I didn’t grow up celebrating Advent.
Although I was raised in a strong Christian home, I never even knew what “advent” meant until adulthood. The church denomination I was apart of did not make a big deal of Advent (although I definitely knew that Jesus was the reason for the season!).
A few years back, I learned about this practice of preparing our hearts for Christ’s coming throughout the Christmas season–from Nov. 30 through Christmas day.
I absolutely love how Advent extends the celebration of Jesus’s birth to far before Christmas Day!
Over the past few years our family has been celebrating Advent with our girls by making Christmas crafts and other ornaments via Truth in the Tinsel.
I absolutely love this (and we will continue it), but I will admit that sometimes the non-crafty, bookworm mama in me has just longed for a nice read-along we could share with the girls during this season–one we could all cozy up to with hot chocolate and warm blankets, one that would tell the full gospel story from start to finish.
I’m excited to have found this Advent resource. Together, our family will be reading Ann Voskamp’s Unwrapping the Greatest Gift: A Family Celebration of Christmas.
Unwrapping the Greatest Gift: A Family Celebration of Christmas is a beautifully written and illustrated hardbound book that tells the gospel story–starting with Adam and Eve in the Garden and ending with Christ’s coming. It is like an Advent calendar in story form, and I absolutely love how it so eloquently yet simply shows how the story of Jesus is woven throughout Scripture.
For those who struggle with finding Jesus in the Old Testament, Unwrapping the Greatest Gift: A Family Celebration of Christmas will settle your doubts and prepare your heart to celebrate Christ’s birth!
The book’s illustrations are perfect attention-grabbers for young and old alike and remind me a bit of some of our other Bible story books.
In addition to reading together through Unwrapping the Greatest Gift each night, I will personally be reading Ann’s other Advent devotional for grown-ups: The Greatest Gift: Unwrapping the Full Love Story of Christmas. I had purchased this one for Kindle last year, but Tyndale House recently gifted me the hardbound version, and I couldn’t be happier to hold this treasure in my hands.
Along with reading Unwrapping the Greatest Gift as a family each year, I’m hoping that reading through The Greatest Gift: Unwrapping the Full Love Story of Christmas will become a little tradition of my own, as I prepare my own heart for Christ’s coming!
In addition, I’m also excited about Ann’s new video series to accompany these Advent resources. The Greatest Gift DVD is perfect for families and small groups alike. This 4-week video curriculum dives deeper into the gospel story surrounding Christ’s birth!
Unwrapping the Greatest Gift from annvoskamp on Vimeo.
Tyndale publishes Christian fiction, nonfiction, children’s books, and other resources, including Bibles in the New Living Translation (NLT). Tyndale products include many New York Times best sellers, including the popular Left Behind fiction series by Tim LaHaye and Jerry B. Jenkins, novels by Francine Rivers, Karen Kingsbury and Joel C. Rosenberg, plus numerous nonfiction works. Tyndale House Publishers is substantially owned by Tyndale House Foundation. As a result, the company’s profits help underwrite the foundation’s mission, which is to spread the Good News of Christ around the world.
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What is your favorite way to celebrate Advent?
Disclosure: This giveaway post is sponsored by Tyndale House!
Heather @ My Overflowing Cup
I can relate in that I didn’t celebrate Advent until I was an adult, either. Actually, it was Ann Voskamp’s book that introduced me to it as my church denomination doesn’t teach/celebrate it. I think it is the very best way to keep the focus of Christ in Christmas. I would love to have the family picture version of the book and the DVD so thank you so much for the chance to win! I really appreciate it.
Erin
I’m glad I wasn’t the only one who didn’t understand it, Heather! I hope you win! They are very nice!!
Rhiannon
I found out about advent when I was babysitting a couple of years ago and I loved how the mom shared with me what it meant to her. Ever since that time I have wanted to be more intentional about doing it and this year I am starting to get the feel for it. My husband and I are expecting our first child so I am trying to understand it and embrace advent more before she gets here so we can begin it with her and hopefully establish doing it every year as a tradition. Thank you for the great post and ideas!
Erin
Congrats on the baby!!
Ursula
I did grow up with Advent. Now, we do a couple of things. One, I gift wrap all of our Christmas books and DVDs and each night a child chooses the bedtime reading/video. Two, we have done the Advent Event http://www.theadventevent.com/. It’s similar to the Jesse Tree idea but there’s pdf printout coloring sheets and hand motion ideas for each day. It’s a great little survey of the Bible in a month and the kids really remember it.
Diana
I didn’t know anything about Advent until I started working at a Christian Reformed college. I grew up in the Southern Baptist Church. I really love the anticipation of this season, looking for Christ’s return. I just purchased Ann Voskamp’s book for my grandchildren and look forward to reading this with them. Blessings to you and your family!