Christmas Memories

When it comes right down to it, Christmas the event is a celebration of the birth of Jesus. As a parent, I want my children to have no doubt about the season's purpose - I want them to look back as adults on their childhood Christmas celebrations and see the significant family memories we created which point to Jesus.

In order to make Christmas a very memorable occasion we do several things as a family. one of those memory makers is gift giving. I know that this seams like a bit of a distraction from the focus on Jesus, but I'm not so sure it has to be. For the past few years we have drawn names for stockings. This year we've added a tradition of a Daddy Date. I'll be taking each child out to go shopping and then to Tim Hortons for a date. The emphasis I'll be making is lets buy the perfect 10 things for the person we are shopping for - our goal is to give them good gifts. In doing this, we remind ourselves that Christmas isn't about our greed, its about giving good things to someone else.

Another tradition we have is that the children make the star for the top of the Christmas tree. Each year its become more elaborate - last year involved my inventing a 4 sided 3 dimensional contraption. This year it was finger painting [video below]. The point is two fold, first, the star points us to Jesus - something that we emphasize throughout our family devotions each night. Second, it allows for another memory to be made, something that elevates the family oriented celebration of the season.

These two small parts of our Christmas celebrations as a family are intentional ways that we are seeking to make have significant family memories with a Jesus focus during the Christmas season. We're not done, there are more memories to be made, perhaps to be shared here. How did you celebrate the Jesus focus of Christmas as a child, how are you inspiring a focus on Jesus at Christmas in your children?