Overview

Celebrating Christmas in the dark and finding joy in the unexpected. Aidan's city is hit with an ice storm just days before Christmas, causing the electrical grid to go down. All their Christmas plans are ruined! One disappointment piles on another: Grandma and Grandpa cannot travel, the Christmas pageant is canceled, there are no Christmas lights, and it's impossible to cook a Christmas dinner. But Aidan and his dad persevere to bring doughnuts and coffee to neighbors, and then they're invited to a neighborhood Christmas potluck. As Aidan's mom tells the Christmas story, he realizes that the first Christmas was full of disappointment and unexpected community too. Suddenly Christmas feels special again as Aidan feels connected to the Bible story from long ago, to his grandparents far away, and to his neighbors and family nearby. God is here in the midst of it all. Sometimes Christmas is not all we hope or expect it to be. The Christmas That Almost Wasn't invites readers to ponder how sometimes, when things are taken away, it brings us closer to the heart of the holy mystery that still draws us into its warmth.

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9798855195125

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Reviews

""This lovely story builds a feeling of warmth that stems from friendship, family, and embracing the winter season."" --Midwest Book Reviews ""This story shows readers what holidays are often all about: perseverance, love, community, and faith. Perfect to read with a family member around the holidays."" --School Library Journal ""Richly colored cartoon illustrations capture the silvery ice of the storm and bathe Aiden's shadowy world with a tender glow. Awash in the true Yuletide spirit."" --Kirkus Reviews ""This is a book that has so much flexibility. Can you use it for Bedtime Stories and Prayers? Yes. It would be lovely. Should this go into your lending library? Absolutely. Pair it with a pack of glow sticks for the family to light as they read the story and you have a winner of a take-home package. Can you use it during faith formation during Advent? Yes, and you can use it in so many different ways. You might use it with a group ready to approach the nativity from a fresh angle, or with families looking for meaningful, simple traditions amidst a busy season. It's also ideal for exploring how God comes to us in both light and darkness."" --Practical Resources for Churches

Author Information

Laura Alary is a storyteller, educator, mother of three, and picture book author. Her book All the Faces of Me was named a 2024 Charlotte Zolotow Award Honor Book. She is also the author of Make Room: A Child's Guide to Lent and Easter and The Astronomer Who Questioned Everything, among many others. Laura lives with her family in Toronto, where she likes to walk by the lake and wonder about the world. Ana Eguaras is an illustrator based in a small town in northern Spain. She graduated in Fine Arts from the University of Salamanca, specializing in illustration. Ana's artwork is mainly digital, yet she always tries to depict the materiality of traditional media while creating cozy and colorful worlds.

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