Holidays

Celebration isintrinsic to human nature. As God's image bearers we are compelled to celebrate—just as He did when He called His creation good, just as He did when He exalted His Son on top of a mountain, just as the angels and elders do around His throne. God even commanded celebrations in His name, providing the Jews specific instructions for feasts and holidays.

With the coming of Christ things changed a bit. God's people were no longer required to hold specific holy days above all others, because that was a feature of the Law that Christ fulfilled in our place and freed us from. The apostle Paul summarizes in Romans 14:5: One person esteems one day as better than another, while another esteems all days alike. Each one should be fully convinced in his own mind.

That's not to say there aren't good reasons to observe certain holidays, especially those memorializing key events or elements of the Christian faith. We look to the Sabbath, or Lord's Day, as our day of worship, and the Christian calendar is a good guide to those days traditionally observed by the Church, with special emphasis on Advent and Christmas, Easter and Lent, and Pentecost. If you're so inclined, there are a bajillion saint days in honor of famous and lesser-known champions of the faith.

Many will argue that Christians should celebrate none of these holidays. The point isn't that the events commemorated aren't central to the Christian faith, but that their formalized celebration by the Church was simply a "christianization" of similar pagan holidays in the Roman and Near Eastern worlds. For instance, Christmas as observed on December 25th is really a Christian version of the Roman Saturnalia, a festival devoted to the sun; Easter is named after the Babylonian fertility goddess, and celebrates her union with the god Tammuz.

The similarities between the Christian holidays and their pagan counterparts are indeed fascinating. However, we take this as affirmation of God's sovereignty, not as a reason to avoid holiday celebrations. Through His death and resurrection, Christ redeemed all things and reclaimed them in His name.

"All things" includes holidays. Indeed, what Christ has done and what He gives us should be celebrated every day of the year, but to choose specific days for observance can help re-center our all-too-often selfish existences on Him. We do need to be careful not to simply accept worldly standards for our holidays (the commercialization of Christmas, the nonsense Easter bunnies, etc.), but we need to be equally sure we aren't refraining from genuine celebration just because those standards exist. God has given us all cause for joy, and it's our duty and pleasure to thank Him.

