Rather than criticizing trappings of the holiday season, this book looks at them from the viewpoint of Christian contemplation, once aptly described as "a long, loving look at the real."

The author, a Benedictine monk who lives in the center of downtown Newark, New Jersey, invites the reader to join him on his daily walks as he points out dozens of often-unnoticed connections between our holidays and the spiritual meaning of Advent and Christmas. In a string of colored lights, a crowd of shoppers, or the window of a toy store, he uncovers such traditional Advent themes as...