• CHRISTMAS SCHOOL •
The Simple Plan for a Peaceful Christmas Season
Pre-Register for Christmas School
Pile of chocolate cookies on a white decorative plate with crumbs nearby; cinnamon sticks tied with string sit nearby in a cozy scene.

What are you really hoping to do with your Christmas to-do list?

If the answer is “make memories,” you’re in good company.

Whether it’s freshly baked cookies, the fragrance of a newly cut tree, the warmth of a fire, or the sound of your favorite carol…

Christmas is a time for memory-making. It also invites us to slow down, savor the season, and wait in joyful hope for the birth of Our Lord.

But often, our plans for memory-making get in the way of the slowing down and savoring part.

We end up with a to-do list as long as the trek from Nazareth to Bethlehem.

Christmas doesn’t have to be big to be memorable.

It’s easy to assume that a “more” and “bigger” Christmas creates more and bigger memories.

But we often make memories from the smallest moments and the quietest connections.

When we create space for that to happen, we’re able to keep the true meaning of Christmas front and center.

Of course, that’s often easier said than done.

Family of four on a sofa reading a large picture book together, wearing Christmas sweaters and holiday accessories.

Christmas School takes the guesswork out of doing December differently

Christmas School is a 3-week family book club that helps you bring your family together around great stories, and meaningful activities.

It’s a done-for-you plan for Christmas memory-making.

WHAT YOU’LL READ WITH ALL AGES:
  • Mortimer’s Christmas Manger
  • The Tale of Three Trees
  • The Christmas Miracle of Jonathan Toomey
WHAT YOU’LL READ WITH AGES 10+:
  • Jotham’s Journey: A Family Story for Advent
Several Christmas-themed children's books stacked together on a white shelf.

BOOKS PURCHASED SEPARATELY FROM THE RAR SHOP OR ANYWHERE BOOKS ARE SOLD.

Christmas School is a menu, not a to-do list.

Choose what fits your family, and ignore the rest!

  • Videos from Sarah about how to look closely at each book
  • Related Scripture and carols so you can keep the focus on Christ
  • Simple recipes and crafts to lock in new family memories
  • Meaningful conversation starters that invite your kids into the story
  • Additional book recommendations so you can go deeper when you have time
  • And a special Language Arts section that makes learning more fun at Christmas time
Assorted handmade wooden Christmas ornaments with painted scenes (panda, trees, lake) and craft supplies on a white surface with string ties in view.

“A Love Story That Draws Us In”

Our focus this year is on the story of the Nativity.

Each story we’ve selected reflects on the Nativity from a different angle.

Even kids who’ve heard the Nativity story a hundred times will experience it in new ways, and you’ll have the perfect opportunity to talk about the meaning of the season together.

It’s the best time of year to set aside our normal routines and let the birth of Christ be the center of our attention.

You were made for this.
And Christmas School was made for you.

I’m Sarah Mackenzie, a mother of six, and I created Christmas School because I was tired of getting stuck in the cycle of committing to stress less and do less but ending up exhausted on Christmas Eve each year.

If you know anything about me, it probably comes as no surprise that books became my tool of choice for doing December differently.

So each year, we design Christmas School for moms like you and families like yours who:

  • Prioritize your relationships with God, with each other, and with ideas
  • Long for a peaceful home-life that allows you and your family to be your best selves
  • Celebrate your commitment to motherhood without losing yourself in the process
  • Cherish the memories you make with your kids no matter how small

If that sounds familiar, well then… Christmas School was made for you.

Smiling woman with short blonde hair wearing a royal blue blouse, seated indoors near a doorway or window.

