Christmas & Advent - Exodus Books

Store Location

The Christian year begins with the birth of a baby. No one knows the exact day Jesus was born, but the date of December 25th was specifically chosen and introduced to Christian believers in order to counter the pagan feast of the "sun god," which was a popular winter solstice festival held in Rome. Instead of trying to coax the sun to return North again, this Christian theological corrective was meant to celebrate the source of true light in our dark world: the Son of God.

It was not until the fourth century that people began to celebrate Christ's birth. In keeping with Old testament feasts and festivals, it was designated a feast day called the Feast of the Nativity. The celebration began with a special Mass in honor of the remembrance of His coming, first called "Christ's Mass," later simply "Christmas." It was Christ being celebrated, not the day!

Later, the four week period before December 25th was declared a sacred and holy season. It was called "Advent," which comes from the Greek through the Latin and means "to come." It was a special time, designed to remind us that the Old testament saints had anxiously awaited the Messiah for centuries, and to provide a period of preparation that would allow time for reflection before the celebration of His birth. Beginning four Sundays prior to Christmas day, our actions and activities should remind us of our need for Jesus.

Review by C. Hollis Crossman
C. Hollis Crossman used to be a child. Now he's a husband and father who loves church, good food, and weird stuff. He might be a mythical creature, but he's definitely not a centaur. Read more of his reviews here.

Did you find this review helpful?

Parent Categories

Just for Fun

Holidays / Church Calendar

Christmas & Advent

Subcategories

Charles Dickens' A Christmas Carol

Related Links

Corrigenda Denuo
Is Christmas Christian? Here's a list of articles to discuss the topic.
Readings for Advent, Christmas & Epiphany
from the pastors of the CREC
Truth in the Tinsel
Advent ebook for young kids (affiliate link)

46 Items found Print

Active Filters:

