Key takeaways
- The Nutcracker, Where Is Santa’s Reindeer? and The Little Match Girl all have parts for family members.
- Grandparents can join the story with their own face, as Santa or the godfather with the gift.
- The book is digital and usually ready in a few minutes, so it can still be made on Christmas Eve.
- No photo of the child? A gift card can be emailed on Christmas morning.
Most children get more presents at Christmas than they can remember by New Year. The ones that last are the ones that are about them. A story book in which the child is the hero, drawn with their own face on every page, is one of those, and because it is made from a photo and a story you choose, it works for nearly everyone on your list: your own children, grandchildren, a new big brother, a godchild you see twice a year.
All our Christmas stories in one place
The festive tales, how each one works as a gift and the questions parents ask are on our personalised Christmas books page.
The Christmas tales to choose from
The Nutcracker starts on Christmas Eve with a gift under the tree that wakes up at midnight. The godfather who brings it can be played by a grandfather, an uncle or a dad, and the Nutcracker prince by a brother, sister, cousin or friend. Where Is Santa’s Reindeer? gives a small child a job to do: follow the hoofprints through the snow and find the missing reindeer, with a grandfather, dad or uncle as Santa. The Little Match Girl is a gentle winter tale with a warm ending, and a grandmother, aunt or mum can play the grandmother in the light.
The Nutcracker
A gift under the tree that wakes up at midnight
Make this book with your child →
Where Is Santa’s Reindeer?
A trail of hoofprints through Christmas snow
Make this book with your child →
The Night Before Christmas
Eight tiny reindeer and a clatter on the roof
Make this book with your child →
The Snow Queen
One frozen heart, one brave friend, one warm tear
Make this book with your child →
A Christmas Carol
Three spirits, one grumpy heart, one merry Christmas
Make this book with your child →
The Elves and the Shoemaker
Tiny stitches by candlelight, one Christmas thank-you
Make this book with your child →
Saint Nicholas and the Secret Gifts
Moonlit streets, a purse of gold, a secret kept
Make this book with your child →
The Gingerbread Man
Run, run, as fast as you can, all the way home
Make this book with your child →
The Little Match Girl
Tiny flames, big wishes, warm hearts
Make this book with your child →New festive tales join the Christmas collection as they are ready, so it is worth another look even if you have seen it before.
Who to give one to
Your own children
Pick the tale they already love, or the one that matches this year’s obsession, and read it together on Christmas Eve. Two children can share the hero’s role in one book, so siblings close in age do not have to take turns.
Grandchildren
This is where the Christmas tales shine. A grandparent can step into the story with their own face: as Santa, as the godfather with the gift, or as the grandmother in the light. Ask a parent for a clear photo of the child, add one of yourself, and the present is a book you are in too. More tales with a part for grandparents: stories for grandfathers and stories for grandmothers.
A new big brother or sister
The first Christmas with a baby in the house is a big one for an older child. Make them the hero and give the baby a part, so the story tells them where they stand. Our books for siblings page lists every tale with a part for a brother or sister.
Nieces, nephews and godchildren
You need a photo of the child, and asking for one can give the game away. A gift card gets round that: the family chooses the story and the photo themselves, and you choose the day the card arrives.
Family who live far away
The book is digital, so there is nothing to post and nothing to wait for: send the link on Christmas morning. The story can be written in English, German, French, Spanish, Italian, Dutch, Swedish, Danish, Norwegian or Turkish, whichever language the child reads at home.
Giving it on time
Once you have chosen the story and added a photo, the book is usually ready in a few minutes, so it is one present you can still make on Christmas Eve. It is read on screen. You can also download it as a PDF. And it can be read aloud, so the youngest can listen while they turn the pages. A finished book can even become a short film of the whole story, read aloud page by page with music.
Or give a gift card
Choose a credit pack, write a note and pick when it is emailed: straight away, or on a day you choose up to a year ahead, so it can arrive on Christmas morning. The card is valid for a year, and the family uses it to make a book of their own.
Small touches that make it feel like a present
- Read it together for the first time on Christmas Eve, at bedtime.
- Write the link inside a Christmas card, with a line from the story.
- Use a clear, recent photo: window light, no hat over the eyes. The photo guide has more tips.
To compare the festive tales in more detail, read which Christmas story to choose and our Christmas storybook ideas. Giving as a grandparent? See books from grandparents.
Frequently asked questions
What is a good personalised Christmas present for a child?
A story book in which they are the hero, drawn from their own photo. The Nutcracker and Where Is Santa’s Reindeer? are written for Christmas, and other family members can play parts in them.
Is it too late to make one for Christmas?
No. The book is digital and is usually ready a few minutes after you start, so it can be made on Christmas Eve.
Can grandparents be in the Christmas book?
Yes. A grandfather can play Santa or the godfather who brings the Nutcracker, and a grandmother can play the grandmother in The Little Match Girl, each drawn with their own face.
What if I don't have a photo of the child?
Give a gift card. You choose a credit pack, add a note and the day it should arrive, and the family makes the book with the photo they like best.
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