Christmas Day has a wealth of wonderful, time-tested traditions. So many memory-filled activities have enriched our holidays throughout the years. But what about Christmas Eve? Do you have low-stress traditions?
Change can be hard. Even when we’re unhappy, our ruts of familiarity can keep us locked into less than ideal situations. Or maybe you’re fallen prey to the very common sunk cost fallacy. You’ve already invested half of a school year with a certain program or educational choice. It’s too late to change now, right?
Absolutely not! If you’re not content with how your children are doing school right now, don’t hesitate to jump ship and choose something new. Their childhood years are so brief that you don’t want to waste even a few months on a school, a curriculum, or a method of learning that isn’t serving them well.
Switch to Sonlight and give your children the education you’ve been fantasizing about—one where both you and the kids are happy.
Here are 100 reasons to make the plunge to homeschooling with Sonlight.
“The fantastic literature that my whole family gets to experience. With 7 kiddos, there are always favorites that we can’t wait to read again, and again & again. I have had the blessing of reading some books over 5 times!! My kids tell me never to get rid of any of them. They want me to save them for the grands!!” —Amy T.
“Finding books I would have never known about.” —Teri J.
Sonlight books are springboards to more reading (more of the author, sequels, more on the topic).
Sonlight exposes your family to multiple genres of literature.
“The books excite my child and inculcate a habit of reading. She turns to the books whenever she's bored and even reads them to her younger siblings. I'm glad I chose Sonlight!” —Vidyadhar M. of Pune, India
Science experiments have easy-to-follow directions and illustrations.
“Even though my kids are 2 1/2 years apart in age, the Sonlight approach makes it easy to combine them into one Science program that we can do together.” —Molly Z. of Omaha, NE
The science experiments actually teach scientific concepts. They aren’t fluffy, science-adjacent activities.
Sonlight Science adheres to Next Generation Science Standards (NGSS).
Science kits include what you need to actually do the experiments. No more last minute runs for supplies.
Sonlight Instills Christian Faith
30+ years of history: Sonlight is the original Christian literature-based homeschool curriculum.
“Sonlight curriculum is the essence of our homeschool – because of Sonlight, our children love books, love history, love learning, and most importantly, are learning to love and serve our Lord Jesus Christ.” —Anna C. of Selmer, TN
“I didn't grow up in a Christian home. As a mom trying to prepare my children to be ‘in the world but not of the world,’ I felt a little under-equipped. With Sonlight, the Instructor's Guide helps me spot places in books that don't align with Christian beliefs and gives great descriptions of why so I can best explain these ideas to my children. Sonlight is helping me equip my children to go out into the world on their own, spot the lies in our culture, and speak against them. I am thankful to have Sonlight on my side!” —Dayna W. of Tyler, TX
“Sonlight books have been a launching pad for many family discussions. For example, after reading several of the Sonlight Preschool books about Thailand we asked a family friend who was a missionary kid in Thailand to spend an afternoon telling us even more about her childhood. Sonlight books have broadened and shaped our world.” —Emily F. of Barboursville, VA
Save time—combine multiple children with a single program.
“The flexibility and that it’s prepared for me! This has been a year of craziness, and the fact that I can just grab what we need and have a full day without having to stress about it has been a huge blessing.” — Katie B.
“Homeschooling with Sonlight has allowed us to continue small scale farming by eliminating time spent planning lessons.” —Melissa A. of Mt. Jackson, VA
“We live in Uganda and need to travel frequently for work, both within the country and for periods of several months out of the country. Sonlight gives us the flexibility to be able to move together and embrace the opportunities of living between very different cultures. We can pack up our bags of books and off we go, enjoying learning the whole time.” —Catriona W. of Kampala, Uganda
Customize your curriculum packages with multiple options: choose reading levels, add extras, remove items you already have.
“When Calvin was born in September, I planned to take several weeks off of school to adjust to having a new baby. Two weeks after his birth, the rest of my kids were starting to go stir crazy—they were ready for routine again! Sonlight's open-and-go Instructor’s Guide and fabulous books made it so easy to jump in again. It's a huge blessing to know all of our children will grow up surrounded by such quality literature.” —Rebecca B. of Pomeroy, IA
Each program is 36 weeks of instruction, a full school year. But you can go at your own pace, choosing year-round school or even working through the 36 weeks over 18 or even 24 months time.
