Retelling the Story: Daily Readings for Advent and Christmas

Rediscover the Christmas story with your children or grandchildren. Gift them visions of deserts, palaces, treasure, caravans that certainly filled the imagination of Jesus' family.

A daily read-aloud book intended for families with adults and children or groups of adults during Advent and Christmas. Each day's selection progresses through the familiar story of Jesus' birth in a new way, without distracting novelty, but rather with greater inclusion of the historical and cultural circumstances of the family of Jesus and the land in which they dwelt during the ancient near east.

See the ancient Roman empire through the eyes of Mary, Joseph and Zechariah as they navigate trade routes crowded with merchandise from the entire known world including India and China. Remember the ancient stories of the Old Testament as the Jews of Roman Judea would have told them to each other.

Enter the renowned temple through the eyes of a priest, a young family, a widow, and a Jerusalem native. Watch the story unfold from the view of Gabriel and his fellow angels.

Discover that King Herod saved the Olympics from bankruptcy and descended from one of the most impressive civilizations of the ancient world, the Nabateans who created Petra and a vast wealthy kingdom in the desert that has never been replicated.

The readings begin on December 1 and continue for a total of 36 days until January 5. This includes the seasons of Advent and the Twelve Days of Christmas, which begin on Christmas day and continue for the following eleven days.