Christmas & Advent

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.
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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)
103 Items found Print
Active Filters: 6th grade (Ages 11-12)
A Christmas Carol Audio Drama - 2 CD set
by Charles Dickens
from Focus on the Family
for 1st-Adult
in Audio Books & Dramas (Location: CD-AUDIO)
Advent Coloring Calendar
Clr Csm from Paraclete Press
for 3rd-Adult
in Christmas & Advent (Location: HOLIDAY)
$10.19
Advent of the Lamb of God
from InterVarsity Press
for 5th-Adult
in Christmas & Advent (Location: HOLIDAY)
$20.00
All Creation Waits
by Gayle Boss, illustrated by David G. Klein
from Paraclete Press
for 6th-Adult
in Christmas & Advent (Location: HOLIDAY)
An Edwardian Christmas
by John S. Goodall
from Atheneum
for Preschool-Adult
in Vintage Picture Books (Location: VIN-PIC)
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)
Annotated Christmas Carol
by Charles Dickens
from W. W. Norton and Co.
for 6th-Adult
in 19th Century Literature (Location: LIT6-19)
Bartholomew's Passage
by Arnold Ytreeide
from Kregel Publications
for 4th-6th grade
in Christmas & Advent (Location: HOLIDAY)
$18.99
Bells of Christmas
by Virginia Hamilton, illustrated by Lambert Davis
from Harcourt Brace Jovanich
for 3rd-8th grade
in Holidays / Church Calendar (Location: HOLIDAY)
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)
Best Christmas Pageant Ever - Progeny Press Study Guide
Progeny Press Literature Guides
by Andrew Clausen
from Progeny Press
Literature Guide for 4th-6th grade
in Progeny Press Literature Guides (Location: LITSG-PP)
$21.99
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 Yearling
for 4th-7th grade
in Realistic Fiction (Location: FIC-REA)
$2.00 (1 in stock)
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
Book of Christmas
by Neil Philip
from Stewart, Tabori, & Chang
for 4th-8th grade
in Christmas & Advent (Location: HOLIDAY)
Book of Christmas
from Reader's Digest
for 6th-Adult
in Christmas & Advent (Location: HOLIDAY)
$9.00 (1 in stock)
Book of Christmas Carols
by Jane Lydbury
from Prentice Hall
for 2nd-Adult
in Christmas & Advent (Location: HOLIDAY)
Carols for Christmas
by David Willcocks
from Metropolitan Museum of Art
for 6th-Adult
in Christmas & Advent (Location: HOLIDAY)
$10.00 (1 in stock)
Charles Dickens Christmas
by Charles Dickens, illustrated by Warren Chappell
from Oxford University
for 6th-12th grade
in Vintage Fiction & Literature (Location: VIN-FIC)
Child's Christmas
by Evelyn Sharp (illustrated by Charles Robinson)
from Dilithium Press, Ltd.
for 2nd-6th grade
in Christmas & Advent (Location: HOLIDAY)
Christ Is Born
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 Carol
Whole Story Series
by Charles Dickens, illustrated by William Geldart
from Viking Press
Fantasy for 6th-10th grade
in 19th Century Literature (Location: LIT6-19)
Christmas Carol
Everyman's Library Children's Classics
by Charles Dickens, illustrated by Arthur Rackham
from Alfred A. Knopf, Inc.
Fantasy for 6th-10th grade
$17.00
Christmas Carol
Puffin Classics
by Charles Dickens
from Puffin Books
Fantasy for 6th-10th grade
in Puffin Classics (Location: FIC-PUF)
$6.79
Christmas Carol
Sterling Classics
by Charles Dickens, illustrated by Scott McKowen
Unabridged from Sterling Publishing Co.
