O Holy Night

Christmas Secrets - 7 Tips to Revitalize the Real Spirit of Christmas this Season!

By Bernadette Dimitrov

Revitalize yourself as you rediscover the real spirit of Christmas. It can magically transform your life!

1. Celebrate -­ Christmas is time to celebrate YOU! Uplift yourself with memories of the joys you discovered and successes you achieved over the year. Spend moments in gratitude for these wonderful memories. This is how you celebrate you!

2. Wish Creation­ - Make wishes on the eve of Christmas. This is a special time as it is the night when the Star of Bethlehem magically appeared. Look for the first star as night falls before you make your wishes. Then blow a magic energy kiss with each wish for its manifestation in the coming year!

3. Start Afresh -­ Decide today to let go of the past. In every single situation no matter how challenging is an opportunity to make lemonade out of a lemon. Choose to find the gift in the message that the situation or person brings. If you feel stuck look at the quality being presented. This is the learning for you ­ to work on this quality in your own life! Now let the situation go by not giving more focus and energy to it and be grateful for the opportunity to evolve through this learning.

4. Forgiveness -­ This is how we connect deeper with each other. Make it a ritual before the festive meal to spend a moment one by one going around the table asking for forgiveness for something you did or didn’t do during the year. It will connect you all at a heart level! Don’t miss this opportunity to build bridges and set yourself free. Forgiveness truly revives the ‘real’ spirit of Christmas.

5. Discovery ­- Spend time discovering a new element of who you are. A great way to do this is to put your-self in new situations. Go volunteer, join a new club, try a new activity!

6. Support - Who’s your best support at Christmas ­ Santa Claus or you may know him as Saint Nicholas. Think about his qualities ­ kind, generous, loving, forgiving. He is solution orientated and always looking for and finding the best in all he meets. Support yourself by focusing on ways to develop these qualities in you.

7. Gift Giving -­ You are the gift! Learn to give of yourself. This is how we reinforce the presence of love in our lives. Where ever you go you leave your energy, your mark. Leave the spirit of Christmas this holiday with your positive inspiration and uplifting energy.

Re-connect with yourself, family and friends and go create some good old days. Memories that warm the heart and rekindle the ‘loving’ spirit of Christmas!

Visit http://www.HoHoHoChristmas.com & sign up for our FREE Newsletter full of tips, tools & resources for reviving the fun, joy, magic and real meanings of Christmas PLUS receive our bonus f*r*e*e 10 day e-course with audio - Amazing Ways to Enrich Your Christmas Experience from The HoHoHo Expert, Bernadette Dimitrov, author of the world's best Christmas ebooks and audio books. The HoHoHo Factor!’ everything you’ll love to know & share about Christmas & the new fun adventure series ‘Bluey, Santa's New Recruit!’ Your resources for creating fun and cherished memories today!

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The Gift - by Aselin Debison

Christmas Spirit: Do You Possess The Spirit Of Christmas?

While for so many people this holiday season is about rampant commercialism, keeping up with the Joneses and rushing to keep up with a hectic schedule, we should all jump off the speed train and take time to not only appreciate the true meaning of Christmas but also to embrace the true spirit of Christmas.

Emotionally this is a difficult time of year for so many. Depression and anger drive up the rates of suicide and domestic violence. Stress builds upon stress to destroy the holiday cheer of many.

The underlying problem for so many people is that they focus all their energy on what they do not have rather than embracing what they do have -- that is what Christmas spirit is all about.

Whether or not you are an ardent Christian, if you live in the Western World then you know that the true meaning of Christmas is to celebrate the birth of Christ. The Christ child is a symbol of love, light, hope and peace that makes this such a joyful season for true believers. However, even among the believers, there are some for which this message is not enough to overcome the depression, anger and stress of the season.

