It’s a year later and my Christmas habits haven’t changed that much. Christmas music has been blasting since October and I began watching Christmas films at the beginning of November. Shoutout to all the people who begin their Christmas celebrations early!
I was going to review a book that falls into the same genre as the one I reviewed last year. That was until I heard this shocking statistic!
1Around 20 percent of people from Britain do not know the origins of Christmas.
So I turned to a few books that addressed the topic in an approachable way and found something special.
To help you get into the Christmas mood, I found a book that discusses Christmas well.
The book called Hidden Christmas by Timothy Keller addresses the birth of Jesus but the great thing about the book is the author’s approach. It’s straightforward. Plain English, clear thoughts.
No Sugar Please
Keller doesn’t sugarcoat the words from the Bible and because of that, the book helps anyone, including people who have been a Christian for a long time and people who want to understand the foundations the faith is built on.
Keller describes the relationship between Christmas, salvation and grace, helping the reader understand that what they do is not the thing that helps them gain salvation. Keller’s explanation closes the gap between the reader’s understanding of Christmas and Easter.
Imperfection Is Beautiful
The first Christmas was not as perfect as one might expect. The unassuming saviour was born in ‘weakness’ as a baby. Despite being heavenly royalty, Jesus wasn’t born in a palace either. Also, the author points out the genealogy of Jesus which also has its fair share of imperfect people.
The imperfect circumstances Jesus was born in coupled with his lineage shows how much Christmas is for everyone. He didn’t just come to the earth just for the rich or for the virtuous but also for those who are looked down upon, those whose families are not perfect, the ordinary and more.
Fictional Parallels
My favourite part of the book is in chapter seven. In this chapter, Keller addresses fictional writing and beautifully shares his idea that human nature’s desire for a happy ending is ‘temporarily’ satisfied when we read fiction, alluding to the idea that it can actually be satisfied through embracing Christmas, its roots and its God.
Christmas for the Masses
This is another book that falls into the Christian genre but like Christmas, its audience is not limited. It may not romanticise Christmas but it will definitely get you into the Christmas mood.
If you’re not a Christian, I would recommend this book to you. It’s a book that will help you understand the Christians in your life, perhaps reducing them from fanatical to passionate. I long for a day when we all read books and watch programmes that help us understand the person within reach who is the embodiment of the opposite.
If you are a Christian, I recommend this book to you too. You might not agree with every theological point but you will enjoy the well-explained foundations in the book and the beautiful parallels. Time to follow the star!
Title: This Book Will Get You Into the Christmas Mood
Author: Leonie Thomas
Date Published: 30.11.2024
- Michael Gryboski, , December 08, 2017, 1 in 5 Brits Don’t Know Christmas Is Celebration of Jesus’ Birth: Poll, https://www.christianpost.com/news/1-in-5-brits-dont-know-christmas-birth-jesus-christ.html ↩︎
Leonie Thomas 