What People Say About Christmas School

  • “What I love about Christmas School is that it has something for every single one of my kids. I have kids from teens all the way on down to toddlers, and Christmas School has something for each and every one of my children. It takes care of the planning for me. We have made so many memories over the years through Christmas school.”
    Maria peters
  •  “I love the slower pace that Christmas School brings during a very busy season. From my oldest teen to my littlest preschooler, Read-Aloud Revival has thought of something to inspire each one of them through literature and activities. It’s a must-do delight on my Christmas season list.”
    Meagan Hemingson
  •  “We have participated in Christmas School for the past three years. Last year, I incorporated Christmas School into our custom made Advent calendar of activities. So fun to learn new things, and so fun to be accumulating all these memories and connections through rich Christmas stories and warm family time together.”
    Rachel Broadbent
  • “Christmas School is my favorite thing we do all year.”
    Robyn Olear
  • “The best part of our homeschool!”
    Emily Hines
  • “The highlight of our school year.”
    Bridget Nava

Make Reading a Way of Life with Christmas School

・ TWO WAYS TO JOIN US ・

Get Christmas School When You Join Read-Aloud Revival Premium

At Read-Aloud Revival, we’re not only advocates for reading. We’re also advocates for making reading a way of life. And what better time to take the next step in that direction than at Christmas?

Christmas School is part of Read-Aloud Revival Premium—the membership that takes the guesswork out of making reading a way of life.

Christmas School helps you slow down and savor the season as we wait in hope for the birth of Jesus. Then, Premium helps you slow down and savor every season as you make reading a way of life for your family, month after month.

RAR Premium is the perfect companion to any home school or traditional curriculum so you can bring academics and the joy of reading together. When you join Read-Aloud Revival Premium for Christmas School, you also get access to our monthly guides and events to make the reading life that much simpler. And just like Christmas School, Premium is a menu, not a to-do list.

Join for just $67 per quarter (3 months), cancel anytime. Enjoy continued access to everything Premium has to offer as long as you’re a member.

Read-Aloud Revival Premium logo

Everything in Christmas School, plus a monthly family book club, coaching and support for moms like you, and expertly-curated resources designed to help you simplify and focus, including:

  • Easy-to-use Family Book Club Guides
  • Sarah’s companion Looking Closely video so you can dive deeper into each book
  • Live online community events with featured authors and illustrators
  • Language Arts Companion Guides to reinforce learning and spark creativity
  • Private peer support community so you can connect with others making reading a way of life
  • and more!

Christmas School

Christmas School comes with:

  • Family Book Club Guides for each book selection (including optional language arts activities)
  • Looking Closely videos from Sarah for each book
  • 3 Companion workshops with guest instructors
  • Easy craft and cooking activities
  • Additional book recommendations
  • Curated carols and scripture readings

Or, Get Christmas School On Its Own

Christmas School is also available as a standalone program. This is a great option if you’re just wanting to try this whole “reading as a way of life” thing out.

So for home-schoolers, it’s perfect for those who have a literature and language arts curriculum they’d like to supplement for Christmastide.

For those with kids in traditional school, it’s a great way to enhance your experience while the kids are out of school.

If you decide to join us for Premium after you get a taste, we make that super easy.

Give it a try for just $47.

Try Either Option Risk Free

24-Hour No-Risk Guarantee

If Christmas School isn’t a great fit for your family, email us for a no-questions-asked full refund.

Stylized R

Join Us for Christmas School

Come for Christmas School. Stay to make reading a way of life.

RAR Premium Quarterly

$67

Everything in Christmas School, plus:

  • Access to our community forum
  • A library of Family Book Club Guides, writing workshops, author events, and more!
  • The mini Mama’s Christmas Guide
  • Renews quarterly
  • Cancel anytime
Become a Member and Get Christmas School

Christmas School Only

Choose this option if you’re not ready to join RAR Premium.

$47

Includes:

  • The 2026 Christmas School Guide
  • 7 Looking Closely videos from Sarah
  • Memorable activities for the whole family
  • Optional Language Arts Lessons
Get Christmas School

(sales tax will be added where applicable)

24-hour no-risk guarantee. If Christmas School isn’t a great fit for your family, email us for a full refund.

