Audra Jennings

  What will they remember this holiday season?  by Allison Hottinger and Lisa Kalberer When they grow up, we want our kids to remember that we made Christmas about Jesus. With many distractions and mixed messages around the holiday, it’s easy to get swept up in getting the right tree or making sure the gifts are purchased.   This year we want to keep the most important things top of mind.   This year we want to shift the focus of Christmas back to giving.   As parents, there are a few things we can remember to help us shift the focus of Christmas in our hearts.   1. They won’t remember the gift   Do you...

Part 2 of an interview with Allison Hottinger and Lisa Kalberer, Creators of  The Giving Manger Read part 1 of the interview here. The Giving Manger  tells the story of a family who shifts the focus of their Christmas. Young Anne and Ben always look forward to Christmas. Each year their dad makes a special wooden toy for them, but he tells them this year will be different. They are starting a new tradition, and there will be more gifts this year, starting December 1. The kids misunderstand, thinking they will be getting more gifts, but instead, the gifts are given by them to others. Initially disappointed, the children quickly change their attitudes when they see the joy that doing kind things and giving to others brings. Throughout the Christmas season, Anne and Ben do acts of kindness for others, placing a piece of straw in the manger their father made for them, and on Christmas, they place the baby Jesus in a full bed of straw. Once your family reads the story tog...

Part 1 of an interview with Allison Hottinger and Lisa Kalberer, Creators of The Giving Manger   The true spirit of Christmas often gets lost in busyness of the season. As the events of 2020 have made us slow down and shift some of our priorities, this year is the perfect time to refocus on the joy of giving and honor the real reason for Christmas: Jesus’ birth. With The Giving Manger ( WorthyKids), creators and sisters Allison Hottinger and Lisa Kalberer offer a faith-based interactive family tradition that encourages acts of kindness. Each Giving Manger box set contains a hardcover picture book, a wooden manger, a bundle of straw, and a sturdy Baby Jesus figure—everything a family needs to start the tradition in their own home. Q: Where did the original idea for The Giving Manger come from? As we began to raise our own families, we often felt like the true meaning of Christmas and the spirit of giving was getting lost in the hustle and bustle of the season. We w...

Start a New Christmas Tradition Centered on Giving The Giving Manger teaches children to look  for opportunities to love and serve others The true spirit of Christmas often gets lost in busyness of the season. As the events of 2020 have made us slow down and shift some of our priorities, this year is the perfect time to refocus on the joy of giving and honor the real reason for Christmas: Jesus’ birth. With The Giving Manger ( WorthyKids/October 13, 2020/ISBN: 9781546034223/$39.99), creators and sisters Allison Hottinger and Lisa Kalberer offer a faith-based interactive family tradition that encourages acts of kindness. Each Giving Manger box set contains a hardcover picture book, a wooden manger, a bundle of straw, and a sturdy Baby Jesus figure—everything a family needs to start the tradition in their own home. The included book, The Giving Manger , uses a story to introduce families to how the tradition works and ge...

For review copy and interview information, contact: ajenningspr@gmail.com or 903-874-8363.   The past several months have thrown everyone for a loop. If working remotely and covering the news of the day meant you had to skip author interviews for a period of time, it's not too late to feature these great resources. I would love to help you set up interviews with any and all of these guests. Social distancing has made it harder than ever to find authentic connection with one another. God created each and every one of us with a hunger for true ...