Christmas Thoughts – J. C. Ryle

Christmas Thoughts gathers five of J. C. Ryle’s most beloved Christmas tracts—warm, clear, and deeply searching writings that speak just as powerfully today as they did in the nineteenth century. Christmas and New Year naturally invite reflection: families reunite, the calendar turns over, and another year slips into eternity. In this beautifully produced cloth-bound edition, Ryle gently but earnestly calls readers to use these moments not only for celebration, but also for spiritual inventory.

With his characteristic simplicity and force, Ryle asks the questions that matter most: How is it with your soul? What do you make of Jesus Christ? What will your future be when all your Christmases are past? Amid the pleasures of food, music, gatherings, and festivity, he urges us to lift our eyes to the eternal realities that give Christmas its true meaning.

The five tracts included—Come! A Christmas Invitation (Matthew 11:28), What Think Ye of Christ? (Matthew 22:42), The Whole Family! (Ephesians 3:15), Without Christ! (Ephesians 2:12), and Our Gathering Together! (2 Thessalonians 2:1)—offer a rich blend of gospel appeal, pastoral clarity, and devotional warmth. Ryle’s straightforward exposition, anchored deeply in Scripture, makes this a compelling read for believers and seekers alike.

Introduced by historian Andrew Atherstone, Christmas Thoughts invites readers to slow down, reflect, and consider the glorious person and work of Jesus Christ. It is an ideal companion for Advent or for gifting during the holiday season, pointing every reader to the joy and seriousness of Christ’s incarnation.