Christmas Stories for Kids and Adults to Read Aloud

The Most Popular Christmas Stories

These are the stories families read most often during the holiday season. A good place to start if this is your first visit.

Short Christmas Stories for Toddlers (2 to 5 Minutes)

Two to five minutes, simple sentences and a calm ending. These stories work for toddlers from age 2 and for preschool, or for evenings when the eyes grow heavy after the first sentence.

Christmas Stories to Read Aloud (6 to 9 Minutes)

Six to nine minutes is the ideal length for a Christmas story at bedtime. Something happens before everyone settles down: Tobbin the elf looks for a family, Leo the Cat waits up for St. Nicholas, and Santa Claus gets a present of his own.

Long Christmas Stories for Kids Ages 7 and Up

For children aged 7 and up who love a longer story. Here you will find mysteries, journeys and surprises: Leo the Cat discovers an Advent calendar, decorates the tree on his own, and Betty the Carrier Pigeon delivers the Christmas post across the sea. Read them in one go or spread them over two evenings.

Funny Christmas Stories

Christmas is allowed to be silly. These stories are meant for giggling: Leo the Cat fills an Advent calendar with surprises of his own, Inspector Winston follows the scent of a missing bread wreath, and the elves plan a present for Santa himself.

• Who Gives Presents to Santa Claus? The elves are busy sawing and painting in the workshop when a young deer asks a question nobody has asked before. about 7 min
• Inspector Winston and the Bread Wreath The whole street smells of fresh bread wreath, and suddenly it is gone. Winston the Dachshund picks up the trail. about 8 min
• Leo the Cat and the Flea Market Leo’s family talks about a flea market, and the cat imagines tiny itchy pests taking over the house. He has to investigate. about 8 min
• Leo the Cat and the Advent Calendar Leo’s dad is struggling to fill the Advent calendar, so the cat decides to help with a few creative surprises. about 11 min

Stories for St. Nicholas Day, Advent, Christmas Eve and Winter

Looking for a story for one particular evening? Here are our Christmas stories sorted by occasion, from the polished boots on St. Nicholas Eve to a snowy night in January.

St. Nicholas Stories

• Leo the Cat and St. Nicholas On St. Nicholas Eve, Leo the Cat stays awake to catch a glimpse of the mysterious visitor everyone is talking about. about 6 min
• Ellie and Owen Dream of Santa Claus The boots are polished, the first snowflakes are falling, and two siblings can hardly wait for St. Nicholas Day. about 4 min

Advent Stories

• Tobbin the Christmas Elf A tiny elf searches a snowy town for the perfect family and moves in unseen to bring a little magic into their Advent. about 6 min
• Tobbin the Christmas Elf and the Advent Wreath While the family is too busy to notice, Tobbin weaves an Advent wreath from fir branches, golden candles and cinnamon. about 4 min
• Tobbin the Christmas Elf and the Old Fir Tree The house is decorated and the calendar is filled. Now Tobbin turns to the old fir tree in the front garden. about 4 min
• Leo the Cat and the Advent Calendar A hidden parcel, a curious cat and a secret that has to last until the first of December. about 11 min
• Betty the Carrier Pigeon and the Christmas Post Luca and Sophie have moved far from the snow and the Christmas markets, and three friends send a little Christmas across the water. about 10 min
• Inspector Winston and the Bread Wreath It smells of fresh bread wreath, and then it is gone. Winston the Dachshund takes on his Advent case. about 8 min

