Christmas

For children and adults, the anticipation of the holidays is always exciting. Much of the joy the season brings is in the waiting and anticipation of Christmas morning. Advent is the season leading up to Christmas morning. “Advent” is defined as “the arrival of a notable thing, person, or event” or “the coming or second coming of Christ.” It’s in the waiting that we can find hope and joy. This is metaphorical for any time or circumstance in our life, but a tangible example is the way that we wait and prepare for Christmas.  I want to create a great sense of anticipation for something beautiful in our home. With so much pain in the world, it fills me with hope to

Being an English teacher, I always look for the meaning behind the words. A song is not just a song, and a movie isn’t just a movie; it’s a script dripping with images and symbols to represent something deeper and is written to reveal something tender to the heart of the author. It drives my husband and students crazy! “Why can’t the wall just be yellow,” they might ask about a story. Nope. For me, there is always a reason. Even the authors of the most anticipated Christmas classics had a goal, a purpose. We can learn a thing or two from these 10 Christmas classics! The Santa Claus: A story of forgiveness and second chances. Divorced dad, Scott, has custody of

Giving the perfect gift isn’t always an easy endeavor, we know. Usually, the best gifts for women are ones that meet us where we’re at in life and help make our days easier, smoother, or just more comfortable. That’s why we asked our team of writers to give us ideas for things they would love to receive based on their current season of life. So, check out the ideas we’ve curated below to find something that makes the lady you cherish feel cherished! Merry Christmas from us to you! For the Active Woman This sports bag has room for everything she needs to rock her workout. Filled with pockets (every woman needs more pockets), this duffle has space for it all. Shoes,

The last few years have felt weird to most of us. The holiday traditions that we once looked forward to have changed—some slightly, some dramatically. Gatherings moved outdoors or stopped altogether. In the chaos and crazy of the holidays, I always find a sense of peace during this time, especially in recent years. I have one family tradition that I just couldn’t stop and I plan to pass down through multiple generations: the collection of meaningful Christmas tree ornaments. Many years ago when I was a teenager, I started collecting ornaments, which was a huge improvement over the shot glass collection I had started. (In my defense, those were inexpensive gift store buys.) These ornaments came from places I had visited, people

Ah, the holidays. They’re the most wonderful time of the year … until you find yourself dealing with a child in a full-blown meltdown at church or kids running away from you as you try to extricate yourself from an exhausting family Christmas party. Christmas really is a beautiful time of year as we celebrate the birth of our Savior. And Thanksgiving is, well, filled with thanks—and lots of delicious dainties. The truth is, though, getting through the holiday season with kids is hard on everyone. As parents, it can be exhausting. And your kids? Well, the bustle of the holidays may be magical, but at times it can also be downright overwhelming. If you’re concerned about supporting your children’s emotional well-being