That is why it is so important to embrace the true meaning of Christmas. You need to reach down within yourself to find the spirit of Christmas. In order to embrace the true Christmas spirit you must be willing to give. Give of yourself, your time and your love, and give of your worldly possessions. Do not think of the gifts you give to others as an obligation or duty, but think of it as a symbol of your love for them. While no gift can accurately reflect the love we feel for those who are near and dear to us, we can show them that they matter by spending time and thought to create or select a gift with meaning.

My son likes to make his gifts and spends a long time designing and then creating these items. Granted, we could have bought a sweatshirt with "world's best grandma" printed on by a factory, but I expect that his grandmothers will cherish the shirts he designed himself and then created with fabric paint -- misspellings, oddly-formed pictures and all. If you are struggling with your Christmas spirit then perhaps you should avoid the mall entirely this season and find a different way to give?

Embracing the spirit of Christmas also means giving to those beyond our immediate sphere as well, especially those most in need. Obviously it is easy to throw some money in a Salvation Army collection, and that is certainly worth doing, but if your Christmas spirit needs a boost then perhaps you should try something more hands-on.

Local churches, schools, and charitable organizations can usually give you a list of opportunities to give and help. For example, through my church we have taken up a shoebox collection (creating an assortment of holiday gifts that will fit into a plastic shoebox and then are shipped to need children overseas) and bought coats and clothing for needy children in our community. I helped wrap the coats and clothing as well as contributed to both campaigns and it did wonders for making me appreciate what I possess.

Embrace the spirit of Christmas and find the true meaning of the season to bring more joy and happiness into your life.

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• 7 Ways to Share the Christmas Spirit

Keeping Christ in Christmas This Year

Image via WikipediaBy Malia Russell

Each year, Christian parents struggle to balance between the consumerism of Christmas, and keeping Christ the central theme of Christmas. Here are some ideas of ways you can keep Christ the main focus this year.

• Go Christmas caroling.

• Lots of churches have Christmas programs that are completely free.

• Make a Jesse Tree. You can print pictures for a Jesse tree off from the internet, have the kids decorate them, and each day, pull out a Jesse tree decoration and put it on your tree. I use the front of my fridge and simply tape each on there, in the shape of a Christmas tree.

• Make a homemade advent calendar. For each day, have a scripture verse, or a Christmas song that your family will enjoy together. You can include small treats as well (tootsie rolls or kiss, or homemade cookie).

• We have a Happy Birthday Jesus Party

• Sponsor an Angel Tree Child

• Limit gifts - one way to do this is as follows: Decide to have three gifts per child (since that is what Jesus received). Or, we do this one: We buy our children three gifts each, plus one gift to share. We use the following poem as a guideline: "Something to read, something to wear, something to play and something to share"

• Sponsor another charity such as Operation Christmas Child

Stop and think through all the things you do at Christmas and see what is truly just a distraction from Christ, and try to eliminate those things as much as possible. I hope your family has a very Merry Christmas!

Malia Russell is the owner and director of http://www.homemaking911.com The number one word homemakers use to describe themselves is overwhelmed. Women have a yearning to create a home, a place of beauty, order, comfort and peace. However the compulsion to do it right often collides with feelings of guilt, inadequacy and frustration.

www.homemaking911.com is meant to encourage you. There you will find resources to help in many aspects of home management and home education, being a godly wife and mother, and becoming the type of woman God is calling you to be.

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The First Christmas Gift

Christmas Traditions with Your Family

Do you have special Christmas traditions with your family? Whether handed down from generation to generation, or beginning anew, most everyone does.

It is Christmas morning. The stockings hung on the fireplace are filled with goodies, and the presents around the tree are beautifully wrapped. The children awake very early, sensing that something magical has occurred the night before. There is a flurry of activity as you hear them rush into your room and excitedly announce, “Santa was here! Santa was here!” The lights on the tree seem to guide them to it, and they look down at all of their presents with wide-eyed wonder.

The Christmas tradition with your family has begun.