“Sonlight fits perfectly into our hectic life. I'm a single mom with two little guys and a new baby. I feel blessed to be able to use a curriculum that allows me the freedom to grab a book, and read to my kids wherever they are ... on the couch or outside on a dirt pile.” —Jacy G. of Harrison, AK
Sonlight Inspires Hearts
Sonlight provides worthwhile historical heroes for students to admire.
“[On] the last day of our first year of homeschooling, we stacked our entire year's curriculum and then removed one book at a time as we briefly discussed a fond memory we had about each one.” —Sarah R. of Loveland, CO
Sonlight’s great books provide fodder for dinner-table conversation.
Sonlight is efficient learning, leaving more time for kids to play, sleep, daydream, and just be kids.
“Our kids benefit from a diverse learning experience by having both Mom and Dad as teachers, and we get to spend fun, quality time together as a family doing joyful learning that otherwise wouldn't be possible given our family schedule.” —Cherish P. of Cape Girardeau, MO
Sonlight Is Rewarding
Impress family members with your understanding of historical events!
You get to experience the thrill of the moment when your child realizes they have learned to read.
“No busywork.” —Evie S.
“The living books cultivate meaningful conversations and bring life to every subject. Making the switch to Sonlight has been a blessing to both my children and myself!” —Lacey D. of Centralia, WA
Carefully curated extras and supplements feed the voracious or gifted learner.
“There are no activities to constantly gather supplies for. It's all planned for me, and my kids and I are learning so much together!” —Shannon B.
“It's our seventh Sonlight Box Day, and this is why we keep coming back. Because what arrives on our doorstep every year is so much more than just a box full of books. It's a box full of quiet snuggles on the couch and exciting scientific discoveries. A box full of windows into other lives and other cultures, of many miles to walk in another's shoes. It's a box full of new things to experience, new ways to grow closer to each other and to God. A year full of joy and laughter, and maybe even a few tears, all packed up neatly in that big, beautiful white and blue Sonlight box. We can't wait to dive right in!” —Laurie H. of Fresno, CA
No more ignoring poetry! It’s part of every HBL.
Sonlight Methods Really Work
“I put off using Sonlight for several years, curriculum hopping around. We just finished our first year using all Sonlight curriculum and it was probably our best homeschool year yet. Sonlight has made teaching our kids very doable and what they are learning is really sticking with them.” —Laura E. of Cheyenne, WY
Sonlight is a print-based curriculum so kids aren’t staring at screens all day.
Sonlight is a parent-intensive program, so you’re there nurturing your children and learning alongside them.
“We never knew that we actually loved history until this year with Sonlight!” Nicki B. of Gillette, WY
“I love how Sonlight's curriculum uses a spiral method to teach and reteach topics, especially within the science curriculum. My kids learn about a topic at a simpler level, then read a book that discusses it more in-depth the following year. We circle around to similar topics at deepening levels, thus building on previous learning and growing my kids' mastery.” —Amanda P. of Omaha, NE
Don’t put off this change any longer. Switch to Sonlight and give your children the education you’ve dreamed of. It’s never too late to switch!
History tells us that shortbread finds its roots in the 12th century. Legend has it that Scottish chefs baked shortbread in the dark and dreary winters and put slits in the cookies to represent the rays of the sun. Fast-forward to the mid-16th century and we find that Mary, Queen of Scots was known for her love of Petticoat Tails, a crunchy, thin version of shortbread that was sprinkled with caraway seeds. According to History UK, shortbread was an expensive luxury and common folks only enjoyed it on special occasions such as weddings, Christmas, and New Year.
There are many variations and recipes for shortbread, but in its basic form, it is a simple, buttery cookie created with three basic ingredients: butter, sugar, and flour. Variations occur with the type of leavening (baking powder or yeast) and flavorings (almond, chocolate, fruit, etc…). I fell in love with shortbread as a young mom and added it to our Christmas tradition over the years. It adds a simple but flavorful addition to our annual cookie tray.
This PDF file is formatted to print the same size as Sonlight's Recipe Cards so you can easily add it to your recipe collection!
