6 Ways to Teach Your Children the True Meaning of Christmas without Spoiling the Magic

Many of us have our favorite nativities. Some of us have ones from when we were children, others are collectable, and some may be inherited as family heirlooms. You may not be a particularly craft-centric family, or maybe you are, but regardless, building a family nativity together can bring you together in ways you weren’t anticipating. And, it gives the perfect opportunity to teach about the birth of Christ while keeping little hands busy. Don’t overcomplicate it! No one said you had to build a life-sized nativity! Think on the level of a gingerbread house—use popsicle sticks, pipe cleaners, or even a folding table and blankets like an old-fashioned “fort.” Let the little ones use stuffed animals for characters, and have some fun!

2. Light Advent Candles

Have you taken the opportunity to teach your children about Advent? Each candle lit, each verse repeated, and the meanings behind each of them? There are many missed opportunities to capture the light of Christ in Christmas when we ignore Advent. And this is a practice that serves as a daily reminder of Christ’s birth, bringing with it symbolism and meaning synonymous with Christmas. If you have little ones, they’ll love seeing the flame flicker as you explain the meaning of the verse of the evening. Older children can have the opportunity to take turns lighting the Advent candles. Be careful you don’t discount these foundational traditions. They’re ones your children can take with them when they grow and begin their own families, too.

Photo Credit: ©iStock/Getty Image Plus/sjarrell

This isn’t a new concept, but it’s still a good one. Take your children shopping and fill a shoebox, or purchase items to donate to the Angel Tree. Give your children their own money to use for this purpose, and let them use their imaginations to bless another child this Christmas. You can also bring those gifts home before donating them and encourage your children to pray for the recipients of these gifts. This helps to teach them the fundamental truth of serving and giving, which is woven through the history of Christ’s birth. Don’t have enough funds to purchase gifts? Then consider making homemade crafts or cookies! It’s incredible what handmade gifts by children do for the spirits and well-being of the shut-ins and the retired in assisted living homes. Giving gifts doesn’t need to be expensive or voluminous.

4. Start a Christmas Gratitude Jar

How many things are we grateful for? This can be a fun activity; even if you have older kids or teenagers, they can still derive joy from it. Print up decorative cards, or buy a pack of index cards, or just use scrap paper. Find a jar, and if the kids want to decorate it, then let them have a go. Then, every day, anytime they think of something they’re grateful for, they can write it down and add it to the jar. Of course, the little ones will add many of these, but for your teenagers, you may need to specify at least one per day. Then, on Christmas Day, gather together and read all the gratitude your family has uncovered throughout the month. Gratefulness for the year, the blessings God brought to you all, and the wonder of what He may do in the coming year!

Have you ever thrown a birthday party for Jesus? Especially with younger children, this can bring so much focus to the true meaning of Christmas while also engaging their senses in the activity. This makes it something they’re likely to remember for years to come, which is exactly what we hope when teaching the truths of Christmas.
 
 Invite some friends, bake a birthday cake, and encourage every child to bring a gift to Jesus. This gift may take the form of a talent (such as singing a song or reading a story they wrote), a prayer (they can pray or write a prayer and read it aloud), a gift they want to give to someone else to bring them joy, and so on. You could even have a table where they create their own nativities or decorate Christmas gratitude jars that they can take home to do with their families. What fun to have a birthday party for Jesus, and what a great way to really bring the focus back to the One the holiday is all about.

6. Watch a Movie

There are movies and cartoons out there that celebrate and honor the Nativity. Consider having a family night. Pizza, popcorn, ice cream, or whatever food your family loves. Haul in blankets and bean bags, pillows and stuffed animals. Get in your pajamas and snuggle in with a movie that turns the focus onto the Nativity. The available movies may reenact the actual Christmas story, or you could choose one with Biblical or family values. Either way you go, bringing the family together at Christmas to refocus our attention on slowing down, being together, and honoring the birth of Christ is so critical. And a family movie usually brings all ages together in a way that satisfies them all.

There are many creative ways to bring the true meaning of Christmas into your home and family without making it boring or tedious. And keep in mind that children (and teenagers!) often like to whine and complain. Be careful not to let their attitudes dictate the holiday. Encourage them to embrace the reason for the season, and then just go for it! You’d be surprised how quickly a frown can turn into a smile when you try new ways to celebrate Jesus!

Photo credit: ©GettyImages/dallasd