A favorite Christmas Eve tradition is putting on pajamas, gathering the family on the couch and reading holiday picture books together. And while there's nothing wrong with Dr. Seuss' "The Grinch" or that well-worn edition of "The Night Before Christmas," there are always new books that can join the rotation. From a new twist on Santa's origin story to a poem about the winter solstice, here are a few alternative holiday books to read as a family this season.

"Little Santa"by Jon Agee; Dial Books for Young Readers, 2013; $17.99.

There's no shortage of Santa Claus origin stories, but few are as delightfully silly as Jon Agee's "Little Santa." In the book, Little Santa loves living in the North Pole: chopping wood, making snow angels and, of course, sliding down the chimney. The rest of the Claus family, however, is miserable and decides to move to Florida. Before they can leave, a blizzard traps them at home and it's up to Santa to go for help. On his way, he finds a special reindeer and an industrious group of elves and the rest, as they say, is history.

"The Shortest Day" by Susan Cooper, illustrated by Carson Ellis; Candlewick Press, 2019; $17.99.

So the shortest day came,

and the year died.

And everywhere down the centuries of the snow-white world,

came people singing, dancing to drive the dark away.

And so begins Newbery Medalist Susan Cooper's beloved poem about the winter solstice, richly illustrated here by Caldecott Honoree Carson Ellis. As the sun sets on the shortest day of the year, we see humans gathering, preparing and celebrating as they anticipate the return of light, a rebirth, heralding a new day and new year. We're reminded of the connection between our ancestors' rituals and our own as the humans depicted change from early hunter-gatherers around a bonfire to modern friends and family gathering and caroling in front of a fireplace decorated with holly and a menorah. The perfect book to share during the longest night.

"The Day Santa Stopped Believing in Harold" by Maureen Fergus, illustrated by Cale Atkinson; Tundra Books, 2016; $16.99.

Santa wants to believe in Harold. He really does. But he's no longer sure. Many of his friends don't believe in Harold — the handwriting on Harold's letters is too neat to be that of a child's, and the Harold who sat on his knee at the mall this year doesn't look anything like the Harold who visited him last year. What Santa needs is proof, so he comes up with a plan to find out once and for all if Harold really exists. Kids will love this hilarious twist on the age-old question of whether Santa is real or not.

"The Snowflake" by Benji Davies; HarperCollins, 2021; $17.99.

A tiny snowflake is born high in the clouds. Fluffy and white, it skips and twirls and then (to its shock) begins to fall. Tumbling through the air, it passes through valleys, across streams and into the city, where it wishes it could be a star on a beautifully illuminated Christmas tree. Meanwhile, a little girl walks home and wishes that she, too, could have such a brightly decorated tree. Adorable, old-fashioned illustrations carry the reader out of the cold and into the warmth with a sweet ending that brings snowflake and girl together. In the end, wherever we go, and however we fall, we all find a way to shine.

"The Real Santa" by Nancy Redd, illustrated by Charnelle Pinkney Barlow; Random House Books for Young Readers, 2021; $17.99.

Santa has been depicted in countless ways over the years, but what does the real Santa look like? That's the question at the heart of this (frankly, long-overdue) picture book that centers on a Black family during the holidays. The cheerful narrator loves all his Santas — whether they're on ornaments, stockings, or mugs — but no one seems to know what the real Santa looks like. He stays up late in hopes of catching a glimpse of the real Santa, and like countless children before him, nods off during the long wait. But a blurry glimpse as he's carried to bed reveals the truth: The real Santa is the one in our heart.

"Larry's Latkes" by Jenna Waldman, illustrated by Ben Whitehouse; Apples & Honey Press, 2021; $17.95.

From local author Jenna Waldman comes the laugh-out-loud story of Big Larry, an alligator known far and wide for the delicious latkes he serves up every Hanukkah. But after years of making the same potato latkes from his grandmother's secret recipe, Larry yearns for something more and decides to experiment with new ingredients from his local farmers market. Peppers, pears, quince, kiwi ... everything is fair game, however, the results don't quite meet expectations. But Larry doesn't give up and eventually creates a perfect mix of the traditional and the new. Rainbow latkes for everyone!

Chris Saccheri is co-owner of Linden Tree Children's Books in Los Altos. He can be emailed at [email protected].