Would you like a free sneak peak of the book that I plan to publish in 2026? This is a 25-chapter book designed to be read during the first 25 days of December. Days 1, 8, 15, and 22 are set up to be the four Sundays of Advent. Since it won’t work that way every year, you can decide which day to begin the book. This year, the first Sunday of Advent is on Nov. 30. If you read it with your family and enjoy the book, it might become an annual tradition for you!

Each chapter has two parts. The “story” part is designed for younger kids, and the “study” part is designed for older kids. It is my hope to publish a set of two books that will include a picture book and a chapter book. The picture book will contain the story and will be fully illustrated. A chapter book will include the bible study that accompanies the story.

At the end of each chapter, there is at least one recommended hymn, Christmas carol, or song. Many of the chapters also have an “application” that suggests how that day’s reading may apply to our present-day life.

While the story is the true Christmas story that includes the characters of Mary, Joseph, the wise men, the shepherds, and Jesus, there are fictional characters as well. Meet the Mouse family in Sweden! It is their annual tradition for the grandmother mouse, known as Mormor Mouse, to tell her five grandchildren the Christmas story during the Advent season. They begin on the first Sunday of Advent, and they continue each day until Christmas Day.

The Mouse family has 4 ancestors who were present during the Christmas Story over two thousand years ago. They are known as Nettie of Nazareth, Ethan (Yì Chén) of the East, Becca of Bethlehem, and Finn of the Fields. Much of the Christmas story is told through their eyes, and through their interactions with animals in the story including the donkey, the camels, and the sheep.

In between the different scenes from the story, Mormor Mouse pauses to guide her grandchildren through a Bible study that connects to the Christmas story. One of the themes they explore is that of seeing Jesus as being perfect Truth, perfect Goodness, and perfect Beauty. They also explore the symbolism of the Advent candles which represent the gifts of hope, peace, love, and joy that Jesus brings to Earth with His birth.

This year, in 2025, one chapter will be posted on the website each day of Advent beginning on November 30. You might find it easier to begin reading them on December 1st. I hope you enjoy reading the story as much as I enjoyed writing it! I’d love for the Mouse family to explore some other Bible stories in the future!

Credits for Bible Translations

For the story in English, all Scripture quotations are from the NIV version of the Bible unless otherwise noted.

Scripture taken from the Holy Bible, New International Version®. NIV®. Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984 by International Bible Society. Used by permission of Zondervan Publishing House. All rights reserved.

Scripture quotations marked (TLB) are taken from The Living Bible, copyright © 1971 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.

For the story translated into Chinese (Traditional or Simplified), all Scripture quotations are translated from the NIV version of the Bible unless otherwise noted. If noted as TLB, KJV, or NKJV, the Chinese is a translation from those versions. If noted as CNLT, the Scripture is quoted from the Chinese New Living Translation.

Credits for the Chinese New Living Translation (CNLT):

經文引自《聖經·新普及譯本》 (Chinese New Living Translation, CNLT)，版權 © 2013 漢語聖經協會 (Chinese Bible International, Hong Kong)。All rights reserved. Used by permission.

The Chinese New Living Translation (CNLT) is based on the New Living Translation (NLT) with comparison to the original Greek texts.

Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.

A source of hymns and Christmas carols

While you can find the recommended hymns, Christmas carols, and songs in a variety of places, here is one option. Most of them are found in the following hymnal:

Hymns for the Family of God. Edited by Bryan J. Leech and Fred Bock. Copyright © 1976 by Paragon Associates, Inc. Nashville, TN, USA. International Copyright secured. All rights reserved.

A recommended Christmas video (23 minutes)

The Very First Noel. 2006. Narrated by Andy Griffith. Written and directed by Carrie and Yarrow Cheney. Produced by Exclaim Entertainment. Songs by: The Brothers Cazimero. (NOTE: This video was reissued as “The Three Wise Men” in 2020 with one of the songs changed. It is available at Amazon Prime or at its website: https://watchthethreewisemen.com/)

A recommended Christmas album

Sunshine And Snowflakes – 40 Kids Singin’ At Christmas

By Light Records © 1973. The album (LS-5625-LP) was produced by Lexicon Music, Inc. and distributed by Word, Inc. The album is arranged by Clark Gassman and directed by Jan Gassman.

Republished as “Sunshine and Snowflakes (Digitally Remastered)” by Essential Media Group LLC in 2010 (made available by Apple Music and Spotify)