Customer Reviews

The Gift of the Christmas Cookie: Sharing the True Meaning of Jesus' Birth

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In this wonderful book we are taken back to a simple time, a time where money was not abundant and life had more than its share of challenges. We meet Jack, whose father has had to travel away from home to find work. Unfortunately he is not able to be with his family during Christmas and this saddens Jack.
Jack's mother begins to make Christmas cookies. Jack is excited at first, but soon learns that these cookies will be given to needy. Jack does not understand for surely they were the ones who were needy. His mom shares with him the origin of cookie making and the meaning behind it. At first Jack isn't impressed, but when he helps a homeless man with the one cookie he is given his heart rejoices at sharing the true message of Christmas, Jesus.
This is a beautiful tale. Wrapping a story around the true beginning of cookie making it touches the very core of the meaning of that wonderful day. The illustrations are very realistic and definitely help to bring the story alive. Recommended.

This is a wonderful book. Living in Germany, when you've had the pleasure of making friends, especially the older Deutsch, you will get a plate of cookies at Christmas! This is a great gift to give as well, by "Sharing the True Meaning of Jesus' Birth".

The Gift of the Christmas Cookie by Dandi Daley Mackall & Deborah Chabrian is subtitled Sharing the True Meaning of Jesus' Birth, which is what the book is really all about. First Mia's thoughts: The book starts with Jack's mommy baking Christmas cookies for the church. My favorite part of the story was when Jack shared his cookie and the story about Jesus with the stranger. I really like cookies! Now my review: Jack and his mom have missing his father for nearly a year since he left to get work in the city. Every cent has to be saved, so when Jack smells the scent of cookies when coming home, he at first can't believe his nose. His mom bursts his hope when she explains that the cookies will be for the needy at church, but she tempers his disappointment by explaining that Christmas cookies were originally intended to share the story of the birth of Jesus with others. It's a lesson Jack takes to heart come Christmas morning. Chabrian's artwork is outstanding, soft, very nostalgic, but with great beauty. Each page is honestly a work of art. Mia was, I think, I bit young for the deeper aspects of the story, but she really loved Jack's generosity at the end, and as she ages, this is a story that will become more meaningful for her in time.

During a difficult economic time, Jack (the main character) comes home to find his mother making cookies. She hasn't made cookies since Jack's father went west to find work. Seeing Jack's confusion, she tells him the story of the first Christmas cookies.

"The story goes back hundreds of years ... to the Middle Ages. In the Old Country -- where [Jack's] father's people lived -- times were hard." The villagers couldn't afford school, so most couldn't read. One family wanted to help their neighbors understand the true meaning of Christmas. The father, a woodcarver, wanted to make figures to tell the story of Christ's birth. His wife knew the people were hungry, so she wanted to bake instead. They decided to work together. The father made wooden molds of all the participants in the first Christmas. His wife filled them with sweet dough. Their children then decorated the baked cookies with berries and sugars. On Christmas Eve the family took their baked creations to the village where a crowd gathered. As the daughter held up each one, the father told the whole story of Jesus' life. "Ever since that night, generations have passed down the art of making Christmas cookies and of telling the story of the true meaning of Christmas."

Jack thinks about this story throughout the Christmas Eve service. The next morning his mother gives him the biggest cookie, the angel, as a gift on Christmas morning. When they hear a knock on the door, both hope it's Jack's father. Instead it's a hungry traveller. They are disappointed, but still share their breakfast with him. Jack thinks of his father and hopes some stranger showed compassion to him, too. Jack follows the stranger out into the snow. As he gives him his angel cookie, his only Christmas gift, he explains: "There's a story that goes with it." Then Jack tells him the wonderful news. "A Savior has been born to you; he is Christ the Lord."

The last page of the book offers a little more information of the origin of the Christmas cookie, as well as a simple recipe for sugar cookies.

Deborah Chabrian did a fantastic job as illustrator. Her watercolor illustrations are surprising bold and filled with detail. They evoke a warm, traditional sentiment.

WHAT I LIKE: My daughter loves this book. The story includes tradition, truth, service and evangelism, all in a wonderful harmony of themes. The illustrations are very nice. I love that a recipe is included!

WHAT I DISLIKE: It is difficult to tell when the story takes place. I'm guessing it's during the '30s, during the Depression, but this is never really stated in the book. A clear timeframe would have been helpful.

Overall Rating: Very Good.

Tanya -- Christian Children's Book Review

With lyrical text and evocative imagery, this book weaves a tale that could change our Christmas traditions and give cookie baking added depth and meaning. What more can we ask?

Wow!

Dear Seller:

I received the book promptly and it was in great condition. I had never heard nor read the Gift of the Christmas Cookie Story. It is a great way to share the coming of our Savior, Jesus Christ. I have read it through and may pass it on to my grandchildren or to my daughter who is a school teacher.

Thank you.
Esther Campbell

I really enjoyed this story and so did my church congregation. I read this book to all ages: men, women, and children during our annual Christmas Dinner. It was received very well, by all. It is also a great gift to share the gospel when presented with a mixing bowl, jar of cookie mix, and cookie cutters. I highly suggest that this book be bought and shared with all.

Use this beautiful book to begin a meaningful tradition of baking with your loved one while sharing the true meaning of the Christmas holiday.

The Thanksgiving and Christmas holidays are a blessed time, when we're able to get together with family and friends. At these holiday gatherings we often share our family traditions with one another. These traditions may involve preparing special foods, giving gifts, and decorating our homes with a certain type or style of decoration. Most of us can think back to a time when we first learned about these traditions. Perhaps it was from our parents, grandparents, or maybe even our great grandparents. While we may be able to identify the person who first shared these traditions with us, we may not know the story behind the person or circumstances that brought our traditions into existence. In The Gift of the Christmas Cookie, Dandi Daley Mackall shares the origin story of the decorated Christmas cookie and how it relates to sharing the good news about Jesus' birth, which is the true meaning of Christmas.

In the story we encounter a young boy named Jack. It'll be just Jack and his Mom at home this Christmas, because Dad went west to find work. The story centers around Jack helping his Mom prepare Christmas cookies to share with the needy at church. While they're working, Jack's Mom shares the story behind the cookie boards they use to press the dough into the shapes of shepherds, stars, camels, kings, crosses, babies, and a man and woman who are kneeling. She tells him about his ancestors from the old country in the middle ages. They wanted to share the true meaning of Christmas with their hungry neighbors, so they made cookies into shapes from the Christmas story. Later, as they shared the different cookies with their neighbors, they were able to tell them the story of Christ's birth. At the close of the story, Jack follows in his ancestors' footsteps and offers his angel Christmas cookie to a stranger and tells him about the Christmas story behind it.

The Gift of the Christmas cookie is a great story to share with your children this Christmas season. It will be a good lead in to a discussion about various ways your family can share the true meaning of Christmas. Be sure to try the cookie recipe on the last page. Happy reading and happy eating!

Dandi Daley Mackall is the author of more than 400 books. She has written on a wide range of topics and has an audience that ranges from the preschooler to the adult. Dandi lives with her husband and three children in West Salem, Ohio. You can learn more about Dandi and her books at [www.dandibooks.com].

Deborah Chabrian is an award winning artist who has painted more than 500 book covers and hundreds of still life paintings. She lives in Connecticut with her husband and 2 children.