Fantasy for 6th-10th grade
in Fantasy Fiction (Location: FIC-FAN)
Christmas Carol
by Charles Dickens
from Bantam Books
for 6th-10th grade
in 19th Century Literature (Location: LIT6-19)
$3.95
Christmas Carol
by Charles Dickens, illustrated by Greg Hildebrandt
Unabridged from Simon and Schuster
Fantasy for 6th-10th grade
in Fantasy Fiction (Location: FIC-FAN)
Christmas Carol
by Charles Dickens, illustrated by Roberto Innocenti
Unabridged from Stewart, Tabori, & Chang
Fantasy for 6th-10th grade
in Fantasy Fiction (Location: FIC-FAN)
Christmas Carol
by Charles Dickens, illustrated by Trina Schart Hyman
Unabridged from Holiday House
Fantasy for 6th-10th grade
in Fantasy Fiction (Location: FIC-FAN)
Christmas Carol
by Charles Dickens, illustrated by P.J. Lynch
Unabridged from Candlewick Press
Fantasy for 6th-10th grade
in Fantasy Fiction (Location: FIC-FAN)
$16.99
Christmas Carol
by Charles Dickens, illustrated by Robert Ingpen
Unabridged from Palazzo Editions Limited
Fantasy for 6th-10th grade
in Fantasy Fiction (Location: FIC-FAN)
$24.99
Christmas Carol
Macmillan Classics
by Charles Dickens, illustrated by John Groth
from Macmillan
Fantasy for 6th-10th grade
in Vintage Fiction & Literature (Location: VIN-FIC)
Christmas Carol
by Charles Dickens, illustrated by Robert Ball
from Macmillan
Fantasy for 6th-10th grade
in Vintage Fiction & Literature (Location: VIN-FIC)
Christmas Carol
by Charles Dickens, illustrated by Maraja
from Grosset & Dunlap
Fantasy for 6th-10th grade
in Vintage Fiction & Literature (Location: VIN-FIC)
Christmas Carol
by Charles Dickens, illustrated by Roberto Innocenti
Unabridged from Creative Editions
Fantasy for 6th-10th grade
in Fantasy Fiction (Location: FIC-FAN)
$35.00
Christmas Carol (adapted)
by Charles Dickens, adapted by Stephen Krensky and illustrated by Dean Morrissey
from HarperCollins
for Kindergarten-7th grade
in Christmas & Advent (Location: HOLIDAY)
Christmas Carol (condensed)
Books of Wonder
by Charles Dickens, illustrated by Carter Goodrich
from HarperCollins
Fantasy for 6th-10th grade
in Fantasy Fiction (Location: FIC-FAN)
Christmas Carol - TLP Guide
Total Language Plus Literature Guides
from Total Language Plus
for 6th-9th grade
in Total Language Plus Guides (Location: LITSG-TLP)
Christmas Carol and Other Christmas Stories
by Charles Dickens, illustrated by Arthur Rackham
from Dilithium Press, Ltd.
for 5th-Adult
in 19th Century Literature (Location: LIT6-19)
Christmas Carols for a Kid's Heart
by Bobbie Wolgemuth, Joni Eareckson Tada
from Crossway Books
for 4th-6th grade
in Christmas & Advent (Location: HOLIDAY)
$14.00 (1 in stock)
Christmas Compass
by Alta Halverson Seymour
from Purple House Press
for 3rd-6th grade
in Realistic Fiction (Location: FIC-REA)
$10.99
Christmas Crafts
from HarperCrest
for 3rd-6th grade
in Christmas & Advent (Location: HOLIDAY)
Christmas Donkey
by Alta Halverson Seymour
from Purple House Press
for 3rd-6th grade
in Realistic Fiction (Location: FIC-REA)
$9.34
Christmas in the Big House, Christmas in the Quarters
by Fredrick & Patricia McKissack
from Scholastic Press
for 3rd-6th grade
1995 NCTE Orbis Pictus Honor Book
in 19th Century America (Location: HISA-19C)
Christmas Rat
by Avi
from Scholastic Inc.
