ChristmasisatimeforcelebratingthebirthofJesuswithfamilyandfriends;togathertogetherinsacredandjovialcelebrationoftheIncarnation.Yetinourfast-paced,hyperdigitizedlives,wearelosingthesenseofagoodstory,amonggoodfriends,aroundagoodfire.InChristmasAroundtheFire,RyanToppinginvitesthereadertoturnoffthetelevisionset,putdownthedevice,quietourselves,andgatherourlovedonestosharesomeofthebestwriting,inavarietyofforms,aboutChristmas.Whetherornot,yourfamilyhasanactualfireplacearoundwhichtogatherisnotsoimportant,butithelps!IncludedwithinareentriesfromlegendarynovelistsandpoetssuchasLeoTolstoy,G.K.Chesterton,CharlesDickens,HenryWadsworthLongfellow,WillaCather,andmore.AswellastheprofoundthoughtsofgreatreligiousfiguressuchasSaintBernardofClairvaux,PopeSaintJohnPaulII,andPopeBenedictXVI.Forthosewholovethetruespiritofthe“mostwonderfultimeoftheyear“,andwholovereadinginalmostequalmeasure,ChristmasAroundtheFirewillquicklybecomeafamilytradition--thefirstpieceexcitedlypulledoutofstorageeveryyear.Thisisoneofthoserarestofbooks:onearoundwhichfamilymemoriesaremade.
