One book plus 16-piece nativity set.

On a winter night long ago, a baby boy was born in a stable with only the animals to witness his arrival. But it wasn’t just the cows and donkeys and soft little lambs who were present. Smaller, less loved creatures were there, too: the snake, the scorpion, the cockroach, and others. Lyrically written by Eve Bunting and luminously illustrated by Wendell Minor, this beautiful book offers a unique and moving perspective on the Christmas story. It reminds us that all God’s creatures, both great and small, celebrated the arrival of the Christ child.

The Elf on the Shelf: A Christmas Tradition is an activity the entire family will enjoy. Based on the tradition Carol Aebersold began with her family in the 1970s, this cleverly rhymed children's book explains that Santa knows who is naughty and/or nice because he sends a scout elf to every home. During the holiday season, the elf watches children by day and reports to Santa each night. When children awake, the elf has returned from the North Pole and can be found hiding in a different location. This activity allows The Elf on the Shelf to become a delightful hide-and-seek game.

A gorgeous, poetic new version of the Nativity story Wondrous things are happening in this humble little stable. The animals are gathering round. Shepherds and wise men and angels are coming from afar. All of them are flocking to see the Christ child, born this night in Bethlehem. Illustrated by artist Delana Bettoli in the gorgeous tropical hues of the region and told in lyrical verses perfect for reading aloud, Cynthia Cotten's This Is a Stable is a retelling of the Nativity that will be treasured for many a Christmas to come.

The Christmas Star is a potpourri of holiday gifts for those planning worship -- this charming collection includes three plays and five brief meditations suitable for reading during services or for use in bulletins and newsletters. The play The Gifts Of Christmas is a humorous take on the traditional Christmas pageant in which three teenagers try to decide what to get their grandmother for Christmas, only to discover that the gift she really desires is the Christmas story (enacted in the customary fashion). The "Did Someone Forget To Plan" The Christmas Pageant! provides you with the ultimate no-fuss, no-hassle way for your children to simply share the nativity story without the usual headaches. For older youth and adults there's The Fourth Wise Man, an offbeat piece imagining what an additional wise man might have been like. Each presentation is simple for small churches to produce, with minimal costumes and props required. Insightful and scripturally sound, The Christmas Star is a wonderful package that you won't be able to resist! Frank Ramirez is an author and pastor in the Church of the Brethren who has written numerous books, articles, and short stories. A graduate of LaVerne College and Bethany Theological Seminary, Ramirez has served congregations in Indiana and California. His other CSS titles include A Call To Worship, Coming Home, and He Took A Towel.