"When the weather gets colder and the holidays are upon us, there is something extra special about staying indoors with your family and creating festive memories together. What makes the holiday season so magical is the uniqueness of how every family chooses to celebrate and the traditions we carry on. Not only does every family put their own spin on the holidays, but cultures around the world also celebrate in a variety of extraordinary ways. The holidays are a wonderful time to (re)introduce the beauty of diversity through the lens of festive holiday traditions around the world. It is never too early to expose our children to diverse perspectives and cultures. Reading to our children opens up a whole new world beyond their wildest dreams.
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In most Latin American countries, Christmas Eve, otherwise known as Nochebuena, is the culmination of the holiday season as Latinx families prepare for the birth of Jesus at midnight on December 24. Latin American families gather on Nochebuena for a jolly celebration filled with delicious cuisine, lively Latinx music and dancing, and Christmas love and joy infused throughout the day and night. Many families attend midnight mass on Nochebuena to honor the birth of baby Jesus.
In Mexican culture, we celebrate Nochebuena by spending the day and night with family and friends while often gathering around the kitchen to prepare yummy tamales. We then might sing throughout the neighborhood for the annual Posadas processionâthe re-enactment of Mary and Joseph looking for an inn before baby Jesus is born, which ends in the breaking of a traditional star piñata. The festivities continue well into the night, with a late dinner filled with Christmas music and festive dancing. Many Latin American countries have similar celebrations on Nochebuena with unique details to honor the birth of baby Jesus.
As you diversify your library of holiday books, I invite you to learn about these Christmas Latin American traditions by reading some of our favorite Spanish-bilingual Christmas books for kids. Little ones can read in Spanish and English, and in the process, perhaps you can add a new tradition from Latin American Christmas celebrations! Feliz Navidad!
Our Favorite Spanish Bilingual Christmas Books for Kids
This vibrant Latino twist on the traditional Christmas story of âThe 12 Days of Christmasâ incorporates exquisitely festive Latinx images throughout the countdown to Christmas. There are, for example, piñatas instead of partridges, and it includes tamalitos (corn dough filled with meat, chicken, beans, etc. wrapped in corn husks) and lunitas cantando (singing moons). This lyrical story follows a little girl as she receives magical gifts from a secret amiga. Discover the grand surprise of who the giver of gifts is at the very end. An added bonus included is a glossary and the phonetic pronunciation of the Spanish words throughout the 12 days of Christmas.
Join Rosita on Nochebuena (Christmas Eve) as she goes through the alphabet, reading Christmas words in both English and Spanish. This A-Z Christmas journey will get your little ones learning Spanish and celebrating the many jolly Christmas traditions along the way!
You are invited to a festive Nochebuena celebration as a family hosts this special Latino Christmas tradition. Get into the holiday spirit by making tamales, singing jolly canciones (songs), and savoring delicious champurrado (hot chocolate) while you laugh and feel loved in preparation for the midnight feast honoring the birth of baby Jesus. The festivities continue as everyone enjoys a Feliz Navidad (Merry Christmas)!
Learn about this traditional Latino celebration originating in Spain and now celebrated throughout Latin America and the United States. In descriptive language in both English and Spanish, the significance of Las Posadas is explained as the nine nights before Christmas when Mary and Joseph were in search of an inn (una posada) in preparation for the birth of their son.
Every year, this biblical story is re-enacted with family, friends, and the entire neighborhood as you walk by every nearby house, sing merry tunes, and ask for a kind neighbor to give you a safe place to stay at night. Colorful adornments, piñatas, luminaries, and mouth-watering food make this a truly Feliz Navidad!
From the prolific Latina authors and owners of Lilâ Libros comes another precious bilingual board book introducing the colors to little ones in both English and Spanish. Follow The Three Wise Men as they are guided by las estrellas (the stars) to find baby Jesus and give him gifts of gold, frankincense, and myrrh.
Join Ana and her vibrant family as they partake in their annual tamale-making festivities for Christmas. While Ana feels in the shadow of her older sister as they each take on specific responsibilities to make this essential part of their Christmas menu, she has big ambitions to one day create her own famous tamales that are treasured worldwide. Many Latino families cherish the significance of homemade tamales, and this Spanish-bilingual Christmas story is an enchanting introduction to the unique intricacies of the tradition.
