The first go to book each year is Father Christmas by Raymond Briggs. The book is set up like a cartoon but it is nice to look at with a smaller group of kids and ask them to make up the story or just ask them what they can see. You can tell them the story as you follow the cartoon strip like story but there isn't much text.
Don't be put off by the above! It is really a great story and it is really a nice read. The kids love it especially because Father Christmas isn't a big thing here so they don't know what he actually does. This book shows a typical Christmas Eve/Day for Santa and a British look at the holiday.
What I really like about both of these books is the style. It may not be the best kind of book to read in a group/morning circle situation but it is nice to look at in a small group. I also love that the pictures really tell the story and the kids know what is happening even if they don't understand the English. Most books have great illustrations but they don't always tell the story well enough to look at the book without reading. These two books do.
Another plus is that there is a film of both books (joined together into one piece) and the kids love watching them. There is more language in the film and the story is changed around a little to make sure both books are fully shown. If you are lucky you can find a copy of the film which also has The Snowman on it. Another book/film by this author that is one of my favourites to watch with the kids and is from my childhood.
