The Giving Manger: A Christmas Family Tradition

Book Overview

Experience the true meaning of Christmas this year with The Giving Manger--a faith-based interactive family tradition that encourages acts of kindness, focuses on the joy of giving, and honors the real reason for Christmas: Jesus' birth.

Each Giving Manger Box Set contains a hardcover picture book, a wooden manger, a bundle of straw, and a sturdy Baby Jesus figure--everything your family needs to start the tradition in your own home.

How It Works The included picture book, The Giving Manger, will help your family understand the tradition and get children excited about participating. Once you have read the story, place the empty manger in a prominent spot in your home. In the days leading up to Christmas, family members can place a piece of straw in the manger each time they perform a kind deed or act of service. Filling the manger will become a fun, interactive project for your family, prompting even young children to look for ways to love and serve others.

As your family works together to fill the manger with straw, your hearts and home will fill with the joy and contentment that comes not from wish lists and getting, but from giving and loving others. On Christmas Day, your family can place the Baby Jesus in the manger--now full of the straw that represents the acts of love and service done in honor of Jesus' birth.

Each Box Set Includes: The Giving Manger Picture Book: a heartwarming story with beautiful cut-paper illustrations that presents the tradition and will get kids excited about participating Wooden Manger: to be placed in a visible spot in the home, waiting to be filled Bundle of Straw: pieces of straw to be placed in the manger after each act of service Baby Jesus: to be placed in the manger on Christmas day Each item in the box is built to last so your family can keep the tradition going year after year.

Note: The Giving Manger is intended for display use.

• Format: Hardcover
• Language: English
• ISBN: 1546034226
• ISBN13: 9781546034223
• Release Date: October 2020
• Publisher: Worthy Kids
• Length: 32 Pages
• Weight: 0.87 lbs.
• Dimensions: 3.2" x 10.4" x 10.0"
• Age Range: 4 years and up
• Grade Range: Preschool to Postsecondary

Customer Reviews

Nice idea but the execution is not the main point of Christmas

What I like about the book: This book comes with a cute wooden manger, a baby Jesus that is well constructed and durable for little hands, and pieces of 'hay' to add to the manger. The premise of giving to Jesus I liked the illustrations and the artistic style with layers of paper pasted on the pages. The intent of the book- this Christmas we will celebrate God's greatest gift to the world- His only Son, Jesus Christ. If it had stopped there... What I wonder about: the next phrase in the book-- "Jesus spent his whole life loving and serving and giving. He asked for nothing in return but our love." So the goal is to give to Jesus by serving and helping others. Not a bad goal- but not the point of celebrating Christmas. This book talks about the reason for Christmas being to give to others, not to get gifts. While I agree that this is part of Christmas, and a concept to build into family and a faith community, I felt like this book missed the point that Christmas, is celebrating the birth of Jesus Christ, the one who was born to die and be a rescuer to the human race, and save us from our sins. I was disappointed at the verse in Matthew being pulled into the context of Christmas. Why is the scripture verse in old-fashioned king James with ye and thee phrases, not as clearly understood by 2021 children when we do not talk that way. The verse chosen is not taken in context with the real meaning of Christmas, that Jesus came to save people from their sins. I am not bothered by the concept that at Christmas we can teach it is better to give than to receive gifts. But this is not the point of the birth of Christ. It is how Jesus lived and what He taught, but salvation is a free gift- it is not earned- all Jesus asks of us is to believe. So I wonder about saying all He asks is for our love. I'd think our love and gratitude go hand in hand with the choice to believe but I do not think it's required. "Believe in the Lord Jesus Christ and you will be saved." I've seen this tradition done by others as an advent tradition and I don't think that this book is the best representation of the truth as the Word of God teaches us, and not the best tool to teach serving and giving to others as a way to give to Jesus at Christmas. I was given the full gift set of the book/manger with the desire that I would write and share a review. All thoughts are mine alone.

A tradition of kindness at Christmas

The Giving Manger is a lovely way to help children focus on kindness to others and begin to understand the true meaning of Christmas is about giving of oneself and not getting a lot of gifts. I love the idea of preparing the manger for the Christ child by adding a piece of raffia straw (included in the package) when an act of kindness has been completed. As well as a wooden manger and a baby Jesus figure, there is a lovely hard cover book included in the package. The story introduces the concept of serving others as a way to prepare for Christmas. I am looking forward to using this unique set with my grandchildren this coming Christmas. Elf on the Shelf may be a cute tradition but The Giving Manger is a way to teach young and old the true meaning of God's gift of His son to the world. I won The Giving Manger package in a contest and was not required to write a review. The opinions are my own.