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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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- Charles Dickens' A Christmas Carol

Easter & Lent

Jewish Holidays & Traditions

St. Patrick's Day

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	'Twas the Night Before Christmas by Matt Tavares from Candlewick Press for Preschool-3rd Grade in Christmas & Advent (Location: HOLIDAY)
	A B C is for Christmas by Jane Werner Watson, illustrated by Sally Augustiny from Golden Press for Preschool-2nd grade in Little Golden Books (Location: PIC-GOLD) $2.40 (1 in stock)
	Amazing Peace A Christmas Poem with CD by Maya Angelou, illustrated by Steve Johnson and Lou Fancher from Schwartz & Wade for Preschool-3rd grade in Christmas & Advent (Location: HOLIDAY)
	An Edwardian Christmas by John S. Goodall from Atheneum for Preschool-Adult in Vintage Picture Books (Location: VIN-PIC)
	Animals' Christmas Carol by Helen Ward from Millbrook Press for Preschool-3rd grade in Christmas & Advent (Location: HOLIDAY)
	Apple Tree Christmas by Trinka Hakes Noble from Sleeping Bear Press for Preschool-2nd grade in Picture Books (Location: PICTURE) $14.41
	Babar and Father Christmas by Jean De Brunhoff 1^st edition from Random House Books for Young Readers for Preschool-2nd grade in Picture Books (Location: PICTURE) $16.14
	Babushka by Charles Mikolaycak 1^st edition from Holiday House for Preschool-2nd grade in Picture Books (Location: PICTURE)
	Bee My Valentine by Miriam Cohen, illustrated by Lillian Hoban from Greenwillow Books for Preschool-2nd grade in Picture Books (Location: PICTURE)
	Bugle, A Puppy in Old Yorktown by Mary Andrews, Illustrated by Manning de V. Lee from Rand McNally for Preschool-1st grade in Vintage Picture Books (Location: VIN-PIC)
	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)
	Christmas Alphabet Deluxe Anniversary Edition by Robert Sabuda from Orchard Books for Nursery-2nd grade in Christmas & Advent (Location: HOLIDAY) $11.00 (1 in stock)
	Christmas Carol Being a Ghost Story of Christmas by Charles Dickens, illustrated by Arthur Rackham from William Heinemann in 19th Century Literature (Location: LIT6-19)
	Christmas Carol (abridged) Being a Ghost Story of Christmas by Charles Dickens, abridged and illustrated by Mercer Mayer in Adapted or Abridged (Location: SER-ABR)
	Christmas Carol Miracle by Luise Putcamp from Abingdon Press for Preschool-2nd grade in Picture Books (Location: PICTURE) $6.00 (2 in stock)
	Christmas Cat by Efner Tudor Holmes, Tasha Tudor (Illustrator) from HarperCollins Realistic Animal Stories for Preschool-2nd grade in Picture Books (Location: PICTURE)
	Christmas in Noisy Village OSI by Astrid Lindgren, illustrated by Ilon Wikland from Puffin Books for Preschool-2nd grade in Picture Books (Location: PICTURE)
	Christmas in the Barn by Margaret Wise Brown from HarperCollins for Preschool-2nd grade in Christmas & Advent (Location: HOLIDAY)
	Christmas Is Here by Lauren Castillo from Simon and Schuster for Preschool-2nd grade in Christmas & Advent (Location: HOLIDAY) $11.04
	Christmas Miracle of Jonathan Toomey Deluxe 20th Anniversary Edition by Susan Wojciechowski, illustrated by P. J. Lynch 20th Anniversary from Candlewick Press in Christmas & Advent (Location: HOLIDAY) $15.29
	Christmas Poems by Myra Cohn Livingston, illustrated by Trina Schart Hyman from Holiday House for Nursery-2nd grade in Christmas & Advent (Location: HOLIDAY)
	Christmas Story by Jane Werner from Golden Books for Preschool-1st grade in Little Golden Books (Location: PIC-GOLD) $1.60 (1 in stock)
