Helpful Mom

Well as Christmas comes upon us we struggle with how to keep Christmas centered on Christ while our kids are excited about the gifts, decorations, baking cookies, parties, etc.  So in an effort to help you do this I’m including some ideas I’ve read in various magazines.  You don’t have to do them all, just pick and choose what may work for you.

• “A walk through the Moyers’ home in December reveals a variety of Nativity sets, both large and small, but not one contains a baby Jesus figure.  Four year old Lydia Moyer can tell you why.  “Jesus is born on Christmas.”

Not until the morning of Dec 25 do the baby figures appear in their beds of straw.  Lydia jumps out of bed and races downstairs to rush from one manger to another.  As the preschooler hugs baby Jesus, welcoming Him to their home, her mother smiles.  What better way to begin the day, focused on God’s gift to the world?”

• “Imitate the Wise men.  Buy only three presents for each child in remembrance of the Magi’s gifts to the Christ child.  These presents don’t need to be expensive in order to be meaningful.  To keep Christmas Day focused on Jesus, some families postpone their gift exchange to Epiphany on Jan 6. By tradition, Epiphany recalls the arrival of the wise men to worship Jesus and so reveal Him to the world as Lord and King.”

• “Share Christmas joy. Spread Jesus’ love by helping others and by lifting the spirits of those who might not see a reason to celebrate.  Together as a family, visit a nursing home, serve meals at a mission or church, or pack and deliver Christmas baskets for food pantries.  Make sure your children know you do this not to earn favor with God but to love Him by loving others.”

Other simple ideas are to bake Jesus a birthday cake or go check out a live Nativity scene with your children.