Almond Glazed Shortbread
Ingredients:
1 cup butter, softened (butter, not margarine)
¾ cup sugar
1 teaspoon almond extract
2 cups flour
½ teaspoon baking powder
Shortbread Instructions:
Combine butter, sugar, and almond extract in a large mixer bowl. Beat at medium speed until creamy. Reduce speed to low; add all remaining ingredients. Beat until well mixed.
Roll dough into 1-inch balls; place a couple inches apart on a cookie sheet.
Flatten balls to ¼” thickness with the bottom of a buttered glass dipped in sugar.
Bake for 7-9 minutes at 350 degrees or until the base of the cookies are lightly browned.
I recommend checking your cookies after 7 minutes. Since the tops of the cookies do not brown, it is easy to over-bake them. Your goal is a light to medium brown on the bottom of your cookie.
Cool cookies for 1 minute on the cookie sheet, then remove them to a wire rack to finish cooling. Cool completely before adding glaze.
Glaze Ingredients:
1 ½ cups powdered sugar
1 teaspoon almond extract
4-5 teaspoons water
Sliced almonds
Stir together all glaze ingredients in a small bowl with a wire whisk. Decorate cookies with glaze and a sprinkling of sliced almonds.
You don’t need to be Scottish to enjoy this buttery, chewy bit of goodness. Be sure to add this recipe to your own Christmas Cookie Collection. Sonlight has some great recipe cards where you can record this new favorite. Let your kids decorate the recipe cards with fun Christmas stickers or decorations.
Legend tells us that the first gingerbread men were created at the request of Queen Elizabeth I. She asked her bakers to mold pastry into shapes of her favorite courtiers and gave them to VIPs who came to visit during the holidays. She wanted ginger “biscuits” that were edible caricatures.
Whatever the origins of these holiday favorites, making gingerbread cookies was part of our family Christmas tradition when I was growing up. Our German heritage likely generated the inclusion of lebkuchen (a German-baked Christmas treat resembling gingerbread) which I was happy to carry on to my own family’s traditions. Recipes that find their roots in your ancestry are a great place to begin forming traditions for your children, and it provides an opportunity to delve into a little family history at the same time.
This PDF file is formatted to print the same size as Sonlight's Recipe Cards so you can easily add it to your recipe collection!
Gingerbread Cutouts
Ingredients:
¼ cup and 2 Tablespoons butter
½ cup packed brown sugar
1 egg
¼ cup and 2 Tablespoons molasses
2 cups flour
1 teaspoon ground ginger
¾ teaspoon baking soda
¾ teaspoon ground cinnamon
½ teaspoon ground cloves
Instructions:
In large bowl cream butter and brown sugar until light and fluffy. Add egg and molasses.
(Note – molasses comes in different “strengths” or varieties. You may be familiar with light or dark versions of name-brand molasses, but there is also blackstrap, treacle, and sorghum. Choose your favorite depending on the flavor you’re after.)
Combine dry ingredients in a separate bowl and add to creamed mixture. Mix well. Cover and refrigerate until easy to handle (as long as overnight).
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. On a lightly floured surface roll dough to 1/8” thickness. Cut with cookie cutter.
Keep in mind – the thinner you roll your dough, the crispier your cookies will be. The thicker the dough, the chewier the cookies.
Place on an ungreased cookie sheet to bake. Bake 8-10 minutes.
Remove from cookie sheet to a wire rack for cooling.
When completely cooled, decorate as you like. I enjoy leaving some without decoration – Queen Elizabeth’s gingerbread biscuits are great for dunking in your favorite hot drink!
Now is a great time to begin curating recipes to develop into your own Christmas traditions. Sonlight has some simple recipe cards where you can record your favorites and create your own Christmas Cookie Collection.
It’s officially my favorite season. Christmas fills my house with joyful music and family gatherings as we wait in hopeful expectation for Christ’s arrival. While carols, gifts, and yummy treats are nice, the true meaning of Christmas is much better, bigger and broader than the boundaries of one day. I invite you to remember and reflect on why we celebrate. Let us not forget that Christmas commemorates God’s perfect love coming to earth in the form of Jesus Christ. This is an opportune time to have Christmas conversations with your children, teaching them, gently, the true meaning of the season.
