Christmas Stories and Fairy Tales to Improve English Reading Skills

31.12.2025

8 minutes

Reading
Activities
Tips & Strategies

One grows up, but magic doesn’t disappear. Spirit of Christmas, smell of tangerines and New Year hustle and bustle turn everyone back to childhood memories.

A Pile of Benefits

One more way for that is to read Christmas stories and fairy tales. It’s not just entertainment, at first glance. Such reading has a pile of benefits.

Here are they:

1. Simple language

Christmas stories and fairy tales are usually written for a wide audience, including children and learners. That is why it contains simple sentence structures, clear events and logic, similar vocabulary.

While reading, it’s easy to get to know new words and guess them by context. Their repetitiveness will make for a faster learning process.

It is not a wonder that many adults begin their reading path with fairy tales. They can choose either adapted literature or such stories. So this is a great starting point for developing reading confidence.

2. Vocabulary Practice

Christmas stories contain simple everyday vocabulary that can come in handy for ESL learners. These are words related to family, emotions, weather, celebrations, daily activities, communication, etc.

Readers can spot it in the stories, and then easily implement it into their vocabulary. Why does it happen?

They see a context, so can pick it up, no doubt.
They learn an exact meaning which simplifies the process.
They come across some words all the time until the story is finished. It helps to recall, meet the context over and over and memorise better.

Such words are always light, atmospheric and are great for practicing new words.

3. Cultural awareness

Every single country has its own traditions and customs. This passes from one generation to another. What especially can it be?

Christmas stories introduce the learners to winter traditions, family values, typical holiday customs in different countries.

However, there is still a lot of unknown what might cause culture shock, embarrassment, etc. It’s always captivating to find out more and compare with your country, region.

Understanding this and some culture makes language learning more meaningful.

4. Engagement is On

It’s funny to read such stories, isn’t it? They are always about wishes come true, magic and “good over evil”. Undoubtedly, the ESL learners will be involved. So, what does it give?

Although it’s difficult in the beginning, they make themselves read in bigger chunks. Curiosity gets the better of them.
They tend to remember vocabulary better.
They stay motivated much longer.
Interest equals improvement. Being tired or sad, the learners will grab a book because of the interest. They will crave more. That’s the reason to read, all in all.

5. Natural Reading Skills

Reading skills are not so simple as it might seem. They are much deeper and vital. It helps to develop:

Overall understanding of the text and how paragraphs are written and how the thoughts are expressed.
The learners train how to predict the plot, which develops their imagination.
They learn to guess unknown words from context.
There is understanding of cause & effect.
They learn new vocabulary which can be put into practice.

The more you read, the more competent you become. There happen to appear a word that somebody hasn’t known in their native language, for example. It’s possible to look at the structure of the sentences and learn this manner for speaking and writing.

These are essential skills for all levels.

6. Grammar in the Context

Fairy tales and Christmas stories often repeat grammar patterns. These are past tenses, reported speech, conditionals, descriptive adjectives.

The students can hit upon something for the first time and do not know that it was a sentence with conditionals, for instance.

However, at a later, learning this topic at a grammar lesson, something will ring a bell for them. Subconsciously, they will know it and understand better because they know this structure in practice, not theory.

Reading such stories helps the students to feel the grammar, not just memorise rules.

7. Encouragement to Discussions

Talking about book clubs, speaking sessions, the students can share what they have read. This is not only speaking practice, but time to learn how to express thoughts. Retelling is another great way to practice both skills.

Discussing the characters, comparing the plots, features, authors will help to build fluency and confidence.

8. No Extra Energy is Required

This is not a detective to find out some mystery, a killer, traces of murder or something else. It doesn’t require so much attention, anxiety and energy. These are light stories to understand. They make everyone relax, vice versa.

Sure, if there is a novice, it will be difficult to concentrate (as with everything new to try). That’s OK as it is a part of the process. Being a little bit patient and take this step by step will bring a reader to success.

Recommendations for Different Levels

Nonetheless, adapted literature can be for different levels, too. It’s practical to choose, as nobody will be left alone without books.

Here, as follows, something to choose from.

Beginner (A1-A2)

The Snowman (by Raymond Briggs, wordless picture story that is quite accessible)
The Elves and the Shoemaker (Christmas-themed fairy tale, has many simplified versions)
The Little Match Girl
The Night Before Christmas
Spot’s First Christmas (for absolute beginners)
Santa’s Little Helpers
The Gingerbread Man (Christmas-adjacent, has a simple plot)

This selection is perfect for practicing basic structures, festive vocabulary, and overall reading fluency.

Intermediate (B1-B2)

A Christmas Carol (simplified versions, e.g., Oxford or Penguin graded readers)
The Gift of the Magi
The Polar Express
How Grinch Stole Christmas (prose adaptation)
The Nutcracker (simplified retelling)
The Little Prince

This selection is suitable for vocabulary expansion on a slightly higher level. It has a bit more tangled plot and develops understanding for intermediate level.

Upper-Intermediate (B2+)

A Christmas Carol (original Charles Dickens version)
The Gift of the Magi (original by O. Henry)
Other O. Henry Christmas Stories
Whistling Dick’s Christmas Stocking
A Chaparral Christmas Gift
The Nutcracker and the Mouse King (original Hoffmann version)
Little Women-Christmas chapters (original)
Little Wives (part 2 of Little Women, an original version)
The Snow Queen (original Andersen story, winter-themed)

This level almost doesn’t require any adaptation. The readers can try to read either in adaptation, original literature or near-original texts. It depends on the story they choose.

