multicultural kids’ books for the winter holidays
in our witchy, multicultural household, we love celebrating the sabbats, solstices, and seasons more than traditional holidays. for the last 3 years, i have been on the hunt for the best, most hygge kids’ books that celebrate the seasons, rather than focusing on santa or the birth of christ.
while i have nothing against those stories, i choose to prioritize books that tap into our cultures, how we choose to celebrate the holidays, and of course, the seasons in nature. i also choose to steer clear of the over-the-top consumerism that’s present in most christmas stories, making it all about getting gifts.
while there is definitely beauty in all stories and all beliefs, we are mindful about choosing the books we personally align with, while offering snippets of other cultures and religions that are age and developmentally appropriate.
you’ll see throughout this list that there are a few books that do mention christianity, the birth of christ, a family going to mass, etc. i personally think these are appropriate for where my son is in his understanding that everyone’s beliefs are different — and he is able to ask questions and form his own thoughts on these topics.
i am not aiming to delete any references of other beliefs, cultures, or religions from his library, but rather stay geared toward cozy, relatable, grounded and wholesome stories he understands — stories that are focused on celebrating the return of the light, reflecting on what we learn when the world is dark, and leaning on community during this time.
if you resonate with this and you are also looking for a wider range of holiday/winter books for your littles, look no further. here’s the full list!
flower fairies of the winter
by cecily mary barker
a book of vintage poetry about the fairies of winter
the return of the light
by carolyn mcvickar edwards
a collection of 12 tales from around the world for the winter solstice — geared more towards older kids and adults
the very hungry caterpillar's first winter
by eric carle
part of “the very hungry caterpillar” series, this book for toddlers shares the story of the caterpillar’s first encounter with winter
sun bread
by elisa kleven
the story of a baker and their friends who bake sun bread to lure the sun back during winter
winter solstice coloring book
by misty lilac
a coloring book filled with pictures that fit the magical theme of the solstice — we use this as an activity for our advent calendar
the shortest day
by susan cooper
a story with a universalist theme, sharing how friends from all over welcome winter
the great spruce
by john duvall
follow along as alec and his grandpa save the great spruce tree from being cut down and help to transplant it in the town square for the holidays
the shortest day: celebrating the winter solstice
by wendy pfeffer
an educational book explaining the winter solstice and how other cultures have celebrated it throughout time
luke & the longest night
by kathleen converse
a story about the pagan celebration of yule, including spells and songs for children to incorporate in their own celebrations
yule: a winter’s wassail
by alexandre ravenhart
the story of beira, the queen of winter, who outlawed joy and holiday cheer because of her grief — a beautiful tale of the death and rebirth cycle of winter
a world full of winter stories
by angela mcallister
a wonderful collection of winter stories, legends, and folk tales from cultures all over the world — including finland, iroqouis, ojibwe, nigeria, russia, and so many more
aurora's magical winter solstice journey
by alex zomrag
the story of a fox named aurora who journeys to find a way to wake up the sun and bring back the light
the light of the winter solstice
by florian eizaguirre
a basque folk tale about olentzero, the personification of the winter solstice, who brings warmth and light to those in need of it during the darkness of winter
counting winter
by nancy white carlstrom
a short story, perfect for toddlers, counting animals as they prepare for winter in their own ways — inspired by alaskan terrain with beautiful ink stamp style artwork
'twas nochebuena
by roseanne greenfield thong
to the cadence of “‘twas the night before christmas”, this is the story of a mexican family’s celebration of nochebuena (christmas eve) — with spanish inclusions and a reference chart in the back
the winter fox
by timothy knapman
the tale of a fox who wanted to play all summer, without prepping for winter. when winter rolls around and he realizes what he’s done, his friends pitch in to care for him — a beautiful story of community during winter
the first 12 days of winter
by kevin + nancy atkins
inspired by “the 12 days of christmas”, this story follows a cardinal named carl who invites and welcomes his friends to the 12 day winter solstice celebration
winter: a solstice story
by kelsey e. gross
the tale of a group of forest animal friends who band together to leave gifts of hope for others during the winter solstice, inviting everyone to celebrate the light’s return
we celebrate the light
by jane yolen + heidi e. y. stemple + jieting chen
a story sharing tidbits of how cultures around the world celebrate their respective winter holidays — including the lunar new year, kwanza, christmas, winter solstice, bodhi day, diwali, and chanukah/hanukka
annika's secret wish
by beverly lewis
a book of swedish christmas traditions wrapped up in a beautiful story of a sister’s kindness to her brother
and there you have it, the complete list of our favorite winter holiday books! while i’ve included links for the convenience of purchasing, remember to check your local library for these goodies first — unless you’re like me and want to stockpile books to bring out every december!
although these books are for children, they are wonderfully hygge and grounding to read as an adult and as a family. the best way to enjoy these stories? snuggled by a fire, with a cozy mug of your favorite warm drink! leave a comment and let me know which one becomes your family’s favorite! 🕯️✨
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