Review by C. Hollis Crossman
C. Hollis Crossman used to be a child. Now he is a husband and father, teaches adult Sunday school in his Presbyterian congregation, and likes 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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18 Penny Goose
An I Can Read Book Level 3
by Sally M. Walker
from HarperCollins
Realistic fiction for 2nd-4th grade
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$4.99
A Christmas Carol Audio Drama - 2 CD set
by Charles Dickens
from Focus on the Family
for 1st-Adult
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$7.00 (1 in stock)
Advent and Christmas In Family Worship
by Doug & Amy Hayes
from Home Fires Publishing
for Adult
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Advent Coloring Calendar
Clr Csm from Paraclete Press
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$11.99
AIO Imagination Station Book #06
by Marianne Hering & Marshal Younger
from Focus on the Family
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in Imagination Station (Location: SER-AIO)
$5.99
AIO Imagination Station Book #12
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$5.99
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$5.99
AIO Imagination Station Book #15
by Marianne Hering, Nancy I. Sanders
from Focus on the Family
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in Imagination Station (Location: SER-AIO)
$5.99
All-of-a-Kind Family Hanukkah
by Emily Jenkins
from Schwartz & Wade
in Picture Books (Location: PICTURE)
$18.99
Almost Home
Daughters of the Faith
by Wendy G. Lawton
from Moody Press
Historical Fiction for 3rd-6th grade
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$7.99 $5.00 (4 in stock)
America America America
by Kenneth Seeman Giniger (Editor), Illustrated by Leonard Everett Fisher
from Franklin Watts
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$8.00 (1 in stock)
America's Paul Revere
by Esther Forbes
from Sandpiper Books
Biography for 2nd-6th grade
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$12.99
American History Stories Volume 2
by Mara L. Pratt
from Yesterday's Classics
for 3rd-6th grade
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$11.95
American Revolution
Revolution!
by R. G. Grant
from Raintree Steck-Vaughn Publishing
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$4.00 (1 in stock)
Amon's Adventure
by Arnold Ytreeide
from Kregel Publications
Historical Fiction for 2nd-6th grade
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$18.99 $10.00 (1 in stock)
And Then What Happened, Paul Revere?
by Jean Fritz & Margot Tomes
from PaperStar Books
Biography for 2nd-4th grade
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$7.99
And Then What Happened, Paul Revere?
by Jean Fritz & Margot Tomes
from Scholastic Inc.
Biography for 2nd-4th grade
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$2.00 (1 in stock)
Arrow Over the Door
by Joseph Bruchac
from Puffin Books
for 3rd-6th grade
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$6.99 $4.00 (3 in stock)
Battle of Valcour Bay
Triangle Histories: The Revolutionary War
by Scott Ingram
from Blackbirch Press
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$4.00 (1 in stock)
Ben Franklin
See and Read: Beginning to Read Biography
by Estelle Friedman, illustrated by James Caraway
from G.P. Putnam's Sons
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$12.00 (1 in stock)
Benjamin Franklin
by Edgar & Ingri D'Aulaire
from Beautiful Feet Books
Picture Book Biography for 3rd-6th grade
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$17.95
Best Christmas Pageant Ever
by Barbara Robinson
from HarperCollins
Humor for 3rd-6th grade
in Realistic Fiction (Location: FIC-REA)
$8.99
Betsy Ross: Designer of our Flag
Childhood of Famous Americans
by Ann Weil
from Aladdin Paperbacks
Biography for 3rd-6th grade
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$7.99
Better Than Anything Christmas
by Barbara Reaoch
from Good Book Company
for Preschool-Adult
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$9.99
Birds' Christmas Carol
by Kate Douglas Wiggin
from Yesterday's Classics
Christmas/Advent for 3rd-6th grade
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$15.95
Birds' Christmas Carol
by Kate Douglas Wiggin
from Houghton Mifflin
Christmas/Advent for 3rd-6th grade
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$14.00 (1 in stock)
Cavalier and Puritan Fashions - Coloring Book
Dover Coloring Books
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$4.99
Chicken Sunday
by Patricia Polacco
from PaperStar Books
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$7.99
Children Just Like Me: Celebrations
by Anabel Kindersley, Barnabas Kindersley
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$9.00 (1 in stock)
Children's Illustrated Jewish Bible
by Laaren Brown & Lenny Hort
Revised Edition from DK Children
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$10.00 (1 in stock)
Christ in Christmas: A Family Advent Celebration
by James Dobson, Charles Swindoll, et al.
from NavPress
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$5.00 (1 in stock)
Christmas Around the World - Coloring Book
Dover Coloring Books
