Because it’s near the end of the calendar, Christmas always feels like a reflective time of year to me. As I think about the people I’m grateful to spend the holiday with, I gravitate toward the stories associated with Christmas—including the Nativity but also classic novels like A Christmas Carol and cozier winter reads like Hercule Poirot’s Christmas. In a way, I can’t imagine celebrating the holiday without them. I think I’m not alone in that, given the number of Christmas books that readers find as essential to the holiday as giving gifts to loved ones or decorating a tree. Read on to find 25 of the best Christmas books of all time and ever written!

Included are books focused on the religious and cultural traditions of Christmas, as well as books that explore the fantastical side of the holiday with figures like Santa Claus, The Grinch, and the mysterious conductor of the Polar Express. You’ll also notice a mix of longtime classics like J.R.R. Tolkien’s Letters from Father Christmas, along with newer books that are quickly becoming holiday staples.

I’ve also categorized the list by Christmas-themed children’s books and books for adults about Christmas. That way, you can find the recommendations you’re looking for more easily. Happy holidays and happy reading, too!

The Hunger Games series ignited a generation’s imagination. While it wasn’t the first story to feature a teen girl standing up against a sinister dystopian system (I have a particular soft spot for Scott Westerfeld’s Uglies series), it was the one that exploded into the mainstream. Katniss became a beloved character for many readers, particularly teen girls, who loved reading the story of a heroine who was often awkward, sometimes cantankerous, but deeply loyal and incredibly skilled at survival. I loved the fact that Katniss’ special abilities of archery and foraging had come not from being “the chosen one” but from a lifetime of surviving in a dire situation.

Many YA stories that followed The Hunger Games trod similar ground, creating dystopian worlds with sinister governments that put teenagers through horrific trials and centering teenage girls who had the exact qualities necessary to tear these oppressive systems down. While the popularity of dystopia has waned a little, the genre is still going strong, and many recent YA dystopias and thrillers break new and interesting ground that will intrigue an audience while still appealing to Hunger Games fans. These books create unique dystopian worlds or take a twisted look at our own world, giving us protagonists that are sometimes heroic and sometimes more morally grey but always compelling. If you’re looking for a new story to explore now you’ve left Panem, these books are a perfect place to start.

Welcome to Book Riot’s December 2023 Horoscopes and Book Recommendations! It’s hard to believe the end of the year is already here. How are you doing with your annual reading goals? If you’re looking for one more book to round out your year of reading, I’ve got you covered. Check out your horoscope for the month ahead, along with a recommendation for a new book to add to your TBR.

Well, we’re ending the year the same way we started it: with Mercury in retrograde. You know what that means. Chaos and confusion ensue, particularly in technology, communication, and travel. It starts under the sign of Capricorn, which guides career, responsibility, and long-term goals. So, if you’ve got any outstanding projects you must finish before the end of the year, try to get to them before December 13th when Mercury enters retrograde. Mercury shifts into Sagittarius on December 23rd, a planet that rules travel and adventure, so you know plenty of holiday travel plans are going to go off the rails. Be patient and have a backup plan ready. And when in doubt, avoid the mess and stay home with a good book! I have just the one for you…