30+ Christmas Audiobooks You Will Not Want to Pause

There’s nothing I love more during the holidays than a festive Christmas audiobook. I’ve gathered my very favorite listens for adults, kids, and the whole family to enjoy together. Pop in your email address below and I’ll send the printable list right to your inbox!

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I love a Christmas audiobook listen – it’s the perfect accompaniment to a family drive or a Christmas jigsaw puzzle (my favorites here)!

If you need some good Christmas audiobooks for the holiday season, here are some of my favorites!

30+ Christmas Audiobooks You Will Binge This Holiday Season

The Best Christmas Pageant Ever by Barbara Robinson
I LOVED reading this one with my girls – they got a huge kick out of the Herdman siblings, dubbed “the worst kids in the history of the world” who show up at church because of the free snacks and somehow take over the whole Christmas pageant. This one is a nice short read, so if you’re looking for something that won’t overwhelm a young reader, this is a good pick.

The Most Wonderful Crime of the Year by Ally Carter
This was THE best Christmas book I read last year (I also loved another of her books, The Blonde Identity). Maggie and Ethan are both mystery writers and happen to dislike each other deeply. They both get an invitation to spend Christmas with Eleanor Ashley, a massively popular mystery writer. She ends up going missing and the two of them are put to the task to figure out what happened. This one had such great banter!

Christmas with the Queen by Hazel Gaynor and Heather Webb
I loved their book Last Christmas in Paris and I’m so thrilled they have a new Christmas historical fiction title out. I’ve even included this one as my December book for the 2025 Everyday Reading Book Club. This story set in 1952 where young Queen Elizabeth II finds herself as the new monarch and is preparing for her radio broadcast on Christmas Day as postwar Britain changes around her.

The Holiday Stand In by Kourtney Keisel
This book was just pure holiday romance fun. Summer loves Christmas and all the festivities surrounding it, but her boyfriend is too busy at work to come to the many holiday events her family has planned. Desperate to prove to her parents and family that she and Justin are a great match, she agrees to take Justin’s twin brother to holiday events in place of Justin. You don’t have to be a genius to figure out what’s going to happen in this book, but it is just a delight to watch it play out. This one has no language and no spicy scenes.

Christmasaurus series by Tom Fletcher
You might be familiar with his “Who’s In Your Book?” children’s book series, but this chapter book series is a holiday listen you won’t want to miss! It’s a magical Christmas adventure where Santa accidentally delivers a real dinosaur to a boy…you can guess it’s a lot of fun and maybe just a little bit of trouble.

Winterfrost by Michelle Houts
This was our Christmas read aloud a few years ago. I got both a paper copy and an audiobook copy so that we could listen as we ran holiday errands or worked on puzzles together (plus, it can be hard to get through a Christmas book during December when we’re gone so many nights for festive events!).

The Girl Who Saved Christmas by Matt Haig
This was a fun holiday listen for our family. It follows Amelia Wishart who was the first child ever to receive a Christmas present, thanks to her Christmas spirit. But that Christmas spirit is draining away since she’s stuck in the workhouse while her mother is ill and without it, magic levels at the North Pole are becoming dangerously low. This one is a follow-up to A Boy Named Christmas (which I haven’t read yet), but you don’t need to have read it to enjoy The Girl Who Saved Christmas.

The Christmas Pig by JK Rowling
This was my London souvenir to myself in 2021 when we visited – I bought it at one of my favorite bookstores in central London and the girls and I jumped into this Christmas read aloud right away and loved it.  Jack loves his beloved stuffed pig, DP, and when DP is lost, he’ll do whatever it takes to get him back, including going to the Land of the Lost, which can only happen for a human boy on Christmas Eve. We all loved it (although keep in mind that this is the author of Harry Potter and she’s not afraid of some dark and scary elements).

Royal Holiday by Jasmine Guillory
When I asked for suggestions for Christmas romances a few yeas ago, this one got mentioned a LOT and I thoroughly enjoyed this holiday story about Vivian who tags along with her daughter on a work trip to England and, naturally, finds herself falling for a charming British man who works for the queen. There is one brief open door scene, so heads up on that if you want to skip it. 

How My Neighbor Stole Christmas by Meghan Quinn
I’ve been seeing this one all over BookTok, and it’s easy to see why. This spicy enemies-to-lovers holiday romance, full of fake-dating, stolen kisses, and festive chaos, sounds like a completely binge-worthy Christmas listen. This is an Audible Original audiobook and a part of the Audible Plus Catalog.