After all the presents are opened, and many pictures have been taken, mom prepares a special Christmas breakfast, just as her mom taught her. As dawn becomes day, the fresh fallen snow beckons the kids outdoors. Perhaps the kids want to test out their brand new red sled; or build a snowman with mom and dad.

Later, while mom prepares Christmas dinner, the kids are playing with their new toys. Perhaps dad is helping put together a new jet plane, while a bright eyed girl is re-arranging the furniture in her new doll house yet again. Mom puts on her favorite Christmas CD, and the house is alive with laughter and music.

Grandma and Grandpa arrive to partake in an early Christmas dinner. Grandpa is playing with the kids and Grandma is in the kitchen helping mom prepare for the feast. Turkey, stuffing, yams, broccoli and cranberry sauce begin the menu, followed by a homemade cake with special chocolate frosting – a recipe handed down from great-grandma. Milk and home made cookies for the kids round out the meal.

It’s nearly six o’clock and time to head out for Church services. Everyone dresses in their Christmas finest. Celebrating Christmas is more than just giving presents, it is a time to rejoice.

Back home, they all gather in the living room and turn on the TV to watch It’s a Wonderful Life, but not before they are once again gathered around the table to have a light meal, and another piece of that delicious chocolate cake!

While your Christmas traditions may differ from the ones described above, the fact is that what has just been described is a traditional family Christmas. It is about being together, enjoying the holiday, and celebrating the birth of a child.

Merry Christmas!

Serving the Community at Christmas

The best part of Christmas is sharing peace and love with others. The true meaning of Christmas should bring hope to every man, woman, and child. Doing something selfless for others helps us spread that hope.

Neighbor helps Neighbor.

In many places, snow is a certainty during the holiday season. If you live in one of these areas then you know that digging out after a snow is hard work.

Organize a neighborhood “dig out”. Neighbors who are able-bodied and full of the Christmas spirit can offer to shovel their neighbors’ driveways and front steps. Children can travel around the shoveling route providing hot cocoa breaks for the willing workers. Neighbors who have to work around the holidays will appreciate the Christian charity.

One thing my community likes to do around the Christmas holiday is to canvas the entire neighborhood with luminaries. Volunteers take a day and come together to prepare the luminary bags and set them out curbside in front of every home. About a week before Christmas the volunteers light the luminaries at sunset one evening. Everyone in the neighborhood can look out their windows and enjoy the solemnity of the season. The luminaries are a small service, but they make a powerful statement. They remind us of the light that was born into the world over 2,000 years ago.

Shopping break.

Malls and shopping centers become hubs of activity at Christmastime. One shopping center in my city is so busy that they hire policemen to direct traffic. Everyone is so busy buying, that no one thinks about eating. Here’s another opportunity to help out in the community. A church youth group, women’s circle, or another organization can provide much needed concessions, free of charge, for weary shoppers.

Keep your snack items simple. If I were a shopper I’d be looking for something to give me a boost of energy in a hurry. Donuts or Christmas cookies would be easiest to manage and clean up. Apple cider can be bought from the grocery store and warmed up in large coffee urns heated by electric fuel. There’s nothing like a hot drink and a donut on a cold day. Shoppers will thank you for the hospitality. If they ask why you are doing it, let them know that you are sharing a bit of Christ’s love during the holidays.

Helping out in the community can be fun and rewarding. Explore the needs in your area this Christmas and give lend some folks a hand.

Faith-Filled Gift Giving Ideas for Christmas

Homemade gift baskets can show just how much love we’ve poured into our gift giving this year. A basket can be put together at home cheaper than the same basket could be purchased from the store. My church youth group made homemade gifts one year and the project was a big success. The kids worked hard to create the best gifts they could for the person whose name they had chosen.

A special talent or skill that you possess can be a big help in creating a homemade gift. I like to crochet and sew. One year, I made winter scarves in Christmas colors for a few of my family baskets. I also made a few twin-sized comforters for the children. If crafts are your thing, try your hand at creating handmade jewelry. Whatever your talent, put it to good use.