for 4th-6th grade
in Fantasy Fiction (Location: FIC-FAN)
$2.40 (1 in stock)
Christmas Reindeer
by Thornton W. Burgess
from Dover Publications
for 2nd-6th grade
in Christmas & Advent (Location: HOLIDAY)
$5.99
Christmas Star
by Alta Halverson Seymour
from Purple House Press
for 3rd-6th grade
in Realistic Fiction (Location: FIC-REA)
$9.34
Christmas Stories
Junior Deluxe Editions
by Charles Dickens, illustrated by Walter Seaton
from Grosset & Dunlap
for 3rd-6th grade
in Realistic Fiction (Location: FIC-REA)
Christmas Stove
by Alta Halverson Seymour
from Purple House Press
for 3rd-6th grade
in Realistic Fiction (Location: FIC-REA)
$9.34
Christmas Tree Hessian
by Cora Cheney, illustrated by Edith Ballinger Price
from Henry Holt and Company
for 3rd-6th grade
in Vintage Fiction & Literature (Location: VIN-FIC)
Christmas With Anne and Other Holiday Stories
from Delacorte Press
for 3rd-6th grade
in Realistic Fiction (Location: FIC-REA)
George Balanchine's The Nutcracker
from Barnes & Noble
for Preschool-Adult
in Christmas & Advent (Location: HOLIDAY)
Gift of the Magi
Dover Thrift Editions
by O. Henry
from Dover Publications
for 4th-10th grade
in 20th & 21st Century Literature (Location: LIT7-20)
$5.00 $2.00 (4 in stock)
Gift of the Magi
by O. Henry, illustrated by Kevin King
from Simon and Schuster
for 4th-10th grade
in 20th & 21st Century Literature (Location: LIT7-20)
$5.00 (1 in stock)
Gift of the Magi and Other Stories
Books of Wonder
by O. Henry (illustrated by Michael Dooling)
from William Morrow & Company
for 4th-10th grade
in 20th & 21st Century Literature (Location: LIT7-20)
Gift of the Magi and Other Stories
Books of Wonder
by O. Henry, illustrated by Gordon Grant
from Reader's Digest
for 4th-10th grade
in 20th & 21st Century Literature (Location: LIT7-20)
Gift of the Magi and Other Stories
by O. Henry, illustrated by P. J. Lynch
from Candlewick Press
for 4th-10th grade
in Christmas & Advent (Location: HOLIDAY)
$15.29
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
by Cindy Rollins
from Circe Institute
for 1st-Adult
in Christmas & Advent (Location: HOLIDAY)
Hallelujah
by Cindy Rollins
2nd edition from Blue Sky Daisies
for 1st-Adult
in Christmas & Advent (Location: HOLIDAY)
$14.95
Hosanna in Excelsis
by David & Barbara Leeman
from Moody Press
for 3rd-Adult
in Christmas & Advent (Location: HOLIDAY)
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
by Arnold Ytreeide
from Kregel Publications
for 1st-6th grade
in Christmas & Advent (Location: HOLIDAY)
$19.99 $10.50 (1 in stock)
Joy to the World
by Ruth Sawyer, illustrated by Trina Schart Hyman
from Little, Brown & Company
for 3rd-8th grade
in Vintage Fiction & Literature (Location: VIN-FIC)
Life and Adventures of Santa Claus
by Amelia C. Houghton, Illustrated by Hokie
from Yesterday's Classics
for k-5
in Fantasy Fiction (Location: FIC-FAN)
Life and Adventures of Santa Claus
by L. Frank Baum, illustrated by Michael Hague
from Henry Holt and Company
for 3rd-6th grade
in Fantasy Fiction (Location: FIC-FAN)
Life of Our Lord
by Charles Dickens, illustrated by Rachel Taft-Dixon
from Grosset & Dunlap
for 4th-7th grade
in Vintage Picture Books (Location: VIN-PIC)
Little Christmas Carol
by Charles Dickens, illustrated by Joe Sutphin
from Moody Press
for 3rd-Adult
in Fantasy Fiction (Location: FIC-FAN)
$25.49
Little Drummer Boy
by Ezra Jack Keats
from Puffin Books
for Preschool-6th grade
in Picture Books (Location: PICTURE)
Lucia, Child of Light
by Florence Ekstrand
from Welcome Press
for 6th-Adult
in Christmas & Advent (Location: HOLIDAY)
$5.00 (1 in stock)
Maggie Rose, Her Birthday Christmas
by Ruth Sawyer
First Edition from Harper & Brothers
for 4th-6th grade
in Realistic Fiction (Location: FIC-REA)
Mary Did You Know? - Book and CD
by Mark Lowry
from Thomas Nelson Publishers
for 6th-Adult
in Christmas & Advent (Location: HOLIDAY)
$5.00 (1 in stock)
Midnight Clear
by Katherine Paterson
from Scholastic Inc.
