Rediscover the beloved Christmas story this year through the words of those who were there. From King Herod to the Magi, the Innkeeper, the midwife -- and even Jesus himself -- hear the dramatic stories of the Bible characters forever changed by the miracle that took place in Bethlehem so long ago.

In the Advent devotional Season's Greetings, meet twelve biblical characters -- some well-known, others less so -- who share what Christmas meant to them through personal letters written to 21st-century readers. As we hear the multiple perspectives of what Jesus' birth and life meant for these characters of old, we're invited to ask what it means for us, now, today. Each chapter ends with a prayer, reflection questions, and journaling prompts, making this new resource an enriching Advent companion for individuals, small groups, and church leaders alike.

Whether you love Christmas or doubt the reason for the season, Season's Greetings has a letter for you. Hear with new ears the story that changed the world with this Advent devotional for all of us.

Imagine opening your mailbox to find a bundle of Christmas letters addressed to you from long-ago Bible characters who were there for the birth of Jesus. Mary. Joseph. The innkeeper. A shepherd. The midwife. King Herod. The Magi. How do each of these writers remember the unfolding story? What did they know? When did they know it? How did it change them?

In Season's Greetings, twelve vividly imagined letters from "those who were there" speak to the many meanings of Christmas. Awe. Wonder. Disruption. Scandal. Hope. Collected together, the letters invite you-the reader-to add your voice to the conversation, to put Christmas into your own words.

Scripture texts, companion prayers, reflection questions and journaling prompts accompanying each letter lend themselves to individual or group study.

Whether you love Christmas or dread it, whether you are a believer or a skeptic, the letters in Season's Greetings will speak to you. This Advent devotional delivers straight talk with honesty, intellectual rigor and a touch of humor, allowing you to hear with new ears the old, old story that changed-and is changing-the world.

Season's Greetings also includes an Afterword for Clergy and Church Leaders offering creative ideas for using the book in various ministry contexts, as well as a Small Group Leader's Guide.