Advent and Christmas – these are times of the year when I envision curling up before a fire on a wintry afternoon, or taking a blanket out to the porch swing on a crisp California day – and middling away an hour with a delightful or inspiring book. All too often, my afternoons are actually wrought with frantic activity, trying to stay on top of the regular chores, whisking my children around to extra events, struggling to get ahead in work, and trying to cram in traditions and gift-buying. At some point, in the next week, maybe those fall decorations will finally come down so we can begin decorating for the season. 🙂
If I have any time for reading, there is a massive stack of children’s Christmas books that my children have been begging me to unpack the last few days to begin sharing with them. Still, stealing a few quiet minutes here and there are so important to quiet my own inner panic and remember the calm we’re at least supposed to strive for. Here are some of my favorite holiday selections to help prepare my heart for Christmas or rest in the quiet of the aftermath.
1. Hallelujah: The Advent Companion
This is a beautiful Advent companion that I used last year for my morning symposium with the children. I think it may actually be even better for personal reflections though! Within its pages are daily reflections, paired with selections from Handel’s Messiah so you can meditate on the layered meanings of Scripture in correlation with the stirring musical reflections of this great composer. Also included are a weekly Advent reflection, hymn, and poem. Although I’ve turned to multiple family Advent guides or Jesse tree booklets over the years, this has been my favorite. While directed towards adults and older children, the little ones love listening to the music!
2. The Story of the Other Wise Man: A Beautiful Christmas Tale
The nostalgia that accompanies these weeks always makes me long to pull out old classics and slow down with descriptive, lyrical prose. One of our most popular Christmas stories is that of the Fourth Wise Man, who tries to find the baby Jesus and ends up spending his whole life pursuing him, always discovering himself to be a step behind our Savior in his journey. This story bridges Christmas and Easter, where the wise man finally realizes his mission and encounters the Messiah. Its inspiring plot always resonates with ordinary hearts seeking the Christ Child and – while we also own a beautiful illustrated copy of the story – Mama needs that original, rich text for herself!
3. O Holy Night: Poetry
Just as I love to snuggle in with a good Christmas book, so I also find myself drawn to poetry of the season. After perusing several holiday poetry collections, this is the one I chose to buy for our family. It provides a huge selection, from Virgil to Eliot and Pasternak, and is laid out in an easy, appealing format. The poems are gathered into sections based upon content and theme, and provide enough variety to satisfy the shifting moods of Advent and Christmas days.
4. Mrs. Miniver: A Classic Novel
Having grown up with this classic black-and-white WWII movie, it was nevertheless years until I discovered the actual novel that inspired the movie. This charming story is not a Christmas one, per se, but it opens upon Mrs. Miniver embarking on her holiday shopping and closes with her making her Christmas lists years later. The book is easy to pick up for little snippets as it follows an episodic format, but each little chapter still contains a nugget of encouragement, and deeper themes of hope and faith interweave with the simple days of this mother carrying out her duties in these tumultuous years.
5. Jesus, I Trust in You: The Retreat Guide
This collection of a 30-day prayer guide was not written for these liturgical season but, with its focus on discovering what obstructs our trust in God’s love and removing it to experience his fullness, it serves as a fitting retreat guide for Advent or Christmas. Each daily reflection includes an introductory story on a saint or Biblical figure, a meditation on the Gospel, and a list of ideas for further prayer or resolution. The entire book is based upon the Litany of Trust and the author, Sr. Faustina of the Sisters of Life, encourages her readers to pray the litany every day during their prayer time.