	Christmas Story from Harper & Row for Preschool-Kindergarten in Christmas & Advent (Location: HOLIDAY)
	Cranberry Christmas by Wende & Harry Devlin First Edition from Purple House Press for Preschool-2nd grade in Picture Books (Location: PICTURE)
	Cranberry Halloween by Wende & Harry Devlin from Purple House Press for Preschool-2nd grade in Picture Books (Location: PICTURE)
	Crippled Lamb by Max Lucado from Thomas Nelson Publishers for Preschool-3rd grade in Christmas & Advent (Location: HOLIDAY)
	Crippled Lamb by Max Lucado Reprint from Thomas Nelson Publishers for Preschool-3rd grade in Christmas & Advent (Location: HOLIDAY)
	Donkey's Dream by Barbara Helen Berger First Edition from Philomel Books for Nursery-2nd grade in Picture Books (Location: PICTURE)
	Easter Bunny, Are You for Real? by Harold Myra, illustrated by Dwight Walles from Thomas Nelson Publishers for Preschool-2nd grade in Easter & Lent (Location: HOLIDAY) $4.80 (1 in stock)
	Easter Egg by Jan Brett from G.P. Putnam's Sons for Preschool-1st grade in Picture Books (Location: PICTURE)
	Fireworks by Matthew Burgess, illustrated by Catia Chien from Clarion Books for Preschool-2nd grade 2026 Caldecott Award in Picture Books (Location: PICTURE) $16.99
	Forever Christmas Tree by Yoshiko Uchida, illustrated by Kazue Mizumura from Charles Scribner's Sons for Preschool-2nd grade in Holidays / Church Calendar (Location: HOLIDAY)
	George Balanchine's The Nutcracker with CD of musical highlights from Barnes & Noble for Preschool-Adult in Christmas & Advent (Location: HOLIDAY)
	George Washington: America's Patriot Heroes of History for Young Readers by Renee Meloche from Emerald Books for Preschool-3rd grade in Heroes for Young Readers (Location: BIO-HERO)
	Gift of the Magi by O. Henry from Picture Book Studio Realistic Fiction for Nursery-2nd grade in Oversized Picture Books (Location: PIC-OVER)
	Gingerbread for Liberty! OSI How a German Baker Helped Win the American Revolution by Mara Rockliff, Illustrated by Vincent X. Kirsch from Houghton Mifflin Harcourt for Preschool-2nd grade in Biographies (Location: BIO)
	Golden Christmas Treasury by Rick Bunsen (editor) from Golden Books for Preschool-2nd grade in Christmas & Advent (Location: HOLIDAY) $6.00 (1 in stock)
	Harold at the North Pole A Christmas Journey with the Purple Crayon by Crockett Johnson from HarperCollins for Preschool-2nd grade in Picture Books (Location: PICTURE) $5.20 (1 in stock)
	Hatmaker's Sign: A Story by Benjamin Franklin by Candace Fleming (reteller), illustrated by Robert Andrew Parker from Orchard Books for Preschool-2nd grade in Picture Books (Location: PICTURE) $6.40 (1 in stock)
	He is Risen Rocks Tell the Story of Easter by Patti Rokus from Zondervan for Preschool-1st grade in Easter & Lent (Location: HOLIDAY) $17.99 $9.00 (1 in stock)
	I Spy Christmas by Jean Marzollo, Walter Wick (Photographer) from Cartwheel Books for Preschool-2nd grade in Look and Find Books (Location: PIC-LOOK) $12.74
	Jolly Old Santa Claus from Ideals Publications for Nursery-3rd grade in Christmas & Advent (Location: HOLIDAY)
	Littlest Angel by Charles Tazewell, Illustrated by Sergio Leone Reprint from Ideals Publications for Preschool-2nd grade in Christmas & Advent (Location: HOLIDAY) $4.00 (1 in stock)
	Living Nativity The Story of Saint Francis and the Christmas Manger by Helen and David Haidle from Honor Books for Preschool-2nd grade in Christmas & Advent (Location: HOLIDAY)