3rd grade (Ages 8-9),

In-Stock Books & Materials

	Advent Coloring Calendar A Coloring Book to Bless and De-Stress Through the Season Clr Csm from Paraclete Press for 3rd-Adult in Christmas & Advent (Location: HOLIDAY) $10.19
	AIO Imagination Station Book #12 Danger on a Silent Night by Marianne Hering, Nancy I. Sanders from Focus on the Family for 1st-3rd grade in Imagination Station (Location: SER-AIO) $6.79
	Annotated Christmas Carol by Charles Dickens Deluxe from Random House for 3rd-6th grade in Fantasy Fiction (Location: FIC-FAN) $15.00 (1 in stock)
	Best Christmas Pageant Ever by Barbara Robinson from HarperCollins Humor for 3rd-6th grade in Realistic Fiction (Location: FIC-REA) $7.64 $3.60 (1 in stock)
	Better Than Anything Christmas by Barbara Reaoch from Good Book Company for Preschool-Adult in Christmas & Advent (Location: HOLIDAY) $9.99
	Birds' Christmas Carol by Kate Douglas Wiggin from Yesterday's Classics Christmas/Advent for 3rd-6th grade in Realistic Fiction (Location: FIC-REA) $13.56
	Children's Theatre A Reproduction of the Antique Pop-Up Book by Franz Bonn from Viking Press for Preschool-4th grade in Vintage Picture Books (Location: VIN-PIC) $4.80 (1 in stock)
	Christ Is Born A Coloring Book with Bible Verses by Laura Marr, illustrator from Dover Publications for 3rd-Adult in Holiday Coloring Books (Location: COL-HOL) $13.59
	Christmas Around the World - Coloring Book Dover Coloring Books by Joan O'Brien from Dover Publications for 2nd-6th grade in Holiday Coloring Books (Location: COL-HOL) $4.24 $2.00 (1 in stock)
	Christmas Camera by Alta Halverson Seymour from Purple House Press for 3rd-6th grade in Realistic Fiction (Location: FIC-REA) $8.49
	Christmas Compass by Alta Halverson Seymour from Purple House Press for 3rd-6th grade in Realistic Fiction (Location: FIC-REA) $10.99
	Christmas Donkey by Alta Halverson Seymour from Purple House Press for 3rd-6th grade in Realistic Fiction (Location: FIC-REA) $9.34
	Christmas Reindeer by Thornton W. Burgess from Dover Publications for 2nd-6th grade in Christmas & Advent (Location: HOLIDAY) $5.99
	Christmas Rocket by Anne Molloy from Purple House Press for Kindergarten-3rd grade in Picture Books (Location: PICTURE) $10.19
	Christmas Star by Alta Halverson Seymour from Purple House Press for 3rd-6th grade in Realistic Fiction (Location: FIC-REA) $9.34
	Christmas Stove by Alta Halverson Seymour from Purple House Press for 3rd-6th grade in Realistic Fiction (Location: FIC-REA) $9.34
	Christmas Trees A New True Book by Kathy Henderson from Children's Press for 2nd-4th grade in Christmas & Advent (Location: HOLIDAY) $5.60 (1 in stock)
	Expected One Anticipating All of Jesus in the Advent by Scott James from B&H Books for Kindergarten-3rd grade in Christmas & Advent (Location: HOLIDAY) $12.99
	Grandma for Christmas by Alta Halverson Seymour 75th Anniversary Edition from Purple House Press for 3rd-6th grade in Realistic Fiction (Location: FIC-REA) $11.89
	Hallelujah Cultivating Advent Traditions with Handel’s Messiah by Cindy Rollins 2^nd edition from Blue Sky Daisies for 1st-Adult in Christmas & Advent (Location: HOLIDAY) $14.95
	How Six Found Christmas by Trina Schart Hyman 1^st edition from Little, Brown & Company for 2nd-3rd grade in Christmas & Advent (Location: HOLIDAY) $5.00 (1 in stock)
	How the Grinch Stole Christmas! by Dr. Seuss from Random House Christmas Stories for Kindergarten-4th grade in Picture Books (Location: PICTURE) $14.44
	I Saw Three Ships by Elizabeth Goudge from David R. Godine for 3rd-6th grade in Realistic Fiction (Location: FIC-REA) $14.41
	Jotham's Journey Storybook for Advent by Arnold Ytreeide from Kregel Publications for 1st-6th grade in Christmas & Advent (Location: HOLIDAY) $19.99 $10.50 (1 in stock)
	Legend of Saint Nicholas by Demi from Margaret K. McElderry Books for Kindergarten-3rd grade in Biographies (Location: BIO) $8.00 (1 in stock)
	Letters from Father Christmas by J. R. R. Tolkien, introduction by Bailie Tolkien Centenary Edition from William Morrow & Company for Kindergarten-4th grade in Fantasy Fiction (Location: FIC-FAN) $27.20
	Lion in the Box A Christmas Story by Marguerite de Angeli from Purple House Press for Preschool-3rd grade in Realistic Fiction (Location: FIC-REA) $10.19
	Little Christmas Carol by Charles Dickens, illustrated by Joe Sutphin from Moody Press for 3rd-Adult in Fantasy Fiction (Location: FIC-FAN) $25.49
	Madeline's Christmas by Ludwig Bemelmans from Puffin Books for Kindergarten-3rd grade in Oversized Picture Books (Location: PIC-OVER) $7.64
	Midnight Clear Selected Family Christmas Stories by Katherine Paterson from Scholastic Inc. for 3rd-6th grade in Realistic Fiction (Location: FIC-REA) $2.40 (1 in stock)
	Nativity by Julie Vivas from Voyager Books for Preschool-4th grade in Picture Books (Location: PICTURE) $3.20 (1 in stock)
	Night Before Christmas by Clement Moore, illustrated by Jan Brett from Scholastic Press for Preschool- 3rd Grade in Picture Books (Location: PICTURE) $2.00 (1 in stock)
	Night Before Christmas - Coloring Book by Clement C. Moore, illustrated by John O'Brien 81st edition from Dover Publications for 3rd-5th grade in Literary & Fantasy Coloring Books (Location: COL-LIT) $4.24
	Nine Days to Christmas A Story of Mexico by Marie Hall Ets from Dover Publications for Preschool- 3rd Grade 1960 Caldecott Medal winner in Picture Books (Location: PICTURE) $13.56
	Nutcracker by E. T. A. Hoffmann from Gramercy Books for 2nd-6th grade in Picture Books (Location: PICTURE) $12.00 (1 in stock)
	Nutcracker Ballet Coloring Book by Brenda Sneathen Mattox from Dover Publications for 2nd-6th grade in Literary & Fantasy Coloring Books (Location: COL-LIT) $4.24
	One Wintry Night by Richard Jesse Watson from Baker Books for Kindergarten-5th grade in Christmas & Advent (Location: HOLIDAY) $6.00 (1 in stock)
	Quomodo Invidiosulus Nomine Grinchus Christi Natalem Abrogaverit How the Grinch Stole Christmas in Latin! by Dr. Seuss from Bolchazy-Carducci Publishers Christmas Stories (in Latin) for 3rd-6th grade in Latin Resources & Reference (Location: FL-LATREF) $10.40 (1 in stock)
	Tell Me About Christmas by Mary Alice Jones, illustrated by Marjorie Cooper from Rand McNally for 1st-5th grade in Christmas & Advent (Location: HOLIDAY) $6.00 (1 in stock)
	Tell Me the Story by Max Lucado, Ron Dicianni, Timothy Botts 1^st edition from Crossway Books for 3rd-6th grade in Christmas & Advent (Location: HOLIDAY) $3.20 (1 in stock)
	Turkey for Christmas by Marguerite de Angeli from Purple House Press for 3rd-6th grade in Realistic Fiction (Location: FIC-REA) $11.04
	Twelve Days of Christmas by Laurel Long from Puffin Books for 1st-4th grade in Christmas & Advent (Location: HOLIDAY) $7.64
	Unwrapping the Greatest Gift A Family Celebration of Christmas by Ann Voskamp from Tyndale House for Kindergarten-4th grade in Family Worship (Location: BIBR-FAWO) $26.99 $13.50 (2 in stock)
	When Joy Came The Story of the First Christmas by Pauline Palmer Meek; illustrated by Shannon Stirnweis from Golden Books for Preschool-3rd Grade in Vintage Picture Books (Location: VIN-PIC) $3.20 (1 in stock)
	Why Christmas Trees Aren't Perfect by Richard Schneider from Abingdon Press for 1st-4th grade in Christmas & Advent (Location: HOLIDAY) $12.74
	Wonder of the Greatest Gift - Advent Calendar An Interactive Family Celebration of Advent by Ann Voskamp from Tyndale House for 3rd-Adult in Christmas & Advent (Location: HOLIDAY) $18.00 (1 in stock)

Shop

Support

Hours & Directions

Connect