What People Say About Christmas School

  • “The most relaxed December our family has experienced since we began homeschooling.”
    Jamie Braden
  • “All the best things about homeschooling in December in one easy to use package!”
    Angie Dubbert
  • “A guilt-free way to slow down, enjoy time with my kids, and know they are still learning.”
    Rachel Aponso

Common Questions About Christmas School

It’s an open-and-go program for December, based on whole-family read-alouds. The Christmas School Guide will walk you through each week’s read-alouds and activities. Get ready to make meaningful memories with your kids!

Yes! Click here to see sample pages.

It’s open-and-go. All you need to do is download the Christmas School Guide PDF and get your hands on the books. 

You’ll also have access to a website page, letting you use Christmas School on the go.

Yep, really! If there’s ever a time for whole-family learning, it’s Christmas time. 

The Christmas School Guide is designed for you to use with any or all of the recommended books. For help deciding whether Jotham’s Journey is a good fit for your family, read the next FAQ.

Jotham’s Journey is a spectacular narrative of the birth of Christ as told from the perspective of a fictional shepherd boy. Sarah Mackenzie’s family loves this book and revisits the series almost every year.

The world Jesus was born into was violent and gritty. This story is historical fiction, so it stays true to the time and place in which it happens. Because some parts of the book are violent and intense, we give a general age recommendation of 10+.

However, you know your kids best. Some younger kids are able to enjoy this book. (Sarah’s twins enjoyed it at age 8.)

To help you make the best decision for your own family, we’ve included a list of specific pages in the book to preview, along with a summary of those portions. That will help you decide whether to read the story with your younger children, or whether certain parts are best skipped.

We think you’re going to love this story!

While you can find these books anywhere books are sold, the RAR Shop offers all of the selected titles, including the special RAR Edition of Jotham’s Journey. If you purchase the bundle, you’ll receive a Christmas School ornament with your order.

Most families begin the first week after Thanksgiving.

Your Christmas School Guide will be available for download on October 28.

You’ll have access to all Christmas School 2026 resources for two years. RAR Premium Members retain access to all Christmas School programs as long as they are members.

Yes. We’re pretty focused on the true reason for the season: the birth of our Lord Jesus. Christmas School includes religious Christmas carols and Scripture readings.

Nope. You probably have most of what you need already. We suggest taking a few minutes each weekend to glance over the recipe, activities, and associated supply lists  so you’re prepared for the week ahead.

Remember that Christmas School is a menu, so you can pick-and-choose what works for you. If you’re unable to get supplies for any particular activity, simply choose a different one. 

You can apply your purchase of Christmas School to an RAR Premium quarterly or annual membership.

To do so, simply head to the RAR Premium registration page, log in, and sign up. Your discount will be automatically applied. 

(P.S. This offer expires January 15, 2027.)

Each Christmas School Guide is for single household use only. While we highly encourage you to do Christmas School activities with friends, please make sure every participating family has purchased their own Christmas School Guide and login.

To use Christmas School with a co-op license, you must purchase a renewable RAR Premium membership instead of the separate Christmas School option.

Yes! If Christmas School is not a good fit for your family, we offer refunds within 24 hours of the digital delivery on October 28. Due to the digital nature of this product we are not able to offer refunds outside of the 24-hour timeframe. However, if you purchase an RAR Membership, you have 14 days to request a refund. Thanks so much for your understanding!

Yep! RAR Premium members have access to all of our previous Christmas Schools. Click here to join if you aren’t a member yet.

Nope! Rest assured you’re getting the best deal possible. That way you can make your purchase whenever it works best for you.

Here’s your chance to do December differently.

Pre-Register for Christmas School

(RAR Premium Members: Log in here)

What People Say About Christmas School

  • “Christmas School is always my top recommendation for moms.”
    Jessica Kopp
  • “Absolutely wonderful! A perfect change of pace!”
    CariAnn Kingston
  • “Perfect!”
    Katie Shankle