I keep seeing these posts about how the perfect Icelandic Christmas Eve tradition – exchanging chocolates and books and staying up all night to read. YES! I have found my people!
If you’ve got someone on your list who would love that, this is your gift guide post! (And there may just be a special giveaway later on in this post…so keep reading!)
My Top Book Picks for Gifts:
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For Girls: Called & Courageous Girls Series by Rachel Spier Weaver, Anna Haggard ,Eric Elwell
First 3 Books: A Brave Big Sister (1), An Extraordinary Teacher (2), & A Fearless Leader (3)
I LOVE THESE BOOKS! These have inspired me, as well as teaching our wee girl about other girls – who were called by God to do courageous things – just as she is. We’ve read about Priscilla (An Extraordinary Teacher), Deborah (A Fearless Leader) & Miriam (A Brave Big Sister.)
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For 20-somethings: Ted Dekker Series –
His Newest Series: The 49th Mystic (1) & Rise of the Mystics (2)
Got anyone who’s okay with thinking outside the box? These are your books. Well-written, mind-bending, fiction that really makes you think about truth! Guys will love these too.
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For history-buffs: Jane Kirkpatrick books
Top Picks: All She Left Behind (3) & Everything She Didn’t Say (4)
I LOVE THESE BOOKS! History, well-written fiction, and thoughtful topics – so good. Venturing on the Oregon Trail, and around the Wild West through the eyes of real figures in history, I didn’t want these books to end.
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Mystery / Contemporary Romance: Irene Hannon
Top Picks: Hidden Peril (5) & Pelican Point (6)
Know anyone who loves a good, suspenseful murder-mystery TV show? Or a great Hallmark movie? Hannon somehow seamlessly moves between genres. I’ve never been disappointed with any of her books – they’re all on my must-read lists.
Bonus for the suspense lover: The Cost of Betrayal (7) – Three of my favourite suspense authors in one book!
And, if you actually want to give some of that chocolate with the book, and live out that Icelandic Christmas dream? (Hopefully I’m on your gift list if you choose this option.) My very enthusiastic, tested (over and over again) recommendation is DIVINE chocolate. Delicious, rich, fair-trade, grown by family farmers in Ghana. My absolute favourite is the Raspberry Dark Chocolate, but the Orange & Ginger is a close second (don’t make me pick).
Other chocolates from Divine Chocolate to try: Hazelnut Truffle, 85% Dark Chocolate, Dark Chocolate with Mint Crisp, Toffee & Sea Salt, Dark Chocolate with Whole Almonds, and Dark Chocolate with Pink Himalayan Salt!
How to buy:
Visit your local Christian retailer to pick up any of the books above! You can find a retailer near you, here. There are also various online sources (especially where you don’t have a Christian retailer available in your area).
And that delicious and decadent chocolate? We buy it at Ten Thousand Villages every Christmas. You can get those chocolate bars at your local TTV store, or online here.
Psst…This week’s TWO giveaways will include some of these amazing books! Two lucky winners will be drawn on Friday afternoon to receive a surprise Gift Guide prize. To enter to win, be sure to comment below with your top book recommendations for this Christmas!
~ Ellen
P.S. Did you get the first gift? It’s a quick recipe guide to my personal, super-easy, sweet & salty Christmas Recipe Favourites! All of these are on heavy rotation at our house over the holidays, and they’re super easy. Download it for FREE now by subscribing here:
Those books by Jane Kirkpatrick look interesting!!
They are so good! I loved them!
Recently discovered Irene Hannon – love her books!
Isn’t she great? I love that she can jump between genres!
I just burnt a pan of chocolate chip cookies totally immersed in this post since I have some readers on my gift list 😂
Thanks for the great suggestions Ellen! 💫
Ha! I hope that your second pan worked out okay! 🙂
I’m always looking for new authors to read so would be happy to win some new to me titles – and chocolate! 🙂
I’ve just discovered Sensible Shoes by Sharon Garlough Brown – the spiritual disciplines woven into a novel. Fascinating and insprring
Fantastic! My friend lent me that book – I am looking forward to diving in over Christmas!
49tj mystic by Ted Dekker, amazing! (Pretty much any book by Dekker is amazing!)
Isn’t he a fascinating writer? They’re the books that can keep you up waaaaay too late reading! 🙂