One Big Happy Family by Susan Mallery
It’s the one year Julie Parker doesn’t want her kids to come home for Christmas (mainly because she is hoping to spend it with her secret boyfriend). But when her kids and their extended families show up anyway, her plans go from cozy to chaotic in all the best ways.

The Autobiography of Santa Claus by Jeff Guinn
This would be a great one to listen to with the entire family! Join Santa on a magical journey through 17 centuries of holiday history, as he shares the enchanting story of his life, Mrs. Claus, and the spirit of giving across the world.

Skipping Christmas by John Grisham
There hasn’t been a John Grisham book I haven’t enjoyed. And in this one, when Luther and Nora Krank try to skip Christmas entirely, they quickly discover that dodging holiday traditions is much harder (and far funnier) than they ever imagined.

Jacob T. Marley by William Bennett
If you love A Christmas Carol, you won’t want to miss this fascinating take on Jacob Marley, diving into his ghostly return and the untold story of regret, redemption, and the events that shaped Scrooge’s fate.

The Afterlife of Holly Chase by Cynthia Hand
I absolutely loved My Lady Jane, and this holiday book was right up my alley. This YA book is about a teenage girl who was visited by three ghosts – think Christmas Carol – to try and convince her to change her ways. She doesn’t, she dies, and this is the story of her afterlife working at a top secret company called Project Scrooge. It is full of great humor and wit!

One Foggy Christmas by Kortney Keisel
I read this in a day – it reminded me a little of one of my all-time favorite books, What Alice Forgot. Sadie wakes up after a ski accident with no memory of the last 3+ years including her husband. In her mind, she’s still dating her high school boyfriend and can’t imagine why they broke up and how she ended up married to some guy she doesn’t even know. Nash is devastated but spends the Christmas season trying to help her remember their romance. This one has some heavier themes that lent some substance to it while still being funny and swoony (no language and no spicy scenes).

Everyone This Christmas Has a Secret by Benjamin Stevenson
If you love a Christmas-themed mystery, this one sounds completely addictive! Ernest Cunningham hopes for a quiet holiday, but instead he’s backstage at a world-famous magician’s show, untangling a murder among master tricksters. This one is full of baffling clues, misdirection at every turn, and even an advent calendar!

The Christmas Star by Kate Forster
Julia Devine’s Christmas plans go completely sideways when a tiny white lie about dating a movie star lands her a perfectly imperfect stand-in. From the synopsis alone, it sounds like a fluffy, fake-relationship holiday treat that’s exactly the kind of Christmas listen I’d be into!

Once Upon a Christmas Carol by Melody Carlson
I love a story about someone who thinks they’re done with Christmas only to have the holiday completely upend their plans. Carol Langstrom’s misadventures from a Bahamas escape to a snowy Michigan farm is a cozy, heartwarming story about family, love, and discovering Christmas where you least expect it.

The Lion the Witch and the Wardrobe by C.S. Lewis
During World War II, four siblings are sent to the countryside of London where they are to be kept safe from the war. One of the children finds a wardrobe that has the ability to transport them to a completely different world called Narnia. This one is full of excitement and adventure and has has the wintery whimsy perfect for Christmas.

In a Holidaze by Christina Lauren
I read this fun Christmas romance from Book of the Month Club and like most of Christina Lauren’s books, it’s funny and a little bit predictable. In this one, Maelyn Jones is not feeling very merry – she has a lousy job, lives with her parents, and now has just found out that the mountain cabin where her family spends every holiday with two other family friends is being sold. And then . . . Groundhog Day begins where she starts living the same day over and over. If you like Sophie Kinsella books, this is along the same lines (although not quite as funny).

Once Upon a Wardrobe by Patti Callahan
With the perfect mix of fantasy and history, this novel shares a look at the life of C.S. Lewis (the man behind The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe), all while following an amazing bond between a sister and her brother.

Winter Street Series by Elin Hildebrand
A family Christmas gathering at Kelley Quinn’s Nantucket inn is thrown into turmoil by his four adult children’s personal dramas and the discovery of his second wife’s infidelity. This book ends with a major cliffhanger, but don’t worry, the second book, Winter Stroll will fill in all the pieces!

Letters from Father Christmas by J.R.R Tolkien
I’m already enchanted by this one! How magical would it be to get a letter from Father Christmas himself? J.R.R. Tolkien’s whimsical holiday letters to his children come to life in this collection, filled with mischievous adventures, accident-prone polar bears, and the audio is accompanied by specially arranged holiday music. Such a fun listen for Tolkien fans and the whole family!

