I love having a devotional to use when we are leading up to Christmas day, since it helps to keep our focus where it should be. I thought that this one was perfect for my young family!

The book that compiled 25 figures that surround Christmas. From Isaiah, David, then Jesus, also the components of His birth: stars, myrrh, frankincense, and things that we might overlook in the Christmas story. The author explained simply the role of each character to build a story that connects to each other, to show how important she/he/it is. And more importantly, how God plans everything to be put into place.

This book is a great way to provide a devotional for your children during Advent. It sparked discussion for my son, and he learned from it. It's written in a way that is accessible and interesting for kids.

A wonderful book you can use for advent in your family. Very nicely structured in stories with question and activities. I enjoyed this familial approach to celebrate christmas.

Advent is my favorite part of the Christmas season so I was excited to read a new approach to advent devotions. Most books for kids look at the same small section of the Christmas story: Mary and Joseph, the shepherds, the magi, the angel. That's it. It was cook to see the addition of the prophets, the city, even the role of Cesar both in history and in the context of Christmas. The readings are accessible for multiple ages. I didn't love the activities but the readings alone make this one worthwhile..

For 25 days, you and your family will grow closer to each other in community as you discover the reason for the season. Each day begins with a character trait and character that is part of the Christmas story starting with Isaiah. A small reading on the character trait and how it relates and a life lesson. The next part is a family activity that you do together for all ages with a question to start a conversation.

I was surprised with what I learned and I can see very special times being made with your family. Community starts with family and this book is a great resource on that. Highly recommend and will be gifting this to my daughters and their families.

A special thank you to B&H Publishing and Netgalley for the ARC and the opportunity to post an honest reaview.

This is a JOY! The illustrations. The message. The true heart of Christmas is all here. This would make for an incredible gift. This is one of those books that I'd grab in early November so I can read ahead and have my 'mom hat' ready to start for December. LOVE!

I found this to be an uneven book. There was much I liked including the various Family Time questions and activities. I give kudos to the authors for explaining that the manger was likely in a room attached to the home of some of Joseph's relatives, challenging the wrong picture we have of a harried innkeeper turning away Mary and Joseph. However, I had a problem with the character traits listed. First, I think they are unnecessary; the activities and questions subtly weave these into the book. Also, it seemed strange to have character qualities associated with inanimate objects like Bethlehem or the three gifts brought by the Magi. I was also confused by the purpose of the character traits. Initially I thought they were positive, to be emulated. However, the quality for King Herod is jealous - definitely not a desired trait. While I appreciate that the authors encouraged flexibility in how families use the book, I think it would have benefited with a bit more explanation for adults. Still, this is definitely a book that will work well for some families.

The Advent is the season of roughly four weeks prior to Christmas Day. Depending on the year, this season ranges between 22 to 28 days. The authors of this book use 25 days to average out the typical Advent season. Simply put, this book is about a story of a Bible character for each day of the Advent. Thus, there are 25 stories for each Advent day, leading up to Christmas. Children loved stories and adults never get bored listening to stories that are told over and over again. There are stories of prophets like Isaiah and Zechariah. There are stories of New Testament characters such as Simeon, Elizabeth, Simeon, Joseph, and Mary. There are also days in which stories are told about the angel Gabriel, Bethlehem, the Manger, the Star, Egypt, Gold, Frankincense, Myrrh, and Nazareth. Each day begins with a statement of a character trait of the person, place, or element of concern. It ends with a life lesson as a result of the story told that day. This life lesson is also accompanied by a section called "Family Activity." This is for families to have their family time. The authors' intent is for parents or guardians to use this book as a way to introduce the meaning of Advent and Christmas to the young child. Through stories, the child gets to learn the relevance of the Bible narrative leading up to the birth of Christ. Christmas is a lot more than just singing about Mary's Boy Child or a Happy Birthday song to Jesus. There are many elements of faith that adults can teach the kids. The Bible is quite economical with details of Jesus' birth. This book fills in gaps in order to make the story more cogent and free-flowing.

What I like about this book is its simplicity; teaching moment; and family time. The simple and brief stories allow time for parents and adults to be creative in their storytelling. Just looking at the pictures throughout the book is enough to trigger a lively conversation over the topic. There are no complicated maps to see or difficult names to pronounce. By choosing a person, a place, or a symbol each day, parents could help the child to focus on one thing or one person at a time. As for teaching moments, the authors place the character trait right at the beginning to prepare the reader for what is to come. Nowadays, Christmas has become more commercialized than ever. Children could readily remember the names of Santa Claus, the elves, and the reindeers, but what about the Bible truths? Our children are increasingly being educated by commercials, malls, TV programs, and shopping culture. This book is a needed corrective to educate the child on the true meaning of Christmas. For 25 days prior to Christmas, parents can use this book to teach their children in a fun, captivating, and educational manner.

Joshua Straub, Ph.D. is a husband, dad, and recovering human. By trade, Josh is a speaker, author, and family and leadership coach.