	Long Ago on a Silent Night by Julie Berry, Illustrated by Annie Won from Orchard Books for Preschool-2nd grade in Christmas & Advent (Location: HOLIDAY)
	Mission Accomplished A Two-Week Family Easter Devotional by Scott James from New Growth Press for All ages in Easter & Lent (Location: HOLIDAY)
	Mole Family's Christmas by Russell Hoban, illustrated by Lillian Hoban from Parents Magazine Press for Preschool-3rd grade in Picture Books (Location: PICTURE)
	Morris's Disappearing Bag A Christmas Story by Rosemary Wells from Dial Press for Preschool-2nd grade in Picture Books (Location: PICTURE) $3.60 (1 in stock)
	Night Before Christmas by Clement C. Moore, illustrated by Arthur Rackham from Weathervane Books for Preschool-3rd grade in Christmas & Advent (Location: HOLIDAY)
	Night Before Christmas by Clement C. Moore, illustrated by Ruth Sanderson 1^st edition from Turner Publishing, Inc. for Preschool- 3rd Grade in Christmas & Advent (Location: HOLIDAY)
	Night Before Christmas by Clement C. Moore from Golden Books for Nursery-2nd grade in Christmas & Advent (Location: HOLIDAY)
	Night Before Christmas by Clement C. Moore, illustrated by Tasha Tudor from Checkerboard Press for Preschool-3rd grade in Picture Books (Location: PICTURE)
	Night Before Christmas by Clement C. Moore from Golden Books for Nursery-1st grade in Little Golden Books (Location: PIC-GOLD)
	Night Before Christmas by Clement Moore, illustrated by Jan Brett from Putnam Juvenile for Preschool- 3rd Grade in Christmas & Advent (Location: HOLIDAY)
	Night Before Christmas by Clement Moore, illustrated by Cheryl Harness from Random House for Preschool- 3rd Grade in Christmas & Advent (Location: HOLIDAY)
	Night Before Christmas by Clement C. Moore, illustrated by Gyo Fujikawa from Grosset & Dunlap for Preschool-1st grade in Christmas & Advent (Location: HOLIDAY)
	Night Before Christmas by Clement C. Moore, illustrated by Tasha Tudor from Little, Brown & Company for Preschool-3rd grade in Christmas & Advent (Location: HOLIDAY)
	Night Before Christmas with DVD by Clement Moore, illustrated by Jan Brett from Putnam Juvenile for Preschool- 3rd Grade in Picture Books (Location: PICTURE)
	Nutcracker by E. T. A. Hoffman, Scott Gustafson (Illustrator) from Barnes & Noble for Preschool-2nd grade in Picture Books (Location: PICTURE)
	Peter and Lotta's Christmas by Elsa Beskow from Floris Books for Preschool-2nd grade in Picture Books (Location: PICTURE)
	Picture Book of George Washington by David A. Adler 1^st edition from Holiday House for Preschool-3rd grade in Biographies (Location: BIO) $6.00 (1 in stock)
	Picture Book of Paul Revere by Alexandra Wallner, David A. Adler, John Wallner 1^st edition from Holiday House for Preschool-3rd grade in Clearance: Biographies (Location: ZCLE-BIO)
	Polar Express With Ornament & Audio Read by Liam Neeson by Chris Van Allsburg from Houghton Mifflin for Preschool-2nd grade 1986 Caldecott Medal winner in Picture Books (Location: PICTURE) $16.00
	Prancer by Stephen Cosgrove from Graphic Arts Center Publishing Company for Preschool-2nd grade in Picture Books (Location: PICTURE) $4.00 (1 in stock)
	Red and Lulu by Matt Tavares from Candlewick Press for Preschool-2nd grade in Picture Books (Location: PICTURE) $16.99
	Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer by Robert L. May, Barbara Shook Hazen (Adapter), illustrated by Richard Scarry "I" Printing from Golden Books for Nursery-1st grade in Vintage Picture Books (Location: VIN-PIC) $6.40 (1 in stock)
	Santa Mouse by Michael Brown, illustrated by Elfrieda De Witt from Grosset & Dunlap for Preschool-2nd grade in Vintage Picture Books (Location: VIN-PIC) $4.00 (1 in stock)
