(Disclosure: *I received a free copy of this book from B&H Publishers. I was not required to give a positive review. Thoughts and opinions expressed are mine alone.)
Are you tired of trying to make your holidays “perfect” and failing every time? This might be the book for you.
We’re talking Sacred Holidays by Becky Kiser. The tag line “Less Chaos, More Jesus” sums up the intent of the book.
This book is laid out in a way to make it easy to use. The first two chapters tell you how to implement and some information and are to be read right away. The next part (read 30-60 days before each holiday) breaks down the big holidays and tells you why we celebrate them and how to make them more sacred.
Some of those traditions feel like home and you can’t imagine parting with them. Good news–you don’t have to!
This book gives you practical suggestions for making your holidays more sacred but doesn’t discount the importance of other traditions. In the Christmas chapter, for example, since that’s the season we’re in, she talks about the importance of Advent and one way to do Advent if that’s not something you’re familiar with. She also talks about ornaments that celebrate Jesus and serving during the holiday.
At the end of each chapter, the book becomes like a workbook for a space to reflect on what worked and what didn’t, some ideas for the future, and struggles you need to prepare for for next time. In that way this book can be used year after year to help get through another season with making changes toward sacred holidays.
The last chapters are filled with “Common Struggles” to be read as you need them. These struggles include budget, schedules, grief and even Santa and the Easter Bunny, among other things.
I think this book is a good read for anyone who wants to refocus the holiday, no matter what the holiday may be. The layout is such that you can start wherever you are, in whatever holiday, and start making small changes to keep Jesus in your holidays and chaos out.
(You can also find more resources at sacredholidays.com and find them on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter.)
This Season.... 