7 Effective Ways to Teach Your Children the True Meaning of Christmas
‘Tis the season to be jolly, and so jolly we become that we sometimes forget what Christmas truly is about. It’s essential for our children to understand the real significance of Christmas, so we’ve compiled a list of 7 effective ways to teach your children the true meaning of Christmas. If you have any other ideas, please feel free to post your comments.
1. Watch Movies
One of the most enjoyable and heartwarming activities is to gather as a family and watch classic Christmas movies that remind us of the season’s true meaning. Here are our top picks:
- • Veggie Tales: The Toy That Saved Christmas
• Why do we call it Christmas
• The Nativity Story
• Veggie Tales: The Star Christmas
• The Little Drummer Boy
• The Crippled Lamb
• The Promise: The Birth of the Messiah
• Greatest Heroes and Legends of the Bible: The Nativity
• The Star of Bethlehem
• The Very First Noel
2. Read Books
Another wonderful way to bond and explore the true meaning of Christmas as a family is to read together. Here are a couple of our favorite books:
- • God Gave us Christmas
• A Little Golden Book – The Christmas Story
• The Berenstein Bears and the Joy of Giving
• Humphrey’s First Christmas
• The Year of the Perfect Christmas Tree
• The Crippled Lamb
• Jacob’s Gift
• Room for a Little One
• This is the Stable
3. Set Up a Christmas Manger
Creating a Christmas manger can become a cherished tradition for your children. Place a figurine of baby Jesus in the manger and talk to your child about the miracles of His birth.
4. Host a Live Nativity Play
Organizing a live nativity play can be incredibly fun, and your children will adore it. Encourage them to dress up as biblical characters of their choice and perform a live nativity play. Invite their friends and neighbors to make it a festive event.
5. Give Thanks
Shift the focus from material gifts to the true meaning of Christmas by having your children write letters of thanks to Jesus. In these letters, ask them to express why they are thankful for His birth. Keep these letters in a scrapbook, creating a meaningful family tradition. Remind them that giving thanks is an act of faith and love, not a time for complaints.
6. It's Cake Time
Celebrate the birth of Jesus by baking a special cake. Add candles, sing “Happy Birthday,” blow out the candles, and savor the delicious treat. This is an opportunity for your children to symbolize the presentation of gifts to Jesus.
7. Nativity Treasure Hunt
Make learning about the Nativity story fun with a Nativity treasure hunt. Acquire a Nativity scene from a local thrift shop and have the children color the characters with glow-in-the-dark paint. Hide the characters outside (weather permitting) and have the children search for them. When they find a character, ask them to share the character’s role in the Christmas story.
Christmas is a time to cherish your family and friends, and most importantly, to celebrate Christ. There is no gift that can compare to this divine gift.
Do you have any other creative ideas to teach your children the true meaning of Christmas? Share your thoughts and let’s make this holiday season even more special!
