40 Days of Christmas: Celebrating the Glory of Our Savior by Joseph Castleberry

40 Days of Christmas: Celebrating the Glory of Our Savior by Joseph Castleberry is a book that will be published on October 2; in this book it is celebrated the beauty of Christmas and the importance of celebrating Christmas not just for few days, but starting from the Advent, then Christmastime, for arriving at the moment of the epiphany lived as a feast just in Italy, with the arrival of the Befana an old and ugly lady bringing sweet coil to nasty children and sweet treats to all the rest; for the Christianity it's the arrival of the Magi and their gifts to little Jesus Christ (in this sense there are fascinating Russian fairy-tales of an old lady who didn't offer to the Magi hospitality and that since there goes in the world bringing sweet treats to all babies, searching for little Jesus Christ);  personally I haven't never loved the Befana, but  we enjoy of a long moment of light hope and expectations thanks to our Christmas's Tree like also of all the rest of external lights, removed only after that Jan 6th is over. Christmas was the feast of Light before the arrival of the Christianity;  being a very loved, pagan feast, considering also the moment of the year plenty of darkness, Christianity transformed the feast of Light in another wonderful celebration; a birth; the one of little Jesus Christ,  that it is a beautiful moment for staying together, for enjoying life in the most profound sense, for praying, for developing a new vision of our close future, for a re-born; of course it can't be a quick passage. Christmas says the author and it is true, motivates us "To save money throughout the year. It provides a season to love our family and friends tangibly with cards and phone calls and presence and presents. It leads us to cultivate a childlike attitude to corresponding childlike joy. It gives us an excuse to set aside fasting diets and eat a great feast."
We all say that this one is maybe the most important consumer's period of the year.
Well, yes but these story of gifts must be lived well because gifts were commons also in the old Rome, maybe less expensive, because Romans donated little branches of some trees considered sacred, but there were gifts; why?
Because a gift is symbol of gratification, appreciation, love and friendship.
This book by Castleberry analyzes all the aspects of Christmas, so the Christmas Tree, the arrival of Archangel Saint Gabriel, Christmas Food, gifts and every chapter is interesting because a mix of history and religion. Chapters start all  with some verses taken from the Bible, then a comment and at the end a prayer. An important book for living Christmas as it should be lived; praying, being good, and waiting.

I thank NetGalley for this eBook.

Anna Maria Polidori