Book Review & Giveaway: Celebrate with Joy {closed}

Today I'm going to share with you a wonderful book I recently received that will hopefully help to transform our family's Christmas celebrations. Make sure you stick around until the end, because one of our readers will also receive a copy of this book to read and mull over throughout the coming year.

When I contacted Sondra, author of Celebrate with Joy, I told her that I am "hoping to get an early start (in planning our family's activities for next Christmas) this year while the hectic rush of this past Christmas is still throbbing in my head and weighing on my heart."

It's true. This past Christmas whirled past us in a frenzy of gift making, final exams, and traveling to see family. It wasn't until Christmas morning that we sat down and tried to focus our thoughts on the reason for the season, Jesus himself. Needless to say, this was a nearly impossible feat.

Sondra actually believes January is perfect time to begin thinking about next year. Maybe this past Christmas left you disappointed by its lack of meaning. Perhaps this year was more special as you focused your celebrations more on Christ, and this freshness has inspired you to add even more meaning to your celebrations. Either way, now is the perfect time to begin thinking and preparing for next year, while the memories of Christmas are still fresh in your mind and heart.

When I first read about Sondra's book at Keeper of the Home, I knew it was just what I needed to help guide and prepare my mind for a more meaningful Christmas season this coming year.

As a mom, I have the huge responsibility of setting the tone for my children and quite often for my entire home, so it's important that I spend time pondering and preparing for this wonderful time of year.

As Sondra writes,

"What is Christmas? It is not a winter festival. It is not the inevitable annual energy drain. It is not a few holidays to give us a break. It is not a time to fill our children's heads with "visions of sugar plums."

Christmas is a season of holy days (the original meaning of "holidays"), filled with rich symbolism. It is a many sided object lesson using the Symbols of the Season to give us glimpses of heaven's glory. It is a time to fill our children's heads with "visions of God's incomparable Gift." Christmas is profound truth wrapped in plain packages.

What are some of these profound truths? Eternity in an infant. Heaven's bridge in a baby. The God-man in a manger. Every man's hope wrapped in homespun handiwork. Enough material for a lifetime of meditation."

Sondra's book is packed full of wonderful ways to focus on Christ throughout the Christmas season, from Advent activities, to finding Christ in the Symbols of the Season, examining Traditions for symbols of God, and celebrating the twelve days of Christmas that lead to the night of Epiphany on January 6th.

Already, I've gleaned many helpful suggestions and ideas from this wonderful resource.

Here are a few ideas that we'd like to incorporate into our celebration of Christ's birth this coming year.

:: Daily Advent devotions through the month of December (we'll be focusing on some of the many names of Jesus)

:: Make a names of Jesus garland to go along with the name we learn about each night

:: Send out Advent cards before December 1st with a message of how Jesus is the Light of the World (the first of his names we'll be studying), a birthday candle to symbolize light, and a short description of our advent activities (I ordered blank FREE Christmas photo cards to which we'll attach a printed card stock note)

:: Make a nativity version of an Advent calendar- one new fridge magnet each day during the week leading up to Christmas (a stable, Mary and Joseph, wise men, sheep, etc.) until Jesus arrives on Christmas day! (We'll make the magnets by attaching a set of nativity stickers to magnetic paper.) This is very portable since we'll be traveling at Christmas time.

:: Decorate a small box to collect Christmas cards we receive from family and friends. Choose a different card each morning at breakfast (or dinner, depending on Tim's school schedule) and say a special prayer for that person or family.

:: Gather for a time of prayer on Christmas morning thanking God for sending Jesus

:: Set aside time in January for a few "thank you parties" where our family will write and address thank you cards for the gifts and kindnesses shown to us during the holidays (We'll be keeping an eye out for free photo cards before Christmas)

Actually, there are many more activities that I'd love to incorporate. However, I know during this time of life, with many young children, I could very easily get overwhelmed with activities and completely miss the point of making Christmas CHRIST-centered. So for now, I'll focus on preparing for these activities well and trust that God will bless my efforts, no matter how small. Having a plan in place will definitely help keep us on track and in the right frame of mind.

Won't you join us by deciding to take back Christmas for Christ? Begin thinking now about how you can add more meaning to your Christmas celebrations.

Buy It:
You can purchase your own copy of Celebrate with Joy: Transform Your Christmas Season, by Sondra Burnett here for only $19.95 in the U.S. or $24.95 in Canada. These prices include postage.

Win It:
Sondra has also graciously offered a copy of her book to one of our readers (U.S. Entries only).

To Enter This Giveaway:

Mandatory
1. Head over to The Joy Book Company and read some more about Sondra's book. Then come back here and leave a comment telling us why you would like to read this book.

Make sure you leave an email address with each entry if it is not posted in your profile. (If we don't have your email address we will have to choose a new winner.)

For additional entries you may do any (or all) of the following. Please leave a separate comment for each entry. If you complete one of the following that is worth more than one entry, please leave the corresponding number of comments so your extra entries will be counted!

For ONE Additional Entry EACH

2. Leave a comment telling us about a Christmas activity that helps keep you or your family focused on Christ. (1 entry)

3. Follow our blog publicly through Google Friend or subscribe using a reader (1 entry)

4. Follow us through Twitter ~ leave your twitter ID in your comment (1 entry)

5. Tweet about this giveaway ~ leave the URL to your tweet & include @heart4home & #Giveaway. (1 entry) Feel free to use this tweet: Win Celebrate with Joy and make next Christmas more meaningful @heart4home #Giveaway http://tinyurl.com/yeglwdx (Ends 2/19) Please RT

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8. Post about and link to this giveaway on your blog ~ leave the Permalink to your post (3 entries)

Giveaway will end at 11:59 EST on February 19, 2010. Open to US residents only. Winner will be chosen using a random number generator. Winner will be contacted via email and will have 48 hours to respond before we choose a new winner.

Make sure you leave a way for us to contact you.

Photo Credit: The Joy Book Company

(While Celebrate with Joy was provided to A Heart for Home for review, no other compensation was given. All remarks are the personal and honest opinions of A Heart for Home)