Twas The Season of Advent; Devotions and Stories for the Christmas Season

Glenys Nellist

It’s a rare day that I find a devotional that works for my whole family. Two parents, three teens, a tween, two elementary school aged kids, and a toddler equal a wide range of interests and attention spans. For the seasons of Advent and Lent, we enjoy adding in an extra daily devotion time together, and ready-to-go resources are slim to none for our crew. That usually means we have at least one sub group of people fidgeting or throwing paper airplanes while the rest of us endeavor to remain focused. Thankfully, Glenys Nellist is saving my bacon this Advent season, gifting the world with the latest installment in her popular Twas the Season of series. I’ve got my copy of Twas the Season of Advent; Devotions and Stories for the Christmas Season all packed up with twinkle lights, battery powered tea lights, and small tactile toys for fidgety hands so we can all enjoy devotional time together this year.

This devotional has a page for each day between December 1 and December 25. A Bible verse is paired with a brief, family-friendly devotion, and wrapped up in a prayer. Each page features at least one full color, culturally diverse representation of a piece of the Christmas story. Soft illustrated details dot the devotions, adding more for children to absorb. The beautifully illuminated first letter of each page also adds special detail. The readings are the perfect length for families with younger and older children. The connections are accessible to all, employing everyday experiences and the five senses. If little ones are having a fussy moment, families can easily enjoy the pictures together and pray the included prayer. It is flexible and designed to include all at whatever place they are in that particular point in their lives.

I am planning on using this devotional in several ways. My family includes 7 children between the ages of 19 and 2; the oldest is in college. We also have my adult sister with Down Syndrome, who we have the joy of being part of a bunch of our family activities. We live in different states, but thanks to the magic of Zoom, we gather together more than when we lived 5 miles apart. I have a copy of this book for each of our homes. We will gather together for a few minutes each evening (with the college student popping in as her rehearsal schedule allows) to read and pray. I have printed the ‘Advent Adds’ from the free activity pack and am assembling ribbons for each household. We’ll hang them on bare branches in our dining rooms together. This could easily be done with your children and families in your congregation, but perhaps just once a week in conjunction with an Advent candle lighting. (There is a discount on bulk orders here.) I am planning on snagging the illustrated letter from each day and having a multigenerational time each Sunday of Advent based upon them. Leaving copies of the book out as inspiration, alongside a bunch of fine tipped markers and (including some gold metallic ones), I’ll unroll some butcher paper on tables in Fellowship Hall and encourage everyone to illuminate their own letter (perhaps from their first name or using each letter from Emmanuel) along with symbols that are important to them as they journey through Advent. If I were to give copies of this book as part of an Advent care package, I would include some small blank notebooks, a few gold metallic markers, and some star stickers. The children can illuminate, draw, or sticker their notebooks as they listen to each day’s devotion. Come Christmas, they’ll have a lovely record of what they did to prepare for the birth of Jesus. (Hint: older kids and teens like these, too, so don’t forget notebooks for them.) This book is a treasure and it’s a perfect addition to your church library, as well as a great tool for families as they lead their families in their spiritual development.