“For unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given: and the government shall be upon his shoulder: and his name shall be called Wonderful, Counselor, The mighty God, The everlasting Father, The Prince of Peace. Of the increase of his government and peace there shall be no end, upon the throne of David, and upon his kingdom, to order it, and to establish it with judgment and with justice from henceforth even forever. The zeal of the Lord of hosts will perform this.” Isaiah 9:6-7
The true meaning of Christmas is that Jesus arrived on Earth to rescue us from our sins. In His arrival, we garner hope and peace with God. Let us remember and rejoice, that God gave His Son to us to make us part of His family.
To inspire Christmas conversations among your family, we’ve collected some favorite Sonlight Christmas books. These books provide an outlet to not only experience the Christmas season in other cultures but also in other walks of life. From homelessness in France to Yorkshire farmland, use this list to explore the true meaning of Christmas with your children.
The classic Christmas tale captures the spirit and meaning of Christmas. Follow Ebenezer Scrooge as he visits his past, present, and future to finally open his heart to those around him. This story is filled with love, goodwill, mercy, and self-redemption.
When a couple struggles to scrounge up enough coins to buy Christmas gifts worthy of their devotion, they make sacrifices to afford the perfect gift. After realizing what the other has done, they realize that the true gifts of Christmas can be found right in their humble apartment and not in a store.
A simple but pleasurable Christmas story for all ages. A boy and his aunt are stuck on a lighthouse island over Christmas. When the retired lighthouse keeper goes out to the rock to substitute in for the current keeper, she brings her nephew. They fully expect to be back to the mainland in time for Christmas. But as the days pass … something has gone wrong. This is a story about betrayal and forgiveness. A telling lesson on how to prepare one's heart for the coming of the King when there is so much anger and hurt.
Set in Paris at Christmas. A homeless family meets a homeless man who begrudgingly adopts them, and they form a new family unit. A delightfully warm story.
Reeling from her mother’s death, father’s new marriage, and two new step-siblings, Violet finds a letter from her mother that includes a list of things to do to celebrate the yuletide season. With a good look at family, and how to deal with emotions, Violet learns some moving lessons.
A comical and impactful story of incorrigible children who discover the true meaning of Christmas. When the dictatorial pageant leader breaks her leg, a hapless mom has to figure out how to lead the pageant. This is both uproariously funny (truly laugh-out-loud funny) and a tear-jerker.
Pages of beautiful watercolor and digital media illustrations make this Christmas classic retold a perfect choice for younger family members. All the key elements of Dickens's timeless story are intact, but scarier and sadder points are missing. A charming introduction of an age-old story to a younger generation.
A lovely story of a middle-class high school girl from the city thrown into rural 1937 living with her country grandmother. The vast changes in landscape and tradition give this young lady quite the shock, but the story is filled with adventure and heart-warming experiences. There is a lovely chapter on how Grandmother surprised her granddaughter for Christmas.
A few days before Christmas the Vanderbeeker family finds out that their curmudgeonly landlord refuses to renew the lease on their brownstone. Five siblings have eleven days to do whatever it takes to change his mind. A wonderful story of sibling cooperation and community among neighbors, this is a perfect family read-aloud.
Travel to Northern England in the early 1900s and explore the tales of a Yorkshire country vet. From the animals to the townsfolk, these stories are family treasures. The highlight is The Christmas Day Kitten; the story of an unlikely dog owner pushed into cat ownership. When a stray cat brings a woman her kitten on Christmas Day only to die hours later, the woman and her Basset hounds welcome the kitten into their life. One of the best gifts this human has ever received and it turns out she is a cat owner at heart.
Told in brief, daily narratives by seven year-old Vicky Austin, this is a wonderful story of one family's tradition of doing one Special Thing each day before Christmas. Full of creative ideas for holiday activities, the story also focuses on family relationships as they prepare for a new addition to their family.
What books inspire Christmas conversations in your family? Tell us in the comments or share your favorites with #sonlightstories on your favorite social media outlet.
During the Christmas season, I pass by my nativity sets every day. I have several in my house and at the Sonlight office. Their beauty brings a smile to my face.
But their simple beauty is not a fairy tale – most components of nativity sets are rooted in history. Our faith is a historical faith based on real events. So let’s dive in to that fascinating reality.
