Christ-Centered Christmas Traditions

I'm always looking for new traditions that our family can enjoy to make the holidays meaningful and memorable. Here are some that our family enjoy. Wanted to share incase you're looking for new ideas like me :)

Christ-Centered Christmas Traditions

1. “What God wants for Christmas” activity/nativity (by FamilyLife)

•  It’s so  easy to use and the kids love it! 

2. Advent wreath/devotionals 

• light a candle and share a brief devotional each of the 4 Sundays leading up to Christmas.
  

 

3. The Jesse Tree is a centuries-old family Advent devotion that helps kids (and adults) follow the faithfulness of God throughout history, eventually leading us to Christ's birth on Christmas Day. You hang a symbolic ornament on your tree and read a corresponding Scripture passage each of the 28 days of Advent.

• Here’s a great link to get you started: Jesse Tree Devotions and symbols.

Our Jesse Tree... thanks to Kathy and Lois Wills!

And a close-up

4. Schedule a night to cozy up as a family to watch a movie that tells the Christmas story.

• Greatest Heroes and Legends of the Bible –The Nativity is a good cartoon video for preschoolers 

5. Serve as a family

• Fill OperationChristmas shoeboxes for needy children around the world

• Bake a holiday treat to share with a neighbor or someone who might need a little extra love around the holiday

• Visit a nursing home - sing Christmas carols and hand out candy canes to the residents. (They love seeing the kids!)

This was actually caroling to my parents' neighbors in Chicopee last year.

• Invite someone to celebrate the holiday with you who may not have family in town

6. As you receive Christmas cards, place them in a basket near your dining room table. Each night at dinner you can read one card and pray for that family. If you want to go the extra mile you can even email or facebook that person to let them know your family prayed for them that night.

   7. Host an outreach for your neighbors

• party, cookie exchange, anything… the point is to show you care and to build relationships. 

 
8. Make a gingerbread house together and teach them about the different “homes” of Jesus and the home He’s preparing for us in Heaven. (Use this “Gingerbreadgospel” as a guide.)

From 2009

           

    9. In the beginning of the season wrap a bunch of children Christmas books in Christmas paper and place them in a basket. Each night let a child unwrap one Christmas book to read together by the Christmas Tree.

   10. Let the kids help bake and decorate a birthday cake for Jesus and encourage them to make cards/special gifts to celebrate His birthday.

Last year's birthday party

11.  Each time you turn on a light during Advent say, “Christ is  
      Welcome in our home.”

• When you turn on your tree lights say, “Jesus is the Light of the World!” 

• Children love the repetition and learn valuable truths. (Tyler, age 2 now, remembers this from last year and yells it out on his own every time we see Christmas tree lights or lights outside. :)

   12. We put a “pregnant Mary” on display with our Willow Tree nativity set until Christmas Eve. Then after the kids go to bed, we replace her with the original Mary so that when they come down on Christmas morning, they see that she is no longer pregnant but now holds baby Jesus in her arms.     

This is what the kids see Christmas Eve when they go to bed...

..And this is what they see when they wake up! :)

   
   13. Dress in cozy jammies and drive around as a family looking for Christmas lights and listening to/singing Christmas carols. As you admire the lights you can discuss the symbolism of Christmas lights. (see the Symbolism of Christmas Traditions post)

   14. Label some gifts under the tree:  “To                        . With love, Jesus”

• “Every good and perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of the heavenly lights.” (James 1:17)

I love new great ideas, so please don't hold back if you have some!!