As chestnuts are roasting over an open fire, you’re lighting up the tree and lighting up your... laptop screen… we believe we can help you use your holiday screen-time for something more productive than Zoom meetings or doomscrolling.  We at Forefront Festival have compiled another Forefront Last Minute Shopping Guide -- a short, curated, hyperlinked list of Christmas gift ideas you still have time to order and get into stockings before December 25.  

Whether your loved ones read poetry, binge fantasy series, still listen to music on physical media or could use some faithful stocking stuffers, we hope we can help you bring beauty, meaning, and joy into your celebrations this year. 

Ryan Diaz’ For Those Wandering Along the Way

Wipf & Stock

If you’ve been following Forefront over the past year you should be no stranger to Ryan Diaz.  His first book of poetry, written as he was re-finding and cultivating his Christian faith through the beginning phases of the pandemic, is a breath of fresh air.  Meditative, honest, accessible, and artfully crafted, this book of 66 poems is a perfect addition to a curated bookshelf, a great coffee table piece, and a wonderful companion while commuting, decompressing, or starting the day.

Andrew Peterson’s The Wingfeather Saga
(new boxed set)

Waterbrook Press

Musician, and author Andrew Peterson’s youth fantasy series, The Wingfeather Saga, follows the Igiby children as they discover their destinies on the mystical continent of Aerwiar.  A Chronicles of Narnia for present age, these stories are full of adventure, truth, and timeless life lessons that will be entertaining, heartwarming, and culture making for novel readers of any age.  The multi-levels of meaning in Peterson’s four volume story open up as the series comes to a slow-burning climax.  For the first time, you can get the whole series as a boxed set with interior art by Joe Sutphin, bound with beautifully colored matte hardcovers.

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John Denver & The Muppets A Christmas Together (re-release red/green vinyl)

Windstar Records

The clear, comforting voice of America’s 1970s sweetheart, John Denver, accompanied by the earnest (and sometimes less so) Christmas antics of the Muppets is something that no holiday music collection should be without.  Yes, the Muppets will bring a nostalgic, childhood warmth to your hearth, but the reason this album deserves a place on the shelf is John Denver’s truly beautiful renditions of beloved carols and a few lesser known traditional Christmas hymns.  The 1979 album contains a spoken word poem, written and read by Denver, and a few original songs performed without the voices of the Muppets.

That. and an unforgettable version of “Twelve Days of Christmas” that includes the entire 70s Muppet cast.

This vinyl re-release version comes on a red and green LP.  The album can also be purchased quite affordably as a stocking stuffer on CD as well.

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Forefront Festival “Excellence Blend” Coffee

Imprint Coffee Roasting

Need we say more?  The Forefront Festival branded, “Excellence Blend” from Imprint Coffee Roasting is a unique medium-dark roast Guatemalan coffee with tasting notes of dark chocolate and maple, a bold flavor, and medium acidity.  Trevor Leach and the team at Imprint take great care to assure “excellence” in all of their coffees which come direct from farms at their point of origin, and are freshly roasted and bagged to order.
Part of the proceeds from Forefront Festival “Excellence Blend” go to us at Forefront, to help us continue to facilitate live events and continue to equip and encourage the artistic community.  How can you go wrong here?

Bags can be purchased whole bean or ground to the specifications of your preferred brew method.

Agnus Dei Flag from 1689 Designs

1689 Designs

Joshua Burns runs 1689 Designs, a design brand producing really clean, modern, Protestant faith based swag for purchase (or download) in the form of apparel, hats, home decor, stickers, desktop/phone backgrounds, and more.  This vibrant colored Agnus Dei or “Lamb of God” flag is grommeted and ready to hang in your home, office, church, cafe, bar, or on a flagpole.  1689 Designs is reasonably priced, has responsive customer service, and ships internationally, or (mostly) free in the US.

We also recommend the Five Solas stickers and the “This is My Father’s World” design as a sweatshirt or tee.

The Chosen gifts

The Chosen

Jesus is the central character of a Biblically faithful, high quality, hit tv series? We didn’t think we’d see it happen anytime soon, but with The Chosen, it did. If you know a family member who likes the show, or would like it, consider giving them some branded merch like the slick “Against the Current” hoodie or the simple “Come and See” beanie. Whatever you select, they’ll know it was chosen just for them.

Strahan Coleman’s Prayer Vol. 2

Commoner’s Communion

Last year we recommended Strahan’s excellent Prayer Vol. 1, and this year he’s back with a new collection. This 94 page devotional is an invitation to stop, slow down, and draw near to God in our daily walk with him. Strahan’s powerful words and simple imagery reflect the heart of a songwriter who knows both the valleys and peaks of life.

Joel Ansett’s I Should Get Some Rest Mug

Joel Ansett

Cozy up by the fire with this beautifully designed 16 oz mug from singer/songwriter Joel Ansett.  Fill it with Forefront Festival Excellence Blend (see above), or a hot chocolate of your choice.

Pair this with listening to Joel's new EP, likewise titled "I Should Get Some Rest".

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Original Art by Contemporary Painter, Misato Pang

Misato Pang

Misato Pang is a contemporary mixed-media artist who has worked in Hong Kong, New York, and now in St. Louis, and is a friend of Forefront.  You may have listened to the episode where he had a conversation with the artist on Forefront 360 in April of 2021 (if not, you should check it out).  She creates beautiful abstract expressionist pieces inspired by personal narrative and cultural events in the US and Asia.  Many of her pieces are narrative in nature -- in her own words, many are “inspired by biblical narratives that often involve tragedies followed by characters’ transformation”.  In addition, “[her] work intends to create a space of intrigue that encourages further discovery─ both visually and imaginatively”.  Best of all, she is having a holiday sale!

As we wrote last year, the value of having an artist’s original one-in-existence work in your home cannot be overstated.  The gift or purchase of a painting, drawing, or sculpture brings a life and purpose to the piece as well as a truly unique definition and energy to the space in which you choose to display it.  Your living room, for example, ceases to be just a living room in your home, but it is now a gallery in which an artist’s piece lives and does its work.  Mark Rothko famously understood, “a painting lives by companionship”.  An investment in real, tangible, painting by Misato Pang is worth (probably more than) its weight in gold.

Misa currently has pieces for sale on her socials.  If you are interested in purchasing a particular piece, you can email her at misatopang@gmail.com or direct message her on instagram @misatopang.   

Note: Misato Pang is a professional studio artist and isn’t currently in the business of selling prints or reproductions.  She creates original high quality work and pieces are therefore unique/one-of-a-kind and are valued as such. 

(*Obviously, we realize art can and should only be collected by those who can afford -- God bless those who can with gratitude and generosity and those who cannot with increase.)

Regardless of how...

you celebrate the incarnation of our Creator in the form of baby Jesus, and regardless of what kind of gifts you give this year, we wish you a very, merry Christmas from Forefront Festival, and a happy new year.

Per usual, this list is far from exhaustive.  As always, we recommend looking into and supporting local artists and creators.  What goes around comes around as far as supporting a world of care, beauty, love and creativity.  Happy giving!