Celebrating Christmas is a lovely book featuring words and paintings by Amy Boucher Pye and Leo Bucher.
A writer and artist team of a daughter and her father produced a beautiful, meditative reflection on the Christmas season.
Twenty-five readings offer fresh perspectives on the Christmas or Advent season.
Each day includes a short reflection from Amy’s life or from the life of a historical figure, along with a spiritual point and a prayer.
I learned a few things about Christmas traditions I didn’t know
Joy, art, AND reflections?
I interviewed the authors recently about the book, and here are their thoughts.
Which came first, the paintings or the words?
In 2018, Amy used her father’s paintings for her website series on the 12 Days of Christmas. (In this series, the 12 days begin on Christmas Eve–consider looking it up yourself for this year).
(photo by Daniel Mick)
Her editor read through the series and suggested a book on the same idea using Leo Boucher’s paintings and Amy’s reflections.
Amy and Leo loved the idea.
“My dad is super easy to work with, ” Amy said. “Some of the paintings were already finished. He created many versions of several concepts until the publisher and I both were happy.”
The task became easier once Amy had the four themes in place (one theme for each week). They are:
- Christmas symbols
- Joys and sorrows of Christmas
- “He is Jesus!
- The journey to Bethlehem.
From there, Amy explained, “I slotted in the existing paintings my dad had already created for the Advent and Christmas seasons.”
Amy lives in England, and her father lives in Minnesota, so they “talked, zoomed, and emailed about how to fill in the gaps.”
(You can watch Amy’s interview with Leo about the project here.)
What does Celebrating Christmas mean–reflecting words as well as art?
Leo’s art is sprinkled throughout the book. Amy provides the reflections.
I never knew the idea of a nativity scene came from St. Francis of Assisi in 1223.
Longing that those in the Italian village of Greccio would experience the wonder of the story of Jesus’ birth, he created a cave scene with hay, an ox, and a donkey. Welcoming the villagers to gaze on the scene, he told the story of Mary and Joseph arriving in Bethlehem without anywhere to stay.”
Celebrating Christmas, p. 35
Amy reflected on the value of a creche:
“The imperfect things we create, such as nativity sets, can give us insights into the real. That is, as we gaze on them, perhaps in an attitude of praying to God, we can understand more deeply the mystery of the God who came to earth as a baby.”
That reflection and other thoughts appeared on Day 6 and ended with a short prayer asking readers to focus on Jesus — “that we might never lose our sense of wonder, awe, and gratitude.”
The 1-2-page readings are clear and simple enough for a family to read together, perhaps starting on December 1.
Who is Amy Boucher Pye?
Amy Boucher Pye is an American writer, spiritual director, and retreat leader who lives in England with her British husband and children. A frequent contributor to Our Daily Bread, she’s the author of numerous books and a great lover of Christmas and Advent.
She owns an entire shelf of books about Christmas. “I’m often thinking about Christmas at odd times of the year.”
About Leo Boucher
Leo Boucher painted his first oil painting at the age of seven. “It was of a large tree in my grandparents’ yard. I have been drawing and painting off and on all my long life.”
Leo took a correspondence course in basic drawing, watercolors, and perspective in high school. He took art classes in college.
Today, he paints in a tidy art studio he built for himself behind the family home.
Amy asked Leo how he felt about having to repaint his paintings for the book. “It’s easy for me to edit my writing,” she said.
He smiled. “It’s called work. Just a little bit of work.”
It looked a lot more like joy to me.
Tweetables
Celebrating Christmas–Lovely art and splendid reflections for this holiday season. Click to Tweet
Advent Beauty: Celebrating Christmas by an artist and daughter in 25 short reflections. Click to Tweet
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