Keeping Christ in Christmas doesn’t
need to be one more “to-do” on your already packed December calendar. Jesus was
born to bring peace, not to stress you out. Try inviting him to be a part of
some of your existing holiday traditions—doing so can help both parents and
kids to remember the deeper meaning of the season.
Christmas cards: Turn this chore into a time of Advent reflection
for parents. Wait until the kids are tucked in, then put on some quiet
Christmas music, pour yourselves some eggnog (or hot buttered rum), and light a
candle. Approach your stack of cards with a spirit of thankfulness for the
family and friends God has given you. Talk about who has stood out this
year—maybe a family struggling with a difficulty or one who has become closer
to your own family. Even if you’re
normally not one to write personal notes, pick a handful of people you are
especially thankful for and tell them why you appreciate them. Don’t worry that
you’re not being “fair” by not writing such notes to everyone—maybe someone
else will receive a note from you another year.
Watch the calendar:
“My kids and I make a point of
never walking down a Christmas aisle before December,” said Carol, mother of
four school-aged kids. “Doing this makes the kids feel ‘in the know’ about when
our church seasons actually are. It also gives us the chance to talk about
Advent and separate ourselves from what’s being done commercially for
Christmas.”
Decorating the tree: Before you start untangling the lights, gather
around your bare tree and read a story from Scripture— the John the Baptist
story; the annunciation; an infancy narrative. Have each family member pick out
one ornament and pray for the something that ornament brings to mind.
Light the Advent wreath: Even if you can’t commit to lighting the
candles every night of Advent, do so whenever you can. Keep a Bible on the
kitchen counter with a bookmark in one of your favorite passages. As you light
the candle, have one of your kids read just a couple verses of the passage.
Pay attention to your nativity set: If your Christmas decorations
include a crèche, use it as a change of pace for your before-bed prayers.
Rather than praying with kids in their rooms, take them down to the crèche to
pray. Whether you say the Hail Mary or Our Father, read Scripture, or have the
kids pray spontaneously, you will be reminding your children that there is
something different and holy about the time before Christmas.
“During
Advent, I put out our unbreakable crêch and let the kids play with it,” said
Denise, mother of three kids under nine. “They have the angels babysit the
animals and Jesus while Mary and Joseph go out. I have resisted bringing more
structure or meaning to their play in fear it would kill the joy of their
imagination. But it secretly focuses me
on the preparation of all those people who were brought to the manger.”
And on Christmas morning:
“We put a small, empty bassinet
under our Christmas tree, next to the presents,” said Regina, mother of five.
“On Christmas, before we open the presents, we place a baby doll in it. The
empty bassinet reminds the kids what we are waiting for.”
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