Although the holiday season is “the most wonderful time of the year,” it can also be the time when you’re at your busiest. While everyone looks forward to watching Christmas movies and listening to festive music, you might not make time to sit down and read Christmas books.
One solution is to listen to audiobooks. These classic tales, old and new, will entertain you and your family and get you into the festive spirit as you prepare for Christmas. They are all available from Amazon’s Audible store.
1. A Christmas Carol by Charles Dickens
Exclusive to the Audible platform is this recording of Charles Dicken’s timeless tale, A Christmas Carol, narrated by British movie star Hugh Grant.
This classic tale, in which miserly Ebenezer Scrooge is visited by the ghosts of his former business partner Jacob Marley and the spirits of Christmas Past, Present, and Yet to Come, and has his life transformed in the process, is a staple of the holiday season. Grant depicts the familiar characters beautifully, and it's sure to put you in the Christmas spirit.
2. A Vintage Christmas by Various Authors
A Vintage Christmas features a host of classic Christmas stories and poems from authors ranging from Louisa May Alcott to L.M. Montgomery. As you listen to tales such as Mark Twain’s A Letter From Santa Claus and Anne Bronte’s Music on Christmas Morning, you’re taken on a Christmas journey through the ages.
Narrated by an ensemble cast, A Vintage Christmas can be listened to alongside the companion book A Classic Christmas to prepare your family for the festive season.
3. Let It Snow by John Green
Teenagers and young adults will love listening to the audiobook of John Green’s New York Times bestseller Let It Snow. This tale of a Christmas Eve storm that causes chaos in a small town was adapted by Netflix.
It’s accompanied by the romance tales Jubilee Express by Maureen Johnson and Patron Saint of Pigs by Lauren Myracle. Narrated by different readers, all three stories cleverly interconnect to create an absorbing, optimistic listen for the holidays.
4. Christmas Shopaholic by Sophie Kinsella
Sophie Kinsella’s best-selling Shopaholic series features Becky, the shopaholic with an unfortunate knack for getting into sticky situations, often with hilarious consequences.
Christmas Shopaholic is a laugh-out-loud tale in which Becky returns from the United States to England and ends up hosting Christmas for the whole family. Lovers of Bridget Jones’ Diary will enjoy this tale of rescuing triumph from the jaws of disaster.
No matter how badly your Christmas preparations are going, you’ll feel virtuous compared to the hapless but lovable Becky.
5. The Christmas Pig by J.K. Rowling
The Christmas Pig is a new Christmas story from the creator of Harry Potter, J.K. Rowling. It’s the heartwarming tale of Jack, a boy who embarks on an epic Christmas Eve adventure to find and save his beloved childhood toy with the help of the Christmas Pig.
Audible has delivered the goods with this audiobook, which features a full cast of narrators and an original musical score to give a cinematic feel to proceedings. This is a tale the whole family can enjoy together in the countdown to Christmas.
6. A Boy Called Christmas by Matt Haig
Fast becoming a modern Christmas classic after its successful Netflix movie adaptation, A Boy Called Christmas tells the tale of Nikolas, a boy growing up in Finland with only one toy: a doll carved out of a turnip. As you join him on his quest to the North Pole to find his missing father, the time just flies by.
Narrator Stephen Fry brings the characters in this magical adventure to life brilliantly, just as he did with the Harry Potter audiobooks.
7. Skipping Christmas by John Grisham
Better known for his legal thrillers, author John Grisham, has some festive fun with this tale of a couple who decide to skip the crowded malls and terrible parties of the Christmas season and enjoy a Caribbean cruise instead. But skipping Christmas isn’t as simple as it sounds. If this tale sounds familiar, you may have watched the movie adaptation, Christmas With the Kranks, starring Tim Allen and Jamie Lee Curtis.
This audiobook is narrated by Dennis Boutsikaris, who captures the humor well and keeps things zipping along. One to listen to if you’ve had enough of the excesses of the festive season.
8. The Greatest Gift by Philip Van Doren Stern
Frank Capra’s classic It’s a Wonderful Life inspires people worldwide each Christmas. The movie was based on this evocative short story by Philip Van Doren Stern. It’s the tale of George Pratt, a man who intends to end his own life but is given a chance to see what the world would be like without him.
Narrator Edward Herrmann tells this evocative tale in his familiar, reassuring tone. And Audible includes a brilliant afterword by the author’s daughter, who explains how her father’s vision became one of the most-loved festive movies of all time. And once you're done with this title, here's how to find more great books on Audible.
9. Letters from Father Christmas by J.R.R. Tolkien
Imagine if you wrote to Father Christmas, and he actually replied! That’s the premise behind this audiobook from Lord of the Rings author J.R.R. Tolkien, compiled from letters he originally wrote for his own children each year. Polar bears and even the elves occasionally write these magical tales of life at the North Pole.
Derek Jacobi reads the collection with great humor, and festive music plays between each short section. It’s a lovely listen that will make you and your children smile. They’ll also love these entertaining Christmas apps.
10. When Santa Fell to Earth by Cornelia Funke
For a more modern Christmas tale, try this story of mischievous reindeer Twinklestar, who has bolted in a storm, causing his passenger Santa to crash-land. Children Ben and Charlotte come to his rescue, but on their trail are some characters determined to steal Christmas!
Children aged six and over will enjoy this action-filled modern take on the legend of Father Christmas, aided by the excellent narration by the author, Cornelia Funke, who wrote the Inkheart series.
Get Ready for the Festive Season With a Great Audiobook
Whether you’re decorating the house for the holiday season, wrapping presents, or making a long journey to see loved ones, audiobooks are the perfect way to keep you and your family entertained. This list contains wonderful tales, old and new. So why not take this opportunity to get into the festive spirit with a magical audiobook?