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from Dover Publications
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$3.99
Christmas Camera
by Alta Halverson Seymour
from Purple House Press
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$9.99
Christmas Carols
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from Whitman Publishing Company
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$3.00 (1 in stock)
Christmas Compass
by Alta Halverson Seymour
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$10.99
Christmas Crafts
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Christmas Donkey
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Christmas Rocket
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Christmas Star
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Christmas Trees
A New True Book
by Kathy Henderson
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Concise Illustrated History of the American Revolution
from Eastern Acorn Press
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$3.00 (1 in stock)
Crispus Attucks: Black Leader of Colonial Patriots
Childhood of Famous Americans
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Crossing
by Jim Murphy
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Daily Life in the Pilgrim Colony 1636
by Paul Erickson
from Clarion Books
for 3rd-5th grade
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$8.50 (1 in stock)
Declaration of Independence
by Carole Marsh
from Gallopade International
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$3.00 (1 in stock)
Declaration of Independence
Documenting U.S. History
by Elizabeth Raum
from Heinemann-Raintree
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$4.50 (1 in stock)
Draw Write Now Book 3
by Marie Hablitzel & Kim Stitzer
from In the Think of Things
for Kindergarten-3rd grade
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$19.99
Eliza Pinckney
Weekly Reader Heroes of the Revolution
by Susan & John Lee
from Children's Press
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$3.50 (1 in stock)
Expected One
by Scott James
from B&H Books
for Kindergarten-3rd grade
in Christmas & Advent (Location: HOLIDAY)
$12.99
Family Read-Aloud Holiday Treasury
by Selected by Alice Low, Illustrated by Marc Brown
First Ediition from Little, Brown & Company
for Kindergarten-4th grade
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$5.00 (1 in stock)
Famous Figures of the American Revolution
from Figures in Motion
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$12.00 (3 in stock)
First Thanksgiving
Step into Reading Level 3
by Linda Hayward
from Random House
for 1st-3rd grade
in Step into Reading (Location: EAR-STEP)
$4.99
First Thanksgiving Flash-A-Card
from A Beka Books
for 3rd-6th grade
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$7.50 (4 in stock)
Flag for Our Country
by Eve Spencer
from Steck-Vaughn Company
Non-Fiction for 1st-3rd grade
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$6.00
Fourth of July Story
by Alice Dalgliesh
2nd edition from Aladdin Paperbacks
Historical Non-fiction for 2nd-4th grade
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$8.99
From Colonies to Country with George Washington - Book Only
My American Journey
by Deborah Hedstrom
from Multnomah Books
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$2.00 (1 in stock)
From Colonies to Country with George Washington - Set
from Unknown Publisher
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George vs. George
by Rosalyn Schanzer
Reprint from National Geographic
for 3rd-6th grade
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$6.95
George Washington
by Edgar & Ingri D'Aulaire
from Beautiful Feet Books
Picture Book Biography for 3rd-6th grade
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$17.95
George Washington
by Cheryl Harness
from National Geographic
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$8.99
George Washington
Childhood of Famous Americans / History's All-Stars
by Augusta Stevenson
from Aladdin Paperbacks
Biography for 3rd-6th grade
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$6.99
George Washington - Coloring Book
Dover Coloring Books
by Peter F. Copeland
from Dover Publications
for 2nd-6th grade
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$4.99
George Washington You Never Knew
by James Lincoln Collier
from Scholastic Inc.
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$4.00 (1 in stock)
George Washington's Breakfast
by Jean Fritz
from PaperStar Books
Biography for 1st-4th grade
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George Washington, Spymaster
by Thomas B. Allen
from National Geographic
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George Washington: Our First Leader
Childhood of Famous Americans
by Augusta Stevenson
from Aladdin Paperbacks
Biography for 3rd-6th grade
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$7.99
Hank the Cowdog #09
Hank the Cowdog #9
by John R. Erickson
Reprint from Maverick Books
for 2nd-5th grade
in Hank the Cowdog (Location: SER-HANK)
$6.99
Heroes and Heroines of the American Revolution - Coloring Book
Dover Coloring Books
by Peter F. Copeland
from Dover Publications
