Just So Stories

From Cate Whittle: If you want to go as far back as 1986, The Nativity, illustrated by Julie Vivas remains one of my faves, so full of joy and life and movement. Another favourite is A Christmas Story by Brian Wildsmith (1989), also beautifully brought to life by his gorgeous artwork.

From Cassy Polimeni: Fave Christmas songs: How To Make Gravy [The movie is coming soon!] and White Wine in the Sun. Movies: Elf and The Holiday. Books: The Snowman by Raymond Briggs.

From Suzanne Houghton: I just love watching Rise of the Guardians at Christmas. Such an underrated movie.

From Jacinta Froud: two Xmassy movies – A Sunburnt Christmas and Red One and of course, my own Xmas PB Jingle Belly

Haylee Hackenberg: Not quite a kids story but I re-read The Hogfather by Terry Pratchett as my own personal Christmas tradition and it always makes me so happy. Such a great reminder that it’s our own collective beliefs that create magic.

From Stephanie Owen Reeder: I have always read Clement C. Moore’s poem The Night Before Christmas to both my children and my grandchildren on Christmas Eve. My favourite copy of the poem is illustrated by Niroot Puttapipat with delicate sihouette paper-cut images with a Victorian era asesthetic. It is elegant and beautiful, and the images delighfully complement the words. Very special.

From Helen Edwards: Favourite movie for our family is National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation. I start my Christmas movie watching now. But we save that to watch together on Christmas Eve. It never gets old. Slapstick hilarity, the little man against the odds, moments of heartfelt connection.

From Adam Cece: Hello hello. We have many Christmas Movies we watch every year. Also many Christmas TV episodes. One of our all-time favs is The Victor Of Dibley Xmas Special (the one with all the lunches). I’ll have to have a think about Christmas books. I know my kids have also enjoyed Tom Fletcher books in recent years, although does he count as a dreaded celebrity author! I hope he actually writes the books. I think so, but I could be wrong.

PS from AC after the comment below from AW: lol. I introduced the kids to Hot Rod for the first time a few weeks ago. We wet ourselves laughing for two hours, and my wife sat there staring at us, thinking, oh no, now there’s three of them!

From Adam Wallace: Well now it may not be considered a Christmas movie but our go to is Hot Rod with Andy Samburg. And Elf!

From R A Spratt: ‘The Worst Christmas Pageant Ever’ by Barbara Robinson. The book is brilliant and the audiobook read by Elaine Strich is even better. (seconded by myself and Adam Cece!) [PS You have not seen R A Spratt’s Christmas show – do it!]

From Tania McCartney: Marguerite’s Christmas by India Desjardins and illustrated by Pascal Blanchet x [I’m going to have search this out – it looks beautiful!]

From Tania Ingram: My favourite Christmas Book growing up was My Big Christmas Book, written by Hayden McAllister. I never owned any Christmas-themed books when I was younger; we didn’t have a lot of money and I think my mother carefully chose books that could be read ‘year round’ as opposed to a book that might only be read once a year. 

I don’t remember who gave me this book, but it became a staple for me every Christmas for many years. I’d pour over the poetry and short stories (The Little Angel with Silver Hair was a favourite), try to make the suggested crafts and cookies, and sing the recommended Christmas songs until my brother would threaten to thump me if I didn’t stop! 

And then there were those gorgeous illustrations! How I adored them! I especially loved the green and white outfit that the brown haired girl was wearing (see pic) and I longed for a snowy Christmas outfit to match (despite the fact that I grew up in Whyalla and the temperature there most Christmases was in the high 30’s!).

Just holding this book always invokes lots of lovely Christmas memories for me. I think this is one I’ll keep for life.

Jemma: Harper Collins – My husband and I have two Christmas movie traditions that we take with us to whichever family we’re spending the holiday with. Christmas Eve is always Die Hard – the original or #2 – as these are absolutely Christmas films and they are so insanely ridiculous that they fit right into the Christmas spirit! The other tradition we have is that Christmas afternoon is time for Shaun the Sheep – either the movie or some episodes of the tv series – as it’s hilarious no matter how old you are (or what language you speak as we discovered in a rural train station in Vietnam last year!), it’s not overly demanding of concentration, and it’s so lovely without being totally saccharine.

[With her all the way on Die Hard!!]