The Giving Manger: A Christmas Family Tradition Hardcover – Picture Book, 29 October 2020

It has a great & moving story. I had a hard time every night getting thru it with tears in my eyes. While reading to our 3 & 4 year old grandsons. I looked up the verse in the children’s bible the 2nd day & wrote it on sticky note & placed in book. I also took the time to talk to them about each page & why the parents & children felt the way they did. So that they could understand it better.They jumped right in to the concept of giving & helping. They were good helpers already but this made them realize how much it made the people they were helping feel loved. They now know that you can show your love by acts of kindness. Not just saying I love You.Every night before we read the story both boys would tell me all the good kind loving things they did for each other, Mommy, Daddy, Papa & myself Gramma that day. I would give straw for each one to hold while I read then they would place them in the manger.On Christmas Eve was the 1st time their Daddy & Mommy heard the story read. The boys told them they could put straw in if they did kind things. They also told them Gramma always cry’s when she gets to this part. They said I think she misses Uncle Jeremy in California. Which made me cry more. Sweet boys. The boys were excited to get to put baby Jesus in the manger on Christmas Day.Their parents were impressed they took this book & the giving manger so serious. Goes to show like Jesus said over & over bring the little children to me. They understand more than we think at very young ages.The boys were disappointed we had to package it up & put away for next December.We are doing a a twig & can to carry on until we get the manger & straw out.

Can't wait to use this with my Sunday school class

excellant teaching tool for grandchildren

This MADE our Christmas!! I have been looking for some way--a simple way--to introduce the concept of service and kindness to my toddlers boys (3 and 4). They both have been struggling with their behavior. But this book and manger set helped us to promote the idea of intentional kindness and that those acts of kindness are a gift we can give Jesus for His Birthday. My oldest even had the idea to do his dad's laundry for him and folded it too! It was so precious watching him do this! He felt so good about his efforts and it had a snowball effect to think of more small and simple ways we could serve each other within the walls of our own home. And it helped improve the behavior struggles we were having too because there was more LOVE felt. On Christmas morning they felt so excited to see the result of their efforts with the hay in the manger and to put Baby Jesus in the "manger filled with love." Then my 4 year old said a prayer of THANKS for the gift of Jesus. And that set the tone of gratitude for the rest of Christmas morning. It was a much more pleasant experience opening the gifts together after that. Thank you so much for creating this book and simple manger set! You have made a huge impact on our Christmas celebrations and on the love shared within our home!

I bought this to do with my 4 year old this Christmas. I was surprised how much she loved adding straw to the manger. It gave us such a sweet opportunity to talk about the real meaning of Christmas each day during advent. It also encouraged her to think about acts of kindness and service. I highly recommend adding this to your Christmas traditions.