A Boy Called Christmas by Matt Haig
This one would be great for the whole family to listen to together. It has a Roald Dahl kind of feel to me, although not QUITE as outrageous as he is. And, you can make it even more fun by watching the movie afterward.

Holiday Romance by Catherine Walsh
While it took me a bit to get through, I enjoyed it almost from page one. Molly and Andrew have been friends for a decade, always taking the same flight home to Ireland for Christmas. But this year, a storm cancels their flight and it looks like they’ll be missing Christmas at home. Molly would be fine to skip Christmas but Andrew and his family are ALL IN on Christmas and so Molly is determined to make sure he doesn’t miss spending the holiday with his family and she’s going to get him home to Ireland, no matter what it takes. This one is about par with Emily Henry’s books when it comes to steaminess.

Snowed In by Catherine Walsh
Megan and Christian are both in need of a fake relationship for the holidays. Megan is tired of the drama that comes after leaving her fiancé at the altar and is STILL single. And Christian is tired of his family thinking he needs to have a partner to be happy, because they all do. After running into each other at a pub, they decide to pose as a couple and endure all the family gatherings. Things are about to get messy in this holiday romcom.

Lovelight Farms by B.K. Borison
When Stella enters a contest to win a huge cash prize to save her Christmas tree farm, she lies on the contest application claiming to own it with her boyfriend, but there is one BIG problem…there is no boyfriend. So, when her best friend Luka comes home for the winter, he gets a little bit more than some instant hot cocoa, he gets an instant girlfriend!

The Christmas Train by David Baldacci
This one is a Hallmark Original movie, so a perfect one to read and then watch. Broke journalist Tom Langdon encounters a ridiculous cast of characters and an unexpected romance on a train ride to Los Angeles. But when an avalanche traps the train in a historic blizzard, everyone’s Christmas plans will be changed.

Once Upon a December by Amy E. Reichert
I will admit this one was kind of silly, it is about a Christmas-loving divorcée falling for a man trapped in a time loop that only exists in December. But, by the end I was really invested!

The Holiday Swap by Maggie Knox
I’ve never actually seen a Hallmark Christmas movie (I know, I know!) but all the reviews tell me that this is the book equivalent. If you’re looking for something deep, this isn’t it, but if you want a fun, fluffy holiday romance, this one gives you two for the price of one, since it features identical twins swapping places over the holidays and, naturally, both finding love in the other’s life. I read this one last December and it was a perfect light-hearted holiday escape.

Dash and Lily’s Book of Dares by Rachel Cohn and David Levithan
This one has been adapted into a charming Netflix series about two 16 year olds, Dash and Lily, embarking on a wintery scavenger hunt at Christmastime in New York. Neither of them know what, or who, they will find along the way.

Later on We’ll Conspire by Kortney Keisel
Spies, Christmas, and sizzling chemistry?…this holiday spy romance has it all! When CIA operative, Park Bradshaw, receives his next mission – recovering a microchip with sensitive information – he didn’t realize how complicated it would get when he runs into Lacee Warren. As she gets entangled in his mission, Park’s feelings for Lacee become more of a distraction. Will this spy be able to complete his mission without breaking hearts along the way?

A Christmas Carol performed by Tim Curry by Charles Dickens
I love A Christmas Carol and I particularly love this narrated version. It is such a fun way to cozy up during the Christmas season and it’s only about three hours long, so it’s not a big time commitment. 

12 Dates of Christmas by Jenny Bayliss
In this funny and hilarious twist on the 12 days of Christmas, Kate Turner is ready to give up on love. But, when her best friend convinces her to join a dating app, Kate is skeptical, but promises to give it a try. The objective: Attend twelve dates in twelve different locations, matched with twelve different men, between the 1st and 23rd of December. What could go wrong?

The Paper Bag Christmas by Kevin Alan Milne
If you’re looking for a Christmas story about giving and reason for the season, this one is so moving. Two brothers volunteer at a children’s hospital for the holidays and discover that the real magic of Christmas comes from compassion and connection – especially through one brave little girl who helps them see the season in a whole new way.

Christmas Chronicles podcast by BYU Radio
If you’ve ever wondered how Santa really delivers all those toys in one night, this podcast has the answer…sort of. Blending history, humor, and holiday storytelling – this one has me genuinely intrigued. It’s the kind of Christmas podcast that makes you see Santa in a whole new, wonderfully clever light.

