Disclosure / Disclaimer: I received this book free of charge,from Zondervan, via Booklook Blogging Program, for review purposes on this blog. No other compensation, monetary or in kind, has been received or implied for this post. Nor was I told how to post about it, all opinions are my own.
You might remember Acce from the lovely Christmas book from 2 years ago, that we shared with you, The Most Wonderful Time of the Year , and he's back with a lovely book to add to your holiday collection!
Synopsis:
The fascinating stories and origins behind Christmas traditions such as the colors of red and green, the Christmas tree, caroling, nativity scenes, the Yule log, gift-giving, stockings, advent wreaths, mistletoe, and holly.
The cheer of a crackling hearth fire. Colorful cards from friends and loved ones. An evergreen tree festooned with ornaments. The golden traditions of Christmas—gifts, wreaths, stockings, carols, mistletoe, and more—infuse our celebration of the season with meaning and glowing memories. And, in ways you may not realize, they point us to the birth of Christ. Stories Behind the Great Traditions of Christmas reveals the people, places, and events that shaped the best-loved customs of this merriest of holidays.
Here are spiritual insights, true-life tales, and captivating legends to intrigue you and your family and bring new luster and depth to your celebration of Jesus’ birth. Discover how:
• after eighteen centuries of all but ignoring the event, churches began to open the door for believers to commemorate Jesus’ incarnation.
• the evergreen tree, once a central theme in the worship practices of pagan cultures, came to represent the everlasting love of God.
• the magi’s three gifts—gold, frankincense, and myrrh—are filled with spiritual symbolism.
The traditions of Christmas lend beauty, awe, and hope to the holiday, causing people all over the world to anticipate it with joy. The stories in this book will warm your heart as you rediscover the true and eternal significance of Christmas.
Review:
I was looking for something diferent for Miss Grace for this years Christmas holiday studies, and I was thrilled to find this book. When she first started homeschooling, I had a wonderful 'All About Christmas' unit study for her, that she really loved! But it covered SO much, that last year I had to scramble to figure out what holiday study was different! She ended up with a Christmas Carol study, which worked well, as she got to learn the piano music as well. So I wanted to return to the meanings behind our traditions this year, and this book shines with them!
This book takes a bit longer look at each of them, and gives a very good basis and history for each and I was happy to see how much more spiritual awareness of the traditions is noted, as this will work well with her confirmation lessons during Advent too! Take for example the passage above, where Ace is talking about the use of 'Xmas'. Now I was taught all of this in High School, so have used it since thin, but you would be surprised HOW many Christians will tell you it's secular and should NOT be used! So arming yourself with the CORRECT info, is so important durign the holidays, to combat not only ignorance, but any malice! As Miss Grace read a couple of the small sections, she was surprised and couldn't wait to tell our pastor what she learned already, so I know she will love doing the daily lesons from it!
It's a lovely little book for gift giving, especially if you have no idea of what to give the recipient (work draws anyone?), and for giving your hostess something they will cherish and share with their families Just remember to keep one for your family too!
About the Author:
Ace Collins defines himself as a storyteller. He has authored more than sixty books that have sold more than 2.5 million copies. His catalog includes novels, biographies, children's works as well as books on history, culture and faith. He has also been the featured speaker at the National Archives Distinguished Lecture Series, hosted a network television special and does college basketball play-by-play. Ace lives in Arkansas.
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