Kids and Christmas

by | Dec 15, 2011 | Uncategorized | 8 comments

When I think of teaching my two sons about what Christmas is truly all about, I start to shake in my boots!  (Cute, brown, leather five-inchers from Nordstrom would be preferable!)

Me and kids and Christmas?  AND I have to teach something??  You must be kidding.

Teaching children is not one of my gifts.  Craftiness is not my forte. And baking is definitely not something I would consider a talent of mine.  Sounds like I’m missing some important parts of all things Christmas and kids!!!

Although, if I don’t teach my children about the special gift given to the world on Christmas – who will?  Sure, the world will teach them about Santa, presents and the North Pole, but what about the Virgin birth, the baby Jesus and the heavenly host of angels singing praise to God?

Where will my kids hear the story of the birth of Jesus and be shown the awesome gifts God has given to every one of us even though we don’t deserve them?

Okay, I guess I have to pull up my big girl panties and figure this one out!!

I started thinking back…way back to my own childhood.  How did this mish-mash of the “holiday’s” and “Santa” go together with the meaning of “Christ in Christmas”?  I have such fond memories from my own childhood of painting ceramics with my family, making homemade ornaments, and baking cookies from scratch during Christmas vacation.  Well, maybe I just watched.  But that counts, right?

Bottom line:  My parents trained me well.  Santa was fun, but Jesus was the main focus.  They taught me by example to give of myself during the Christmas season by using my talents and gifts for the joy of others.   They showed me that miracle of Christmas is not just during the month of December.

Please God, help me teach my own children about You and Your wondrous gifts!!!

Never fear!  When you ask, God will provide!!!  Especially when it’s about furthering His peace and mercy on earth!  Thank you, God!  I don’t have to re-invent the wheel to teach my boys about the true meaning of Christmas!  I can use ideas from others!!!

Case in point:  I recently received an email from Jake’s first grade teacher about the Kindness Countdown.  Her plan is to have each child in the class do a random act of kindness every day until winter break.  They are writing these actions down and making a kindness chain that hangs in their classroom.

The purpose is to make ‘being kind to others’ a habit and a natural extension of each child’s life.   What a novel concept and an appropriate lesson at Christmas!

Five Gifts of Kindness that Don’t Cost a Penny:

  1. Smiles
  2. Hugs
  3. Kind words of encouragement
  4. Opening doors for others
  5. Singing Christmas carols

Now, this is what Christmas is all about!!!!  Love, compassion, mercy and kindness!!!!  It’s a great start to sharing the reason Jesus was born in the first place!

This might not be as hard as I once thought.  How are you teaching your child about Christmas?  Let me know, I love sharing new ideas!

Some Wisdom for TodayProverbs 22:6 – Train a child in the way he should go, and when he is old he will not turn from it.

8 Comments

  1. Wendi

    Most of our Christmas decorations are nativity scenes collected from our travels. Reminders of our Savior’s miraculous birth. They are displayed on the living room bookshelves…but there are Veggie Tales, Little People and Charlie Brown scenes at ‘kid level.’ And those characters are moved around almost everyday – not by me!

    Reply
    • meghays

      What an awesome collectible for your kids! And it brings Christmas to you every time you travel! Good idea!

      Reply
  2. Susan

    We have always tried to incorporate the Christmas story into the commercial
    part of Christmas. Santa brings the kids 3 gifts to represent each gift from the wiseman to Baby Jesus. We read from the bible the story of Jesus’s birth every year before Christmas dinner and we try to do something charitable each year. This year we adopted a compassion child and sent an underprivilidged kid to our sister camp. Kids Across America. I only wish we did more of that stuff throughout the year!!!

    Reply
    • meghays

      All good ideas, Susan! Thanks for sharing! I wish were were more ‘charitable’ all year, as well!!!!

      Reply
  3. Jenni

    I love this idea of kindness countdown, Meg! (and the vision of the boots, btw! 🙂 One of my little favorites is the Peanuts Christmas special. I always loved as a kid when Linus came out and read about the angels appearing to the shepherds. My kids “had” to watch it with me; I think they love it now too.

    Reply
    • meghays

      I couldn’t help myself with the boot comment!!! Just a helpful hint to loved ones who need gift ideas!!!! Hee, hee!!!! Yes! I love it when Linus reads the Christmas story, too!!!! Thanks for sharing!!!!

      Reply
  4. Heather

    You don’t give yourself enough credit! I’ve seen you with your kids and you do a great job teaching them. Plus, your love for everything Christmas is contagious, especially your love for Jesus!

    I love the idea of the kindness chain. I may just adopt it for next year during the month of November that way we will already have a chain made and can hang it on the tree!!

    Love ya, H 🙂

    Reply
    • meghays

      You are my precious sister, Heather!! Thanks for your words of encouragement! You know I need them, too 🙂

      My friend, Heidi, and I were thinking we would do the kindness chain all year with different colors for each child and then see who had the most at the end of the year. Could be encouraging to them all to do kind things to others throughout the year!

      Reply

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