Why Christmas? Perfect Paperback – November 1, 2012

My kids are ages 6 and 10 and they are able to understand this book well, and make connections to Bible stories they have learned. It takes us about ten minutes a day. There are three discussion questions that honestly can make some good discussion. My boys also like that it lists a Christmas song to sing each day. Lyrics are in the back of the book.

This is a great book to help your children understand Christmas. At first I was intimidated by the Bible verse memorization, but was amazed at how my children really could recite the whole thing by the time Christmas came. It was also fun to sing the songs, and help them think about what they might mean. Not every night went according to plan, but we stuck with it and felt it was well worth while. I even bought the “Why Easter?” book to do in the spring.

This book was purchased as an accompaniment to our Christmas readings, but I found it to be an all inclusive one-source Biblical account of Jesus as foretold as the Messiah, born fully God and man, complete with all accompanying Scriptures OT adn NT ~ in context! And there are thought provking questions and insights that make this littel book entirely researchable and also a treasure-seeking advent calendar all in one. My daughter truly enjoyed this as much as I did! I truly appreciate Barbara Roeaoch's dedication and diligent approach to the Truth. It is not your typically lightly skimmed account of Jesus' birth, yet it is remarkably and succinctly laid out to attract the young's interest in daily doses! I am just so grateful for this book and will promptly purchase Why Easter?, as well.

I bought this after going through Why Easter this year, and it has the same quality and commitment to truth. I love the focus on memorizing scripture and singing Christmas Hymns together. It is especially nice how it breaks the hymns down so you study a phase each day and talk about what it means.

It is a great book for Advent. It is definitely for children over 5 although you can use it for younger ones if you paraphrase the content. Some of it was a bit long for my 5 year old. So I would just read the first paragraph and discuss it. It is a great family book to read each day during Advent and I am glad that I have it. It will definitely be a wonderful book to use as she continues to grow and learn about God

The format is excellent for teaching children - and sometimes adults as well - the meanings of Biblical words. It teaches small enough pieces of the story to ponder & to memorize so it will stay with the child during the day - and for always. One of the things I love about it is that it connects the Old Testament with the New Testament, so that one begins to get the unity of the whole Bible. The illustrations are great. It is a book that can be used over & over because it is so full of concepts that achild will grasp a little differently each year as he grows.

If you are looking for a great family study to read with your kids, this is it! Short stories straight out of scripture including thought provoking questions. We read this with our toddler and preschooler. The same author makes a "Why Easter?" that is the same format and highly recommend too.

I was disappointed in this book. I skipped over many sentences and changed words and phrases while reading it aloud to my kids. It is very heavy-handed with the emphasis on God's wrath, sin, and punishment. Almost every day/reading includes it. Advent is not the time I want to be telling my kids how bad they are and how they deserve punishment. I would much rather focus on the incarnation: God with us. I'd prefer to focus on the compelling beauty of Jesus and the peace and love and hope that his birth and life offers the world. Not the time to keep drilling his death - that is what the Lent/Easter season is for. Christmas should be about God's presence, love, peace, gentleness, generousity, humility, intimacy. Wrath and punishment are just not the focus in my family. I will not be using this book anymore.