Christi Straub is most famous as a wife and momma to two feisty kiddos. On stage, Christi is a speaker, author, marriage and wellness coach, and a podcast and TV cohost.

Josh and Christi Straub are speakers, authors, and marriage and leadership coaches. Together, they lead Famous at Home, an organization equipping families and leaders to be famous at home, so they can thrive on their stage.

Rating: 4.5 stars of 5.

conrade
This book has been provided courtesy of B&H Publishing Group and NetGalley without requiring a positive review. All opinions offered above are mine unless otherwise stated or implied.

I really enjoy to read this kind of books with my daughter, the illustration is absolutely lovely, I liked the topics the life lessons and activities proposed by the authors. It is easy to read and follow. I think this could be a lovely gift for grandchildren or parents who have never had advent experiences, you can feel relaxed and confident following their guidance. I hope you don´t rush that much and enjoy the meaning of Christmas while enjoying these pages. My daughter is 10 and she still thinks this book is cute.

I was able to review 25 Days of the Christmas Story from Netgalley and B&H Publishing Group (B&H Books, Holman Bibles, B&H Español, and B&H Kids) for providing me with an advanced ARC in exchange for an honest review.
This was an enjoyable Advent activity. Each daily activity shows children how God makes and uses us all in different ways. Each day is linked to a Christmas life lesson.
The book is a reminder for us to slow down and reflect what is the real meaning of holidays and Christmas.

Lovely, bite-sized retelling of the Gospel, starting with important characters in the Old Testament. I loved how accessible this Advent devo is. A busy parent could easily do this with children as young as 3 up to high school with added discussion time. The activities were simple and yet significant. Diverse skin tones, Biblical content. Excellent overall.

There were some formatting issues with the ARC digital version, but I assume the publisher will get those straightened out.

I gratefully received a free ARC digital copy of this book through NetGalley and the publisher in exchange for my honest and voluntary opinion.

25 Days of the Christmas Story is a great devotional for all families. Each day focuses on a person, a place or an object from the Christmas story and every day focuses on a character trait, like courage, patience, generosity and such. There is a family activity to support reflection on the character trait and story, as well as some family time questions to encourage more discussion. The illustrations in this book are very simple but the content is great.

I'm disappointed i didn't see this in time to start at the beginning of December. I have read a few days and looks amazing and so helpful for all. The suggestions are such fun and I love these new inspirations.

Absolutely wonderful book for this holiday season from a Judeo-Christian standpoint. Great to use as a countdown tool to the big day. If you are a secular person this book may not be for you but it can still be interesting. Otherwise, it is a great book to reference again and again during the Christmas season with activities and moments of reflection with your entire family.

*Thanks to B&H Publishing Group and NetGalley for this Ebook in exchange for my honest review

I received this book via NetGalley for my honest review.

As a family (I have a 4.5 yr old daughter) have been working our way through this book for the past 21 days. It's amazing! I have only been going to church for a year and have so much to learn still, along with feeling overwhelmed about how to introduce it my family. This is an outstanding book, that gives you just the right about of information a day while also doing something interactive/ learning so kids can more relate to the story. I am definitely going to be purchasing this in book form (I have the ebook copy) and giving it as gifts next year.

A visually appealing, engaging read that was perfect for Christmas time! The content was educational and thought provoking. The blank pages in the back of the book were great for jotting down answers to the daily questions.

25 Days of the Christmas Story is an enjoyable Advent activity for families. This book is a reminder of what the season is about. The text speaks to children in a way they can understand, but also is a great refresher for parents. A perfect gift for families with children of any age.
Each day includes activities to do as a family. Character traits show children how God makes and uses us all differently. A Life Lesson after each story is a simple takeaway for children to recall the story. Each day is linked to the Christmas story. The illustrations are adorable and eye-catching.
The stories will keep a child’s interest while also reminding them of God’s love for us. This is a perfect tradition starter and learning tool. Best of all, it is done together as a family as they celebrate the birth of Jesus.
( I received an advanced copy of this book from the publisher for my honest review. Thank you B&H Publishing Group! )
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25 Days of the Christmas Story is an awesome book for families to learn from and make memories during the Advent Season. Starting December 1, each day until CHRISTmas, families will learn about a different aspect of the CHRISTmas Story. The book is set up as a devotional. At the end of each devotion, there are thought provoking questions and an activity for the entire family to do. There are also blank lined pages in the book so that the parents can record the memories that were made during the season and what they learned as a family. The devotional can be used every year. The pictures in the book were lovely and to the point. I loved the entire devotional from beginning to end and I am recommending this book to my friends and family! Thank you to NetGalley and the Publisher for the opportunity to read this book! (This review is also on GoodReads.)

This book is another one I'll be purchasing before next year's Christmas. I love the short, but important lessons it includes. The illustrations are perfection! The holidays are so busy and stressful. This book will be a great reminder to slow down and reflect on the real meaning of the holiday while teaching my children about their faith at the same time.