"Your greatest contribution to the Kingdom of God may not be something you do, but someone you raise." ~Andy Stanley

November 6, 2008

Great Christmas reading!


I thought I would tell you about some of our favorite Christmas books because if you'd like to read them
then you have to plan ahead!

These wonderful books are to be read through the entire season of Advent. I was unfamiliar with Advent until we read them. The reading schedule starts on the Sunday after Thanksgiving. (the reason you have to plan ahead)
You also need some candles... It's all about the candles. : )
-Which is great fun if you are a candle fanatic anyway, and I am!

We got started reading these because so many of our homeschooling friends were raving about them. This was 6 or 7 years ago, I'd say. And here I am still raving about them.

The first one in the series is this one:








and in my family's opinion, it was the best. We were often left on the edge of our seats wishing we could read ahead...
The story led to some really great spiritual discussions!
Sometimes it was a little too exciting for a very young Andrew and Joy, who spent a couple of the nights in their room playing but would always rush back in to be apart of having the privilege of blowing out the candles...
The story would end on Christmas morning having given you a unique look at the birth of our Savior.
We have lots of fond memories of our times reading these books, except the time that little Andrew blew the candles out so hard that the hot wax flew up in his little face. SO SAD! : (

Every year we wish there were more books in this series...
But since there are not, we keep the traditions we made because of them.
We read a book aloud by candle light every night of the season that we can,
while eating a Christmasy snack or drink using our china dishes.
I got started using the china as a way of letting the kids know what a special season it is as we remember the Lord and as a way to remind them of how special I think they are.
Little ones and china were risky but we amazingly enough never broke any dishes. (just chipped a few and I think they look all the more special now!)

Here we are coming up on another wonderful season of Christmas and I'm at a loss as to what to read this year.
Any suggestions?
What are your favorite Christmas books? I know what I'll be serving though, lots of eggnog! : )

~Becky

2 comments:

Blessed said...

We love this series, Becky!! We have used these books for, gosh! over 6 years at least! We alternate every year. This year is Bartholomew's Passage. We do the advent wreath, with snacks, etc. too!

How neat to find someone else who follows the same traditions! I am so looking forward to that family time again. It's a different family time, you know? Truly special and more so as the girls are growing up.

WoW!

Blessed said...

byw: how do you et the book coers on your blog?!?!