About a month or so ago I decided to take a look at A Mary Christmas from Kathleen M. Carroll. A Mary Christmas is the final book in a trilogy of books that look at Catholic customs and traditions surrounding the celebration of Christmas. All three of the books in this series are well written and engaging.
In A Mary Christmas, the Advent and Christmas seasons are examined through the Seven Joys of Mary: the annunciation, the visitation, the nativity of our Lord, the adoration of the magi, the finding of the child Jesus in the temple, the appearance of the risen Christ to his mother, and the assumption and coronation of Mary as queen of heaven. I really enjoyed reading this book and seeing how we can look at Advent and Christmas through the lens of the Seven Joys of Mary. The author parallels how we can apply the lessons we learn from our Blessed mother to how we celebrate or live a certain aspect of Advent, Christmas or even everyday life. The book offers a fresh perspective that will help you to focus on the true meaning of the Advent and Christmas seasons.
The book is relatively short and could easily be read in one sitting, but I think you would likely get the most out of the book by reading it a chapter at a time and take a day or two to let the message ruminate. The book is small enough to slip into a purse to be read while waiting to pick up kids from school or practices and the chapters are short enough that you could read one in the span of time that you might be waiting. As a busy mom who is frequently on the go, I like books like this that can be used as a bit of spiritual reading on the go.
If you're looking for a fresh take on Advent and Christmas this year that doesn't have a daily reflection and passage, this book may be a good fit for you.
A Mary Christmas will be available from your favorite bookseller August 2012.
I was provided with an advanced copy of this book by the publisher, Franciscan Media, in exchange for my honest review.
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