Many of us are not the creative sort, but there are ideas for you too. Instead of hitting the toy and/or department stores, head to your local Christian store, such as: Lifeway Christian, Family Christian, and Cokesbury Christian stores. You can find interesting gifts from music and jewelry to videos and games. Children will love the videos and games. My kids loved the VeggieTales™ movies and toys when they were younger. The characters were funny and they taught good lessons without being preachy.

If you still haven’t found that special gift, I have yet another idea—gift cards. All of us know at least one individual or family that could use household or personal items more than other types of gifts. If someone on your list needs clothing, then a gift card will allow them to select the very thing they need.

Other types of stores sell gift cards, too. My family and I have given grocery gift cards to friends on fixed incomes or those who were having a hard time making ends meet. My father has even given gas cards as gifts. With the rising cost of petroleum, this is a great idea.

Gift giving doesn’t have to be hard, but it should be thoughtful. As a Christian, even our Christmas gifts reflect our ministry—meeting others at their level of need.

Christian Christmas Coloring Pages For Children

You can find lots of Christian Christmas coloring pages on the Internet that are free to download and then print from your home computer. Use your favorite search engine and type in “Christian Christmas coloring pages”. The search engine will come up with several places where you can find Christian Christmas coloring pages. Pick out the ones you like, print them out and let your child go wild!

Here are a few to get you started:







Here are some web sites that have Christian Christmas coloring pages:

Kaboose.com
PapaJan.com
Coloring-page.net
FreeColoringPages.com
uncommoncourtesy.com
Bible Kids' Fun Zone
Coloring.wsApples4Teacher.com
Kid Explorers

Another advantage to Christian Christmas coloring pages is that you can also use them as templates for craft projects you may want to do. They can be used to follow as a diagram for some type of craft or incorporated into a collage or picture that you want to display on the holiday.

Have your child color several different ones and then make them into placemats. Just glue the picture onto a larger piece of paper and you have a placemat. To make them even more durable, you may want to laminate them too. Laminating machines can be purchased quite inexpensively these days or most office supply store offer lamanating services.

Then enjoy the creation and the holiday as well!

The Christmas Nativity

Beginning in early December, Christmas Nativity scenes pop up in front of churches all over the country. Some depict the baby Jesus and Mary and Joseph. Others display the three Wise Men or “Magi” alongside the baby Jesus and his parents. Shepherds and their flocks are included, too. Still others feature stable animals and angels.

Let’s take a look into the Nativity scene though God’s Word. Two gospels in the Holy Bible contain an account of Jesus’ birth—Matthew and Luke. Both accounts mention that the Christ child was to be born of a virgin named Mary, who was pledged to be married to a man named Joseph (St. Matt. 1:18-25; St. Luke 2:1-7). They traveled to Bethlehem in the land of Judea where Mary gave birth to the Savior.

According to the book of Matthew, Magi visited Jerusalem and asked King Herod where the birth of the prophesied Christ had taken place (St. Matt. 2:1-12). They followed a star which led them to Bethlehem where they visited with the baby Jesus and his parents. In honor of his birth, they presented gifts of gold, frankincense, and myrrh. They never revealed the child’s location to anyone, thus ensuring his family’s safety from King Herod.

The book of Luke does not mention the Magi, but a group of shepherds tending their flocks (St. Luke 2:8-20). An angel of the Lord appeared in the midst of the shepherds and told them of the birth of Jesus and its significance. Following the angel’s instructions, the shepherds found the baby in Bethlehem, laying in a manger, or feeding trough, in the stable, because the inn had no room. After their visit, the shepherds told anyone who would listen about what they had witnessed.

The Magi were wealthy Middle Eastern men who traveled a fair distance to view the Messiah. Their wealth is evidenced by the caliber of the gifts they presented. The shepherds, in contrast, were simple, hardworking men who were given a revelation from God about the baby Jesus. It seems like they represent who Jesus was born to save—the rich and the poor.