Advanced level (C1+)

No adaptations are needed for this level. Students at this level possess enough skills to read the original texts and understand everything.

On the other hand, nobody forbids them from choosing what they want. Adaptations are always shorter and easier, but tastes really differ.

A Christmas Carol by Charles Dickens
The Gift of the Magi by O. Henry
A Kidnapped Santa Claus by L. Frank Baum
A Christmas Memory by Truman Capote
The Adventure of the Blue Carbuncle by Arthur Conan Doyle
The Tailor of Gloucester by Beatrix Potter
The Night Before Christmas by Clement C. Moore
Little Women by Louisa May Alcott
Letters from Father Christmas by J. R. R. Tolkien
The Greatest Gift by Philip Van Doren Stern

Active or Passive?

First and foremost, 2 types of reading should be defined: active and passive.

Active means reading and working on the vocabulary simultaneously. The readers write down every single word they do not know, do some exercises, create Quizlets and revise periodically.

Such a kind of reading will make for boosting the level and developing reading skills.

Passive reading means this is solely reading. Although some words are unknown, the reader omits it trying to guess from the context.

If this word isn’t a key one and doesn’t play a crucial role, there is no need to translate at all. If the context is clear, move on reading. Just for the process of reading.

So this kind is completely for relaxing and getting pleasure out of doing, minding the characters, plots and lines.

Beginner and intermediate levels usually choose active reading, upper intermediate and advanced — passive. However, intermediate can try both, or even the readers with advanced level can do the opposite — learn all unknown words.

Depends on the preferences and purposes. So, it’s up to you!

How to Read Efficiently

Choosing an active way of reading, one will need further explanations. That’s what to recommend to the readers.

1. Read in Small Chunks

Nobody starts reading novels or some volumes of the books on the spot. Beginning is a first step. And that’s a lot to praise your students about. It’s challenging, monotonous, maybe a little bit scaring and confusing.

Nevertheless, it’s beginning.

The readers are not made to meet deadlines while reading. They can go small at first.

A few sentences
A paragraph
2 paragraphs
A half of the page
One whole page
A few pages
A chapter
Many chapters

Making it by such small chunks will make it not so difficult and give discipline.

Each day, the students will be able to read more and take one step higher. It’s important for them to understand the process. It is not a competition of who will read more or faster. Furthermore, it’s their way to learn reading and comprehending, no matter how it differs from others. These are also skills to gain.

And they need to start with a few sentences to read chapters in the long run. That’s the truth every learner needs to come to accept. And, yes, that’s hard work, but later on, one will reap the benefits.

2. Write Down New Words

One more obvious way to simplify the process of reading and make it effective at the same time is writing down new words.

Learning them is great, but writing down is even greater. An old-school method is a decent rival for all modern tools. Visual memory tends to remember words better when they are noted down. The students can do their vocabulary in such a way:

A word
Transcription

Transcriptions may be avoided if the word is simple. But you never know. If not writing, checking the pronunciation for each is a must.

Meaning

Cambridge Dictionary is welcome. Sometimes, translation may be inevitable. It helps to see some similarities or differences with a native language (thanks to using antonymous translation, for instance). But without being fanatical.

A sentence example

It’s needed to see the word in context, write the exact meaning from dozens of them and be sure about learning it.

Such an activity requires a lot of work, but it is well worth that!

3. Regular Vocabulary Revisions

Brain forgets 70% of learnt information the next day without revising. It’s highly important to do that. Every evening, the students have to revise new words that were learnt throughout the day.

Then, there should be such a system:

Every day in the evenings
All words throughout a week
All words throughout a month
All words throughout a half of the year

Implementing this will help to keep everything in mind.

4. Self-retelling

Once it’s read, try to retell. This will teach the students to analyse what they read. It is such a self-check.

They will think and rack their brains to recall what they have just done. If no, read the second or the third time. They will learn not just recalling, but understanding. This is a key — understanding of what you read.

5. Make Short Summaries

Not by retelling alone, reading can be improved.

The students can write down some key points and write summaries. They may look at their vocabulary and recall it by these words. It’s vital to include this vocabulary in summarising.

In such a way, the readers practice new words, retelling, remembering and writing. Amazing.

6. Practice Makes a Habit

It won’t work if the students read 2 days, then give up, take it up again for a few days and give up again. A regularity is everything. It is about brain endurance, muscle memory, etc.

Discipline is enforced, too.

Practice What You Preach

There is a lot of what can be done. Patience and hard work should be included, too. It will be great to add a final tip. However, not for the learners, but the teacher.

Practice what you preach. Being a teacher is also learning. And this is never-ending. It’s a nice opportunity to be a role model for your students and show that there is reading in your life, too.

What is more, there are plenty of cool phrases to come across as the language is always developing. It’s impossible to learn it till the end. But one can work on it all the time. Take this chance.

And always praise the students, reminding how much they do. How bravely they overcome bottlenecks. How patiently they continue reading, learning and listening to some advice. Despite all the difficulties, they move on.

And the teacher, a lever in this story, helps to deal with it.