During the Christmas season, it's easy to get caught up in the commercialism of this very special holiday. One day, we're enjoying Thanksgiving dinner with our families. Then we blink a time or two and it's Christmas Eve night. Thanksgiving and Christmas are two important holidays, but if we stop long enough to think about it, it's what happens in between that is most important. It's in the days and weeks between Thanksgiving and Christmas that true worship, teaching, and learning is most valuable. This is the time when we can and should take advantage of every opportunity to teach our children and grandchildren why we celebrate Christmas. If we aren't careful, they'll think it's all about Santa and gifts. I'm not suggesting that you knock Santa out of the season. Santa was part of our family Christmas tradition and that tradition created lots of sweet Christmas memories for our kids. What I am suggesting is that Jesus have His highest place of honor in your home and in your lives during the Christmas season and all year long. Our kids are adults now but if you ask any of them about the meaning of Christmas, they will all tell you that Christmas is about the birth of Jesus. There are many ways to keep Jesus at the center of your Christmas celebrations. Here's a list that I hope you will find helpful as you teach your children about Jesus during the Christmas season.
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| Ways to Teach Your Children the Meaning of Christmas |
Ways to Teach Your Children the Meaning of Christmas - The Birth of Jesus
1. Read the Bible with your kids.
Children's Christmas books are great resources and we'll mention those later in this post, but it is vital that we teach our children the value of the Bible. The Bible is God's Holy Word. There is absolutely no written work that is more important than the Bible. Read the actual Bible before you read any other books with your kids. Someone recently suggested that we read one chapter of the book of Luke every day beginning on December 1st. By Christmas Eve, we will have read about the life of Jesus from His birth to His resurrection. I think that's a great idea. If you don't own a Bible, you'll find a good one here, but you can start reading now online at BibleGateway.com.
2. Use these Nativity Story Sequencing Cards by Rainy Day Mum.
Using sequencing cards to teach the nativity story is a good way for your kids to remember key events in the order in which they happened. Allow your kids to read the story from the Bible first or listen to you read it. Then, let them use sequencing cards to retell the story. Handling the cards and placing them in order helps kids become physically engaged in the story. They are likely to remember more about the story.
3. Take your kids to a live Nativity Scene.
Every year, one of our local churches creates a live nativity scene. Sometimes, there are several in our local region. One church creates a village in their parking lot. Visitors can drive through it in their cars or walk through it on foot. Visiting a live nativity scene is a great interactive way to celebrate the season. Some even use live animals! Find one in your area and take your family to visit it.
4. Memorize Christmas Bible Verses as a Family
Scripture memory is something I need to do more - a lot more. Teaching children to memorize Bible verses will help them keep the Word in their hearts and it will lay a foundation for lifelong scripture memory. If you're not sure where to start, Charissa over at The Wild, Wild West has created a printable for children to color and memorize scripture verses. Hop over there here and grab your printable.
5. Teach a Bible lesson that includes the prophesies of Jesus' birth.
Teaching this Bible lesson by Cheri Gamble will help children realize the sovereignty of God's Word, the Bible. Children will learn about the prophesies of Jesus' birth in the books of Isaiah, Jeremiah, The Book of Psalms, and Micah. They will learn that the prophesies came true so they can trust that God's Word is true.
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| Ways to Teach Your Children the Meaning of Christmas |
6. Bake a birthday cake for Jesus. Host a birthday party.
Children love birthday parties. Since Christmas is all about celebrating Jesus' birthday, plan a birthday party for Jesus. Bake a birthday cake with the kids. Let them help as much as possible. You can go all out and add ice cream, balloons, or whatever you like to celebrate this grand occasion. Before the party, contact your church office about sponsoring a family in need. Get a list of needed items. Then, take your kids shopping for that family. Bring your items back to wrap for the birthday party. After the party, take the gifts to your church, to the family, or to a contact person who will deliver the gifts to the family in need.
7. Play Christmas games that celebrate the birth of Jesus.
Christmas games are a great way to celebrate and remember the facts about Jesus' birth. This particular Christmas Trivia game includes 5 categories: From the Bible, Christmas Carols, Christmas Movies and Books, Christmas Foods, and Random Facts. You can print the game cards and the game board here.
8. Participate in the annual Operation Christmas Child Shoebox campaign.
Every year, your family can fill shoeboxes with small toys and other needed items for children all over the world. In our local area, we have several drop off locations where we can deliver our shoeboxes. Then, the shoeboxes are delivered to children all over the world. Operation Christmas Child is part of Samaritan's Purse Ministries. The mission states:
The mission of Operation Christmas Child is to demonstrate God's love in a tangible way to children in need around the world. Through this project, Samaritan's Purse partners with the local church worldwide to share the Good News of Jesus Christ and make disciples of the nations.
You can learn about this ministry that has impacted the lives of children around the world for many years here. You can even fill a shoebox online.
9. Sing Christmas songs.
Sing Christmas songs with your kids. It doesn't matter if you can carry a tune or not. Your kids won't care. They care that you are singing with them. If you aren't sure which songs to sing that glorify God and point your kids to Jesus, here is a great list of 25 songs over at Open the Bible.
10. Do Christmas crafts together.
Doing Christmas crafts together creates opportunities for quality family time. This is a good time to work on crafts that focus on Jesus' birth. Here are several suggestions:
10 Minutes of Quality Time offers 10 crafts that focus on the Nativity and Jesus' birth.
Here are 30 Christ-Centered Christmas Activities for Children by Bombshell Bling
Check out these 51 Sunday School Christmas Crafts for Kids by Twitchetts.
There's More:
30+ Awesome Christ-Centered Christmas Crafts, Activities, and Homeschool Resources by They Call Me Blessed
10 Adorable Christian Christmas Crafts Your Kids Will Love by Equipping Godly Women
40+ Religious Christmas Crafts for Kids by Kids Craft Room
Star of Bethlehem Craft for Kids by Encouraging Moms at Home
35+ Jesus' Birth Crafts That You Have to See by Mama of Many Blessings
20+ Advent and Nativity Activities for Toddlers and Preschoolers by Crafts on Sea
25 Christ-Centered Christmas Crafts for Kids by Southern Made Simple
11. Read Christmas Books
The first thing on this list is to read the Bible together. Read the Bible first. Then, read other Christmas books about the birth of Jesus with your kids. There are so many to choose from but here are a few suggestions.
The Berenstain Bears and the Christmas Angel by Mike Berenstain
Joy to the World - Veggie Tales Board Book by Pamela Kennedy
Humphrey's First Christmas by Carol Heyer
Cozy Nativity: A Touch and Feel Christmas Story Board Book
The Christmas Story for Children by Max Lucado
The Crippled Lamb by Max Lucado
The Berenstain Bears, The Very First Christmas by Jan and Mike Berenstain
The Story of Christmas by Vivian French
If He Had Not Come by Nan F. Weeks
The Treasury Collection of Christmas Pop Up Books
We hope the ideas offered in this post will help your family stay focused on Jesus during this Christmas season and the seasons to come.
Merry Christmas,
Tina
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| Ways to Teach your Children the Meaning of Christmas |
