Taking you inside the nativity of over thirty favorite songs and carols, Ace Collins introduces you to people you’ve never met, stories you’ve never heard, and meanings you’d never have imagined. The next time you and your family sing "God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen," you’ll have a new understanding of its message and popular roots. You’ll discover how "Angels from the Realms of Glory," with its sublime lyrics and profound theology, helped usher in a quiet revolution in worship. You’ll learn the strange history of the haunting and powerful "O Holy Night," including the song’s surprising place in the history of modern communications. And you’ll step inside the life of Mark Lowry and find out how he came to pen the words to the contemporary classic "Mary, Did You Know?" Still other songs such as "O Come, O Come, Emmanuel" trace back to mysterious origins--to ninth-century monks, nameless clergy, and unknown commoners of ages past. Joining hands with such modern favorites as "White Christmas" and "The Christmas Song," they are part of the legacy of inspiration, faith, tears, love, and spiritual joy that is Christmas. From the rollicking appeal of "Jingle Bells" to the tranquil beauty of "Silent Night," the great songs of Christmas contain messages of peace, hope, and truth. Each in its own way expresses a facet of God’s heart and celebrates the birth of his greatest gift to the world--Jesus, the most wonderful Christmas Song of all.

    Have fun during the holidays without spending a lot of money!Do you get stressed out around Christmas time because everything seems so disorganized and you feel the pressure to spend way more than you feel you can actually afford? It IS possible to enjoy the holidays without having to pay for it for the next 5 years!Tawra Kellam and Jill Cooper have put together 75 pages of their most requested recipes and articles from LivingOnADime.com to help you save money during the holidays and spend your time focusing on the true meaning of Christmas!In the Homemade Christmas e-book, you'll find lots of helpful tips including:- 90 Homemade Gifts and Gag Gifts from Easy Bake oven Mix to Sugar Scrub to Homemade Christmas Coal- A Holiday "To Do" List- How to Have More with Less at Christmas- How Can I Spend Less on Presents Without Looking Cheap?- How To Make A Candy Christmas Wreath- Christmas On A Budget!- Homemade Gift Basket Ideas- Gift Wrapping Ideas- Gift Wrapping Money- Save Money With Unusual After Christmas Buys- Our Favorite Christmas Recipes- ...and much more.Get the Homemade Christmas e-book today and enjoy a happier and more stress free holiday season!

    We all have them, locked away in our hearts. But what about the Christmases we weren’t there for? The one our favorite heirloom ornament came from, or the one we know only from a picture of our newlywed parents smiling under the mistletoe?In Christmas Memories, Susan Waggoner, author of STC’s It’s a Wonderful Christmas and Under the Tree, looks at bygone holidays from the perspective of those who lived them. Beginning with “Christmas in the Melting Pot,” which depicts yuletide in the early 1920s, the author presents detailed snapshots that re-create holiday seasons past. She chronicles the gifts, activities, fads, and fancies that made each Christmas unique; indulges in fantasy shopping at yesterday’s prices; shares thoughts from letters, diaries, and magazines of the era; and makes the past pop to life with vibrantperiod art. Readers will revel in the irresistible nostalgia of Christmas Memories.

     Elizabeth is barren, yet her trust in God remains fertile. Mary is betrothed in marriage, yet she is willing to bear God’s Son. Anna is a widow full of years, yet she waits patiently, prayerfully for the Messiah to appear in the temple courts. Following in their footsteps, you too can prepare for the Savior to enter your heart, your mind, and your life in a vibrant, new way. Best-selling author Liz Curtis Higgs explores the biblical stories of Elizabeth, Mary, and Anna, unwrapping each verse with tender care and introducing you afresh to The Women of Christmas.

    A collection of actual stories from around the world depicts the true meaning of Christmas and serves as a testament to the joyous spirit and the good in people.

    Written with Max Lucado’s signature style of sincerity and spiritual perception, this story will warm the reader’s heart with the wonders of God’s love and mercy.” —In the Library ReviewsHeartwarming Classics of Angels, a Manger, and the Birth of Hope.These stories—like your favorite Christmas ornaments—come in all shapes and sizes. They unfold in a variety of settings, from ancient Bethlehem to rural England. From a small Texas town to the heavenly realms. Some are short. Others many chapters long. Some offer reflections. Others imagine Christmas through the eyes of a burnt-out candle maker, a lonely business man, or heavenly angels.Yet all are vintage Lucado, and all resonate with the wonder of the season."In the mystery of Christmas," Max writes, "we find its majesty. The mystery of how God became flesh, why he chose to come, and how much he must love his people. Such mysteries can never be solved, just as love can never be diagrammed. Christmas is best pondered, not with logic, but imagination."That's what each of these unique Christmas stories help us do. In the midst of the bustle and hurry that often distracts us this time of year, these stories free us to explore the ways in which Christ's coming has forever changed history—and us.“A powerful reminder of the true meaning of faith and community, The Christmas Candle is a welcome respite from the harried commercialism of the holiday season.” —BookPage“Fans of Charles Dickens and Jan Karon, you’re in for treat! Max Lucado has penned a wholly original Christmas story complete with cobblestone streets, quirky characters, and a supernatural visit you’ll never forget.” —John C. Maxwell, New York Times bestselling author on The Christmas Candle

    As books go out of print and stories fade from memory, the journey of Joseph and Mary and her delivery inside a common barn continues to bless and inspire hope in people around the world. Donna VanLiere’s retelling shows that the story of the Nativity is alive in our modern world.

