Christmas Books: My Top Picks

Not surprisingly, I have a lot of Christmas books.  I buy a couple each year, and I am always looking for good ideas and new activities that we can incorporate into our family's Christmas.  But, I have my favorites.  Here are my top three. 

1.  The Jesus Storybook Bible--This children's Bible is wonderful for preschoolers.  At the end of each story, the author points to Christ.  It is a wonderful Bible to have any time of the year, but it is absolutely perfect for Christmas when we are preparing to celebrate the birth of Christ.  Also, the illustrations are great.  This is the Bible that we used for all of our family nights until 2011. It would also make a great gift for any little ones or expectant mothers on your list.

2.  The ADVENTure of Christmas--This book is full of fun ideas and activities to do with your kids throughout the Christmas season.  One of my kids' favorite activities that we do each year came from this book and is called Who's Your Nativity Neighbor?

It also has a lot of information regarding the various symbols of Christmas.  For example, it talks about the different parts of the Christmas story that are represented by the colors of Christmas:  green represents everlasting life; red represents the blood of Jesus; and white represents the sinless nature of Christ.  On a fun note, it was written by Lisa Whelchel who played Blaire on the "Facts of Life".



Who's Your Nativity Neighbor? 2011

Who's Your Nativity Neighbor? 2010




3.  Unplug the Christmas Machine--This book deals with the craziness of the Christmas season. Please note that this is not a Christian book. However, it provides some great ideas and tools to help simplify your Christmas celebration which will enable you to make room for the type of Christmas that you want for your family. It is an outstanding resource to help identify which Christmas tasks you enjoy and which you might want to let go of.  The authors also suggest tactics to deal with some difficult gift giving situations, the importance of family traditions and many other logistical challenges of the season. 

Disclaimer

Until November 2011, I was an attorney.  While I have very much enjoyed my transition to being a full-time, stay-at-home mom, some habits are hard to break.  Hence, the disclaimer.  Please note the following:

This blog simply represents what my family has done and how we celebrate Christmas.  In no way do I think that this is the only way or the right way to celebrate.  Please feel free to pick and choose, modify and tweak (or totally disregard) these ideas and find what works best for your family. 

Also, one of the primary reasons that I created this blog was to get ideas from other people.  As such, please feel free to leave comments and to contribute your own traditions and ideas.  I would love to hear from you.

Getting Started

Although it has been over 100 degrees each day this week, I have to admit, I have already started thinking about Christmas. 

In my mind, Christmas can be broken down into three main categories: (i) the practical, (ii) the spiritual, and (iii) the secular.  My family's goal is to balance all three.  Of course, some aspects of the holiday season fall into more than one category. 

I am certain that some will object to "the practical" being first on the list.  However, most people are at or above capacity when it comes to Christmas, and the main source for the hustle and bustle of the season stems from things like Christmas shopping, gift wrapping, decorating, mailing Christmas cards, baking, etc.  If we are to shift our focus away from the secular aspects of the holiday and toward the birth of Christ, we have to make room.  We can't add things into an already overloaded schedule and expect to create a more peaceful and meaningful Christmas environment. 

This is the time of year to start really thinking about the type of Christmas you want for your family.  What are your Christmas goals?  This might sound funny, but if you haven't given some specific thought to what you are trying to do, it is unlikely that you are going to accidentally create your ideal Christmas experience. 

This week, I encourage you to spend time thinking and talking about what type of Christmas you (and your husband) want to have this year.  My guess is that most people long to have a slower paced, more peaceful, and less expensive season.  A season that is filled with fun, laughter, and quality time with family. A season where you have time to sit back and to be thankful for the gift of Christ.  A season where you create lasting memories with your children.  A season of closeness.  A season of calm not chaos.

That being said, I cannot imagine December being a slow and lazy month--nor would I want it to be.  But, I can aspire to have a festive and fun Christmas season that does not result in my being frazzled and stressed.  So, for me, it starts with the practical. What can I do to reduce the "to do list" of Christmas so that I can make room for the type of Christmas that I want for my family?

Stay tuned. . .