Christmas to me is not only a joyful and most wonderful time of the year its magical and full of wonder. It makes me think about having a Spirit of giving, but to me it’s so much more than that Christmas is all about Jesus. They say it’s so much more meaningful and easier to celebrate Christmas if you know Jesus and because of my faith being so deep and so strong I believe that with all my heart. The Birth of Jesus was on Christmas and the first part of that word spells Christ.

What is Christmas about well it’s a story about a little boy born in a manger in Bethlehem. An angel visited Mary and explained to her that she would conceive a son by the power of the Holy Spirit and that she would carry and give birth to this child and she would name him Jesus. At first Mary was afraid and troubled by the angel’s words. Being a virgin, Mary questioned the angel, “How will this be?” The angel explained that the child would be God’s own Son and, therefore, “nothing is impossible with God.” Humbled and in awe, Mary believed the angel of the Lord and rejoiced in God her Savior.

God sent an angel to Joseph in a dream to verify Mary’s story and reassure him that his marriage to her was God’s will. The angel explained that the child within Mary was conceived by the Holy Spirit, that his name would be Jesus and that he was the Messiah, God with us. When Joseph woke from his dream, he willingly obeyed God and took Mary home to be his wife, in spite of the public humiliation he would face. Perhaps this noble quality is one of the reasons God chose him to be the Messiah’s earthly father. To me Christmas is a time for reflecting on my faith. A time of  looking at the basis of my faith, what my faith stands for, and how I’m committed to my faith. Everyone celebrates Christmas in a different way but the one thing that remains constant is what the day of Christmas is all about celebration the celebration of the Little Lord Jesus.

Some of my Mom friends recently asked me how can we teach our Children now while they are young that Christmas is not just about Santa that it’s so much more than that when we live in such a commercialized and materialistic world and here is what I told them. Teach them the Christmas story using one that is full of pictures. Make a birthday cake for Jesus and let the kids help decorate it and have a birthday party for Jesus on Christmas. If you have children born in December then you can also do a birthday party for Jesus. Two of my favorite December Birthday munchkins are having their 2nd annual birthday party for Jesus what’s great about that is they asked for it and asked if they could make it a tradition.

Throughout the month, you can have the kids fill a shoe box (operation Christmas child) to help them focus on giving to others since God gave us Jesus for Christmas, pick a child somewhere in your children’s age range. Adopt a child in need from your church or community and anonymously give gifts to the child. Let the children participate in picking and wrapping. Have them make gifts for your family focusing on what they can do to help show others Jesus’ love through their gifts and finding the joy in giving. Bake Christmas cookies and treats for your neighbors. Remind your kids that Jesus likes to help people in need and they can help just by saying Merry Christmas or singing carols.

Have your kids go through their toys and take out the ones they don’t use anymore to donate for kids and families that can’t afford to buy Christmas presents. We as parents should constantly be trying to remind our children that Christmas is about giving not getting and that it is perfectly ok to limit the number of presents for each of them and instead make their personal birthdays a time for presents for them. I have had some friends that have only given each child three gifts since baby Jesus received three gifts from the wise men. Do an advent calendar (you can make your own) or buy them in the store. I have one with the days of December each containing a little door with an item in each that tells a part of the Christmas story. Put a felt Christmas tree in the center of the calendar and the items from the door are safely pinned onto the tree and act as ornaments for the tree.

Let them know what’s most important and in what order things should hold importance at Christmas especially (but even all year round). First God, family,  and that “things” come last. We will always have “Santa” but teach them that the real meaning of Christmas is Jesus’ birth and that Santa is just fun. Emphasize that the best gift is that God gave us his son. Without that gift nothing else really matters.  You want them to know that Christmas is about sharing, about giving and thinking about all our loved ones. So this year when your decorating the house, and putting up the tree, hanging the stockings by the chimney with care why not hang up a stocking for Jesus too.  Go to church on Christmas Eve as a family to give thanks and sing rejoice in the birth of our newborn king.

In my home growing up we spent every Christmas Eve with good family friends they came to our house or we would go to theirs have dinner and then we would go to Christmas Eve services. We would come home and we each opened one gift before going to bed. Our family is British so we would place a pillowcase at the end of our bed and Santa would come and fill it up while we were sleeping and it’s a tradition we do to this day in our family. I love watching the magic and miracle of this time of year through the eyes of the children for it’s there sweetness and innocence that makes it so full of Joy for me. May the reason of this season fill your hearts with joy and love may you start traditions or continue with old ones so that the children remember long after the presents are opened that you were the most important part of Christmas to them.

From my family to yours a very Merry and Blessed Christmas and remember that love truly was born in a stable. One of my favorite Christmas songs is O Holy Night by Josh Groban enjoy the time with your family and friends.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4Zh-yR0pbmU