Fun Nativity Crafts

The nativity is one of the central themes of Christmas. Nativity scenes are depicted on church lawns, in Christian plays, and outside of homes. Learning about the nativity can be fun for kids when you use crafts to teach them.

The birth of Jesus Christ is the focus of the Christian nativity. He was born to Mary and Joseph in an animal stable because there were no rooms available in the nearby inn. Using a water trough filled with straw for a bed, Mary gave birth to the savior and laid him there. After the birth, the Christ child was visited by shepherds, wise men, and a host of angels. The men followed the North Star to his location in the east.

These are the basic elements of the story. Read the story to your children first to give them an idea of who was involved in the scene. From there, the crafting can begin.

Kids can make their own manger. Using Popsicle sticks and glue, fashion a manger for the baby Jesus. If you don’t want to use real straw, Spanish moss will work just as well. A small baby doll can portray the baby Jesus. Kids may want to paint the manger to make it stand out. Display their mangers in a central location for everyone to enjoy.

Coloring books and children’s websites have free printable coloring sheets that depict the nativity. Give each child a piece of poster board or a cardboard presentation board to work with. After coloring the Nativity pictures let the kids come up with their own nativity scene and paste it to the cardboard. If the children want to paint things different colors, it’s ok. Let them, even if baby Jesus turns out to be purple and Mary and Joseph are green. Let them express themselves through their crafts, no matter how out of the ordinary it may be to you.

A fun nativity craft that the entire family can enjoy is the making of an Advent calendar. “Advent” is the time of the holiday season that is represented by special programs at church on each of the four Sundays before Christmas. Each day beginning with the first Sunday after Thanksgiving, the focus is on the Nativity story. There are a variety of ways to make an Advent calendar. Each day of December through Christmas Day, families do something special pertaining to some aspect of the birth of Jesus Christ. Children can decorate each space on the calendar with a symbol of the Nativity. At the end of each day, the family will gather to look at the symbol for the day and study a certain part of the Nativity story.

The Nativity is important to understanding the spiritual reason for celebrating Christmas. Allow kids to express feelings about the Nativity through their crafts. You can join in too and make it a family affair.

Telling the Christmas Story on Christmas Eve

Picture this scene. Everyone scrambles to get ready. Pajamas are donned and teeth are brushed. Before prayers are said, there’s to be a gathering in the living room. Each person finds a comfortable place to sit. The lights on the Christmas tree sparkle like diamonds. The smell of peppermint and holly wafts throughout the room. Do you smell the cinnamon muffins in the oven? It’s Christmas Eve and everybody is waiting to hear the Christmas Story.

A Christian Christmas is not complete without sharing the Christmas story. The story of the baby Jesus’ miraculous conception and lowly birth reaffirms our faith during the holiday season. Recounting the story on Christmas Eve prepares us for Christmas Day. We go to sleep thinking of Jesus and wake up with thanksgiving on our lips.

One individual doesn’t have to be responsible for telling the story. The entire family can get involved. Each member can come up with their own unique way of sharing the story. I like poetry. My contribution could be telling the story in a rhyme. My nephew loves to write rap lyrics. That’s an idea for kids, especially boys. They can set the story to music. Whatever the idea, encourage each other to express what they feel in their hearts.

Sharing the Christmas story doesn’t have to take place before bedtime either. You could buy a DVD of the Christmas story and invite friends and other family members over early in the day on Christmas Eve and view it together. Add in some hot cocoa and a slice of cake and you’ve created a relaxing afternoon.

Whichever setting you choose for the story telling, ask those who are present to describe how the story makes them feel. For instance, I am grateful that God loved me so much that He allowed Jesus to be born. Looking at what Mary and Joseph went through, I am reminded that it is not always easy following God, but it always pays off.

Jesus was born to save the world. When we share his story at Christmastime, we give special attention to the One whose birth got little attention at the time.

How Does Santa fit into a Christian Christmas?