for 3rd-6th grade
in Realistic Fiction (Location: FIC-REA)
$2.40 (1 in stock)
Miracle on 34th Street
by Valentine Davies
from Harcourt
Realistic Fairy Tale for 6th-9th Grade
in Fantasy Fiction (Location: FIC-FAN)
$16.99
Miracle On 34th Street
by Valentine Davies
from Clarion Books
Realistic Fairy Tale for 6th-9th grade
in Fantasy Fiction (Location: FIC-FAN)
$7.99
Miracle On 34th Street
by Valentine Davies, illustrated by Tomie DePaola
from Harcourt Brace Jovanich
Realistic Fairy Tale for 6th-9th grade
in Fantasy Fiction (Location: FIC-FAN)
Nicholas: A Manhattan Christmas Story
by Annie Carroll Moore, illustrated by Jay Van Everen
from G.P. Putnam's Sons
for 5th-8th grade
1925 Newbery Honor Book
in Vintage Fiction & Literature (Location: VIN-FIC)
Nicholas: A Manhattan Christmas Story
by Annie Carroll Moore, illustrated by Jay Van Everen
2025 Reprint from Unknown Publisher
for 5th-8th grade
1925 Newbery Honor Book
in Fantasy Fiction (Location: FIC-FAN)
$19.99
Night Before Christmas
by Clement C. Moore, illustrated by Christian Burmingham
The Classic ed
for 3rd-6th grade
in Christmas & Advent (Location: HOLIDAY)
Night Before Christmas
by Clement C. Moore
Classic Edition from Appleseed Press
for 3rd-6th grade
in Christmas & Advent (Location: HOLIDAY)
Night Before Christmas
by Clement C. Moore, illustrated by Charles Santore
Classic Edition from Appleseed Press
for 3rd-6th grade
in Christmas & Advent (Location: HOLIDAY)
Nutcracker
by E. T. A. Hoffmann
from Gramercy Books
for 2nd-6th grade
in Picture Books (Location: PICTURE)
$12.00 (1 in stock)
Nutcracker
by E. T. A. Hoffmann
from Harcourt, Brace & World
for 4th-8th grade
in Fantasy Fiction (Location: FIC-FAN)
Nutcracker
by E. T. A. Hoffmann
from Unicorn Publishing House
for 4th-8th grade
in Picture Books (Location: PICTURE)
Nutcracker
by E. T. A. Hoffmann
from Crown Publishers
for 2nd-6th grade
in Fantasy Fiction (Location: FIC-FAN)
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
O Come, O Come, Emmanuel
by Jonathan Gibson
from Crossway Books
for 6th-Adult
in Devotionals (Location: XCL-DEV)
$29.99
Quomodo Invidiosulus Nomine Grinchus Christi Natalem Abrogaverit
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)
Saint George
by Katherine Miller, illustrated by Wallace Tripp
from Houghton Mifflin
for 4th-9th grade
in Vintage Fiction & Literature (Location: VIN-FIC)
Star Mother's Youngest Child
by Louise Moeri; illustrated by Trina Schart Hyman
from Houghton Mifflin
for 4th-6th grade
in Christmas & Advent (Location: HOLIDAY)
Tabitha's Travels
by Arnold Ytreeide
from Servant Publications
for 4th-6th grade
in Christmas & Advent (Location: HOLIDAY)
$9.00 (1 in stock)
Tabitha's Travels
by Arnold Ytreeide
from Kregel Publications
for 4th-6th grade
in Christmas & Advent (Location: HOLIDAY)
$19.99
Tasha Tudor Christmas Book Take Joy!
by Tasha Tudor
from Philomel Books
for 4th-Adult
in Christmas & Advent (Location: HOLIDAY)
Tell Me the Story
by Max Lucado, Ron Dicianni, Timothy Botts
1st edition from Crossway Books
for 3rd-6th grade
in Christmas & Advent (Location: HOLIDAY)
$3.20 (1 in stock)
Three Gifts of Christmas
by Jennie Bishop
Har/Com from Warner Press
for 4th-6th grade
in Christmas & Advent (Location: HOLIDAY)
TLP Christmas 1 - TLP Guide
by Jessica & Barbara Blakey
from Total Language Plus
for 5th-8th grade
in Total Language Plus Guides (Location: LITSG-TLP)
Told Under the Christmas Tree
by Maud and Miska Petersham, illustrators
from Macmillan
for 4th-8th grade
in Vintage Anthology Collections (Location: VIN-ANTH)
Turkey for Christmas
by Marguerite de Angeli
from Purple House Press
for 3rd-6th grade
in Realistic Fiction (Location: FIC-REA)
$11.04
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