Keeping Christ in Christmas

Recently our community group has been discussing how we can be intentional about keeping the emphasis on Jesus' birth at Christmas with our young children. The girls are really both at great ages for enjoying the magic of Christmas and starting to grasp the miracle of God sending His son Jesus to be born to die for us. Doesn't that sound ironic? But it's true...He loves us that much that He sent His only son to die for us! I really want to make sure we have certain traditions every year that the girls remember and will look forward to for years to come...we are starting simple and hope to add things as they get older. Sydney already remembers some things we did last year so that is encouraging to me that we really are teaching them. So, here are some things we are doing.

-Advent Wreath
We have 4 purple candles and 1 white candle (I think technically it is supposed to be 3 purple, 1 pink and 1 white). Beginning the 4th Sunday before Christmas we gather for a few minutes on Sunday night to light the candle for that week and read the scripture that goes with that week...for example Week One is The Candle of Hope and the reading is Isaiah 9:6-7. The girls think this is a special ceremony, even if they don't fully understand the symbolism right now. I think we will add singing a couple of Christmas carols after we read the scripture for that week because that will get the girls more involved, and they LOVE singing Christmas songs.

-"What God Wants for Christmas"
This is an interactive nativity scene where there are 7 "gifts" that you open. For example, on Day One one of the girls opens that box and it is the angel Gabriel. They place him in the nativity scene and there is a little story that goes along with that day and we also read the corresponding scripture. 6 of the boxes have a "character" that goes in the nativity scene and the 7th day the box is a mirror - because God wants you for Christmas. It is a neat way for them to learn the true meaning of Christmas. Sydney really likes this...Avery loses interest after a little while. It is intended that you open one box a day, but Sydney wants to open all 7 in one sitting, so that is why Avery loses interest! We also have a Little People Nativity that Avery likes to play with and Sydney doesn't try to direct where she puts everything with that one, so I'm glad we have two "kid nativities". Next year Ben will be really into the Little People one I'm sure...this year he is just trying to chew on the donkey or Joseph, which really makes Avery upset. ; )

-Birthday party for Jesus
On Christmas morning we have a special breakfast with a cinnamon roll cake and we put a candle in it and sing happy birthday to Jesus. If I remember I try to put up streamers and balloons also to make it like a real party. The girls *love* a celebration so it's a neat way to remind them again what Christmas is all about.

One of my favorite Christmas memories growing up was going to the Candlelight Christmas Eve service at church and then we would come back home and my sister and I would put on our own Christmas Eve worship service for my mom, dad and grandma, complete with me playing piano and both of us singing carols. Then we'd open 1 Christmas present each, which was usually pajamas that my Grandma had made for us. Growing up in Texas it was just my immediate family, but my Grandma would come down from Illinois every year and stay for about a month. Christmas was always my favorite time of year because I looked forward to having time with my Grandma who I loved so dearly. When she had to go home each year I was so sad and cried and cried. I still miss her so much and although I have so many happy memories I will always have an ache in my heart until I see her again. Melissa, if you read this, I'm sorry for making you cry. I know we will see her again someday!

This is not a Christmas tradition, but if you are looking for a good Children's Bible I have to tell you about The Jesus Storybook Bible. It is incredible...Sydney and I have been reading through it and the writing & illustrations are amazing...so perfect for ages 4 + I would say. It is so amazing to see how God is already working in Sydney's heart and how she seems to be so excited and interested in learning more and more about God and how much He loves us. She would sit there and listen for an hour at times if we could (which we usually can't because of distractions, namely younger siblings : ) It has taken us a while, but we have almost read through the whole thing together, and then we will start back at the beginning.

Let me hear what you are doing or some Christmas traditions/special memories you had growing up that you want to incorporate with your family!