Each year, our family tries to get as much out of the Advent season leading up to Christmas ~ and focus on the REAL reason for the season. There are SO many fabulous Christmas and Advent resources available for families so they can learn more about the birth of Jesus and have fun together at the same time. Over the years we’ve found some great resources {and are always adding new things} to our box to pull out and use together. Here are a few of our favorites divided out by category.

Family Reading

Years ago, we were introduced to the Jotham’s Journey series by Arnold Ytreeide – the four books are Jotham’s Journey, Tabitha’s Travels, Ishtar’s Odyssey, and Bartholomew’s Passage. Each year your family will read a different book in the series in the days leading up to Christmas. Our kids have loved seeing how the stories and characters overlap. The daily readings each end in a cliffhanger, so the kids are always asking for more (and the adults don’t mind listening either! 

Another resource we found two years ago was Unwrapping the Greatest Gift by Ann Voscamp. The devotional focuses on the Jesse Tree and is such a story of redemption (our redemption!). Even the family tree of Jesus had its share of heartache and brokenness – and yet, we are fully His and made perfect. Really, just thinking about that amazes me each and every time. The 25 daily Advent readings, starting December 1st,  includes a Scripture passage for study, a devotional that is a perfect length (so kids stay focused), questions for discussion, and family activity suggestions. You can learn more about it HERE and find links to go-along resources as well.

Moms can work through their own celebration of Christmas with The Greatest Gift (also by Voscamp). It’s a great book to add to your shelf and pull out each Christmas with a cup of coffee or tea, curl up, and focus on the meaning of the season.