The Goose Is Getting Fat.

Christmas is coming, the goose is getting fat… Did y’all ever sing that song when you were younger? I had it on my John Denver and the Muppets album:

Aaaaaaaaand repeat, ad nauseum.

Good times.

Anyhoo, I hate to be the one to bring this up, but Christmas is, in fact, coming. And while I am a big proponent of meaningful, handmade gifts, I love the following recordable books too much not to pass them along.

I think these are only on sale at this price through the end of this month (i.e. today and tomorrow), so sorry to mention this in OCTOBER, but please do snatch up a few before they go back up in price!

AND Receive 40% off any single item this month with the coupon code: EARLYGIFT (excluding clearance). So The Birth of Jesus – Recordable Storybook is regularly $19.95, but with the discount code today or tomorrow, it’s $13.17. Nice.

And there are a bevy of recordable storybooks marked down to $14.95 right now, like All Day Long with Jesus – Recordable Storybook. [$8.97 with EARLYGIFT discount code]

We have a few of these recordable books read by grandparents and they are well-loved and absolute treasures! I love the look of this one: God’s Christmas Promise – Recordable Storybook. [$8.97 with EARLYGIFT discount code]

Or like how awesome would it be to turn the tables and have the kids read and record one of these for the grandparents?? Maybe this one: God’s Gift of Family – Recordable Storybook. [$8.97 with EARLYGIFT discount code]

Okay, so serious public service announcer voice here: If you are so inclined to buy gifts for people, do not wait until the last frenzied moment when you are blessing that amazon prime free trial with two day shipping and trying to figure out what on earth to order for great Aunt Bertha just to git er done. Just go and have a look-see over at DaySpring for some encouraging, edifying bits of loveliness to tuck under the tree this year. And let’s just stop the crazy before it starts, m’kay?

Oh! And on that stop-the-crazy note, I also love this Peanuts Christmas – Merry Christmas – Advent Calendar. Rather than stuffed with candy or toys or silliness, each window reveals something to do. Together. As a family. I’M IN. AND it is sale priced at $1.99 each right now, marked down from $10.

Or there is this more traditional looking C. Michael Dudash – Nativity Advent Calendar. Each window reveals a portion of the story of Jesus. What a marvelous dinner table conversation starter with the kids, non?! And frankly, with just a phrase on which me to meditate each day, one like “I bring you news of great joy,” I imagine my own heart would also be slowed into focus.

Oh gracious, or this Love Came Down – Advent Calendar, with the different names of God. I’m thinking that could be really good for any time of year, non?

Or even make your own countdown. What would you tuck into the little drawers of this Thanksgiving, Christmas, Easter – 12 Day Holiday Countdown? I’m thinking candy in some, verses in others, suggestions for something fun to do as a family in still others. I love it! It’s marked down to $9.99 right now. Use the EARLYGIFT code to get it for even less.

Okay y’all. Deep breath. We can do this holiday thing with grace, thoughtfulness, and great intentionality. [I’m talking to myself here. Fingers crossed!]

So how are you preparing to stay relatively sane during the retail shopping frenzy that the holidays can be?