Christmas is full of chaos—shopping, parties, road trips, cheese balls, fruitcakes, decorations, recitals, cantatas, wrapping paper, and more! Many people often find themselves frustrated with the chaos and searching for the true meaning of Christmas. In fact, this sentiment is something that even secular society recognizes—the popular children’s story How the Grinch Stole Christmas celebrates the fact that Christmas must have a deeper meaning than “packages, boxes, and bags.” So how do you navigate the proliferation of presents and holiday cheer and help kids understand the true meaning of Christmas? Check out these tips for cutting through all the chaos.
1. Plan your calendar appropriately. Take time to map out all your Christmas plans on your calendar. Be sure to save enough time for family and friends, and give priority to faith-based activities. If we want kids to understand the true meaning of Christmas, our calendars and priorities should follow suit. Guard your time carefully.
2. Take advantage of teachable moments. Don’t feel like you need to completely jettison many traditional elements of the Christmas culture. Christmas trees, wreaths, candles, gift-giving, and even candy canes all have redeemable elements that you can use to point kids to Christ. For more tips on recognizing and capitalizing on teachable moments, check out this post.
3. Celebrate the birth of Christ with your family. When it comes to teaching about and honoring the birth of Christ, don’t leave the burden of responsibility solely on the Church. There are many ways to commemorate the Advent with your family: read the Christmas story together from Scripture, sing carols, or even celebrate with an advent wreath. Remember that family is a gift from God, so even a simple activity such as baking and decorating cookies together can be a way to honor the Lord in your heart and worship Him.
This Christmas, cut through all the chaos, and take time to celebrate the true meaning of Christmas.