The secular Christmas ideas are all around us this time of year. And while many of those things are fun and magical, they do not point to the true meaning of Christmas – Jesus. Keeping Christ in Christmas for your kids can be difficult at times. It’s hard to keep the focus on others instead of ourselves.
Today I want to share some simple and practical ways that you can focus on Christ this Christmas with your kids.
3 Ways to Keep Christ in Christmas for Your Kids
1. Acts of Service
A very simple way to keep the focus off of what we WANT for Christmas is to focus on what others NEED at Christmas time. Perhaps there is a soup kitchen or homeless shelter you and your family can volunteer in for a day? If your child enjoys animals, maybe they can volunteer at a local shelter?
This is a chance for your kids to step up with their ideas. Read some stories in the Bible of when Jesus served others (Feeding of the 5,000, Washing the disciples feet etc). Ask your children if they can think of ways that they can serve others like Jesus did. Then encourage them to look in their local communities for ways to serve.
Here is a great series by Raising Lifelong Learners – Raising Kind Kids: Acts of Kindess.
2. Gifts for Others
Making gifts for others who are in need or just other family members is a great way to focus on Jesus. One thing that our family always does each year is Operation Christmas Child. We go to the store and pick out our items for each box. I do not allow my daughter to get any items for herself on this trip. This trip is specifically for getting gifts for our box and talking about how others around the world are not as fortunate as we are here.
You can also pick out some homemade gifts to make for family or friends. Then hand deliver them or mail them in a special box to your family and friends.
3. Advent Activities
Advent activities are always a lot of fun and I love the hands-on approach they give to learning about Christmas and it’s real meaning.
One of our favorites is Truth in the Tinsel.
I love the hand-on activities in this book. It also goes through the entire story of Christmas/Birth of Jesus with the kids. It also has a focus on serving. I am looking forward to doing these with Ellie this year.
Here are a few other ideas:
Also be sure to follow our 12 Days to a Montessori Christmas series to see even more ideas for keeping Christ in Christmas this season.
montessoricarrie says
Your daughter is so cute! We also love doing the shoeboxes for Operation Christmas Child every year.
Heather Greutman says
Thanks so much! 🙂
Ilze says
That is so true. It is necessary for us to keep the focus on Jesus also during Christmas. And it is so easy not to do it. I know I have to put more effort on this focus. We also just yesterday prepared Christmas shoeboxes and it was so exciting to see our 3 yo to pick gifts for those little ones.
Thank you for this post and I am looking forward for other ones in this series.