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Holidays / Church Calendar

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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13 Colonies: Georgia
by Roberta Wiener and James R. Arnold
from Raintree
for 6th-8th grade
in Colonial America (1690-1765) (Location: HISA-17COL)
$7.00 (1 in stock)
Adventurous Life of Myles Standish OSI
by Cheryl Harness
from National Geographic
in Biographies (Location: BIO)
Alexander Hamilton: The Outsider
by Jean Fritz; illustrated by Ian Schoenherr
from Puffin Books
for 3rd-6th grade
in Biographies (Location: BIO)
$4.00 (1 in stock)
All Creation Waits
by Gayle Boss, illustrated by David G. Klein
from Paraclete Press
for 6th-Adult
in Christmas & Advent (Location: HOLIDAY)
All Year Round: A Calendar of Celebrations
by Ann Druitt, Christine Fynes-Clinton, Marije Rowling
from Hawthorn Press
for Adult
in Holidays / Church Calendar (Location: HOLIDAY)
$10.00 (1 in stock)
America's National Battlefield Parks
by Joseph E. Stevens
from University of Oklahoma Press
for 9th-Adult
in U.S. Monuments & Symbols (Location: HISV-LANUS)
Better Than Anything Christmas
by Barbara Reaoch
from Good Book Company
for Preschool-Adult
in Christmas & Advent (Location: HOLIDAY)
$9.99
Better-Than-Best Purim
by Naomi Howland
PJ Library from Two Lions
for Preschool-2nd grade
in Jewish Holidays & Traditions (Location: HOLIDAY)
$3.20 (1 in stock)
Can't You Make Them Behave, King George?
by Jean Fritz
from PaperStar Books
for 4th-6th grade
in American Revolution (1765-1783) (Location: HISA-18REV)
$6.99 $4.50 (1 in stock)
Can't You Make Them Behave, King George?
by Jean Fritz, illustrated by Tomie dePaola
from Coward McCann
for 2nd-4th grade
in American Revolution (1765-1783) (Location: HISA-18REV)
$2.50 (1 in stock)
Christ Is Born
by Laura Marr, illustrator
from Dover Publications
for 3rd-Adult
in Holiday Coloring Books (Location: COL-HOL)
$13.59
Christmas Cookie Sprinkle Snitcher
by Robert Kraus, illustrated by Vip
from Purple House Press
for Nursery-2nd grade
in Picture Books (Location: PICTURE)
Declaration of Independence
History Speaks
by Douglas M. Rife
from Teaching & Learning Company
for 4th - 8th Grade
in American Revolution (1765-1783) (Location: HISA-18REV)
$4.00 (1 in stock)
Declaration of Independence
Documenting U.S. History
by Elizabeth Raum
from Heinemann-Raintree
for 2nd-5th grade
in American Revolution (1765-1783) (Location: HISA-18REV)
$4.50 (1 in stock)
Early American History for Intermediate Grades - Guide
by Rea Berg & Rebecca Manor
3rd edition from Beautiful Feet Books
for 4th-6th grade
in Beautiful Feet Books (Location: HISCUR-BFB)
$25.95
Flags to Color from the American Revolution
by Whitney Smith
from Bellerophon Books
for 4th-6th grade
in American Revolution (1765-1783) (Location: HISA-18REV)
General Washington's Army
by Marko Zlatich, Illustrated by Peter F. Copeland
2003 Printing from Osprey Publishing
for 6th-Adult
in American Revolution (1765-1783) (Location: HISA-18REV)
$6.00 (1 in stock)
George Washington You Never Knew
by James Lincoln Collier
from Scholastic Inc.
for 3rd-6th grade
in Biographies (Location: BIO)
$3.20 (1 in stock)
How to Cook Everything: Holiday Cooking
by Mark Bittman, illustrated by Alan Witschonke
from Wiley Publishing
for Adult
in Miscellaneous Cookbooks (Location: COOK-MIS)
$5.00 (1 in stock)
I Saw Three Ships
by Elizabeth Goudge
from David R. Godine
for 3rd-6th grade
in Realistic Fiction (Location: FIC-REA)
$14.41
In November
by Cynthia Rylant, illustrated by Jill Kastner
from HarperCollins
for Preschool-2nd grade
in Picture Books (Location: PICTURE)
$8.49
John Hancock
by Candice Ransom
from Barnes & Noble
for 2nd-4th grade
in Biographies (Location: BIO)
$2.40 (1 in stock)
Lucia, Child of Light
by Florence Ekstrand
from Welcome Press
for 6th-Adult
in Christmas & Advent (Location: HOLIDAY)
$5.00 (1 in stock)
Mayflower II
from Plimoth Plantation Publication
for 6th-12th grade
in Ships, Boats & Submarines (Location: HISV-SHIP)
$4.00 (1 in stock)
N.C. Wyeth's Pilgrims
by Robert San Souci, illustrated by N.C. Wyeth
from Chronicle Books
for Kindergarten-5th grade
in Pilgrims at Plymouth (Location: HISA-17PIL)
Nathan Hale
Hidden History: Spies
by Aaron Derr, Illustrated by Tami Wicinas
from Red Chair Press
for 2nd-5th grade
in American Revolution (1765-1783) (Location: HISA-18REV)
$3.20 (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 C. Moore, illustrated by Tasha Tudor
from Little, Brown & Company
for Preschool-3rd grade
in Christmas & Advent (Location: HOLIDAY)
Nine Days to Christmas
by Marie Hall Ets
from Viking Press
for Preschool- 3rd Grade
1960 Caldecott Medal winner
in Picture Books (Location: PICTURE)
Papa Panov's Special Christmas
by Leo Tolstoy, illustrated by Hannah Thibaudeau
from Memoria Press
for Preschool-2nd grade
in Picture Books (Location: PICTURE)
$10.12
Plymouth Thanksgiving
by Leonard Weisgard
Reprint from Doubleday Book For Young Readers
for Kindergarten-5th grade
in Pilgrims at Plymouth (Location: HISA-17PIL)
$5.00 (1 in stock)
Politically Incorrect Guide to the American Revolution
P.I.G. series
by Larry Schweikart and Dave Dougherty
from Regnery Publishing, Inc.
