Advent: Festive German Bakes to Celebrate the Coming of Christmas

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So with the definition of an ‘Advent devotional’ as something which will encourage your faith, here are my recommendations! Christmas and Advent devotions for families

The theme of waiting for light is one Lent shares with Advent, as each week, candles are lit to anticipate the coming of Christ into the world”, writes Arun. And last, if you didn’t see an option you loved on the list above, you can always create your own book advent calendar! The books divide themselves several ways: for individual use or for group use; having daily or weekly readings; according to faith tradition or consciously ecumenical; and then, of course, by relevance; for there are those that choose not to offer understanding and consolation “in a time of plague”, and those that consciously attempt to shine a beacon of hope onto our troubled times. Put another way, there are books that could have worked in any Advent up to this year, and those that — casting publishing deadlines to the winds — deliberately target 2020. Here is a resource which, whilst not technically an Advent devotional, does a good job of pretending. After all, what could be more appropriate in a season which is all about waiting than studying the lives of four Bible characters who ‘waited’? For those of us currently in limbo – perhaps waiting for a job, some news from the doctor, or a forthcoming marriage – this book would be especially helpful. I love the expert way Tanya Marlow combines imaginative storytelling with incisive Biblical commentary – sometimes it can feel like resources have to choose one or the other, but this does both. If you want to go deeper in your journey with God this Advent, but do it creatively, this is for you. Tracing Glory: The Christmas Story through the Bible (Sarah Rice, 2021) – devotional and ornament activity bookAs Archbishop of York, Stephen Cottrell, writes in his foreword to the book, Advent is not only a time for anticipating the moment Jesus Christ came into the world but also reflecting on the ‘last things’ foretold in the Book of Revelation where people of every tribe, tongue and nation rejoice before the throne of God. The BRF is also the publisher of David Cole’s The Celtic Year. With Celtic Advent, Celtic Lent, and Celtic Saints firmly under his belt, he has now spread his reach to encompass the eight points of the Celtic year, namely the winter season and solstice, spring season and equinox, and so on, right through to the final autumn equinox. This shifts the reader to a different universe, a virus-free world at one remove from our usual way of calculating time and space. If you’re a fan of Jane Austen or Pride and Prejudice, then another great book-specific advent calendar you’ll love is this Pride and Prejudice Advent Calendar! Nicholas Holtam was Bishop of Salisbury from 2011 to 2021 and the Church of England's lead bishop for the environment, chairing the Environmental Working Group from 2014 to 2021. A Durham geographer before training for ordination, he lives in Brighton and is married to Helen with 4 adult children. Nicholas is the author of The Art of Worship: Paintings, Prayers, and Readings for Meditation and A Room with a View: Ministry with the World at Your Door. Sleepers Wake! is his first Advent book.

In a phrase: An imaginative “Dear Diary” style read to take you deeper into relationship with Jesus This bookish advent calendar comes with 12 individually-wrapped, book-themed gifts that are perfect for any book lover. It is meant to be opened in the last 12 days leading up to Christmas Eve/Christmas, which means you’ll start opening the gifts on December 13th or 14th. Bookworms are sure to enjoy opening each day’s item for a fun surprise leading up to the holidays! Once you have all the books or bookish items for each day’s gift, then wrap them in cute wrapping like this bookish wrapping paper or these printable storybook boxes. Or, if you prefer, get a whole Christmas Advent Box kit so all you need to do is add the items!