Merry Ex-mas by Courtney Walsh
Eight years after leaving home, Marin returns for a Christmas TV gig, only to find her ex-boyfriend staying with her mom and suddenly popping up in all her on-air moments. Their fake flirting is wildly charming (and honestly, I was fully invested), and it makes for one of those delightfully festive listens that had me grinning the whole time.

A Quilt for Christmas by Sandra Dallas
This Civil War–era story follows Eliza as she keeps her family afloat and stitches a quilt for her husband at the front. It’s exactly the kind of heartfelt historical fiction holiday audiobook I’m drawn to.

Last Christmas in Paris by Hazel Gaynor and Heather Webb
This historical fiction Christmas romance book is set in WWI and is written entirely in letters (a format I don’t normally go for). Evie’s brother and his best friend are headed off to the front, but like most people, they assume the war will be over by Christmas and they have grand plans to spend it together in Paris. Of course, it doesn’t go that way. This is definitely less fluffy than the other ones on this list and I loved every second of it. If you can, I HIGHLY recommend listening to this one – the narration is so good!

The Vanderbeekers of 141st Street by Karina Yan Glaser
If you love family stories and realistic middle grade fiction, this one is for you. The Vanderbeeker family loves their brownstone apartment in New York City. And they’re devastated when, for unknown reasons, their grumpy landlord refuses to renew their lease just before Christmas. The kids are determined to keep their family in their home, no matter what it takes.

A Place to Hang the Moon by Kate Albus
This historical fiction title absolutely charmed me and has been one of my favorite read-alouds in recent years. When three young children lose their grandmother, they’re left orphaned and without a home. Her lawyer suggests they join the groups of children being sent from London to the countryside during the bombings – and simply not mention that they don’t actually have any family. Maybe, just maybe, the family that takes them in will want to keep them forever. It has all the warmth and heart of a classic, a touching Christmas scene, and I definitely shed some tears at the end.

Faking Christmas by Cindy Steele
I blew through this one in a day and it’s a total delight. Olive and Miles are both high school English teachers and she cannot stand him – he’s stolen her title as most popular teacher and makes her work life nearly unbearable. But then, of course, the need for a fake boyfriend comes up and she uses his name to get her mom and sister to back off of setting her up with her ex-boyfriend during the holidays. Which would be fine until the REAL Miles shows up for the holiday celebrations. This one doesn’t go past kissing, so if that’s your speed, this book is perfect (and A+ for witty banter and lots of chemistry!).

The Cinnamon Bear by Eric Gilliland
The Cinnamon Bear is a charming 1930s Christmas radio adventure my siblings and I grew up listening to (on cassette tapes no less!) every December. Twins Judy and Jimmy discover their Christmas tree star is missing and, with the help of a talking stuffed bear, journey through a magical land to retrieve it before Christmas Eve. Audible’s 2021 remake is BETTER than the original. I have an entire blog post about it here.

A Country Farm Christmas by Lily Malone, Penelope Janu, Stella Quinn and Pamela Cook  
This 14-hour audiobook brings together four delightful holiday stories: Bridie racing to save her farm loan while discovering unexpected romance, Juliette finding love while navigating small-town life, Rosie balancing career challenges with a spark of new romance, and Angela experiencing love and healing in Yindi Creek.

The Family Game by Catherine Steadman
This isn’t your cozy holiday listen! If you’re a fan of suspenseful thrillers, this darkly festive story could be right up your alley. Harriet Reed expects a glamorous holiday with her fiancé’s powerful family, but the Holbecks’ seemingly cheerful traditions hide something far more sinister, full of chilling confessions, twisted games, and deadly stakes.

Hercule Poirot’s Silent Night Christmas by Agatha Christie
Even Hercule Poirot (Agatha Christie’s legendary detective) can’t escape a Christmas mystery. Called away from his holiday plans, he must solve the baffling murder of a well-liked hospital patient before more lives are at risk. It’s a holiday whodunit full of twists and suspense!

Shepherds Abiding by Jan Karon
This one is all about Father Tim, who finds unexpected joy and fulfillment when he begins restoring a worn-our nativity scene by hand.

And if you’d like a printable copy of this list of Christmas audiobooks that you can take to your library or screenshot on your phone for easy access, just pop in your email address below and it’ll come right to your inbox!

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