Christian and non-Christian alike have heard of him. As children, we imagined the sleigh, decorated with gold and jewels. Small pointy-eared people stuffed dolls, train sets, trucks, and other treats into a bottomless red bag. The sleigh driver—a plump, kindly man sporting white hair and a red outfit, sat at the ready to lead his reindeer team across the night sky in search of deserving girls and boys. I remember not being able to sleep on Christmas Eve, my body filled with nervous energy as I waited for Santa Claus to arrive.

The aforementioned images have been a tradition in America for the last two centuries, even in Christian homes. Today, we have to ask ourselves: does Santa Claus have a place in Christian celebrations during the Christmas season? The modern Santa Claus was loosely based on an actual person who possessed qualities every Christian should imitate.

The name of St. Nicholas has been used interchangeably with that of Santa Claus but they are not the same. Saint Nicholas was born in the third century A.D. He came from a Christian home and believed in the teachings of Jesus Christ. He used his vast resources to help those in need, thus fulfilling Christ’s mission. Stories grew from his extraordinary deeds, each more fanciful than the one before. Once Europeans colonized America, the stories evolved into tales to entertain children and our version of the Santa Claus legend began.

As Christian individuals, we have a responsibility to represent Christ in all aspects of our lives. What greater opportunity exists to show the world God’s love than during the celebration of Christ’s birth? God sent His only Son into the world to give mankind a second chance that we did not deserve. Our children deserve the truth. Make-believe stories are fun, but when they appear to be more popular than the truth, they can mislead our children.

The Santa Claus legend must be replaced with the facts. Saint Nicholas existed and he lived his life in service to the Savior whose birth we celebrate during the Christmas season. That’s the truth. At Christmas, nothing should overshadow the birth of Christ, God’s ultimate gift.

Decorating for a Christian Christmas

Nothing lightens my mood during the holidays like putting up Christmas decorations. And, the biggest part of the decorating is the Christmas tree. I prefer an artificial tree because there are no pine needles to clean up and I don’t have to worry about watering the tree. My family and I pick a Friday or Saturday evening a week of two after Thanksgiving and decorate the Christmas tree together.

There are a variety of Christmas tree ornaments available today. We hang silver and blue Christmas balls along with homemade ornaments from the kids and ornaments that have been given to us as Christmas gifts. We string blue and white lights and place an angel on the top of the tree. My sister hangs M&M™ lights on her tree. Be as creative as you like. Oh, don’t forget the tree skirt.

The decoration you choose for the door lets visitors know what type of home they are entering. A wreath or a sign displaying a holiday greeting implies a welcoming spirit within. A few years ago, I decorated my own wreath for the front door and have used it every year since. It has bells, horns, and ribbons that say “JOY!” to proclaim the Savior’s birth.

I like decorating my home with candles. I scour the stores for holiday scented candles to display. The mingling of sweet holiday smells adds to the warmth of the season. Anyone coming in will think you’ve been baking all day!

Evergreen swags are a popular decoration that doesn’t cost a lot. Twist them around banisters or hang them across the mantelpiece. Adding a string of white lights will soften the look.

Poinsettias will add a splash of color to any room in your home. The beautiful leaves were once thought to be poisonous to children, but resent research has shown that this is not the case. If this is the reason you haven’t bought them in the past, now you can show them off safely.

A special decoration in my home is the miniature glass Nativity scene that sits on the mantle. I want my children and my friends to see the reason why I am joyful at Christmastime. Since our homes are an extension of ourselves, I want mine to be a testament to my faith especially at Christmas.

So, if you have the decorating spirit, go crazy and enjoy yourself. Christmas is the only time of year when going all out is A-okay.

The Greatest Gift of All is Jesus

Is there such a thing as “the perfect gift”? At Christmastime, shoppers go in search of it. Everyone wants his or her gift to be just what that receiver has always wanted. The things that people really want to make their lives better, can’t be bought from a store. I’m talking about good health, peace of mind, financial security, and long life to name a few.

