What Christmas Means to Me.

I've been asked, by several people, about the resources we use in our home during the month of December to prepare for Christmas Day.  While it's true that our kiddos believe in Santa Clause and the magic he brings, they also know that Christmas is not about a jolly man in a bright red suit.  While stockings, Christmas trees, lights and presents are fun, our littles understand that the first Christmas morning was in a humble stable full of (smelly) animals and exhausted travelers.  Here is what Christmas means to me...

I desire for our children to know the truth about Christmas.  Details like:  An old man and his aging wife suddenly pregnant with the boy who would prepare people for the coming of Jesus.  A young woman, yet to be married, joyfully accepting God's call of becoming the mother of Christ.  A noble man willing to care for God's son, here on earth, as his own.  A group of magi in search of worshiping The Savior.  A horrible king who set out to destroy The King.  A set of shepherds, uneducated and of low class in society, being the first to hear the exciting news about a baby, a baby that would change everything!  The Son of God who chose to leave the safety of Heaven knowing He would be brutally beaten and put to death in a gruesome way.

Christmas celebrates the most beautiful love story that's ever existed, and it's my goal for our kids to understand what that looks like and how to share its joy with others.  We make this tangible for our littles by; educating them about that very first Christmas, going through our closets and donating clothes/toys to children who have nothing; giving money to people in other parts of the world as well as in our area to help provide for their needs; writing encouraging notes to those who touch our lives; living differently than the world so that others can see Jesus in our acts of kindness.

The resources we use to help us achieve these goals are:

1.) The Advent Wall Calendar

2.) Christmas Prayers for Bedtime

3.) A Night Like No Other family Christmas activity and book

 4.) Books such as The Legend of the Candy Cane, The Legend of St. Nicholas, The Pine Tree Parable and The Crippled Lamb.

5.) And, just for fun, chocolate Advent calendars.

As Christmas approaches, don't simply celebrate the day.  Celebrate the why behind the day.

The Birth of Jesus

Luke 2:1-20

In those days Caesar Augusts issued a decree that a census should be taken of the entire Roman world.  (This was the first census that took place while Quirinius was governor of Syria.) And everyone went to their own town to register.

So Joseph also went up from the town of Nazareth in Galilee to Judea, to Bethlehem the town of David, because he belonged to the house and line of David.  He went there to register with Mary, who was pledged to be married to him and was expecting a child.  While they were there, the time came for the baby to be born, and she gave birth to her firstborn, a son.  She wrapped him in cloths and placed in him in a manger, because there was no guest room available for them.  

And there were shepherds living out in the fields nearby, keeping watch over their flocks at night.  An angel of the Lord appeared to them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were terrified.  But the angel said to them, "Do not be afraid.  I bring you good news that will cause great joy for all the people.  Today in the town of David a Savior has been born to you; he is the Messiah, the Lord.  This will be a sign to you: You will find a baby wrapped in clothes and lying in a manger."

Suddenly a great company of the heavenly host appeared with the angel, praising God and saying, 

"Glory to God in the highest heaven,

And on earth peace to those on whom his favor rests."

When the angels had left them and gone into heaven, the shepherds said to one another, "Let's go to Bethlehem and see this thing that has happened, which the Lord has told us about."

So they hurried off and found Mary and Joseph, and the baby, who was lying in the manger.  When they had seen him, they spread the word concerning what had been told them about this child, and all who heard it were amazed at what the shepherds said to them.  But Mary treasured up all these things and pondered them in her heart.  The shepherds returned, glorifying and praising God for all the things they had heard and seen, which were just as they had been told.  

The Magi Visit the Messiah 

Matthew 2:1-12

After Jesus was born in Bethlehem in Judea, during the time of King Herod, Magi from the east came to Jerusalem and asked, "Where is the one who has been born king of the Jews?  We saw his star when it rose and have come to worship him."

When King Herod heard this he was disturbed, and all Jerusalem with him.  When he had called together all the people's chief priests and teachers of the law, he asked them where the Messiah was to be born.  "In Bethlehem in Judea," they replied, "for this is what the prophet has written:

"But you, Bethlehem, in the land of Judah,

are by no means least among the rulers of Judah;

for out of you will come a ruler

who will shepherd my people Israel.'"

Then Herod called the Magi secretly and found out from them the exact time the star had appeared.  He sent them to Bethlehem and said, "Go and search carefully for the child.  As soon as you find him, report to me, so that I too may go and worship him."

After they had heard the king, they went on their way, and the star they had seen when it rose went ahead of them until it stopped over the place where the child was.  When they saw the star, they were overjoyed.  On coming to the house, they saw the child with his mother Mary, and they bowed down and worshiped him.  They the opened their treasures and presented him with gifts of gold, frankincense and Myrrh.  And having been warned in a dream not to go back to Herod, they returned to their county by another route.