Sarah Mae, author of such great books as 31 Days to Clean and Desperate: Hope for the Mom Who Needs to Breathe (with Sally Clarkson), has put together a wonderful eBook for Advent. More Than Candy is a wonderful, service filled countdown to the celebration of Christ and His coming to earth as a baby in a manger.

More Than Candy is a resource for a family journey of service during Advent. With 25 days of ideas and “serves” for everyone to join, it will keep your family focused on Who the season is really about. With activities from a family scripture memorization, writing a letter to your children, serving at a food bank, caroling, and making a family service plan for the whole year, you will remain engaged and joyfully thinking of others throughout the holiday season.

There are scriptures woven throughout and Sarah Mae recommends reading the Christmas story every day together. From baking goodies for neighbors to feeding a family across the globe, the suggestions are real, doable, and are meant to truly bring out the servant heart in each of us as we give of ourselves, the only gift the Christ child ever asked of us. More Than Candy is a wonderful way to keep your family from becoming engrossed in the “me, me, me” culture that can overtake the real meaning of Christmas for Christians.

If you are looking to begin a family tradition of service and love, or perhaps to reclaim Christmas for your family, this is an excellent book filled with wonderful ideas, suggestions and links to many great resources. Sarah Mae has blessed us with a sweet look into her family’s tradition and offered to let us make that tradition our own.

Because we still have toddlers, we will be incorporating these ideas with The Christmas Angel, a super wonderful alternative to Elf on a Shelf, though we know people that use both. We are also big fans of Truth in the Tinsel for little ones, this will be Mr. T’s 2nd year and Mr. F’s first! I can’t wait! What are ways you keep Christ in Christmas at your home?