Holiday Reads 2021
Written by Sally Anne Groomes
Whether you are looking for an advent devotional, a cozy nonfiction read, or a festive holiday fiction—here is a list of recommendations to get you started. I hope these encourage some special reading moments this Christmas season!
This site contains affiliate links. If you make a purchase using an affiliate link, the item does not cost you more but does provide us a small commission, which helps to support the Collective!
Advent Devotions and Christmas Crafts for Families
By Victoria Duerstock
This is an excellent advent devotional for families with toddlers or young kids. Each day leading up to Christmas includes an advent reading from the Bible, three questions to encourage active listening and a related craft. The crafts are a lovely way to get kids involved and excited about this daily tradition. Also, from a self-admitted crafting challenged individual, these crafts are relatively simple and easy to prep and make for all ages!
Shadow and Light: A Journey in Advent
By Tsh Oxenreider
For anyone looking for thought-provoking and deeply ministering advent devotional, this is my favorite pick. Whether you are seeking a devotional for your own individual quiet time, as a couple, or as a family with slightly older kids, this checks all the boxes. Oxenreider’s devotional is deeply rooted in the liturgical traditions and she encourages readers to participate in the corresponding traditions like lighting the candles each night. She provides a short yet insightful devotional each day of advent underscoring this important time of preparation and anticipation for Christ’s arrival. She includes a discussion question, a short reflection, a Scripture passage, a recommended hymn and artwork to examine and reflect upon. This devotional engages the reader from all vantage points allowing one to dip a toe in or become fully immersed in the wonder of advent.
Merry and Bright
By Debbie Macomber
This book reminded me of a Christmas version of “You’ve Got Mail” and was a delightful read. Merry’s family creates an online dating profile for her and she is unwittingly matched with her boss who is lovely online but seemingly cantankerous in the office. When Merry finds out the identity of her match many very entertaining problems arise.
A Christmas Journey and A Christmas Visitor
By Anne Perry
These two holiday novellas are perfect for any Agatha Christie fan looking for a Christmas mystery. They are quick reads with just enough intrigue to keep the pages turning but nothing too frightening to disturb the holiday spirit.
Christmas with Anne
By Lucy Maud Montgomery
This collection of short stories begins with a story from Anne of Green Gables but then continues with various tales from Lucy Maud Montgomery. Each one centers around Christmas with themes of generosity, compassion and love. This is perfect for family reading or any middle grade readers.
A Baxter Family Christmas
By Karen Kingsbury
Kingsbury creates a perfectly festive Christian Christmas tale befitting the Hallmark channel. The Baxter family is facing great drama this holiday season. After the tragic death of Erin Baxter, her husband, and three of her four daughters, the family is divided in reaching out to the recipient of Erin’s heart donation. Patriarch of the family, John Baxter, is torn between his desire to spread God’s light and acceptance to the recipient and her husband while also respecting the grief process of his own family. This is a heartwarming tale sure to inspire others.
The Best Christmas Pageant Ever
By Barbara Robinson
This is a quick read for families with elementary grade readers. It is very entertaining and sweet to read of the naughty Herdman children’s infiltration into the school’s Christmas pageant. The power of the Christmas story takes center stage as the Herdman’s learn, for the first time, the true reason behind the Christmas season.
A Week in Winter
By Maeve Binchy
This is a longer novel but, in characteristic Binchy fashion, moves at a rapid pace. Chicky Starr decides to open Stone Inn in the tiny town of Stoneybridge on the coast of Ireland. As guests check in for a winter vacation at the inn, readers are introduced to a wonderfully interconnected web of characters. The wintery Irish setting will make you want to brew a cup of tea and bake some scones to enjoy while you read.
Wintering
By Katherine May
May writes about her “wintering” season brought about after both she and her son encounter health issues and seek out a European respite. It is fascinating and inspiring to read about the value in taking time to feel your sadness and grief and embrace your own winter. May provides her personal experience as well as related research. The book reveals the importance of honoring and giving necessary room to experience this part of one’s life cycle. “If happiness is a skill, then sadness is, too. Perhaps through all those years at school, or perhaps through other terrors, we are taught to ignore sadness, to stuff it down into our satchels and pretend it isn’t there. As adults, we often have to learn to hear the clarity of its call. That is wintering. It is the active acceptance of sadness. It is the practice of allowing ourselves to feel it as a need. It is the courage to stare down the worst parts of our experience and to commit to healing them the best we can. Wintering is a moment of intuition, our true needs felt keenly as a knife.”
The Little Book of Hygge
By Meik Wiking
Wiking explores the Danish principle of hygge which is the overarching feeling of coziness and comfort with those you love. The book provides in depth examples of how the Danish incorporate hygge into daily life and demonstrates its many benefits. This is a perfect winter read for anyone looking to create a more cozy environment and focus on close relationships.
Sally Anne Groomes
Washington D.C.
Sally Anne is a former literature professor who still cannot be caught without a book close at hand. Currently, she is raising her two kids, running many miles, and adventuring around the world one duty station at a time with her husband (a Navy doctor). She loves Jesus with all her heart and is learning daily how to count it all JOY.
Learn more about Sally Anne here and find her on Instagram at @sagroomes21
Sally Anne’s Book Club is available to our members and hosted on our Dive Collective Network.
For more information on Dive Collective, visit our website or click here to join now - for FREE!
Hello again, Dive Collective! It has been so long since we’ve seen you, studied with you, sent you any news. So much has happened since we decided to take a break, and we will be telling you a lot about that in an upcoming podcast episode!