Two thousand years ago, Palestine was ruled by Rome. For the first time in the Roman rule, Rome was no longer a republic, but an empire. As the supreme ruler, Caesar Augustus wanted to know exactly how many people he had in his vast empire. So he ruled that everyone had to return to their hometown to register for taxes.
Joseph and Mary lived in Nazareth. It’s at least 80 miles to travel from Nazareth to Joseph’s hometown of Bethlehem. Quite a trip by donkey for a very pregnant woman!
So they went to Bethlehem to comply with the Emperor’s decree. God also orchestrated this decree of a pagan ruler to fulfill a well-known prophesy. Long before, the prophet Micah had written:
”But you, Bethlehem Ephrathah, though you are small among the clans of Judah, out of you will come for me one who will be ruler over Israel, whose origins are from of old, from ancient times.” –Micah 5:2
"I enjoy being home with my boys. Homeschooling is a special way to guide and watch them learn. Sonlight provides a very thorough curriculum that gives me freedom to keep my focus on my children. That is so valuable to me!" The M family, Sonlighters from Louisville, KY
When Joseph and Mary got to Bethlehem, everyone was in upheaval. Everyone was moving from place to place, each trying to figure out how to comply with the census, trying to appease a ruler who was off in another country and didn’t know anything about them.
So there was no room for them in the inns of Bethlehem. Perhaps an innkeeper took pity on this young couple when he offered to let them use his stable. Mary delivered her baby there. And since there is no furniture in a stable, Mary used the manger as a bed for her baby as she rested after the birth.
But why are there a group of social outcastes in the nativity set as well?
Shepherds in those days were not welcome in polite society. Jewish law said that a shepherd could not testify in a court of law.
This discrimination against shepherds seems a bit ironic. Think of Abraham, Moses, Jacob and David – some of the most revered patriarchs of the Jewish faith. They were all shepherds! But somehow by this point in history shepherds were considered an underclass.
So here was a poor, probably uneducated, dishonored group of people that were the first to hear the good news about Jesus. And when I think of Jesus, this is the group He often specifically seeks out. He has a heart of compassion for them and wants them to hear His message; He wants to honor them with this important good news.
And so an angel comes to announce the good news of Jesus, followed by a host of angels singing to the glory of God.
I know a believer in India who jokes that this is the time we need to bring in the Bollywood theme – with dancing and music – because the presentation to those awestruck shepherds was dramatic and big. In Christmas pageants in the US, we usually have the angels just stand there and sing, but it likely was quite the exuberant presentation!
And what about those mysterious wise men?
God put a special star in the sky to announce the birth of the Christ. Back in the days before cell phones or newspapers, this was like a cryptic announcement on a billboard in the sky – available to all who looked up at night. But you needed some background to recognize that star’s significance.
And the people who had that background and acted on the gravity of what they saw was this group of magi, or wise men, from the east.
If you go back in Jewish history, there was a time when Israel was taken into captivity to Babylonia. Among that group were members of the Jewish intellectual class, such as Daniel. Daniel and others would have had contact with Babylon’s wise men, these astronomers who studied the stars and advised the king. Scholars believe that Jews spoke to these wise men about a prophecy concerning a special star that would signal the coming of a crucial king one day in the future.
At least 500 years passed between Daniel and Jesus, and that knowledge had been kept alive among the peoples of the east. So around Jesus’ birth, wise men in the east saw the star and said, this is the star we’ve heard about, let’s go and meet the king. So they probably loaded up a large entourage for the dangerous trip, and set off.
When they arrived in Jerusalem the wise men asked King Herod where they could find the one born King of the Jews. Usually a baby is born a prince; they aren’t kings automatically. But here we have a baby who from His very birth was counted as a King. Amazing!
Herod’s advisors knew the prophecy that the Messiah was to be born in Bethlehem, so the wise men set off. And thus we get this beautiful contrast of who comes to see Jesus, and who Jesus came to earth to save. Jesus came for the poor Jewish outcast as well as the rich, influential Gentile. I think that’s shorthand for saying Jesus came for everyone.
When they found Jesus, the wise men presented Him with extravagant and expensive gifts. Shortly thereafter, Joseph and Mary flee with Jesus to Egypt to escape the violent Herod who wants to kill this new king. We assume the poor family used the money from the wise men’s gifts to fund their journey and survive in a foreign land.
