Christmas is in full swing in our home and all our children are headed here soon. The exterior illumination is up, trees are decorated, stockings are hung, and shopping has begun.  We have always used the tangible, traditional things of Christmas to teach the real reason for the season.

Examples:

• While decorating the tree share that the evergreen tree reminds us of the everlasting love Jesus has for us.  The tree is like a big birthday cake for Jesus and the lights are the candles.  The lights remind us that Jesus is the Light of the world (As long as I am in the world, I am the light of the world.”John 9:5) and that “God lights our darkness” (2 Samuel 22:29)
• While wrapping gifts share “It is better to give than to receive” (Acts 20:35) Point out that because it is Jesus’ birthday we give gifts.  Jesus said when we give to one another it is the same as giving to him. (And the King will tell them, ‘I assure you, when you did it to one of the least of these my brothers and sisters, you were doing it to me!’ Matthew 25:40) Share “God loves a cheerful giver” (2 Corinthians 9:7).   Make sure your children are involved in making or purchasing gifts to give so they are not just on the receiving end of the gifts.  Also point out that giving is not only things, but he can give love, friendship, help, and joy.
• Make sure your children hear the Christmas story from the Bible often. It’s fine to tell them the pretend stories of Santa and elves, Rudolph and Frosty, but be sure to tell the true story of Jesus, Mary, Joseph, angels, Shepherds, etc.  Also help them understand the true story of Santa.  He loved Jesus so much that he wanted to give to others.  A good book about Santa is “Santa, Are You for Real? “ by Harold Myra.

Begin some family traditions that your children will cherish and carry on after they have families of their own.  Here are some of our family’s:

• Make a December calendar with all the special events listed or pictured.  Mark off each day till Christmas.
• Make decorating the tree a family affair.  Sing as you decorate.
• Put the Christmas cards you receive in a basket and choose one each day to pray for the family who sent it.
• Have a birthday party for Jesus complete with birthday cupcakes, candles, and singing Happy Birthday.  Also, we draw pictures of what we want to thank Jesus for and wrap it up each year.  Every year at the birthday party we open up the present for Jesus we wrapped up the year before and see what we put in.
• Plan a night for all the family to sleep under the tree.  Go to sleep listening to Christmas carols after Dad has read the Christmas Story.
• Choose a family who has had a hard year to show some special kindness to in some way.
• Make Christmas cookies together and give to the neighbors.
• Make Christmas ornaments to add to your tree or to give away.  (Recipe for clay dough: 1 cup all purpose flour, 1/2 cup salt, 1/3 cup of water.  Mix salt and flour, add water a little at a time.  Mix with hands. After cutting out with Christmas cookie cutters, bake in 225 degree oven for 15 minutes on each side.)
• Look at pictures from previous Christmases
• The Christmas Web
• Act out the Christmas story. Involve the whole family including pets, dolls, stuffed animals
• Memorize a different scripture each week related to Christmas:
  For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Savior, which is Christ the Lord.  Luke 2:11
  God loved us and sent His Son.  1 John 4:10
  It’s better to give than to receive.  Acts 20:35
  The shepherds praised God.  Luke 2:20

Search this website for ways to take the traditions of Christmas and use them to Keep Christ in Christmas during the 25 days of December.

Romans 11:36
For everything comes from God alone. Everything lives by his power, and everything is for his glory. To him be glory evermore.

The Pilgrims acknowledged God as the One who had provided all things during their first year in their new land.  Have fun making your children aware of the first Thanksgiving by acting it out with Indian headbands and Pilgrim hats. Click here for a coloring book you can download and print that gives a simple explanation of the first Thanksgiving.  Talk about each page as you color.

The following sites have patterns for pilgrim hats and Indian headbands:

http://crafts.kaboose.com/pilgrim-hat-for-girls.html

http://crafts.kaboose.com/pilgrim-hat-for-boys.html

http://www.theholidayspot.com/thanksgiving/crafts/indian.htm

Encourage each family member to thank God for something; be ready with suggestions or even have pictures of things to be thankful for.   Have a Happy Family Thanksgiving as you give thanks to the Giver of all things!!!

(This is another lesson from Here a Little, There a Little, a compilation of Bible activities I created to use with my preschool children. It was designed to spend a week memorizing the verse and reinforcing it through Bible lessons and activities.)

“Feeling gratitude and not expressing it is like wrapping a present and not giving it.” (William Arthur Ward)  Share this quote with your children and teach them that since everything comes from God, we need to express thanks to Him for everything.  We should also express thanks to those God leads to give to us.

Gratefulness

Bible Verse: James 1:17  Every good present and every perfect gift comes from above, from the Father who made the sun, moon, and stars.

Bible Stories:

1. Psalm 127:3 The Bible says that children are a gift from the Lord.  Every good gift comes from God. God gave Mom & Dad a very special gift (age of your child) ago.  We are so thankful God gave us the special, special gift.  Do you know what that gift was? – It was (child’s name)!

2. Psalm 68:19 Praise God who daily loads us with benefits The Bible says God daily loads us up with blessings.  Blessings are anything God gives us just because He loves us.  Can you name something God gives us every day? (Jesus, food, sleep, sunshine, happy times, smiles, hugs, water, love, friends, air to breath, etc)

3. Genesis 1 In the beginning of the world God made everything.  He made the animals, trees, blue sky, water, stars, sun, clouds, birds, plants, etc.  After He made His beautiful world, He made Adam and Eve.  He gave all He had made to them to enjoy.  God also gives all He has made to us to enjoy.  Thank you God, for your good gift of your beautiful world.

4. Philippians 4:10-19 Paul had need of something.  He was locked up in jail for preaching about Jesus.  The people in the church in the city called Philippi decided to send some gifts to Paul.  They loved him and wanted to help him.  Paul knew that it was God who had helped them to give the gift.   Paul knew that every good gift comes from God.

5. Philippians 1:1-5 Paul wrote a thank you letter to his friends in Philippi while he was in prison.  He told them that he thanked God for them every time he thought of them.  His friends cared about him and Paul was grateful for their friendship.  He knew they were a gift from God to him.  We need to thank God for our friends and those who help us.  We need to tell others we are thankful for them.

Prayer: Thank you God for all the gifts you have given us.  Help us to always be thankful to you and to others.

Activities:

1. Look at baby pictures  and express your gratefulness to God for giving you your children.

2. Cut out pictures of things that God gives us.  Put them in a a ‘thankful box’ and pull them out regularly and thank God for them

3. Play out in God’s beautiful world and sing one of these thankful songs.

4. Find or draw a picture of Paul in jail and talk about what gifts God might have led his friends to send him.  Do you know of someone that has a need that God could be leading your family to give to like the Philippians gave to Paul?

5. Train your children even now to always be quick to thank those who give to them.  This should also be those who give of their time to them. Help them write a thank you, complete with art work, to someone God has used to bless them (grandparent, pastor, s/s teacher, waitress, sales clerk, doctor, mailman, etc).