During the hustle and bustle of the holiday season, I am always reminded of the importance of keeping our Lord and Savior in the middle of our Christmas celebrations.  It is so easy to allow the stress of shopping, practicing for Christmas programs, and preparing for family to interfere with the time we need to relate the true meaning of Christmas to our children, friends, and family.  I get genuinely distressed when I hear born again believers and friends saying “Happy Holidays” instead of Merry Christmas.  I want my children to hear “Christmas” and I want them to know what Christmas is truly about.  I want the words of Matthew 1 to ring in my children’s heads as they go about their daily activities.  “And she shall bring forth a son, and thou shalt call his name JESUS: for he shall save his people from their sins” Matt. 1:21. 

During this Christmas season, we like to focus on Christ’s birth, death, and resurrection during family devotions.  Each day my husband works hard at weaving the salvation message into the family discussions around the breakfast table.  We also enjoy reading reading various books as a family which focus on Christ’s birth, the importance of serving others during the holidays, the importance of giving ourselves to God, and the importance of spreading the gospel to those around us.  Some of our favorite books we have read to help us focus on the amazing love of Christ has been the Lamplighter books, “Joel A Boy of Galilee” and “Titus: A Comrade of the Cross”.  You can’t help but fully feel and realize God’s abounding grace and mercy toward us when He sent his Son to be the Savior of the World.  (You may view these Lamplighter books and other excellent advent books such as Jotham’s Journey on our website www.godseternalmasterpiece.com)

Another important aspect of this season is teaching our children that it is more blessed to give than to receive.  Each year we try to do different activities as a family to serve others.  This year we are ringing the bells for the Salvation Army.  The children will be playing their stringed instruments while we do that.  We are also working at making a variety of handmade items to give to those who have truly blessed our lives in the past year and who are struggling this year due to the economy.  The little ones will get involved when we get some items to take for Toys for Tots.  Each year as the children get a little bit older, they are realizing that it truly is much more fun to give than to receive.

We do open gifts in our home, but we do it on Christmas Eve after our Christmas Eve service at church.  That way, on Christmas, we can focus on the true meaning of Christmas - Christ!  The children enjoy it when we sit down and read the entire Christmas story as a family.  While we are reading God’s Word, the little ones get to act out the story with the Nativity figures we keep in the living room just for them. (By the way, we have found it extremely helpful to have a nativity set in each child’s bedroom, as well as in the living room and dining room.  It helps to reinforce the true meaning of Christmas where ever the children are.)  We also have a special birthday cake or coffee cake for Jesus on Christmas day.  Rest of the day is spent with extended family as we reminisce about God’s goodness during the last year. 

I’d love to hear what you do to help your children focus on the true meaning of Christmas.  Feel free to send in any and all of your ideas.  We’ll then post them and allow others to get some new ideas on the subject. 

May you have a wonderful Christmas season as you focus on Christ with your family!

Becky