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Christmas Traditions: How to Remember the Reason for the Season

By Julie | December 15, 2008

JulieWe hear it every year: our instructions to “Keep Christ in Christmas”. I think most believers really want to do just that. But then December gets so busy. There’s presents to buy, and for some people, to make. Extra baking. Sending Christmas cards. Holiday parties and get-togethers. Sometimes it seems like it’s New Years before I realize Christmas is over. Don’t get me wrong, I love Christmas, and I love shopping for gifts as much as any American. After all, isn’t buying part of our country’s heritage? But it’s not the heritage I want to leave with my kids. Getting gifts is not “the“ lasting memory I want to give them for the meaning of Christmas. I want to establish many holiday traditions. But, there’s one we started that brings us back to Christ each year. It’s an interactive Nativity called “What God wants for Christmas”.

We bought this item my son calls a “game” when he was only 2 years old. Every year as we decorate the house for Christmas we pull the box out of storage and my oldest begs us, “Can we do ‘What God wants for Christmas’? Pllleeeeassse.” So we pick a night sometime into December, usually after supper, and we pull out the box. Inside is a nativity scene, 7 boxes, and a book. The book is a storybook of Jesus’ birth. Each page introduces a character who was present in the story of the Nativity. As you read that page, you open the box it corresponds with. Inside is a small figurine of that character. The characters introduced are the Angel Gabriel, Mary, Joseph, Baby Jesus, a shepherd, and a wise man. Then, you place each character on the Nativity scene.  The book suggests you can either read one page each night, to make the story last a week, or you can do it all at once. We always read it all at once. My kids love taking turns opening all the boxes. And then revealing the last box to each other.

As I said, we started this tradition when my oldest was 2, he’s 5 now, and my youngest is 2. But each year opens up a new conversation about Jesus’ birth, and a new chance to remind each of them what God did for us, and what he wants from us. But it does it in a fun way, building anticipation as it goes, especially for young kids. As he matures I notice each year my oldest son understands a little more, and asks more complex questions. It’s a fun conversation starter and a great way to talk about how it was Jesus who gave us the gift of Christmas, and that His gift meant more than any other we receive.

The one down fall I’ve discovered is since our kids are so young, each year when we pull a new character from the box, they look a little beat up. Our poor Angel Gabriel is missing one hand and every year we have to glue his head back on. But, we always joke, since an angel doesn’t exist in the physical realm, it’s probably ok, they don’t have the same need for hands and a head that we do. A few beat up pieces is a small price to pay for a fun time as a family. What are some Christmas traditions that you’ve enjoyed with your families?

I’ll leave you with a rather unconventional nativity story. It’s the Jars of Clay video for “Love Came Down At Christmas” from their Christmas Songs album. If anyone can explain to me why they are riding in a space ship that turns into a taco I’d appreciate it. Still, I love the video because it’s different. If you like the song Amazon has a free download here.

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Topics: Crafts, Holidays | No Comments »

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