For the past several years, I have really been convicted by how commercialized we have made Christmas. It makes me sad to think of Jesus’s very humble beginnings – being born in a stable – and how we have turned that into a time when we shower our kids with gifts that they definitely don’t need. I mean, where did the whole gift-giving aspect of Christmas come from anyway? I’ve tried to cut back on the amount of money that we spend; but then I still feel stupid for buying cheaper things that we don’t need – and likely didn’t even want – just for the sake of having wrapped gifts under the tree.
So, when the opportunity to review a book with a tagline that reads “a gift with the power to change Christmas” came my way, I jumped at the chance. Because, quite frankly, I’m ready for a real change! And I was curious to see what such a book would suggest.
Here is a bit about the book from inside the book jacket:
Sam can’t wait for Christmas! He’s excited about the parties, the food, and, of course, the presents. One gift has him especially curious – a sparkling silver box on the mantel. Sam’s parents will only tell him that the Sparkle Box is a special gift they will open together, but that they need to fill it first. Meanwhile, as Sam and his family give to people in need throughout the season, he starts to see how fortunate he really is. And on Christmas morning, when Sam finally opens the mysterious Sparkle Box, what he finds inside sheds light on the true meaning of Christmas.
Author Jill Hardie and her family began placing a gift for Jesus under their Christmas tree as a way of bringing more meaning to the holiday. The first time they opened His gift, the commercialism of the season melted away and they felt a profound joy and peace. Jill hopes that The Sparkle Box will spark a new Christmas tradition, bringing light into thousands of lives.
At a very early age, Christine Kornacki developed a love for painting and bringing stories to life. After receiving a BFA in illustration from the University of Hartford, her dreams of illustrating children's books began to take shape. She spends her days painting in her studio, which adjoins a charming cafe in New Haven, Connecticut.
So, what did I think? I loved it! This book, with it’s simple story of a family doing random acts of kindness for those in need, filled me with ideas of what my family can do during the holiday season (and beyond). Sam’s mom tells him that “the Sparkle Box is our gift to Jesus on Christmas Day, His birthday”. Jesus should be the one receiving the gifts – not us – right?
As I was reading the book to Ian, I was reminded of the words of Jesus, from Matthew 25:44-46:
44 Then they also will answer, saying, ‘Lord, when did we see you hungry or thirsty or a stranger or naked or sick or in prison, and did not minister to you?’ 45 Then he will answer them, saying, ‘Truly, I say to you, as you did not do it to one of the least of these, you did not do it to me.’ 46 And these will go away into eternal punishment, but the righteous into eternal life.” (ESV)
Since the book came with an included Sparkle Box, my family is ready to get started filling ours with presents for Jesus!
THE SPARKLE BOX - Official Book Trailer from Ideals Books on Vimeo.
How about you? Would you like to win a copy of The Sparkle Box? I have one copy to give away to one of my readers. If you’d like to win, please follow the Rafflecopter instructions below.
NOTE: I received one or more of the products or services mentioned above for free in hope that I would mention it on my blog. Regardless, I only recommend products or services I use personally and believe will be good for my readers. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission's 16 CFR, Part 255: "Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising."
19 comments:
I signed up to review it, but was too late. Of course, I'd like to win a copy. Saw it in the store last month but didn't buy it yet.
Oops! My comment wasn't the right type. Trying again. I'm ashamed to admit I don't know if we've done a random act of kindness or not. We do the shoeboxes every Christmas, give gifts to our Sunday School teachers and pastors many years, have given food gifts to neighbors in the past, etc. But I don't know that we've randomly done something for someone else, outside our normal sphere. Our church raises money at Christmas for missions (buying goats for families or digging water wells where there aren't any) and we participate in those ... it's part of a movement to de-commercialize Christmas, too. We're supposed to reduce our spending on gifts in order to give to someone who truly has need.
I bake for family and friends and surprise them with it.
Hmm not a random act per se. We often fill Christmas shoeboxes and contribute to hampers to preselected families. I'll have to see if we can slip in some random kindnesses :)
We recently spent the day working at our Christian Service Missions to help them clean up their facility and get things in order. We took our children with us. Our job was to clean the ditches from all of the mud and trash that washed up. It was a hot and long day that showed my children that even the most menial jobs were important. If we had not helped to clean those ditches, the flooding they were experiencing would have continued to be a problem. It was especially important for my boys to go and experience this selfless job opportunity.
We once paid for the meals of a family in a restaurant we were eating at. They had a little baby and were a young couple. We just felt like we should do it, so we did. I imagine they were very surprised when they paid their bill. :)
I'm really interested in getting this book for my family. I'm hoping to find a place near home where my kids can go out and help others in need. It will be great for them to learn to appreciate what they have and also give help to those who need it.
we are filling stockings this Christmas for children we don't know - I have the boys pick out things they would like & pay for some with their own savings. we have delivered meals & currently are mentoring a new homeschool family & have taken a new hs student in to our home several times a week to help her working mom. trying to teach the boys to do what they can & look for opportunities God provides.
Before I had toddlers, we used to spend Thanksgiving at the homeless shelter handing out dinner.
I'm not sure if this is "random" or not, but each year I take my son (now 3 1/2) to the Salvation Army to box groceries for the needy during Christmas! I'll take my newest son this year when he'll be 3 months old!
Hi Heidi,
Thank you for reviewing The Sparkle Box! It really is a simple, yet profound way to counteract the commercialism of the season! I hope it brings you and your family the same joy it brings ours! Our kids, ages 13 and 21, absolutely love the tradition! Also, I wanted to let you and your followers know that there are free printables and activities for children on www.TheSparkleBox.com that they may enjoy. Blessings--Jill
Bake cookies for our local Fire and Police Department and deliver to them on the holiday.
I would love to have this book and read it with my children! Like you, we've tried to cut back over the years. One year, my husband even declared we would not put up a tree (that didn't go over well, lol!), but we do try to minimize the commercial aspect of our own actions. As for an act of kindness, I think the most memorable one was when we, along with a group of friends, purchased a used car for a family in need and delivered it to them as a surprise. OMGsh! It was the best experience ever! They were so deserving and so humble and so appreciative. That's one memory that will stay with me always.
We were blessed by a substantial sized check and turned around and blessed a single mom and her son with it.
We have done simple things like fill a Shoebox, adopt a child off the tree at church and buy things for them, etc. I would like to get more purposeful about it and make it more of a focus of our holiday. Well, really of our entire year. The Sparkle Box sounds intriguing.
This past year for my 50th birthday the boys and I did some random acts of kindness to others. We dopped off water bottles with flavor packets attached to them along with hand lotion. We stopped in our local Dollar Tree and attached dollar bills to several bills in the toy section. We filled the vending machines with coins for the next person. It was so fun to secretly do these things!
I do this from time to time, but now that I sit down to think about it, I cannot think of a single particular thing...I think that I usually just do a little something and then it is over...maybe like do not let your left hand know what your right hand is doing...
While not so random, I do try to keep some extra meals in the freezer for times when it really could be a blessing. This happened earlier this year when my Pastor's father died and because I had some things in the freezer I was able to be a blessing to them in their difficult time.
There is a homeless man seen in our area always asking for pop bottles so he can get money to get a coffee and hamburger at McD, we gave him some on the go type groceries last winter, and a new wool coat and some blankets, and toiletries we also game him our winning game pieces for food from the McD Monopoly game. We have already started looking for him and praying he is OK, since we have not seen him yet this Fall and Winter
I love to pick a name from a sharing tree and try to buy as much as I can for that person. I also like to remember the animal shelters. This year will be harder, but I am determined to give all that I can.
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