A Simple Christmas on the Farm

When a little girl finds out her family is planning a "simple" Christmas this year, she's not so sure about it. But soon she gets into the spirit of simplicity and generosity by making presents and Christmas decorations with her parents and grandparents on their family farm. She and her mama share Christmas cookies with friends they meet, inviting everyone to join them for Christmas in their little red barn.

Warm and heartfelt, this story invites children and families to imagine an inclusive Christmas, focusing on the simple pleasures of connection, community, and the care and generosity shared by making things by hand. Step-by-step directions for creating three handmade Christmas gifts are included at the end of the book. A Simple Christmas on the Farm is an inspired companion to author Phyllis Alsdurf's bestselling Thanksgiving in the Woods, a picture book based on the real-life story of a family that celebrates Christmas in the woods in Upstate New York.

About the Author

Phyllis Alsdurf is a former journalism and creative writing professor and the author of It's Milking Time (Minnesota Historical Society Press, 2019) and Thanksgiving in the Woods (Beaming Books, 2017). Phyllis holds a PhD in journalism, with an emphasis on media and religion, and master's degrees in humanities and journalism. She has written and edited for a variety of religious publications and contributed to several books on media and religion.

About the Illustrator

Lisa Hunt is a freelance illustrator living near London, England. She has a degree in Fine Art from Coventry University and has illustrated several books and worked for publishers in the United States and the United Kingdom. When not at her desk, Lisa can usually be found in the local coffee shop happily eating carrot cake, or sitting on the staircase at home waggling a bit of string at an over-excitable ginger cat.