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I was amazed, in my research, to find such a huge variety of different styles: some imaginative, some traditional, some for families, some for groups, some long, some brief, some with illustrations, some with activities. There really is something for everyone in this list. May you find a resource which will draw you into God’s heart this Advent! And there’s even some fun candy canes thrown in as a treat for while you read! So this book advent box is perfect if you’re looking to open a surprise book each day throughout the Christmas season. This intriguing compilation from GodSpace features over 60 readings to take you from the start of Celtic Advent (mid-November) right through to Epiphany. The argument is that it’s good to start preparing hearts and minds before the busyness of December takes over, and I appreciate this. Each of the readings is more like a blog post than a Bible commentary: warm, relatable, sprinkled with personal stories and humour – and of course each one has a different flavour, depending on the author who has penned it. There is plenty of Scripture quoted and referred to, and I found myself pondering several interesting ideas as I dipped in. Redeeming Advent (Lucy Rycroft, 2019) In a phrase: Imagined storytellings and Bible studies based on Sarah, Isaiah, John the Baptist and Mary BRF’s Christmas devotional for 2022 takes you all the way through from Advent to Epiphany, with in-depth daily devotionals (which include the Bible reading presented in full – very handy), introductions to each week of readings, and questions/creative prayer to use in groups. You do need to set aside a bit more time to read this devotional, as the print is small and the daily readings are a little longer than those in other books, but the sacrifice of time will more than make up for itself in terms of the richness of thought, depth of theological understanding, and challenge of personal application contained here. Tales from the Jesse Tree (Amy Scott Robinson, 2014)

Looking for a book-themed Christmas advent calendar that has lots of cute gifts to open and enjoy? This 12 Day Bookish Advent Calendar is an excellent choice! David Sims, a church leader and adoptive and additional needs dad of 3, has struggled to find resources to lead his family in faith. This is his solution! And it’s wonderful: a gloriously-illustrated A4 book of fun and creative ways to engage with God’s Word within the home this Advent. Each day comprises a Bible passage (written out in full for ease), short devotional to read, then options to pray, think and do! There are beautifully-lettered phrases, plus plenty of space for journaling or doodling your own thoughts. A wonderful Advent devotion for families! The God of Amazing Gifts (Lizzie Laferton, 2022) Again, if you’ve come to this post looking specifically for ideas for your small group, here’s an “at-a-glance” list (with more info when you scroll down) of the best books to read during Advent in a small group: To strive to safeguard the integrity of creation and sustain and renew the life of the earth is integral to being a Christian today… Advent calls us to wake up, pay attention, stay sober and be alert to God and to what is happening in the world around us. The behaviour of human beings is the major current cause of climate change, and has the potential to become the 6th major event to result in the mass extinction of life on planet earth. We know this, yet we are still in danger of sleepwalking towards catastrophe… we are being called to live as citizens of God’s kingdom in the here and now… we are sensing an opportunity to do things differently, and an Advent-like urgency is needed in making our response… we can run headlong into disaster or we can sleepwalk into it, but we can no longer say that we do not know the impact of the way we are living. It is only in facing the reality that we can find the way forward.’ Buy the 12 Day Bookish Advent Calendar now! (or buy it on Etsy here!) 2. 25 Days Book Christmas Advent CalendarOn the staff at the 2008 Lambeth Conference, he describes the Anglican Communion, touchingly, as “a vast and diverse family which points to that picture of heaven in the book of Revelation”. By the time he attends the 2022 Conference as a new bishop, he finds that “provinces, mainly from Africa, were offered financial inducements by church organisations in wealthier parts of the world if they agreed to boycott the conference.”

From a book of cheer to the downright jokey comes The Glorious Journey. Liam Kelly has produced an Advent book based on the Netflix film The Two Popes. He works at Ampleforth Abbey in the abbot’s office and offers a nicely balanced secular commentary on seasonal themes such as listening, change, mercy, and loneliness.In this short and easy-to-read devotional, Sarah Tummey focuses purely on Old Testament passages. Rather than looking at the gospel story, she skilfully explains how particular prophecies, Psalms and other OT writings came to be fulfilled in the birth of Jesus. This would make an excellent devotional for a newer Christian, a Christian who hasn’t used an Advent devotional before, or anyone who is interested to develop their understanding of the narrative of Scripture. The Coming of the King (J C Ryle/Mary Davis , 2022)