development of the American Santa Claus.Purchase from amazon.com, amazon.co.uk, amazon.ca
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Christmas in the Crosshairs: Two Thousand Years of Denouncing and Defending the World's Most Celebrated Holiday
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
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The World Encyclopedia of Christmas
McClelland & Stewart Ltd, Toronto, 2000
Recommended comprehensive Christmas resourcePurchase from amazon.com, amazon.co.uk, amazon.ca
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The Book of Christmas Folklore
Seabury, 1973
Lovely introduction to the origin of Christmas customs, with a charming illustration of st. Nicholas -
Christmas
Thomas Y. Crowell, 1967
An earlier edition of the book listed below by Barbara Cooney -
• The Story of Christmas
HarperCollins, 1995
Comprehensive Christmas information -
• The Christmas Almanack
Random House, 1979, 2004
Good information on Saint Nicholas and Santa Claus development.Purchase from amazon.com, amazon.co.uk, amazon.ca
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Christmas
Hatchette Illustrated UK, Octopus Publishing Group, London, 2003
Illustrated traditions and legends from around the worldPurchase from amazon.com, amazon.co.uk, amazon.ca
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A Dutch Christmas: The Legend of Sinterklaas
Small pamphlet with Dutch customs, Nicholas info, recipes & song -
• Inventing Christmas: How our Holiday Came to Be
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
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Christmas: Theological Anticipations
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
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Christmas the World Over: How the Season of Joy and Goodwill Is Observed and Enjoyed by Peoples Here and Everywhere
Chilton, 1963
Customs and photos from many countries -
• Christmas: A Candid History
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
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The Twelve Days of Christmas
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
Workman Publishing, 1990
Lavishly illustrated with ephemera, including some Bishop Nicholas images -
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• The Medieval Christmas
Sutton Publishing, UK, 2005
Medieval roots of modern Christmas celebration, including St. NicholasPurchase from amazon.com, amazon.co.uk, amazon.ca
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• Christmas Past
Pelican Publishing, 2005
The development of Christmas customs in many places, lavishly illustrated with the author's collection of vintage memorabiliaPurchase from amazon.com, amazon.co.uk, amazon.ca
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All About Christmas: The customs, legends and traditions asociated with Christmas around the world
Harper & Row, 1954
Background on American Christmas customs, one chapter on St Nicholas -
• Little Book about Santa Claus
Puella's Edition, Denmark, 2005
Nice information about Saint Nicholas and Santa around the world, English and Danish editions -
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Christmas in Holland: Hands Across the Nations
Vantage Press, 1998
Small booklet for elementary age children -
• The Night Before Christmas
Minedition, Penguin, 2005
The only version with bishop Saint Nicholas—at least in part!Purchase from amazon.com, amazon.co.uk, amazon.ca
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• The Battle for Christmas: A cultural history of America's most cherished holiday
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
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God with Us: Rediscovering the Meaning of Christmas
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
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Treasured Polish Christmas Customs and Traditions
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 -
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From the Holly Jolly to the Holy: Reclaiming the sacred during Advent and Christmas
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 seasonPurchase from Cokesbury
Purchase from amazon.com
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A Book of Christmas
McGraw-Hill, 1968
Some information regarding Nicholas traditions -
The Golden Books Treasury of Christmas Joy
Golden Books Publishing Company, 2001
Stories, poems, carols and some activities; the story of St. Nicholas, the first Santa Claus, tooPurchase from amazon.com, amazon.co.uk, amazon.ca
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Popular Customs and Festivals in Switzerland
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!
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
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A Calendar of German Customs
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
Dodd, Mead, 1976
Many lovely photos illustrate the text; Sinterklaas in the Netherlands, Nicholas in Germany and Switzerland -
Santa Claus the Dutch Way
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
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
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The Holidays: Christmas, Easter, and Whitsuntide, together with the May-Day, Midsummer, and Harvest-Home Festivals
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
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The Christmas Book
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-Childcraft, 1982
Recipes, crafts, songs and pictures of Austrian Christmas, including a bit on Nicholas -
Christmas in Holland
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-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
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