There's so much to do in the lead-up to Christmas. Presents, food, decorating the tree, getting the Christmas cards in the post on time and so much more.
Advent is a time of waiting as well as preparing. In Latin, the word Advent means coming. It's something that isn't here yet, but soon will be.
A good way to prepare your heart and mind in the busyness is to carve out a bit of time alongside an Advent devotional.
Advent books come in a range of themes and a number of readings. From engaging courses for small groups to reflective guides for personal reading, these new study guides help you celebrate the real meaning and joy of Christmas.
This year the first Sunday of Advent 2026 is November 29th 2026.
So if you're looking for something for your house group to study or a personal read here are a selection of this year's new releases:
Treasures in Straw by Tanya Marlow (BRF)
In this different take on an Advent devotional Tanya Marlow explores the themes of loss as well as those of blessing. She gently and pastorally acknowledges that Christmas is not a time of joy and happiness for everyone and actually can bring up painful memories or the loss and heartache of missing loved ones.
Each devotion has a set of questions to reflect on further and a prayer to end.
It's also ideal for group discussion with weekly sessions featuring the week's readings and themes as well as a creative prayer idea to work through as a group.
Advent from A to Z by Imogen Ball, Philip North, and Andrew Zihni (Church House Publishing)
Imogen Ball, Philip North, and Andrew Zihni offer twenty-four daily reflections—each built around a letter of the alphabet—exploring the people, places, traditions, and symbols of Advent through Bible readings, prayers, illustrations, and discussion questions.
Whether readers are new to Advent or long familiar with it, the book helps them prepare to celebrate the birth of Jesus at Christmas. The 2026 Advent Resource for The Church of England.
Walking with Angels by Eleanor Sanderson, The Archbishop of York’s Advent Book for 2026 (SPCK)
Written by Bishop Eleanor Sanderson, this Advent devotional is designed to help you slow down in this busy season as you journey through the various messages from angels throughout Scripture.
Each of the 4 weeks of Advent focus on different aspects of the messages and include journaling prompts and questions that make it an ideal option for your small group Advent Bible study.
If you're looking for a more reflective read this season this could be the one for you.
Waiting in Joyful Hope: Daily Reflections for Advent and Christmas 2026-2027 by Peter Dwyer (Liturgical Press)
This popular Catholic Advent guide is designed to help you prepare for Christmas with brief, practical reflections on lectionary readings from the weekday and Sunday masses.
This year’s is written by Peter Dwyer, the former director of Liturgical Press. It is designed for those who are only able to grab a few minutes a day but who want to deepen their faith and find peace during the season, making prayer and Scripture a thought-provoking part of everyday life. You can also find a Large Print format if you need a bigger font for ease of reading.
The Newborn King - C.H. Spurgeon Compiled by Jeff Medders (The Good Book Company)
Jeff Medders has carefully and thoughtfully selected 25 short and profound reflections from Charles Spurgeon to inspire and encourage today’s hearts.
Each of the 25 daily reflections features…
A theme verse
Rich content from the teaching of Spurgeon
A prayer
Deep reflection questions
So whether you’re a huge fan of Spurgeon’s work or have never read him before then why not give this Advent devotional a go and experience his much-loved wisdom.
If you’re looking for a group Bible study to work through this Advent then why not take a look at ‘Unto Us’ which helps you engage with Scripture and the promise of and reality of Christ’s coming.
Each devotional has the Bible verses to look up, a reflection, response for you to think about, a prayer and then journal prompts that can also be used as group discussion questions.
The Advent of Life by Tim Chester (Christian Focus Publications)
Tim Chester’s reflections in this year’s Advent devotional take you on a journey with the Church Fathers. Including reflections from Augustine, Athanasius, Gregory of Nazianzus, and others, Tim unpacks their wisdom alongside prayers and personal reflections.
This devotional helps you understand the full biblical context of Christmas by showing how figures like Noah and Moses were living prophecies of the Messiah. It's an insightful guide for both personal reflection and family worship.
The Indescribable Gift by Andrew M. Davis (10ofthose)
Make room to re-discover the wonder of the Christmas story with this set of 25 accessible reflections and a daily Scripture to memorise to really fix the Word on your heart this Advent season. Each day also has an application to help you reflect during the rest of your day.
This is one for personal reading as you journey up to Christmas or read it alongside a friend to help with your memorisation challenge.
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