"The Polar Express" is a children's book by Chris Van Allsburg. It's about a little boy who is listening for Santa on Christmas Eve, because his friend has said that Santa doesn't exist. He hears a train outside and gets taken on a journey to the North Pole where he meets Santa. This book touches on the wonder of Christmas and the restoration of a child's faith in Santa.
"'Twas the Night Before Christmas" was originally published in 1822 under the name A Visit from St. Nicholas. Clement Clarke Moore wrote it in poem form, but it is often presented in a picture book. This story was the first to mention Santa, or St. Nick, as delivering presents on a reindeer-drawn sleigh, so it has actually shaped the way we see Santa today.
"The Snowman" is a picture book by Raymond Briggs. It tells us the story of a young boy who wakes to find it has snowed, and rushes outside to make a snowman. When he goes to bed that night, the snowman comes alive. The boy's new friend flies him on a magical adventure, where he meets Santa and goes to a snowman's ball. The only problem is that there may be tears when the snowman melts at the end.
Although Charles Dickens' classic, "A Christmas Carol," was not written as a children's book, there are several abridged picture book versions that might be more suitable. The tale has also been reworked for children in more than one movie version. This is the well-known story of Mr. Scrooge, a miser who hates Christmas. However, on Christmas Eve, three spirits visit him and convince him to change his ways before it's too late.