The main themes often include giving and kindness. For example, in 'How the Grinch Stole Christmas', the Grinch learns about the joy of giving. Another theme is the magic of Christmas, like in 'The Polar Express' where the boy experiences a magical journey. Family and togetherness are also common themes, as seen in 'A Charlie Brown Christmas' where Charlie Brown and his friends come together for Christmas.
One of the main themes is belief. In many children's book Christmas stories, believing in Santa Claus or the magic of Christmas is important. Such as in 'The Night Before Christmas'. Also, redemption can be a theme, as in 'The Christmas Miracle of Jonathan Toomey' where the grumpy character is redeemed. And of course, the joy and celebration of Christmas are themes that run through most of these stories.