Holiday Story Time Has Never Been So Exciting
“Just one more sleep.” It’s one of the most challenging negotiations a parent has to make – trying to convince an excited kid to go to sleep before the big holiday finally arrives. But that small moment encapsulates what we love about the holidays: the anticipation, the joy and the cherished time spent together!
Each family celebrates differently, with a mix of the old traditions, passed down through the generations, and the new rituals we forge with our family. After you’ve lit the menorah, passed the Kikombe cha Umoja or perched a gold star atop the Christmas tree, start a new, festive story time tradition this year by listening to great audiobooks on Audible.ca. Or, if you’re enjoying the holiday celebrations around a backyard firepit this year, check out our list of campfire listens for the entire family. Here are a few suggestions from our library!
For a New Take on a Holiday Classic, Join Meredith Rusu and the Disney Book Group
The Nutcracker and the Four Realms: The Secret of the Realms
Based on the classic Tchaikovsky ballet and expanding on the hit Disney movie The Nutcracker and the Four Realms, this breathtaking audiobook takes listeners on a grand adventure through a magical fantasy world.
Young Clara Stahlbaum is left scratching her head when she receives a mysterious egg-shaped box for the holidays, a gift from her late mother. As she searches for answers, Clara stumbles upon a magical world full of colourful characters and funny new friends. But, when she learns that this magical world is in danger, she must spend her holidays helping to protect it.
Get the Bah Humbugs Out of Your System with Charles Dickens and Tim Curry
A Christmas Carol: A Signature Performance by Tim Curry
The Dickens’ family classic is, in many ways, the quintessential holiday story. It shows how one gruff curmudgeon, Ebenezer Scrooge, is able to move past his own greed and reclusiveness to share in the community, humanity and generosity of the season.
In this audio experience, exclusively on Audible.ca, actor Tim Curry lends his rich, expressive English accent to the tale. Parents (and grandparents) might immediately recognize Curry’s voice from a certain midnight picture show. Here, he brings the same deliciously dark campiness to the performance that will be sure to entertain all family members.
Join the Heffley Family Holidays in this Diary of a Wimpy Kid Tale from Jeff Kinney
The Getaway
Kids love Diary of a Wimpy Kid and kids love the winter holidays. Add the two together and you have a winning combination!
In The Getaway, the Heffley family attempts to escape the stress of the holidays at home by travelling to the luxurious island of Isla de Corales. Now they can really relax, right?
If you’re familiar with the series, you probably have a good sense of what happens next. Not everything goes as planned for the Heffley family…
Greg (the titular Wimpy Kid) gets spooked by an iguana, scared by a tarantula and accidentally eats a seahorse. To make matters worse, his family gets entangled in a jellyfish-related scandal and is caught stealing another family’s clothes! You’ll have to listen to find out how what happens next and if they land in paradise jail.
It’s a Wandering Traveller vs. a Group of Goblins in This Hanukkah Tale from Eric Kimmel
Hershel and the Hanukkah Goblins
Herschel Ostropol, a weary wanderer, makes his way through a small village on the first night of Hanukkah. Where Herschel was expecting festivities and plenty of latkes, he finds the opposite: Nothing! The townspeople are scared to leave their homes and celebrate.
As it turns out, a group of goblins have taken over the synagogue, forbidding any Hanukkah festivities! Using his wit and bravery Herschel sets out to help. Each of the eight nights of Hannukah, he must enter the besieged synagogue, light each candle on the menorah – and live to tell about it.
Ultimately, Eric Kimmel’s Hershel and the Hanukkah Goblins is about courage – the courage to keep the light alive, even in the face of darkness and confusion. Its themes are rooted in Jewish folklore and tradition, but its message and lively story can be enjoyed by kids of all backgrounds.
If goblins, ghouls and monsters are what your little listeners crave , you can also check out the list of semi-scary kids stories we put together at Halloween.
Mischief and Masa Mix in This Holiday Tale from Gary Soto
Too Many Tamales
Maria looks up to her mother. She likes the way she looks, the way she acts and – of course – the way she makes tamales. It’s a joy for Maria to help her mom make tamales for the big, Christmas family gathering.
When Maria’s mother steps out of the room for a few minutes, Maria tries on her wedding ring. How glamourous! Later, Maria realizes that the ring is missing. Gulp! It must be in the tamales!
Too Many Tamales is a delicious story about one Hispanic family’s Christmas celebrations. It also teaches a valuable lesson about fessing up when you’ve done something wrong. Clocking in at 11 minutes, it’s a perfectly pint-sized holiday story to share with your young niños.
Togetherness at the Tip of Your Fingers
Finding the perfect holiday story for your family has never been easier. With Audible, there’s no trip to the store required, no rifling through the bookshelf needed and no waiting for a package to arrive by mail. Simply click and browse our library of fantastic kids audiobooks, choose your favourite and gather the family for some quality together time.
And now is the perfect time to give someone the gift of an Audible membership. For a limited time, new members can enjoy any two free titles with their first 30 days!
To join the conversation, share your favourite family listening moments with us on Facebook. We’re always delighted to hear about new and old story time traditions. And if you have a favourite holiday story that’s not on this list, let us know!
