Seeking Christmas: Finding the True Meaning Through Family Traditions
Author: Renee Robinson
Illustrated by Veronica Hallum
Paperback: 41 pages
Publisher: Crosslink Publishing (2013)
Language: English
ISBN-13: 978-1-9636746-57-6
Ages: Family activities for all ages
Recommended retail price $9.95

Reviewed By: Janice Green

Rating:     

This Christmas gem, Seeking Christmas: Finding the True Meaning Through Family Traditions by Renee Robinson, is a book that pulls on my heartstrings. How I wish I had children in my home to share these fun and enriching activities, and lessons with.

This beautiful book carefully connects general Christmas traditions with spiritual teachings to maximize the fun and give children memories that include finding the true meaning of Christmas, memories they will treasure over the years and eventually share with their own children.

The plan is to share one lesson a day for the seven days leading up to Christmas. Included in each lesson are five basic features:

• Remember – Ideas for parents to use to prompt a discussion with their children as author Robinson shares from her wealth of childhood memories.
• Read – A read-aloud Scripture reading from the New International Version plus an additional Scripture passage for older children to look up and read.
• Reflect – Another read-aloud section that re-tells and discusses the day’s scripture passage followed by several engaging questions grouped into three age levels.
• Research – The author shares background information on various Christmas traditions that have developed around the Christmas holidays.
• Rejoice – Time to summarize the evening’s activities with your children and possibly record them into an ongoing Seeking Christmas Journal that can be kept from year to year.

Seeking Christmas is much more than the print copy that comes in the mail. The author includes supplemental materials on her website to enrich the activities in the book. There is a downloadable set of ornaments with directions on how to complete them as well as fun ways to use them to introduce each day’s lesson. There is also a downloadable journal to print out and add to each year as your family celebrates the Christmas season and the birth of Christ Jesus. Her website is found at http://renee-robinson.com/.

What do I like about this book? Everything! It is well thought out and so versatile with activities to engage children of every age.

What do I dislike about this book? Nothing.

I received this book free from the publisher through the BookCrash.com book review program, which requires an honest, though not necessarily positive, review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s CFR Title 16, Part 255: “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”