Have you ever had trouble trying to find the right holiday story to read with your family?  Well no need to worry, we’ve got you covered. We have prepared six essential Christmas stories for the holiday season. The first story is ‘The Nutcracker and the Mouse King’ by E.T.A. Hoffman. This is a tale of a girl who saves her magical nutcracker from a mouse king and is then taken to a land of sweets by the nutcracker who then turns into a prince. Hoffman’s story eventually leads to a battle to determine if they will get their happily ever after. The second story is ‘A Visit From St. Nicholas’ or more well known as ‘Twas The Night Before Christmas’. The famous poem was published anonymously in 1823. The story is about how Santa Claus travels on Christmas Eve riding his sleigh and gives good children gifts. The third story is ‘The Best Christmas Pageant Ever’ written by Barbara Robinson in 1971. The story is about six unruly children who turn the church Christmas pageant upside down. The fourth story is ‘How the Grinch Stole Christmas’ by Dr. Seuss. The story is a children's book written in rhymed verses with illustrations. The grinch is a grouchy creature that attempts to put an end to Christmas by stealing Christmas decorations from the homes of the nearby town Whoville. The fifth story is ‘A Christmas Carol’ by Charles Dickens. The story is about an old man who is known for his miserly ways. On Christmas Eve, the old Scrooge is visited by a series of ghosts. Last but not least ‘The Gift of the Magi’ by O. Henry in 1905. The short story is about a young married couple and how they deal with the challenge of buying secret Christmas gifts for each other, since they have very little money.