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Christmas is one of my favorite times to introduce supplemental music to beginning piano students. Students love learning familiar Christmas songs, and it’s a great opportunity to work on music outside of their regular lesson books.
Over the years, I’ve found several Christmas piano books that work especially well for beginners. Some are perfect for students who are just starting to read music, while others offer beautiful teacher duets or slightly more challenging arrangements.
Here are five of my favorite Christmas piano books for beginning students, along with some tips for choosing the right one.
1. Faber PreTime Piano Christmas
Best for: Beginning students reading in middle C position
PreTime Piano Christmas from the Faber Piano Adventures series is my favorite Christmas book for beginning piano students.
All of the pieces are written in middle C position, making them accessible to students who have only recently started reading music. The teacher duet accompaniments are especially nice because they make even simple beginner pieces sound full and musical.
Another reason I love this book is that it’s part of a series students can continue using as they progress. Students who enjoy PreTime Christmas can often move on to ShowTime Piano Christmas during their second year of lessons, depending on their progress.
Some familiar songs in the collection include Jingle Bells, Silent Night, Away in a Manger, and Up on the Housetop.
If I’m choosing just one Christmas book for a beginning student who can read notes around middle C, this is usually my first choice.
2. Bastien Popular Christmas — Primer
Best for: Beginners ready for a little more hands-together playing
Bastien’s Popular Christmas Primer book is another good choice for beginning piano students. Like the Faber collection, the arrangements use middle C position, so students can play familiar Christmas music without learning a lot of new notes.
However, I’ve found that some of the pieces require a little more hands-together coordination than those in PreTime Christmas. For that reason, I tend to recommend this book for beginners who are a little further along in their playing.
It’s a nice option when a student is comfortable reading in middle C position and is ready for a slightly greater challenge.
3. Melody Bober Grand Solos for Christmas, Book 1
Best for: Beautiful teacher duets and holiday recitals
Melody Bober’s Grand Solos for Christmas, Book 1 is a lovely collection of eight Christmas arrangements for early-elementary piano students.
What makes this book stand out to me is the duet accompaniments. Bober uses some beautiful harmonies that give familiar Christmas songs a fresh sound. The accompaniments add musical interest without requiring the student to play a difficult solo part.
I especially like this collection for holiday recitals. A beginning student can play a relatively simple part while the teacher accompaniment creates a more polished performance.
The book includes familiar carols such as Away in a Manger, Jingle Bells, Good King Wenceslas, and O Come, All Ye Faithful.
4. Alfred’s Premier Piano Course Christmas, Book 1B
Best for: A variety of Christmas songs and holiday recital music
One thing I appreciate about Premier Piano Course Christmas, Book 1B is its selection of music. In addition to traditional Christmas carols, it includes pieces students don’t always find in beginner Christmas collections.
For example, students can learn Dance of the Sugar-Plum Fairy and Russian Dance from The Nutcracker, along with It’s the Most Wonderful Time of the Year.
The book also includes familiar favorites such as Jingle Bells, Silent Night, and Deck the Halls.
I particularly like the teacher duet accompaniments in this collection. They make these arrangements especially appealing for a holiday recital, allowing students to perform recognizable Christmas music with a fuller sound.
Although the book is part of Alfred’s Premier Piano Course, it can also be a useful supplemental collection for students using other methods who are comfortable reading on the grand staff.
5. Christmas Carol Activity Book: Pre-Reading — E. L. Lancaster and Gayle Kowalchyk
Best for: Very young beginners and students who aren’t reading on the staff yet
For students who are still working with pre-reading notation, I recommend Christmas Carol Activity Book: Pre-Reading by E. L. Lancaster and Gayle Kowalchyk.
This book is especially useful for students who have only been taking piano lessons for a short time. The Christmas songs use pre-reading notation in middle C position, so students can enjoy playing familiar melodies before they’re ready to read music on the staff.
Another feature I like is the activity pages. These reinforce musical concepts through games and puzzles, giving young students something different to work on during their Christmas lessons.
The book also includes optional teacher duet accompaniments, which make the simple arrangements more enjoyable to perform.
Students who enjoy this collection can move on to Christmas Carol Activity Book, Book 1 the following year when they’re ready for early staff-reading pieces. That book continues the combination of Christmas music, activities, and duet accompaniments.
How to Choose a Christmas Piano Book for a Beginner
When choosing Christmas music for beginning piano students, I think it’s important to consider more than how long a student has been taking lessons.
Two students who started lessons at the same time may have very different reading skills and levels of coordination. I try to choose Christmas music that students can learn successfully while still enjoying the experience.
Here are a few things I consider:
- Reading level: Is the student using pre-reading notation, middle C position, or reading more comfortably on the grand staff?
- Hands-together coordination: Can the student manage the amount of hands-together playing required?
- Performance opportunities: Will the student be performing the piece at a holiday recital or simply enjoying it during lessons?
- Teacher duets: Would an accompaniment help make a simple arrangement more enjoyable?
- Song preferences: Are there particular Christmas songs the student is excited to learn?
I also try to introduce Christmas music early enough that students have time to enjoy learning it. There’s no need to choose something so difficult that they spend the entire holiday season struggling through one piece.
Final Thoughts
Christmas music can be a wonderful addition to beginner piano lessons. Familiar melodies give students something they’re excited to practice, and teacher duets make even the simplest arrangements sound special.
Of these five collections, Faber PreTime Piano Christmas remains my favorite for most beginning readers. But each of these books has something different to offer, whether you’re teaching a pre-reading student, looking for more hands-together playing, or preparing music for a holiday recital.
The most important thing is choosing music that fits the student’s current skills and allows them to enjoy making music during the Christmas season.
Lauren teaches piano to students of all ages. She enjoys creating resources for her students and teachers. She is the author of Ready for Theory®. For personalized help, check out the consultations page for teachers.