    Christmas at Highclere is a look behind the scenes at the routines and rituals that make the castle the most magical place to be throughout the festive season.Lady Carnarvon will guide you through Advent, Christmas preparations and Christmas Eve all the way through to the day itself, and beyond. Learn how the castle and grounds are transformed by decorations, including the raising of a twenty-foot tree in the saloon, the gathering of holly and mistletoe from the grounds. All the intricacies of the perfect traditional Christmas are here: from crackers and carol singers. The festive feeling is carried through to Highclere's Boxing Day traditions, the restorative middle days and the New Year's Eve celebrations.This book also tells the story of historic Christmases at Highclere – of distinguished guests warming themselves by the fire after a long journeys home through the snow, unexpected knocks on the door, and, always, the joy of bringing family – and staff – together after a busy year.As well as telling the stories of Highclere Christmases past and present, Lady Carnarvon provides recipes, tips and inspiration from her kitchen so that readers can bring a quintessentially British festive spirit to their own home. Lady Carnarvon divulges the secret to perfectly flakey mince pies, the proper way to wrap presents so that you and your guests are guaranteed a Christmas to remember.Lavish, celebratory and utterly enchanting, Christmas at Highclere is celebration of one of the UK's most beloved historic houses and is the perfect gift for any Downton Abbey fan.

    Stuever starts the narrative as so many start the Christmas season: standing in line with the people waiting to purchase flat-screen TVs on Black Friday. From there he follows three of Frisco's true holiday believers as they navigate through the Nativity and all its attendant crises. Tammie Parnell, an eternally optimistic suburban mom, is the proprietor of "Two Elves with a Twist," a company that decorates other people's big houses for Christmas. Jeff and Bridgette Trykoski own that house every town has: the one with the visible-from-space, jaw-dropping Christmas lights. And single mother Carol Cavazos just hopes that the life-affirming moments of Christmas might overcome the struggles of the rest of the year. Stuever's portraits of the happy, mega-churchy, shop-until-you-drop community in "Tinsel" are revealing and riotously funny, showing how our ancient rituals of celebration have survived--and succumbed to--the test of time.

    In the largest Christmas book every published by Gooseberry Patch, readers will find the best of their reader-shared homespun ideas for food, fun, easy crafts, and gifts in one easy-to-use collection. The book's grand size and bountiful content put this all-in-one Christmas book in a league of its own. You'll enjoy: * Over 400 tried & true reader recipes for meals, desserts, snacks, drinks, and more, plus over 200 gifts from the heart--Gooseberry Patch style!* Over 200 craft ideas that include patterns and step-by-step instructions entice you to stitch, glue, and paint to your heart's content.* Over 400 see & do color photos and spiral binding make it easy to use.

    Luke, Dickens hoped to teach his young children about religion and faith. Author: Charles DickensFormat: 128 pages, HardcoverPublisher: Simon Schuster (November 9, 1999) ISBN: 978-0684865379

    Everyone will enjoy this delightful guide to all things Christmas, featuring: the perennial classic Christmas stories, poems, and carols; recipes for family gatherings, parties, and holiday gifts from the kitchen; ideas for thoughtful and creative handmade gifts; decorating ideas for any room; and holiday customs and traditions from around the world. As a gift or a book to be treasured, this book will help readers create new traditions that can be shared year after year.

    Paul.

    The baby. The pageant. The parties. The worship. The afterglow. The story. These are the elements of almost every Christmas. In Finding Christmas, award-winning author James Calvin Schaap takes a look at each of these elements through seven stories that show how imperfect people can find joy and grace in an imperfect world.His eyes turn on an outgoing bus driver, a passionate mother, a daughter reluctant to return to church, and even his own assumed-mediocre performance at a Christmas pageant. Along the way, readers see how the amazing message of Christmas can be found in the oddest of places. This heartwarming read is both moving and magical and will help readers usher in a joyful Christmas season even amidst the howling winds of winter

    She continues this tradition with Miracle on 10th Street, a collection of poignant writings and reflections that give readers a glimpse of how the wonder of Christmas resonates in her personal life, which deeply involves her family and faith: "I think back to that Christmas when my husband and I did not know whether our little girl would live to grow up," she writes. "Between that Christmas and this, there have been many times when I have been in the fiery furnace, but I am beginning to understand who is in there with me and that when I need it, I am given courage I never knew I had." For anyone yearning for the childlike wonder of the Christmas season to arise in them once more, Miracle on 10th Street is a rich and delightful read.