There is a gift that can provide the missing elements of our lives. Best of all, anyone who knows where to find it can tell you where to get it—free of charge. It sounds too good to be true, but this is one gift that delivers what it promises.

God presented this perfect gift to the world over 2,000 years ago. His son, Jesus, was born in a stable in Bethlehem to a humble carpenter and his betrothed, a virgin named Mary. There was no get-together to celebrate the blessed event, only a star casting down its light from the night sky.

During the Christmas holiday, those who are Christians celebrate Jesus’ birth as the beginning of something wonderful. Without his birth, there could not have been a victorious death at Calvary and eternal salvation for every believer. Jesus’ life upon this earth was short, but he left behind a lifetime of teaching.

God’s love became real through Jesus Christ. Those who longed to know that God cared about them had at last found comfort. I grew up in the church thanks to my grandmother, but it wasn’t until I became an adult that I accepted Jesus’ message and received God’s gift of salvation. Now, I have a friend who will never disappoint me and a Father who answers when I call.

Remember the things I mentioned earlier: good health, peace of mind, financial freedom, and long life? God provides for them all through his Son. I can sleep better at night knowing that He is taking care of me. I also trust my beautiful family to Him, too. Whenever I hear my children pray, I am grateful for Jesus Christ in our lives.

Would you like to know where to find God’s greatest gift? He’s as close as your knees are to the floor. Tell him that you want him to become a part of your life. Ask him to forgive your sins and make your heart and mind whole again. The greatest gift of all is now yours.

Teach Kids that it is Better to Give than to Receive

Each November and sometimes before, kids of all ages begin forming their Christmas wish lists. By the time December first rolls around, the list has grown huge. Grown ups aren’t much better. Our lists aren’t as long, but our gift wishes are more expensive! A second mortgage may be in order just to afford everything our kids want. And so begins the spending, shouting, running, pushing, shoving, and snatching that accompany frenzied holiday shopping. How did this happen? Our kids didn’t just wake up one morning with their hands held out and greed in their hearts. “I want! I want!” is a learned behavior. We have lost sight that it is more blessed to give than to receive.

Where It All Begins
As a child, we are not born with knowledge of our actions. All behavior must be learned. Our first teachers are our parents and guardians. Kids imitate what they see. It is up to us as Christian parents to teach our children to follow the ways of God. That includes teaching them about giving and receiving. They say that imitation is the sincerest form of flattery, but if we don’t concern ourselves with giving, how can we expect our children to act any different?

An Unselfish Gift
The story of the birth of Jesus is a shining example of selfless giving. God allowed His only Son to be born, knowing that he would live and die for a world that had turned its back on Him time and time again. God offered His gift of love with no strings attached. We still have the free will to accept or reject His gift.

Actions Speak Where Words Fail
Get kids involved in their communities. Help them see that there are families who don’t have a home or enough food to eat. Several times a year and especially during the Christmas holiday season, help them to go through their closets and gather together clothing and coats that no longer fit. Kids should come along with you when dropping off the clothes at Goodwill or another agency of your choice. Toys in good condition that aren’t played with anymore can be donated too.

Soup kitchens provide hot meals for the hungry all year round. Take your kids and let them help prepare and serve. Even at five years of age they can help you serve. Tell them that Jesus did the same thing for multitudes of people.

Supermarkets and department stores hang paper Christmas trees with the names of children who need gifts for Christmas. Your children will want to choose a tree and help another child like themselves to have a happy Christmas morning. Through your actions, your children will learn that giving unselfishly to another person feels good and benefits everyone. Their Christmas lists may just get a little bit shorter and their hearts will definitely get a whole lot bigger.

How Can We Share Christ at Christmas?

As Christian men and women, we know the true meaning of Christmas in our hearts, but how many of us proclaim this fact to the world around us during the holidays? We can gently challenge those who would see Christmas as a time for commercialism and greed by letting our actions speak for themselves.

