Putting Christ in Christmas for Kids

Kids adore Christmas. What's not to love: presents, shiny breakable decorations, sugar to rival Halloween, extra family togetherness, presents, possibly snow, Santa, bright lights, surprises, did I mention presents? 

It doesn't take much effort to make Christmas time special for little ones, the world has filled the season with magic. But it does take some intentionality to make sure our kids don't get carried away in all the festivities (read: presents) and miss the true meaning of Christ's birth.

Here are 10 activities our family loves that help us focus on the true reason for this miraculous season.

1. 25 Wrapped Christmas Books

I'm starting with one of my favorites in case you don't make it all the way through this list. 3 years ago, I saw someone else post a stack of wrapped Christmas books on November 30th, and I was mesmerized. Now, every year, I wrap a collection of Christmas books (both ours and the library's) and number them in order, one for each day of December until Christmas Day. If you missed it, our kids love presents, so each night in December, they unwrap a book and we take turns reading pages together as a family. It's not flawless, there are distractions, even tantrums, but for the most part it's a cozy family time where we repeat the story of Jesus birth over and over. Here are some ideas for how to start this one if you'd like to join us.

2. The Fisher Price Little People Nativity

Like most of you, we probably have a dozen nativities. They're beautiful and meaningful, and oh so fragile. The Little People Nativity Set is amazing. It's wonderfully chewable, and not the least bit breakable or chokeable. Perfect for letting the tiny ones, and older kids, dive right into the action of the manger scene. 

3. A Star From Afar

Another sturdy and safe nativity set we love is the Star From Afar game. An alternative to Elf on a Shelf, this is a great way to talk about how the Wise Men followed the star to find Jesus. Each day parents hide the star, once the kids find the Star, they move the 3 Wise Men to where the Star was hidden, repeating until Christmas Eve. The night before Christmas, you place the Star on top of the the nativity stable and on Christmas morning the three Wise Men reach the nativity scene and find their king, baby Jesus! 

Disclaimer: that's how you're supposed to play, but we usually read through the accompanying book and just take turns hiding and seeking the star.

4. Veggietales St. Nicholas

There are about one million Christmas movies out there, but by far my favorite for explaining where the idea of Santa Clause came from and how he's related to Jesus in a child-appropriate way is St. Nicholas, a Story of Joyful Giving by Veggietales. We watch it over and over all Christmas season and the highest praise I can give any kids' movie is that I don't get the least bit tired of it. 

5. Graham Cracker Nativity

You can pretty much make anything out of graham crackers if you add frosting and candy, so why not get creative and try your hand at a gingerbread manger scene?

6. Birthday Cake for Jesus

A super simple activity to remind everyone what you're celebrating on Christmas Day is to make a birthday cake for Jesus. Because who doesn't need more calories this time of year?!

7. Caroling in a Local Nursing Home

Obviously with COVID this won't fly, but making Christmas cards for residents in a local nursing home or patients in a hospital could be a great alternative way to spread some Christmas cheer this December while we wait for times of being able to visit and sing hymns and Christmas classics to the elderly to be safe and welcomed again. 

8. To Give is Better Than to Receive

This isn't an easy lesson to teach little ones, but that doesn't mean it's not worth trying. Shopping together with your kids for folks who might not have as many presents under the tree as them is a great way to help them learn the joy of giving. Places you can often find wish lists to shop for locals are nursing homes, foster care organizations, Angel Tree Prison Fellowship, and your church. Letting the kids join you to buy clothes, toys, or Christmas meals, doesn't makes the shopping more peaceful, but it could lead to valuable conversations about serving others and create memories of giving together as a family.

9. The Greatest Gift

One of my favorite authors Ann Voskamp has 2 gorgeous versions of interactive family advent books complete with ornaments, activities, and printouts: Unwrapping the Greatest Gift - Family Christmas Celebration and The Wonder of the Greatest Gift - An Interactive Family Celebration of Advent

10. Neighborhood Christmas Open House

This one isn't explicitly about the story of Jesus' birth, but loving our neighbors is much of what Jesus came to earth to teach us, so I think I can squeeze it onto this list. Last year, we decided to invite everyone from our street, and some others from around the neighborhood, over for a Christmas celebration. Everybody brought something to share and every single person met someone new, including us! Possibly the most introverted person there declared it would be a new annual event on our street. COVID is trying to destroy this fledgling tradition before it even picks up any steam, but I'm thinking maybe we'll bundle up and have a fire pit in the middle of the cul-de-sac with socially distanced s'mores and hot cocoa...

However we do it, I'm sure we won't regret sharing the story of God's most indescribable gift of His Son, with our own sons and daughters each year.

"Thanks be to God for his indescribable gift!" - 2 Corinthians 9:15