Christmas Reading Suggestions

Personally I have not yet done themed reading- for example, scary books in October or romance in February, but there does seem to be a lot of it going around the blogosphere and it is a great way to get yourself to read outside your normal genre. So since it is officially December and that means the holidays like Christmas and Hanukkah I figured I'd offer my suggestion for a couple winter-appropriate reads. These are all linked to Christmas, even though I'm Jewish myself, so if anyone knows of any good Hanukkah books be sure to let me know! I know we had a lot of lovely picture books related to the Festival of Lights growing up but I can't recall any of their names offhand.  

1. The Next Queen of Heaven by Gregory Maguire (Novel)
   
   
   First I have to admit that I didn't actually like The Next Queen of Heaven (see my review here), but I'm sure there are plenty of people who will, and for those that might it is a perfect book for the Christmas season. Between Christmas pageants gone awry and a woman getting hit on the head with a statue of Mary, at the very least you'll be glad this isn't your Christmas!
   
   
2. Dash and Lily's Book of Dares by Rachel Cohn and David Levithan (Young Adult)
   
   
   Even the cover of Dash & Lily's Book of Dares gets me in the mood for the holidays. The fantasy like world Cohn and Levithan create is just the kind of Christmas magic that makes December so special and this was definitely one of my favourite young adult books of the year (see my review here). The book takes place in New York and captures all of the sparkle of Christmas-time in a big city, as well as pondering what exactly the Holiday means when you are spending it by yourself like the two main characters.
   
   
3. How The Grinch Stole Christmas by Dr. Seuss (Picture Book)
   
   
   Even though it's a picture book, anything by Dr. Seuss doesn't have an age-limit for loving it. How The Grinch Stole Christmas always gets me in the mood for a warm mug of hot chocolate and some family time. This classic story of Christmas spirit has all the lessons of A Christmas Carol without being written by Dickens. I also love the cartoon film based on the book, and when it starts playing on TV you know you better have started your gift shopping and figure out if you've been naughty or nice.
   
   
4. A Secret Gift by Ted Gup (Non-fiction)
   
   
   Although I haven't quite yet started this book, I already know it's perfect for the holiday season during which I am going to be reading it. A Secret Gift offers a great reminder of how no effort is to small to go unnoticed, and we always have something to give. It's the true story of one man who shared the Christmas spirit during the depression era, and it's certainly a good reminder about what the holidays are supposed to be about; sharing with those less fortunate.

A few honorable mentions I haven't read (maybe next year):
-Wishin' and Hopin' by Wally Lamb 
-Santaland Diaries by David Sedaris

Do you do Holiday themed reading? If so, what books are you planning to pick up this December? Also, does anyone have any novel recommendations for winter holidays other than Christmas?