Pass it on. Want to give a special gift to a friend or coworker? Give them the gift of the Word. Share the Christmas story, and I don’t mean “Twas the Night before Christmas”. Pre-printed leaflets recounting the miracle of Jesus’ birth can be purchased from a Christian bookseller. Or, add that personal touch and create a booklet of your own. A small item, such as a candle, can be included too. Fill a weary heart with God’s message.

Share His love. When someone invites a person to their house, it signifies that they wish to share their good fortune with them. When we accept Christ into our lives, his home becomes our home. Invite a friend or coworker to God’s house for an Advent service or a Christmas program. They will be glad they came.

Get involved. For people living on the fringes of society, life gets a little bit harder around the Christmas holidays. Suicide rates increase. Those in urgent need, like the poor and destitute, become more so due to the weather conditions that time of year. God cries out for us to show His love.

Volunteers are a welcomed sight at holiday time. Soup kitchens and food banks seek extra people to prepare and serve hot meals and help with food box deliveries. The social services agency can provide particulars on families in the area that want to be “adopted” for Christmas. As a church body, everyone can pitch in and provide gifts and other necessary items. Providing gifts for orphaned children can also be a church project or one taken on by individual families within the congregation. If you see a need that has yet to be met, begin your own program to provide it.

The object here is to let Christ’s light shine in the life of another. During his lifetime, Jesus met each person at their level of need. Someone whose belly has been filled with food you helped to provide will be ready to hear more about the God you serve.

A commitment to Christ is a commitment to communicate his life and love to others. If Christ is number one in our lives, our actions should let everyone know it. As Christians, we have a unique opportunity to bring to the world, a true understanding of the Christmas season.

A Faith-filled Family Christmas

Preparations for the Christmas season begin right after Thanksgiving. Christmas decorations in all shapes, sizes, and colors adorn store shelves just in time for the after-Thanksgiving Day sales rush. Moms and Dads line up for miles outside toy stores, rain or shine, to be the first to buy the hottest new item. By Christmas morning grown ups don’t even want to get out of bed to celebrate the day. This year instead of preparing our wallets and pocketbooks, let’s prepare our hearts to usher in the Christmas season with our families in a faith-affirming way.

Family Worship
The season of Advent (which means arrival) begins the first Sunday after Thanksgiving and extends through four Sundays. Advent celebrates the coming of the Christ child into the world and the significance of this event in the lives of every Christian.

The Advent wreath, the centerpiece of worship, consists of a small wreath (real or artificial), evergreen sprigs, five candleholders, and five candles. Three of the candles can be purple or deep blue, one is traditionally pink or rose-colored, and the fifth candle is white. The candles are arranged in a circular fashion inside the wreath with the white candle, usually called the Christ candle, in the center of the other four.

Worship time can be set aside each Sunday before church or later in the evening before bedtime. Family members can take turns each week lighting the candles and reading a devotional and prayer. A few moments can be set aside for any questions that younger family members may want to ask about the celebration.

Family Fun
Holidays are a time for people to get out and celebrate with family and friends. As a family, host a “Christmas for Christ” party. Involve the whole family in the planning. The central theme, of course, is the celebration of the birth of Christ. Have the children create their own special invitations. Invite Christian and non-Christian friends alike. Do the shopping for game prizes at this time too. If a lot of activities are planned, start early enough to fit everything into the evening.

To defray some costs, have guests each bring a dish and serve a buffet-style meal. Since decorations will already be hung for Christmas, no extra fanfare is needed. If a costume party sounds fun, have guests dress as a person from the nativity scene. Prizes can be given for the best costumes. The games that are chosen should revolve around the theme. People love trivia games, charades, and puzzles at parties. Let the kids take charge of the games while parents organize the buffet.

Don’t forget to end the night as well as you started. No Christmas gathering is complete without dessert, singing of carols, and the telling of the Christmas story. Sharing your faith with your family should be special and fun. You will create Christmas traditions that will be enjoyed for years to come.

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