Tuesday, December 15, 2009

The Night After Christmas and a Giveaway

Does Christmas seem like a stressful, unsatisfying ritual? Why do we go through this annual exercise of decorating, shopping, wrapping, and over-spending— only to vow we’re going to do it differently next year? Was Christmas always this way? Or did our culture make it into something it wasn’t meant to be?

If you’ve ever asked yourself these questions, you may well need this book. Christmas does, indeed, offer something more. Obscured beneath the tree, hidden inside the gift wrap, buried under plastic debt lies an enduring enigma that beckons us to reconsider. Somewhere in all the clutter can be found the key to a merry Christmas. For those who take a second look, there awaits a gift that can make every day a holiday.

I received this book to review in the mail today. I hadn't requested it, but am glad they sent it. It is a delightful little book. The author does his own version of "The Night Before Christmas" poem, only he goes at it from the standpoint of "The Night After Christmas." Though the

poem has amusing parts, he brings home how commercialized Christmas is, and how we all too often shove Jesus to the back of our celebration.


The book was written by Jim Chapman and has lovely illustrations by Jay Montgomery.

Interesting trivia about the book: The author wrote it because of something Jim Elliot, martyred missionary, had said about the commercialization of Christmas.

Though the book looks like a kid's book, it is something we could all read and be reminded of.

Giveaway: Thanks to Abigail from Winepress Publishing, I am doing a giveaway of this book.

To enter, comment and tell either one of your favorite things about Christmas, or a way your family helps focus on the true reason of Christmas. Or both.

US entries only.
I am shortening the entry time since Christmas is so close, so that the winner might possibly get the book in time for Christmas, so all entries must be in by Sunday, December 20.

Thanks to Abigail from Winepress Publishing for sending the review copy, and for agreeing to help me out with a giveaway.

9 comments:

Annette W. said...

We have our first advent calendar this year! It has 25 mini books telling the story of Jesus' birth right from Scripture!

PS. I finally heard the 12 Pains of Christmas song.

Christy said...

Well...this is a new favorite of mine, the church I grew up in had the cantata (the 8th pain of christmas) the sunday before christmas, when I moved out to indiana, they had a candlelight service. I LOVED IT! Since then I have hosted 2 candlelight services and am going to do it again this year. I don't really care for being in charge, but the service is really nice.

Winning Readings said...

We started doing a Happy Birthday Jesus cake last year, since my then 1.5yo was in love with candles. Playing Happy Birthday Jesus by the Brooklyn Tabernacle Choir in the background. It was really beautiful when we turned out the lights and she just stood in awe... We'll keep up the tradition!

janemaritz at yahoo dot com

Molly said...

Our tradition is to giveaway a Christmas Jar full of spare change to someone or a family in more need of it than us, even if we don't have much to give. It is a wonderful feeling to be able to do that.

Mollydawn1981 at aol dot com

Blessings!
MollyBuuklvr81

love2bake said...

There are so many things I love about Christmas time: special church services, especially the candlelight service; Christmas caroling; baking Christmas cookies; being with family; driving around on Christmas Eve and looking at all the beautiful Christmas lights; and last, but not least, just remembering afresh and anew just why Jesus came to earth as a baby.

Ticia said...

One thing we do to make sure the kids remember to give is have the kids buy and make presents for everyone in the family.

Kimmy said...

All the festivities, get togethers and busyness of this time of year. Making cookies and giving them away. Singing Christmas songs, especially at church.Christmas cards.

Mark said...

Email comment from Karen K:"The Night After Christmas" by James
Chapman sounds wonderful...My
favourite memory of Christmas is
attending Midnight Mass w/ my family.

Steve-n-Deb said...

We read the advent books Jotham's Journey, Bartholomew's Passage, or Tabitha's Travel. We rotate through the books each year.