It’s truly an amazing story filled with real people set in time.
So why do we pull out the nativity sets?
I set them out because they remind me of the beginning of a journey where the Father sent the Son so we can know God. No one has ever seen the Father, but we know Him through Jesus who came and lived and walked among us.
And so as we celebrate Jesus – Emmanuel, God with us – let us remember that we celebrate for a reason - and with joy.
Blessings to you! Enjoy this season and have a great Christmas!
I've listened to the Christmas carol, Mary, Did You Know, at least 30 times this season. I find it gorgeous, and I can't stop thinking about its central question: Mary did you know?
Watch a beautiful a cappella rendition of a favorite Christmas carol
Did Mary know? I wasn't sure what Mary knew. So I re-read the Gospel stories again. And I think the answer is yes and no.
What Mary Knew
Bible scholars talk about how all Jewish girls at that time dreamed of being the mother of the Messiah. It was promised that a savior was coming, a redeemer was coming. So when the angel Gabriel appeared to Mary, I imagine that Mary was surprised and maybe a bit concerned, but I doubt she was flabbergasted. She knew that somebody would bear this baby.
The angel gave Mary an idea of who her baby would be. He told her she would have a son and that she should name Him Jesus. He said her son would be great, that He would be called the Son of the Most High, that He would gain David's throne, and that His kingdom will never end. The angel ends this with the assurance that this will all come true, for "no word from God will fail."
Soon after, Mary goes and visits her cousin Elizabeth, who lived in another town. When Mary walks in the door, Elizabeth's first words are "Blessed are you among women, and blessed is the child you will bear!"
What did Mary make of this?
I doubt she was beginning to show yet. So how did Elizabeth know her news? Elizabeth continued with the remarkable question, "Why am I so favored, that the mother of my Lord should come to me?"
As further testimony to Jesus' identity, a stunning thing happened the night of Jesus' birth. When Mary was recovering from labor, a group of shepherds showed up in the stable. Think of how strange this would be. But they came with an amazing story. They had been out in their fields when a brilliant angel appeared with good news:
"Today ... a Savior has been born to you; he is the Messiah, the Lord."
Luke 2:11
The shepherds left their fields and hurried to Bethlehem. They relayed the story to Mary, sharing the message that her son was indeed the Messiah.
Then, Mary received more wonders when she and Joseph followed Jewish rituals and took Jesus to the temple on the eighth day. A devout man named Simeon showed up. God had told him he wouldn't die until he had seen the Messiah. When he saw the baby Jesus, Simeon took the boy into his arms and essentially said "I can die in peace now because I have seen the Lord's salvation, a light for the Gentiles and the glory of Israel." Wow.
Next, a prophet named Anna came up and spoke about the child as the redemption of Israel. This was not Mary's ordinary trip to the temple!
Much later, the wise men came. These foreigners bowed down and worshiped this young boy. They brought Him kingly gifts – gold, frankincense and myrrh – not your typical baby gifts. Further testimony to Jesus' true identity.
So that's at least part of what Mary knew. But what did she not know?
What Mary Did Not Know
While she might have had an inkling of Jesus' origins, Mary probably did not understand that Jesus was in fact God incarnate. That wasn't the traditional Jewish understanding of the Messiah at the time. So as the song wonders, she probably did not know that Jesus had walked where angels trod, that when she kissed her little baby, she kissed the face of God.
Mary did not know the miracles Jesus was to perform. While God has used the prophets of old to perform some miracles, they were never in the magnitude or awesomeness of Jesus' work. Mary would later discover that, as the song says, Jesus would walk on water and calm the storm with His hand. She would see how the blind would see, the deaf would hear, the dead would live again, the lame would leap, and the dumb would speak the praises of the Lamb.
Mary probably expected Jesus to be a political figure who would free the Jews from Roman rule. That's likely how she understood the promise of Jesus as a deliverer, a redeemer, the Messiah. She would discover that Jesus had actually come to redeem the whole world, to make us all new. May it be so.
Though Mary didn't know everything, she became not only the mother of Jesus, but also one of His followers. We don't know much of her story after Jesus' resurrection, but we know she was part of the early worshiping community. She embraced the larger work that her son, the Messiah, had come to do. She rejoiced in her Savior. May we do the same!