for 10th-Adult
in American Revolution (1765-1783) (Location: HISA-18REV)
$11.00 (1 in stock)
Primary Source History of the American Revolution
Fact Finders
by Sarah Powers Webb
from Capstone Press
for 3rd-5th grade
in American Revolution (1765-1783) (Location: HISA-18REV)
$4.00 (1 in stock)
Secrets of the American Revolution
by Tyler Omoth
from Capstone Press
for 1st-4th grade
in American Revolution (1765-1783) (Location: HISA-18REV)
$4.50 (1 in stock)
Story of the Declaration of Independence
Cornerstones of Freedom series
by R. Conrad Stein
from Scholastic Inc.
American History Reference for 4th-6th grade
in Cornerstones of Freedom (Location: VIN-CORN)
$5.95
Story of the Declaration of Independence
by Norman Richards, Tom Dunnington
from Children's Press
for 4th-6th grade
in Cornerstones of Freedom (Location: VIN-CORN)
$3.00 (1 in stock)
Story of the Great Republic
by Helene Guerber
from Nothing New Press
History Reference for 4th-8th grade
Cathy Duffy's 100 Top Picks
in U.S. History Curriculum (Location: HISCUR-US)
Story of the Mayflower Compact
from Children's Press
for Kindergarten-3rd grade
in Cornerstones of Freedom (Location: VIN-CORN)
Story of the Surrender at Yorktown
Cornerstones of Freedom
by R. Conrad Stein
from Children's Press
for 4th-6th Grade
in Cornerstones of Freedom (Location: VIN-CORN)
Story of the Thirteen Colonies
by Helene Guerber
from Nothing New Press
History Reference for 3rd-8th grade
Cathy Duffy's 100 Top Picks
in Colonial America (1690-1765) (Location: HISA-17COL)
Story of Valentine's Day
by Clyde Robert Bulla, Illustrated by Susan Estelle Kwas
from HarperTrophy
for 2nd-5th grade
in Picture Books (Location: PICTURE)
Thank You, Sarah
Reprint from Simon and Schuster
for Kindergarten-2nd grade
in Picture Books (Location: PICTURE)
$7.64 $3.60 (1 in stock)
Thanksgiving Door
by Debby Atwell
from Purple House Press
for Preschool-2nd grade
in Picture Books (Location: PICTURE)
$12.74
Trees of the Dancing Goats
by Patricia Polacco
from Scholastic Inc.
for Preschool-2nd grade
in Jewish Holidays & Traditions (Location: HOLIDAY)
True Book: The Declaration of Independence
A True Book
by Elaine Landau
from Children's Press
for 2nd-4th grade
in American Revolution (1765-1783) (Location: HISA-18REV)
$3.00 (1 in stock)
True Book: The New York Colony
from Scholastic Inc.
for 2nd-5th grade
in Colonial America (1690-1765) (Location: HISA-17COL)
True Stories of the Revolutionary War
Graphic Library: Stories of War
by Elizabeth Raum, illustrated by Pat Kinsella
from Capstone Press
for 3rd-5th grade
in Comic Books & Graphic Novels (Location: FIC-COMIC)
$3.60 (1 in stock)
Twelve Days of Christmas
by Laurel Long
from Puffin Books
for 1st-4th grade
in Christmas & Advent (Location: HOLIDAY)
$7.64
Very First Thanksgiving Day
by Rhonda Gowler Greene, illustrated by Susan Gaber
from Aladdin Paperbacks
for Preschool-2nd grade
in Pilgrims at Plymouth (Location: HISA-17PIL)
$4.50 (1 in stock)
When Washington Crossed the Delaware
by Lynne Cheney
from Simon & Schuster Macmillan
for Preschool-3rd grade
in American Revolution (1765-1783) (Location: HISA-18REV)
$4.00 (1 in stock)
Wipe Your Feet, Santa Claus!
by Konrad Richter, illustrated by Jozef Wilkon
from North-South Books
for Preschool-2nd grade
in Picture Books (Location: PICTURE)
$2.40 (1 in stock)
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