This is a festive collection of five award-winning bilingual stories chosen from the First Christmas Stories Contest for their extraordinary creative writing and uplifting holiday themes. The writers are from a variety of Latin American countries (Puerto Rico, Venezuela, Cuba, Ecuador, and Guatemala), all celebrating the magic of Navidad (Christmas).
Spend time with Llama Llama as he spreads Christmas cheer to all of his friends by helping them decorate their trees, bake treats, and display wreaths. Each sequence of the story contains translations in both English and Spanish, so itâs very easy to follow along. If your little one hasnât seen the Llama Llama series on Netflix yet, this is a lovely introduction to this lovable llamaâs friendly and good-humored personality.
A story that brings together the fanfare of Bluey and the invitation to learn a new language is definitely a win-win. Like most kiddos, Bluey, Bingo, and Muffin are dying to know what presents theyâre going to receive for Christmas. After being told there will be no peeking, they channel their resourcefulness into a fun Veranda Santa game to discover what Mr. Claus might have in store for them. Be preparedâthereâs a good chance that a round of Veranda Santa in your household is soon to follow!
A merry little storybook filled with all the uplifting Christmas vocabulary that your little one could possibly need this holiday season. Early readers will love exploring the Spanish and English translations of their favorite features of Christmas and being able to share what theyâve learned with family and friends during your next holiday gatherings.
You canât go wrong by sharing the delight of Curious George and the man with the yellow hat with your little cutie. In this case, Curious Georgeâs Christmas adventure takes him to a childrenâs hospital, where he is able to use his kindness and silliness to help kids feel better. Besides celebrating compassion around the holidays, this story is a useful bilingual teaching tool for toddlers and little kids, as the storyline is a bit more detailed with expressive vocabulary.
Christmas caroling doesnât have to be the only way you can inspire memorable singalongs this Christmas with your child. This Canticos series board book is an interactive songbook that brings all the warm and fuzzy feelings of this special holiday to life. Share in the excitement together by singing about all things Christmas and wintertime, and turn familiar tunes into a bilingual achievement.
This charming rhyming story alternating between Spanish and English encourages littles to nurture the sentimental parts of Christmas, like family traditions and quality time together, not simply the hype of opening presents. Theyâll definitely be able to relate to Susy Preciosaâs deep-hearted eagerness for her Christmas wishes on her list for Santa Claus to come true. Whatâs special is that she hopes for something above all else that is far more valuable than something store-bought.
As heâs trying to fall asleep on Christmas Eve, Little Hoo is trying to figure out where all of the curious noises he hears are coming from. Is it the Christmas elves? Santa delivering gifts? This is the perfect story to share with your child at bedtime, especially on the evenings closest to Christmas when their excitement is growing sky-high. Plus, itâs short and sweet, which creates key moments to grasp new holiday vocabulary words in English or Spanish.
This bright and festive seek-and-find book is full of magical entertainment. Each page contains a Christmas-themed collage with a handful of hidden items to be found. Whatâs helpful is that each collage is organized around different elements of Christmasâornaments, colors, shapes, crafts, decorations, and the like. Itâs a wonderful opportunity to practice Christmas vocabulary in Spanish and English and sharpen observation skills, especially for visual learners.
An adorable picture book that makes for a storytime filled with love. Littles can learn to say âI love youâ in both English and Spanish while encountering pages offering plenty of expressions of affection and holiday spirit. If you appreciate everyday moments of reminding your little bundle of joy just how much you love themâat Christmastime and beyondâthis is the story for you both.
The only thing better than getting to meet Santa very well could be the chance to be Santa. This playful story encourages children to imagine a dreamy opportunity of stepping into Santaâs shoes, following a happy protagonist as he dresses up as Santa Claus to celebrate his first Christmas. It honors the closeness of family and sharing in holiday traditions togetherâincluding the added fun of a pet reindeerâwhile also being a seek and find journey. Meanwhile, it offers lots of useful practice of expressing positive sentiments in Spanish and English.
