The Gifts of Christmas: 25 Joy-Filled Devotions for Advent

by Sheila Walsh

When you think of Christmas, what do you see? Glittering lights, decked-out trees, brightly wrapped gifts, a tightly packed schedule? Look closer. What do you hear? Ringing bells, familiar carols, Mariah Carey on an endless loop at the grocery store? Listen harder. In a season that is busy and bustling, there is a deeper, softer, quieter truth that we too often miss in the mayhem.

God in our midst. God with us. The greatest gift. The only reason for the season. And the source of all our joy.

If you've been feeling overwhelmed and exhausted by what Christmas has become, this beautiful Advent devotional will refresh your faith, reactivate your wonder, and restore your joy. With stories of simple Christmases past, inspiration from Scripture, and pearls of wisdom from beloved author Sheila Walsh, The Gifts of Christmas offers you grace, peace, hope, and a sense of expectation for what truly can be the most wonderful time of the year.

Genres: Christmas, Christian, Devotional, Faith, Nonfiction, Religion

148 pages, Kindle Edition

Published October 17, 2023

About the author

Librarian Note: There is more than one author in the Goodreads database with this name.

Sheila Walsh (05-07-1956) is a powerful communicator, Bible teacher, and best-selling author with more than 4 million books sold. A featured speaker with Women of Faith®, Sheila has reached more than 3.5 million women by artistically combining honesty, vulnerability, and humor with God's Word.

Author of the best-selling memoir Honestly and the Gold Medallion nominee for The Heartache No One Sees, Sheila's most recent release, The Shelter of God's Promises, has also been turned into a DVD curriculum and in-depth Bible study. The Gigi, God's Little Princess book and video series has won the National Retailer's Choice Award twice and is the most popular Christian brand for young girls in the United States.

Sheila co-hosted The 700 Club and her own show Heart to Heart with Sheila Walsh. She is currently completing her Masters in Theology.

Twitter @SheilaWalsh, facebook.com/#!/sheilawalshconnects

Reviews

[Alex Banwell · Rating 5 out of 5]

I wish I could give this 10 stars rather than 5. I’ve always enjoyed this author’s books. They just keep getting better. I intended reading this one every day through advent, but I was enjoying it so much that I binge read and finished it early. I loved the personal stories, and the humour mixed with profound Biblical truths. It is a light read, yet packed with warmth and wisdom. I will definitely read it again.

[Jessica Adams · Rating 5 out of 5]

I haven’t done many Advent books, and I probably still won’t do many Advent books, as I just want to do this one over and over. I LOVED this book! I”m so blessed that my Mom let be borrow it, and I”m definitely buying my own copy. The stories are so sweet, funny, poignant, and heartwarming. The accompanying scripture is perfect. The songs beloved. I can’t wait to do this again, and I want to read more by Walsh.

[Lea · Rating 5 out of 5]

Beautiful book. Sheila Walsh breaks down all of the little details about Christmas that we are so used to seeing and examines them with a spiritual eye and the true reason for the season in mind.
This is also a very pretty book, and would make (as I plan to do) a great gift for a loved one who enjoys devotionals or as a table top during the holiday season.
Complete with Bible verses and holiday songs, I could see myself opening this book during the holiday season, reading a passage to my children, and singing the song that goes along.
You can tell Walsh is a Bible teacher for sure and get the feeling of Vacation Bible school broken down into smaller snippets for adults and children alike.

[Shelley · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is one of the very best Advent devotional books that I have ever read. The author does a great job of weaving memoir, Scripture, Christmas hymns, and cultural/family traditions into daily segments that always direct the reader’s focus to the meaning of Advent. The daily readings are long enough to be impactful and brief enough to take only a few minutes of time. This is the first book by Sheila Walsh that I’ve read, but it will not be the last. Highly recommend this for those eager to mine deeper meaning and connection to the holiday season.

[Kelli · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book was a nice way to look at current Christmas traditions and how they can point back to the birth, life, and sacrifice of Jesus. It helps align your spirit to joy and hope in the midst of the Christmas season.
I also found many other book recommendations within the pages of this book to send me on a rabbit trail if I wanted.

[Alexis Schafer · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wonderful book of advent

This book is very well written. Sheila draws the reader in with personal stories and her messages of Christ's love. Each day we are drawn in to a new story and a pertinent perspective of the bible.
I sometimes read the day ahead so that I could enjoy the passage again the next day. This is a wonderful book for advent.

[Darla · Rating 5 out of 5]

I invite you to come with me on a journey to exchange weariness for wonder and heartache and hope. As we look with fresh eyes at each of these gifts of Christmas in the pages that follow, it's my prayer that a flame will be lit in your heart that will last throughout the year.

Full disclosure: my sister passed this book onto me last Christmas and I accepted without enthusiasm. For some reason I was not expecting this book to make such an impact on me.

Yet, as I read this month, I found that each day I had new insights to share with my family. The readings truly were gifts!

Sheila Walsh divides the month into six gift categories:

EXPECTING
WONDER
JOY
GRACE
PEACE
HOPE

Within each category, Walsh shares vignettes from her own Christmas memories along with Scripture passages and insights into the Nativity story. I highly recommend it!