for 2nd-6th grade
in History of America Coloring Books (Location: COL-HISA)
$4.99
History of Holidays - Activity Study on CD
from Home School in the Woods
for 1st-4th grade
in Holidays (Location: HOLIDAY)
$12.00
Hosanna in Excelsis
by David & Barbara Leeman
from Moody Press
for 3rd-Adult
in Christmas & Advent (Location: HOLIDAY)
$15.99
How Many Days to America?
by Eve Bunting
for 1st-4th grade
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$3.00 (1 in stock)
How Our Nation was Born: The American Revolution
by Carole Marsh
from Gallopade International
for 2nd-4th grade
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$3.00 (1 in stock)
How the Grinch Stole Christmas!
by Dr. Seuss
from Random House
Christmas Stories for Kindergarten-4th grade
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$16.99 $7.50 (1 in stock)
I Saw Three Ships
by Elizabeth Goudge
from David R. Godine
for 3rd-6th grade
in Realistic Fiction (Location: FIC-REA)
$12.95
If You Lived at the Time of the American Revolution
If You Were There
by Kay Moore
from Scholastic Inc.
Non-Fiction for 2nd-5th grade
in American Revolution (1765-1783) (Location: HISA-18REV)
$4.00 (1 in stock)
If You Lived in Colonial Times
If You Were There
by Ann McGovern
from Scholastic Inc.
Non-Fiction for 2nd-5th grade
in Colonial America (1690-1765) (Location: HISA-17COL)
$4.00 (4 in stock)
If You Sailed On the Mayflower
If You Were There
by Ann McGovern, illustrated by J.B. Handlesman
from Four Winds Press
Non-Fiction for 2nd-5th grade
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$12.00 (1 in stock)
Jennie Lee, Patriot
by Anne Emery
from Westminster Press
for 3rd-6th grade
in Vintage Fiction & Literature (Location: VIN-FIC)
$24.00 (1 in stock)
Jewish Child's First Book of Why
by Alfred J. Kolatch, illustrated by Harry Araten
from Jonathan David Publishers
for Kindergarten-4th grade
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$4.00 (1 in stock)
Jewish Days and Holidays
by Greer Fay Cashman, Illustrated by Alona Frankel
from Adama Books
for 3rd-6th grade
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$7.00 (1 in stock)
Jewish Holiday Crafts for Little Hands
by Ruth Esrig Brinn with Judyth Groner and Madeline Wikler, illustrated by Katherine Janus Kahn
from Kar-Ben Copies, Inc.
for 1st-5th grade
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$5.00 (1 in stock)
Jewish Holidays & Traditions - Coloring Book
Dover Coloring Books
by Chaya Burstein
from Dover Publications
for 2nd-6th grade
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$4.99
John Hancock
Weekly Reader Heroes of the Revolution
by Susan & John Lee, illustrated by Chuck Mitchell
from Children's Press
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$4.00 (1 in stock)
Johnny Tremain
Illustrated American Classics
by Esther Forbes
from Houghton Mifflin
Historical Fiction/Adventure for 3rd-10th grade
1944 Newbery Medal winner
in Historical Fiction (Location: FIC-HIF)
$14.00 (1 in stock)
Johnny Tremain
by Esther Forbes, illustrated by Lynd Ward
from Houghton Mifflin
for 3rd-4th
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$10.00 (1 in stock)
Johnny Tremain - Student's Edition
by Esther Forbes, illustrated by Lynd Ward, discussion guide by Ruth M. Stauffer
from Houghton Mifflin
for 3rd-4th
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$10.00 (1 in stock)
Jotham's Journey
by Arnold Ytreeide
from Kregel Publications
for 1st-6th grade
in Christmas & Advent (Location: HOLIDAY)
$18.99
Journey to the Cross
by Helen Haidle, illustrated by David Haidle and Paul Haidle
from Zonderkidz
for 3rd-6th grade
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$6.00 (1 in stock)
Justin Morgan Had a Horse
by Marguerite Henry; illustrated by Wesley Dennis
from Aladdin Paperbacks
Realistic Animal Stories for 3rd-6th grade
1946 Newbery Honor Book
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$6.39
Justin Morgan Had a Horse
G&D Famous Horse Stories
by Marguerite Henry
from Grosset & Dunlap
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$6.40 (1 in stock)
Justin Morgan Had a Horse
by Marguerite Henry, illustrated by Wesley Dennis
1958th edition from Rand McNally
for 3rd-6th grade
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$9.60 (1 in stock)
King George's Head Was Made of Lead
by F. N. Monjo
from Coward McCann
for 2nd-4th grade
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$12.00 (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)
$32.00
Liberty!
by Lucille Recht Penner
from Random House
in American Revolution (1765-1783) (Location: HISA-18REV)
$8.99
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)
$4.50 (1 in stock)
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)
$9.00 (1 in stock)
Life of Washington
by Josephine Pollard
from Beautiful Feet Books
Biography for 3rd-8th grade
in Biographies (Location: BIO)
$10.95 $7.50 (1 in stock)
Lilies, Rabbits, and Painted Eggs
by Edna Barth
from Houghton Mifflin
for Preschool- 3rd Grade
in Easter & Lent (Location: HOLIDAY)
$4.00 (1 in stock)
Lion in the Box
by Marguerite de Angeli
from Purple House Press
for Preschool-3rd grade
in Realistic Fiction (Location: FIC-REA)
$11.99
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