Book Review: CHRISTMAS STORIES YOU'VE NEVER HEARD: LIKE HOW BABY JESUS HAD A CONE HEAD AND STUFF

Title: Christmas Stories You've Never Heard: Like How Baby Jesus Had A Cone Head And Stuff
Author: Sammy Adebiyi
Publisher: Sammy Adebiyi
Pages: 88
My GoodReads Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

 

This book does the impossible, bringing about a sense of newness to the Story of the Nativity, a story we’ve heard a thousand times and could recite in our sleep.

Through seven short chapters, all quirkily named, this book brings about a newfound reverence in all readers.

In Christmas Choir Gone Bad, the author reminds us that the people in the Bible were far from perfect. Their stories were the kind of stuff that Sunday School teachers would frown at, but that’s how it is. And yet, God picked these imperfect people to be part of the lineage that ultimately Christ was part of.

It is a reminder that our imperfections can’t get in the way of our salvation, as long as our faith wants in. As Adebiyi says, “Don’t worry about the super ripped, balding angel bouncer at the door.”

The writing is imbued with candour; the author relates each of the highlighted elements with experiences from his own life. He explains the analogies, occasionally stretching them to the limit, until we get what he is trying to say.

As he promises, he delivers. It is true that we have taken the superawesomeness of the Christmas story for granted but that’s because no one really pointed it out to us the way Adebiyi has.

Messrs Mathew, Mark, Luke and John used simple words to write their versions of the Gospel because, of course, a story as amazing as that didn’t need embellishment. The truth was amazing by itself.

That is why it helps that Adebiyi has highlighted some of the most inspiring elements of the Nativity story, all tied up casually in a tone that mixes up the elements of pop culture with all things Biblical. Once you focus, you see the thread of deep faith and reverence that suffuses the writing.

Don’t get me wrong. Silent Night is still my favourite Christmas song. But it conjures up such a peaceful and calm world that it’s easy to imagine Jesus in His divinity, and think of Him as perfect, never peeing or pooping, Mother Mary never facing issues of sleep deprivation, or any of the normal frustrations that a new mother faces.

Christmas Stories You've Never Heard: Like How Baby Jesus Had A Cone Head And Stuff is just the kind of book you need to remind you of what a miracle Christmas is. I read it after Christmas and it helped me to wipe the dust of the ages and see Christmas as I did as a child: with a sense of pure joy and wonder.