When we open our hearts to Jesus--open every closed door inside of us--He is the only one who can melt the winter of past wounds and brokenness. If all we celebrated at Christmas was that Jesus came, it would be a lovely story, but we would still be living in winter. Instead, we celebrate that He was born, He lived, He died, and He rose again from the dead.

Hallelujah, Christ is born!

For a child is born to us,
a son is given to us.
The government will rest on his shoulders.
And he will be called:
Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God,
Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace. ~Isaiah 9:6

[Bridget · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is one of the best Advent devotionals I have read. My husband and I were browsing in a bookstore and I noticed this book. However, I initially walked away. Then hubby came over and said, “Did you see this book?” And then I knew it was meant to be. I’m so glad this book found me. Each day in this devotional Sheila shares a story from her own Christmas memories, and then she ties it together with a biblical message. Each entry is so easy to read, yet so impactful as well. I am enjoying each moment and I will be sad to see the book come to an end. But of course this book can be read again each year. (And you don’t necessarily have to wait for December to read it!) Get It! You’ll Love It!

[Tristann Graves · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wonderful, one of the best Advent devotionals I've read.

In each daily devotional Sheila shares one of her own Christmas memories. She artfully ties these memories with Scriptures and Christmas hymns for our own reflection. Reading this book we are reminded of the true gifts of Christmas. A wonderful book to read and reflect on not only at Advent but throughout the year

[Mary Grace Johnson, Author · Rating 5 out of 5]

As always, Sheila Walsh writes with such thoughtfulness and light. Her Christmas devotional is no exception as she touches upon the many traditions we employ during this season of anticipation and hope, looking forward to the celebration of Christ’s birth. Anyone and everyone will enjoy this book.

[Colette · Rating 5 out of 5]

I have read her devotionals and the ones captured in this work dedicated to Christmas is a wonderfully endearing historical and spiritual read. For those who are reflective and enjoy this season being the most wondeful time of the year will find this to be a touching body of work.

[Christine Robichaud · Rating 5 out of 5]

Optimistic point of view. Full of the spirit.
This book points every aspect of christmas towards christ; Christmas tree, ornaments to even wrapping paper.

Easy read. Changed the way i will see Christmas in the years to come.

Loved. Loved. Loved.

[Kathy · Rating 5 out of 5]

wonderful advent stories

I enjoy Shiela Walsh very much! She is very talented and very good at making her stories interesting and she weaves in her stories with the subject of Advent and Christmas!

[Christina Gooden · Rating 4 out of 5]

Loved reading all the little details of Christmas I never knew before and seeing the Greek or Hebrew meaning behind some words found throughout Scripture and the story of Christ’s birth. A nice daily devotional to focus on Advent and the coming of our Savior.

[Jennifer · Rating 4 out of 5]

I enjoyed this Advent devotional. The daily readings were the perfect length and talked about so many of the items that are found during the Christmas season and how they can be viewed in light of the birth of Jesus.

[Louisa aka the bookworm · Rating 5 out of 5]

A Wonderful Amble through Advent!

Just love this book! Sheila has a wonderful way of drawing you into her stories and anecdotes. It’s been an absolute joy to do this Bible study. Would absolutely recommend it!

[Jenn Puggini · Rating 4 out of 5]

Won this for an ARC in exchange for a review. I decided to do it the first 24 days of December. I'm glad I waited. It is a great book for a devotional. Some days hit me better than other.

[Pat · Rating 5 out of 5]

An absolute joy to read this December as Jesus’s birth neared. Very interesting daily devotions, thoughtful and relevant to today’s world. This will be a yearly December read for me.

[Sarah Piper · Rating 5 out of 5]

I love this. Will be read in this again for sure. I love that this implementation some “non-traditional” items that she gave a Christian element to.

[Tara · Rating 5 out of 5]

very good read!

This was a great way to prepare my heart for Christmas! Highly recommend! Easy to read and keep up with yet very insightful!

[Jesus Beach Girl Reads · Rating 5 out of 5]

A nice, new addition for the Christmas season.

[Julie Carithers Overstreet · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wonderful uplifting read!!

[Barbara · Rating 4 out of 5]

I loved reading about and discovering the different symbols of Christmas and what they mean and meant to others. This book made me think of my own symbols of Christmas.

[Gayle Williams · Rating 5 out of 5]

My daughter and I pick a book each year to read leading up to Christmas, sometimes it's a devotional written for this purpose. This book did not disappoint and we truly enjoyed it.

[Bud Russell · Rating 4 out of 5]

A thoughtful Advent daily devotional. I appreciated her insights into the Christmas text and its connection to her own life. An easy read.

[Megan Fleming · Rating 4 out of 5]

A great advent devotional with a different focus on how to find joy during the Christmas season.

[Jill Schreiber · Rating 5 out of 5]

Beautiful book

[Linda · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is the perfect book for Christmas devotions! I love how Sheila Walsh writes. Her stories are funny, yet, very inspiring and she always has a great message! Love all of her books!

[Michelle Korting · Rating 4 out of 5]

I enjoyed reading The Gifts of Christmas. It was heartfelt and I loved all the Christmas songs at the end of each day.

I actually sang them 😊 I love Christmas time

[Regina · Rating 4 out of 5]

Lots of fun memories and good insights