	Santa's Surprise Book by Joan Potter Elwart, illustrated by Florence Sarah Winship 1974 printing from Golden Press for Preschool-2nd grade in Little Golden Books (Location: PIC-GOLD)
	Santabear's First Christmas by Barbara Read, illustrated by Howard B. Lewis from Santabear Books for Preschool-2nd grade in Picture Books (Location: PICTURE) $3.20 (1 in stock)
	Saving the Liberty Bell by Megan McDonald, Illustrated by Marsha Gray Carrington from Atheneum for Preschool-2nd grade in Oversized History Books (Location: HISW-OVER) $16.99
	Savior is Born Rocks Tell the Story of Christmas by Patti Rokus from Zondervan for Preschool-2nd grade in Christmas & Advent (Location: HOLIDAY) $16.99 $9.60 (2 in stock)
	Something Better Coming by Megan Saben, illustrated by Ryan Flanders from Literaritea Press for Preschool-2nd grade in Easter & Lent (Location: HOLIDAY)
	Story of Holly and Ivy by Rumer Godden, Illustrated by Barbara Cooney from Viking Press for Preschool-2nd grade in Christmas & Advent (Location: HOLIDAY) $16.14
	Story of the Nutcracker by Robert Mathias from Crescent Books for Preschool-2nd grade in Picture Books (Location: PICTURE)
	Tale of Three Trees by Angela Elwell Hunt, Tim Jonke (Illustrator) 1^st edition from Cook Communications for Nursery-1st grade in Picture Books (Location: PICTURE) $15.29
	That Holy Week So Long Ago by Matthew Boswell; illustrated by Helena Perez Garcia from Crossway Books for Preschool-4th grade in Easter & Lent (Location: HOLIDAY) $12.74
	Thirteen Days of Yule by Nonny Hogrogian from Thomas Y. Crowell & Co. for Preschool-2nd grade in Vintage Picture Books (Location: VIN-PIC) $8.00 (1 in stock)
	This Way to Christmas by Ruth Sawyer, illustrated by Maginel Wright Barney from Harper & Brothers for Preschool-1st grade in Vintage Fiction & Literature (Location: VIN-FIC)
	Thomas Jefferson A Picture Book Biography by James Cross Giblin from Scholastic Inc. for Preschool-3rd grade in Biographies (Location: BIO) $6.00 (1 in stock)
	Time to Keep by Tasha Tudor Reissue from Simon and Schuster for Preschool-2nd grade in Oversized Picture Books (Location: PIC-OVER) $16.99
	Tomie dePaola's Book of Christmas Carols by Tomie DePaola First Edition from Putnam Juvenile for Nursery-4th grade in Christmas & Advent (Location: HOLIDAY)
	Usborne Book of the Seasons Things to do all year round by Angela Wilkes from Usborne for Preschool-3rd grade in Meteorology (Weather & Climate) (Location: SCI-WEA) $4.80 (1 in stock)
	We Wish You a Merry Christmas by Michael Hague 1st Edition Thus from Henry Holt and Company for Preschool- 3rd Grade in Christmas & Advent (Location: HOLIDAY)
	When Christmas Comes by Doris Whitman, illustrated by David K. Stone from Holt, Rinehart and Winston for Preschool-2nd grade in Vintage Picture Books (Location: VIN-PIC) $4.80 (1 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)
	When Washington Crossed the Delaware A Wintertime Story for Young Patriots by Lynne Cheney from Simon & Schuster Macmillan for Preschool-3rd grade in American Revolution (1765-1783) (Location: HISA-18REV) $8.00 (1 in stock)
	Who Is Jesus? 40 Pictures to Share with your Family by Kate Hox, illustrated by Joe Hox from New Growth Press for Preschool-5th grade in Family Worship (Location: BIBR-FAWO) $24.99
	Yankee Doodle A Revolutionary Tail by Gary Chalk from DK Publishing for Preschool-3rd grade in American Revolution (1765-1783) (Location: HISA-18REV) $3.20 (1 in stock)

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