Stories for Christmas Eve and the Holidays

• Theodore’s Christmas Surprise In a snow-dusted mouse village that smells of gingerbread, little Theodore bakes cookies for his friends from kindergarten. about 2 min
• The Little Christmas Tree A little fir tree at the edge of the forest looks up at the tall trees and wishes it could be special one day, too. about 3 min
• The Penguin Family Celebrates Christmas Deep in the snow at the South Pole, little penguin Akira discovers Christmas for the first time and a gift hidden in the ice. about 5 min
• Christmas With Bruce the Bear A forest fire separates Bruce from his family. With the other animals he builds a new home and hopes for a reunion by Christmas. about 5 min
• Christmas Without Mommy Bo the Penguin counts the days until Christmas, but this year the celebration has to happen without his mom. about 5 min
• The Magical Sleigh Ride Harper hears about dwarves living deep in the snowy forest, and a quiet evening by the fire turns into a magical winter night. about 6 min
• Perry’s First Christmas Perry the Raccoon hides from the festive mood every winter, until the other animals invite him to his first Christmas. about 7 min
• Leo the Cat and the Bright Star Grandpa Benjamin tells how a bright star once guided his family through a snowstorm. Leo listens and wants to do something good himself. about 9 min
• Leo the Cat Celebrates Christmas Snowflakes at the window and a busy house: Leo the Cat decorates the Christmas tree all by himself while the family is away. about 14 min
• Who Gives Presents to Santa Claus? The wish lists are almost done when the elves have an idea for Santa Claus himself. about 7 min

Winter Stories with Snow and Ice

• The Story of the Tired Moon Every night the moon lights up the sky with the stars. But what happens when the ever-watchful moon gets tired? about 4 min
• The Early Onset of Winter A snowflake on the nose wakes Timmy the squirrel, but none of his forest friends believe that winter is already here. about 6 min
• Leo the Cat Builds a Birdhouse The holidays are over and the house is quiet, so Leo the Cat finally builds the birdhouse he has dreamed of for ages. about 8 min
• The Three Forest Musicians Bruce the Bear, Matthew the Raccoon and Brian the Hedgehog follow a beautiful melody to a small, brightly lit cabin. about 8 min
• The Winter Supply Thief The animals gather supplies for the winter together, but every night the pile gets smaller. Who is the thief? about 7 min
• Inspector Winston and the Mystery in the Attic Strange noises echo through Mrs. Robertson’s attic, and Winston the Dachshund is ready to crack the case. about 12 min
• The Mouse and the Winter Hideaway On a misty morning a little mouse looks for a dry place for her winter supplies. The best cave is already taken. about 5 min

And when the year comes to an end: Inspector Winston and the New Year’s Eve Party (about 12 min) is the story for the last evening of the year.

Our Christmas Characters

Many of our Christmas stories feature characters children already know from other bedtime stories: Leo the Cat gets up to mischief in four Christmas stories, Inspector Winston solves three winter cases, Betty the Carrier Pigeon flies through snow and storm, and Tobbin the Christmas Elf stays with one family through the whole of Advent.

How Reading Aloud Becomes a Christmas Ritual

The Right Length and the Right Age

For toddlers from age 2, the short Christmas stories of two to five minutes work best: few characters, a clear sequence of events, a calm ending. From about age 4, six to nine minutes are fine. From age 7, children happily follow the long adventures with Inspector Winston. When in doubt, read a short story to the end rather than cutting a long one short.

One Story Every Evening: An Advent Calendar to Read Aloud

With more than 20 stories you can fill the whole of Advent: one story every evening, like an Advent calendar made of stories. The short ones fit the first days of December, the St. Nicholas stories belong around December 6, and the long adventures are perfect for the holidays.

For Preschool, Kindergarten and Elementary School

In circle time or the daily story session, the stories of four to six minutes work best: short enough for a whole group, long enough for a chat afterwards. Questions like “What could Leo have done differently?” or “Who would you give a present to?” draw the children into the story. Every story can be printed with the print function of your browser, for private use, your classroom or your group.

At Bedtime

As a Christmas bedtime story, the calm tales work best: “The Story of the Tired Moon”, “Ellie and Owen Dream of Santa Claus” or “The Little Christmas Tree”. Dim the light, read the last sentences a little slower and let the story fade out without questions. You will find more calm stories among our short bedtime stories.

Frequently Asked Questions about Christmas Stories for Kids

More Collections

Before Christmas comes fall: our fall stories for kids are perfect for the lantern season. All year round you will find our short bedtime stories, the bedtime stories for kids and, for grown-ups, the bedtime stories for adults.

All bedtime stories

Who Writes the Christmas Stories?